Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip: Sarah Brightman

Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip: 

Sarah Brightman

In my own personal big gay church, there is a wing dedicated to what can only be described as...The True Divas. These are ones who may do many things in life, but from the moment they opened their mouths to sing they became the one thing they were meant to become: a true diva.

One such celestial soul?

Sarah Brightman!

With a voice and vocal range bestowed from the heavens above, this pint-sized diva has carved out her own unique musical universe.

Her devoted fans adore her solitary vision and every sonic utterance. 

Musically restless, she's explored numerous sounds: pop, musical theatre, opera, middle eastern, and cabaret to name but a few.

This adventurous spirit actually led her to the stars themselves, as she began training to go into space in 2015. Unfortunately, that extraterrestrial dream has yet to come to fruition, but our angelic icon continues to inspire thanks to the never-ending gift which is her music. 

The gospel according to her?

Well, here are three from the hip, dropping from her lips.

The topic: Space.

"I've wanted to go to space, really, since I was a little girl."

"I've always been interested in space and the idea of exploration in that area since I was a child growing up through the '60s."  

"I was born in 1960, and space theory, especially in the last part of that time and going into the '70s, space was very relevant at that time. It was on television - all the experiments, the moon landings, everything like that."

"I was lucky enough to watch the first man walk on the moon from my television set and it changed me. Coming from a small town outside of London, all I knew was through school and my parents. Suddenly I saw this thing on television and I just went, “Oh my goodness — extraordinary things can be done!’ It inspired me to start working hard. In many ways, I thank that moment for having my career."

"I actually want to go up into space."

"A journey into space is the greatest adventure I can imagine."

"As I'm sure you may know, I'm planning to become a spaceflight participant and have been recently approved to begin my spaceflight training by the Russian space federation having passed the necessary medical and physical tests."

"Apparently, everyone is most scared of the psychological tests. I didn't know how I'd fare. What I've found out is I may be creative and imaginative, but I'm also extremely together."

"Finally my dream came true in that there was a possibility that I could travel to the International Space Station. I've gone through the medicals and the training and now I'm officially, by the Russian Space Federation, a cosmonaut in training."

"I'm not flying to the moon. But when I've talked to people who have been up, you can tell it's really special because without fail a very special light comes into their eyes and they appear to be very fulfilled in some way and very calm."

"Everybody goes up and does something in the private sector that they feel that they can do, and obviously I'm a musician and feel that one of my experiments - because I think there are many that you can do and that you're helped with the ideas of what you could do - yes, would be to see how I would sing in zero gravity."

"The opportunity to orbit the Earth, witnessing multiple sunrises and sunsets every day, looking back to our small blue life-sustaining jewel from a distance, gives me the greatest sense of anticipation."

I Lost My Heart To A Starship Trooper - Sarah Brightman
w/ Hot Chip

 Pie Jesu - Sarah Brightman and Paul Miles-Kingston

from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem

Angel - Sarah Brightman

And one last parting shot...

"We are all made up of stars and all of us are billions of years old - that's what I believe, at least."

"When you gaze at stars and think about planets, the places it takes your imagination are amazing! You look up the sky, and you know the stars have always been here; they were referenced in biblical times and have always been present. They are somewhere up there in the future, and they guide you; they make you feel safe."

"In the past, I always used to be looking for answers. Today, I know there are only questions. So I just live."

"I think of myself not just as a dreamer, but as a dream chaser."

"Anything can happen to anyone at any time and you shouldn't just live through the days, or you lose them. You should do what you can to enjoy every moment."

"I am an expert in the art of the possible."

Weekend Onesie: Space Force!

Weekend Onesie: Space Force!

Nothing like marketing rock hard little bricks of sugar as potentially lethal projectiles.

Put an eye out? Hell, this stuff will put a hole right through you.

Oh, well, it's all gleeful fun and games until someone gets killed.

At least it comes with a permit to carry.

And speaking of getting killed with a space gun...

This prompted me to do a bit of follow-up on the orange ogre's pet initiative - The U.S. Space Force. 

Seems it is a thing. And here's a link to their website: Space Force Site.

You can learn things, like the meaning behind the design of their nifty Star Trek-like logo!

 

Gee, maybe wanna be astronauts Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson could enlist? I'm sure they'd fit right in.

Semper Supra, indeed!

March! Already.

Ah, yes, another step toward spring.

Chins up, dears, and keep your eyes on the skies!

- uptonking from Wonderland Burlesque

Spaceman - The Killers

Of Note: Catey Shaw, ‘Outerspace’

Of Note: Catey Shaw, ‘Outerspace’

Catey Shaw, who hails from Brooklyn, NY, has released her second EP which includes the singles ‘Brooklyn Girls’ and ‘Human Contact’.  She recently wrote a piece for The Huffington Post in reaction to Taylor Swift pulling all her music from Spotify, coming out in favor of the music site.  She’s also a very gifted painter.

I stumbled on her song ‘Outerspace’, from the same EP, and was immediately won over.  She has an incredible sense of melody and I think the lyrics are clever and sweet.

“Of Note’ is a new series, spotlighting 

new and upcoming recording artists.