My brand new video is out now! It's for my cover of The Fine Young Cannibals classic She Drives Me Crazy. Come have a look...We wanted to keep the whole theme very 80's - not just musically but with the fashion and video style as well - I hope you like it, please do let me know what you think!
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I'm very excited to announce that I have a brand new musical project on the way!
I've been recording an album of covers of songs ranging from 1978-88 with a wonderful band of exceptionally talented musicians. I can't wait to share it with you.
Check out my vlog for more info...
It occurred to me the other day that I have been, of late, learning to love my voice, enjoy it even… rather than wanting to sound like someone I revered (whom I was never going to sound like).
If you were to ask me who I would like to sound like today I’d probably say Pink. Clearly, I don’t sound like Pink. The vocal gutsiness and edginess is so natural to her.
When I was very young, it was Judy Garland. I was drawn into the world of musical theatre, the spectacle and fantasy was so appealing. Judy Garland was a belter, like Barbra Streisand and Aretha. The command in their voices, the richness of tone and power. When they do it, it sounds effortless. And that is the mark of true mastery. Making something look like it just happens. And when they open their mouths, well, sometimes we aren’t prepared for the wonder that comes out.
For ages I couldn’t work out how to create that belting sound. So whilst I loved to sing and perform, I was constantly setting myself up for a fall. I’m just not a natural belter. I didn’t know how to produce the power and my body wasn’t hard-wired to do it.
I have since realised with technique I can do it. And have surprised myself, and a few others with what comes out. In a good way, by the way. My current favourite to let rip on is, “Who’s Lovin’ you?” by the Jackson 5.
I have also learned that build and physique comes into it, how you were trained at the beginning of your singing life. Sometimes what you do instinctively is your true sound; and at the core, my voice is sweet. Sweet, with a lot of clarity. And I used to hate that.
I realise now though, that instead of fighting against nature, the best comes when I work with it. Let it do its thing. After all, that’s what I really admire in other singers. How they use their instrument naturally and deliver an authentic performance.
For me, it’s all about the story, the lyrics and emotion and if I am truly in the middle of it, my voice will do the rest. Of course I practise, explore and experiment.
But, every fantastic singing teacher I have ever had has told me to work hard but shut the door on the technique when I perform - and just sing.
Sometimes, we can torture ourselves because we are not what we want to be. We forget to see the gift we have been given and appreciate and nurture it.
When I was in the studio recently, my producer (who happens to be good friend) and I had a bit of an argument. In fact, we were severely pissing each other off. I felt I was giving the performance I needed to give and he told me he wasn’t feeling it. Ouch. I mean seriously ouch.
It could said I then unleashed a hybrid of a spoilt child and stroppy diva… Anyway, we were snapping at each other and I felt he was being down right mean. And then he said to me, “Focus, you don’t need this make-up for your voice, just be you.”
I was so taken back because it was so out of the blue and a really lovely thing to say. My brain didn’t have time to compute. So I sang. And it was pretty much a perfect take.
He then told me he had upset me on purpose to get the performance out of me, because he knew which buttons to press… Not sure I believe that!
So, one of my least favourite questions used to be “Who do you sound like? Names, used to fly through my head…people I wanted to sound like, people I didn’t, people I ought to associate myself with, given genre and style.
I don’t what’s happened, maybe I finally getting comfortable with my voice; nowadays, I say you could come to hear me sing and decide for yourself. I sound like Parry Ray.
https://soundcloud.com/parry-ray-official/slow-burn?in=parry-ray-official/sets/parry-ray-sampler
The "Backyard Sessions" took place earlier this summer when Miley brought her band together to perform some of her favorite songs. The last in the series is "Jolene". Checkout the NEW MileyCyrus.com for more!
If I had a pound for every time a musician said to me, “I would never go out with a singer, they’re crazy,” I would be eating out a bit more than I do. There is no getting away from the fact that singers are funny creatures. I feel I can say this, because I am one.
As a singer, I think we all want to make our mark with enough originality to set us apart – so our voice, intention and creativity can truly be heard. But I guess the trick lies in having enough appeal to reach the masses.
