I first heard MizA (pronounced Ms. A) sing at the Blues Flash Mob at Jackson Square back in February. She was belting out the Muddy Waters standard Got My Mojo Workin’ with delightful abandon, and thoroughly enjoying being in the mix with about 20 other local blues players.
As we later chatted over coffee I learned how she is new to Hamilton and is looking for some serious musicians with some serious chops to put together a project. I appreciate her friendly tone and her outgoing, engaging personality. And there aren’t many who set out to form a band with a member charter in hand!
Here’s what she wrote for you:
Singing the same melody but with different lyrics. That is how I relate my move from London Ontario to Hamilton. Employment opportunities outside of London had me leaving behind my band, piano duet, fan base and friends. That was pretty tough but paying the bills in a full time job had to come first. In my short public career as a singer/songwriter of just 8 years, starting as a late bloomer in my 40s, I have to brag that I have done pretty good for a new kid on the stage. I’ve worked with great musicians, made some nice cash, had tons of fun, and played to great audiences while living the dream of being a successful part time musician.
But successful is not all fun and song. The average person doesn’t realize the time and effort that goes into putting together a successful project and then delivering. This is something I learned very quickly in my first year. I thought being a singer, all you needed was a mic and stand. I learned fast of all the hats that are required to be a musician. Especially when I began putting together my own projects. But where I lacked in musical experience, I made up with business savvy. Being a professional business woman before I was a musician gave me the necessary business skills to apply to making my projects as successful as possible. Skills that I found most musicians either didn’t apply or think about because; we just want to make music!
I look at a project as a business venture and treat it so. You would not start a serious business without a business plan would you? A plan outlines and identifies what the project is about, who would fit, the expectations of the project and its members, requirements of each member, short and long term objectives and goals to touch on a few points. Essentially, it is comparable to a job posting or description. We are all great musicians in our own right but not every musician is the best fit for every project.
Now here I am in Hamilton with a band charter/business plan in hand. My passion is for Blues, Jazz, R&B and Soul. The stage is an old friend. The time commitment and work involved is for the love of music, the appreciation of the audience and the joy of entertaining. Check me out at www.miza.ca and if you are curious about my charter, drop me note. Singing like no one is listenin’….. MizA
