Nine Years Not Forgotten

Music is not a competition (we’re all winning).

I joined Soundcloud nearly ten years ago when it was a welcoming, nurturing hangout for music-makers of all types and calibers. Without Soundcloud, I would never have released music because I would never have believed anyone would want to listen to it.

Photo by Dariusz Mejer on Unsplash

Back then, Soundcloud was a global, virtual, community of musical ‘givers’. People willing to share their time and talent, simply for the joy of sharing. It was exhilarating and inspiring.  

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Stems and Roses

I collaborated with many artists on Soundcloud, mostly passively, by making my vocal stems available for producers to use. This was easy and painless as I didn’t get involved in what they did with them. The results were always interesting, sometimes more weird than wonderful, and occasionally magical.

Through Soundcloud, my little stems blossomed into bouquets.

Photo by Dariusz Mejer on Unsplash

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Love’s Not a Competition (but I’m winning)

In 2012, the artist Saint Remy, asked if he could use the vocal from my cover of the sublimely entitled song by the Kaiser Chiefs ‘Love’s Not a Competition (but I’m winning)’. I said ‘sure’, and sent him the stem, and thought no more about it.

I never heard from him again.

Until last month – nine years later. He contacted me to let me know he’d released a track using it.

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Here is my version, and the (slightly altered) lyrics

Lyrics
I won’t be the one to disappoint you anymore
I know I’ve said all this and you’ve heard, it all before
The trick is getting you to think that all this was your idea
And that this was everything you’ve ever wanted, it’s right here

Love’s not a competition, but I’m winning

I’m not sure what’s truly altruistic anymore
And every good thing that I do is listed and you’re keeping score
Love’s not a competition, but I’m winning
Love’s not a competition, but I’m winning

At least at I thought I was, but there’s no way of knowing
Thought I was, but there’s no way of knowing
You know what it’s like when you’re new to the game
But I’m not

I won’t be the one to disappoint you anymore
I won’t be the one to disappoint you, no more, no more
Love’s not a competition, am I winning?
Love’s not a competition.

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Future collaborations

Hearing from Saint Remy was a lovely and timely reminder for me about the (re)generative power of creative collaboration. The organisational logistics can be wearing, and many collaborations come to nothing, but the act of creating with others is valuable and invigorating. It is enough.

So……. I am currently writing lyrics for a singer, toplines for a producer, and I’ve (half-joined) a band!

I don’t know if I’ll have anything to share from these playful explorations. But they make me feel young and carefree.

It is enough.

Yours hopefully,

Nazneen xxx

PS – The title of this post was inspired by a previous post on Amy Winehouse.

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Yours Hopefully is an experiment in living hopefully. With music and musings, from a singer-songwriter-scientist. Why not subscribe and get a post every Sunday in your inbox?