Amanda Clare Easton Morel

Hi there,
So...I've been here before. Just over a year ago I dipped my toes into the waters of Pozibility and...found out how fantastic it was! Yes of course it's great to have your creative dreams funded, but the sense of community and accomplishment that everyone in the project seemed to feel was overwhelming! That campaign was for the recording of my EP 'Out of the Blue'. I was lucky enough to win some awards for that one, including an international songwriting award, but more importantly, sharing that experience with all the supporters was one of the highlights of my career. Here is how the first single turned out:

This wonderful music video was co-produced and directed by Will Usic and I met him after he took up one of my Pozible Rewards to sing on my recording. And wow, what an amazing day that was:


Ah, that one still brings me out in goosebumps. Hopefully you can see why I'd want to do this all again - and why you should be part of it too?

The EP for this current campaign is the second in a series of 3, and will be beat-sy theatrical electronic pop with a bit of a 70s twist. You could help me raise the funds to record it simply by pre-ordering the EP or choosing another reward which could get you in my next music video or on the record itself. And have your name included in the credits on the CD sleeve, for posterity. 

I make my living as a singer and I still can't quite believe that since I left my office job at a little company called Microsoft, I've got to sing and tour with some of Australia's best-loved artists - including Wendy Matthews, Marcia Hines, Richard Clapton, Powderfinger and James Reyne. 

I'm particularly excited about one new song for this EP - it's called 'The New Bohemians' . The theme is inspired by The Who's 'My Generation' but celebrates the courageous and kick-ass attitude of 'my generation' of indie artists - my peers and people that continue to inspire me in this crazy musical world we choose to inhabit.

In keeping with the strong independent theme, I'm producing, directing and editing a music video myself (!) (with help from real pros including Wyvern Seeto as DoP) and I'm featuring a bunch of fantastic local (Sydney-based) indie music artists. It's a way for us to stand up and be counted, almost a historical document celebrating what we have all achieved, even if that rarely gets recognised or financially rewarded. You could have a cameo in this video, which will be shot in a funky studio in Redfern - take a look:

 
Want to hang out on the set with us and see the behind the scenes of a music video shoot? Here is the storyboard idea for the clip, with a very early rough copy of the actual song. You have to imagine I am Jessie J (I wish!):


So now I hope you can see how much fun this is going to be - don't be shy, check out the rewards to your right and let's start creating!

100% of the money raised here will be used for studio time and producer costs. This will mean the full cost for recording and mixing my original tunes. The producers involved are Matt Sladen (UK) and Troy Duncombe (Sydney) for 4 of the tunes and the fifth track will be a pumping DJ remix of the first single 'The New Bohemians'. The production cost for each track is $1100, so that makes a total of $5500.

I don't feel I can ask you to invest in me if I don't invest in myself as well, so I am putting my gig money into the mastering, pressing, distribution, music video and other promo costs, once the EP is recorded. In my former life I was a publicist, so I've got plenty of ideas on running my own campaign on a shoestring. Any money I raise over my goal will help me do a better job of getting the EP out there.

There are always challenges - if it were easy, everyone would do it, right? With the last EP, I had booked the venue for the launch before I had even recorded the thing. I had left plenty of time but I didn't figure on my producer having to leave the country in the middle of recording, for a family issue! But everything got finished in time, well, if you think picking up the discs on my way to the actual launch event can be called 'on time'. Creative projects inevitably throw up bumps in the road but with my bull-headed determination, along with years of experience and mistakes...coupled with the fabulous team of absolute legends I have around me (I'm including my Crowdfunding supporters in this group) then we can't fail! I don't always finish up with the project I set out to make, and don't always take the most direct path to get there - but these things can be blessings in disguise and we get there in the end.

Thanks for listening.x