Meet composer/singer and musician, Josie. Josie talks to Ali about her ambitions with Sound of Lighthouse, things she will achieve over the summer and the bus project! And scroll to the end – Josie is giving away a free song from Sound of Lighthouse. Send an email to info@josiemusic.nl with the song of your choice from these ones in the playlist on Spotify here – bit.ly/josieSOL (you don’t need an account to listen in!)
Welcome Josie – you are originally from Holland – how did you arrive on the sunny shores of Spain?
Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to live abroad, to a country where the sun shines and I could play outside. As my parents lived in the South of France for 15 years I tried to move there. But somehow doors closed everytime I got close to that dream.
When I started the band ‘Sound of Lighthouse’ I travelled to Spain for a holiday with my business partner and best buddy in 2013. We decided quickly we wanted to be here as often as possible and rented a house on the rocks near Alicante/Benidorm where we created a music studio and wrote the first album ‘Salida del Sol’ [2015] and the largest part of the second album ‘Close To You’ [2017]. A stunning place to be, but very isolated, so we moved to Malaga area, where the music scene was better as well.
When did you start your musical journey? Was there a special trigger?
I guess it was in my cards? My parents gave me the opportunity at an early age (6) to get to what we call ‘School For Music’. That started with the basics like reading notes and music theory. Pretty soon I got a piano and piano lessons. I could lose myself in it for hours. Created my own melodies and later on songs in which I, at first, shared my struggles of life as a young teenager that didn’t understand this world at all. Later when I grew up I understood the power of words; that the energy behind it creates worlds or keeps on writing on the same story. I changed the songs into something positive and shared my discoveries about the magic of life and truths hidden beneath years of conditioning and old templates. It’s when the hangdrum found me.
What is a hangdrum?
A hangdrum is a magical handcrafted instrument that looks like an UFO or Viking shield. You tap on it with your hands and sounds like a steel drum, only much more soothing and breathtaking because of its softness. A very special experience and difficult to describe what it sounds like. They say the vibration of the drum, or pan does something with our energy field (aura) and clears up blocks. I am not a scientist in that, but I do know people often are very much in awe of the sound that it creates and are moved by it. ‘Handpan’ is the instrument like a ‘piano’ is a piano. ‘Hangdrum’ is the brand, like Yamaha or Steinway is for a piano. My handpan is a ‘Caisa’ drum and it’s from Germany.
If you could play or sing for anyone and anywhere in the world, who and where would it be?
I would love to tour with a high frequency concert with a team of like minded people (musicians/technicians/tour manager/chauffeurs) bringing absolute stunning music and joy and perform in places that take our breath away. For instance, ruins and churches/old buildings with a stunning lightshow. When anything is possible I would like it to be with Sting and Peter Gabriel which would be absolutely divine 😉 and at least in Rome, the city I love! But even without them, the idea of bringing gorgeous music together with amazing people and a show that raises everyone’s vibration is my absolute dream and a plan I am working on right now. When everyone in the team is having the time of our lives, without doing anything but being in joy, it will pass on to anyone we will meet along the way. Music is such a beautiful vehicle to transform energy into something lighter. That is why it is healing.
What has been your greatest challenge?
Believing it’s possible. That I can create the life that I want, that will fulfill me, bringing joy and happiness to me and others, just by being joyful and happy itself. When the reality I am living now is not yet showing the desires in the physical, my Ego self easily tries to convince me I am crazy and will never get what I want, while my inner being already is all that I desire.
I discovered the life I was living was based on my old thoughts and beliefs. So when I am having these new thoughts and beliefs like “Everything is possible!”…”The now can change any minute!”…. “I am worthy”…. “I can do it!” … “I am already enough. Everything I need is already here (vibrational)” … And so on, will create my new reality, it is just a matter of believing it BEFORE it is actually happening! I am still working on it, discovering and learning… 😉
Which Band do you wish you were part of?
Not a band in particular, but I would love to work with people like Hans Zimmer or other score music composers in combination with my hang and my voice! I would love to be a part of Peter Gabriel’s concerts. That man creates a landscape of magnificent sounds! I would love to be on the Buddha Bar records and work with their finest composers and absolutely my top number one is to perform my own songs live with a large orchestra like The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. Dream big right? But you asked… 😉 (Ali “Love that and can’t wait to see it happening!”)
Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given
I have several…but will chose two:
1. Stop trying so hard! It blocks the Universe to come to you with your will, so flow can’t flow. The Universe knows exactly what your desires are and what is good for you, but when we are trying too hard in a particular direction, how can it come? So lately I have been surrendering and trying to be as much as possible in the now, observing signs and synchronicities and doors opening and then take action.
2. Words and thoughts create our reality for the largest part. So I became very conscious of what I say and think and feel how it feels. When the thoughts and words make me feel terrible, I know I am out of alignment with my inner being that knows the truth and I ask how it feels about it. It is always the opposite way and yes, those feel much better and create what I do want. An important teacher in this has been Abraham Hicks for me, see https://www.abraham-hicks.com/video/
What would be your top tip for someone looking at getting into the music industry now?
That it has become an industry indeed in which companies like iTunes, Spotify and Youtube and big record labels become wealthy over our products and dreams. The unsigned artists hardly get paid and in fact it costs a lot of money. As my Ego self got very frustrated by how that works, my inner being told me to go back to the core of why I am making music. To do something I really love, to create, the experience, the feeling of excitement when we, as musicians, have beautiful synergy and create something amazing, the love we feel from the listeners, the joy we have as a team on stage, the feeling of awe when we are on the road heading in the same direction, the thrill when the music really adds to a movie scene and gives goose bumps, etc, etc… THAT is what it is about.
Favourite song of all time and why?
I don’t have one. Impossible to chose! J‘Dance Macabre’ from Saint Saens, absolutely brilliant! As well as ‘Largo Ma Non Tanto’, Bach, Concerto for 2 violin, ‘In The Air Tonight’ from Phil Collins, ‘Whenever I Say Your Name’ Sting with Jo Lawry & The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, ‘Don’t Give Up’ Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush, ‘Mercy Street’, Peter Gabriel (live version Athens 1987) oh and many, many more! 🙂
Something you will achieve over the summer?
Hopefully my new single released!
Where can we see you perform?
I try out new songs acoustic often in The Shakespeare in Malaga on Fridays and sometimes perform in Artsenal (Malaga). As I am writing new songs at the moment for the concert JOY, so no new public gigs planned yet. Follow me on Social media or check out the website to see where I play!
Your dream for Sound of Lighthouse?
Create amazing score music and live shows that help people to inspire to find their own inner light!
Thank you Josie – we will watch and listen with excitement!
Website: www.josiemusic.nl [ENG|NL]
Sound of Lighthouse – https://www.facebook.com/soundoflighthouse
and http://bit.ly/JosieFB
ITUNES : https://apple.co/2D82Gb6
SPOTIFY : bit.ly/josieSOL
YOUTUBE : http://bit.ly/JosieYT and http://bit.ly/SOLYTube