Fifty Days Underground

February 8, 2014

Who inspired today's broken heart song?

A woman who decided to move to New York City with her boyfriend of six years. On the their first day in their new apartment together, he said, "I could never see myself marrying you." She begged to do anything to change his mind, but it was too late. He had fallen for a coworker back home. She felt like she was stuck in a nightmare.

Two years later, she has found strength that she never knew she had, and has no regrets about her experience. She has learned so much about herself and is proud to be standing taller than ever before.

I was in a dark mood when I wrote Heart & Bones (my favorite song title thus far). The verses are very eerie and jazzy, almost like poetry to music.  There's a sense of anger there. And then I switched from minor to major for the chorus because that's where she pours her heart out. It's just so vulnerable.

Where did you play?

West Fourth Street – Washington Square. I didn't have a plan to play anywhere in particular today. I just hopped on the train, and waited until I got to a stop that felt right. This one had a decent crowd so I tried it out for the second time. 

How much did you earn?

$12.27

Did anything unusual happen?

I have to say, one of the most unusual and coolest things happened today. A guy starting beat boxing with me! I was singing Love Of My Life from Day 10, and suddenly I heard an amazing beat going off next to me. There was a guy standing next to me doing the most phenomenal beat boxing I have ever heard. People loved it. I wish I could put him in my pocket and take him everywhere I perform. He was seriously talented.

Did you meet anyone interesting?

I chatted with the beat boxing guy for a little bit after we performed together. He seemed kind of shy, but really nice nonetheless. I guess because it was Saturday, there were more kids out than usual. I love kids. They always get so excited by the live music and start smiling and dancing. I wish adults would do the same. I hate how somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we start to care about what other people think about us. 

What's the best advice you received from a stranger?

No advice today. I started performing around 4:30pm, and people seemed like they were tired. Most looked like they were heading home from a long day of shopping. It was definitely a different energy from the the weekday mornings.

How are you feeling?

Pretty good. I slept for 11 hours last night, which felt amazing. I woke up feeling like a brand new woman. I'm still tired though, and my energy is never as strong as it is in the beginning of the week. And that has a huge affect on my audience. I'm looking forward to a day off from performing tomorrow, although I have a full day photo shoot booked with lots of children so that may be equally exhausting, if not more, haha.

I can't believe I'm already over a fifth of the way through this project. Although fifty days feels like forever, I have a feeling it's going to fly by. I'm always curious to see what song I'll come up with for the next day. Thank you so much for continuing to support me on this journey. Please encourage your friends to submit their stories. I have an exciting week ahead of me, and can't wait to share more of my experiences with you.

© 2014 Kelly Bazely