There are artists who are “universally” liked, and cut seamlessly across genres. I don’t know many people who don’t like Freddie Mercury, Prince or, more recently, Bruno Mars and Adam Lambert.
But then there are the contentious ones. The ones who are purposefully provocative and antagonistic.
Somebody who has sparked a lot of discussion in my house is Miley Cyrus. And please don’t judge me but I have come round to her. The reality is I don’t know what Miley is like, but the girl can sing.
Last year, I went to see Dolly Parton at the O2 and what a master class in professionalism that was. Whilst I was floating on the Dolly cloud, I decided to research some of her songs and who had covered them. This led me to Miley Cyrus - the Backyard Sessions, I clicked on Jolene and it was great. Take a look for yourself:
As my 17 year daughter, very succinctly said the other day, “So what if she does ridiculous things. Just because you’re a bit slutty or vulgar, it doesn’t make you a horrible person or a bad singer.”
I can’t argue with that.
I guess there is a separate issue of the example being set…do artists have a responsibility to their fans? Or should they experiment and be true to whatever they are feeling at the time?
Does creativity allow us to behave however we choose? What do you think? I think I feel another post coming on…And which artists do you love or hate?
Everyone has a story, a pivotal life changing moment. I have a few actually - life, it would seem, keeps slapping me in the face to ensure I get the message. But of those moments there are none more relevant to my life as a musician than this one…
On October 18th 2001, my father suffered serious complications from what should have been a routine back operation. When he woke, after four days and five subsequent operations, he could no longer walk, talk or see. My world had been utterly decimated.
A few long months later I rediscovered my voice – which, it turned out, would be my salvation.
At the risk of sounding like a contestant on a reality show, I always knew that I wanted to sing. I have always found the emotion in music compelling, intoxicating even. That beautiful partnership of melody and lyrics can take me anywhere and evoke latent memories of a different time. But despite playing the piano from the age of 4, guitar from 11 and singing since the age of 7, the goal of being a professional singer had constantly been shelved. My mother, who recognised my love for music at an early age, was reticent. Possibly because, aged 16, I came home with a blond haired, blue eyed, saxophone playing 24 year old boyfriend! But also because perhaps she considered music too unstable a career choice. “You’ll end up in the gutter” she would say, and I used to think, but that’s where the fun’s happening.
So after two Physics degrees and a few jobs in science and business publishing, life accelerated. I got married and had two beautiful children. Many would say that that was enough. But for me not singing turned out to be my biggest regret and my dissatisfaction was growing by the day.
By the end of 2001, my father was in still in hospital (he never came home). He died on 29 February 2004. My mother's heart was broken, she was becoming reclusive and I had a 3 year old son and a 4 year old daughter. That is when I enrolled in a jazz singing class where for two hours a week I was in paradise. My technique was pretty ropey but my teacher convinced me that this was something I could peruse professionally.
I went to some open mic sessions, met some amazing musicians and cut a demo to see if I could get work. It turned out that I could - perhaps not in the most salubrious of locations, but I really didn't care. One of my greatest faults is that I don't always think things through. I favour the “fly by the seat of your pants” approach to life, which sometimes is a curse, but in this case I think it was a blessing. I was literally living my dream, and if I had thought of the practicalities perhaps I would have packed it all in. Slowly both the gigs and my voice got better. I realised I had to put in some serious graft on my technique and repertoire, but to call it work would be fraudulent. Singing isn't work to me - it’s my passion and my compulsion.
Throughout this journey, my kids (now 16 and 17) have been my greatest support. When I doubt myself, they get lippy and arsy in a way only teenagers can. They propel me forward with crazy energy. They tell me to live my dream, because that's what I tell them to do. They tell me that there are no shortcuts, because that’s what I tell them that too. And when I’m exhausted they fold washing, they empty the dishwasher and they make cups of tea.
Life as a singer is crazy, busy and not always straightforward, but there is nothing I’d rather do. Ever. And I feel like I’m just getting started. Losing my father was unbearable, he was kind and warm and gentle and it was one of those things that I thought could never happen to me. But the silver lining was the rediscovery of my voice. Now I get to sing and write every day, I get to be part of a family full of talented musicians and songwriters and I'm pretty sure my dad is smiling down at me, whilst kicking up a storm in heaven.