Long ago, in what feels like another life, I wrote a song about visiting back home after I'd moved to Nashville. I was an 18 year old, sitting in a writing room on Music Row with two co-writers in their late 40's, telling them how weird I felt going back to Belleville, Michigan because it... Continue Reading →
Expand.
Woman. The word itself stands alone. It is powerful. It is big and bold, encompassing every ounce of the spectrum. We feel. We know. And our days never lack in navigating when’s an appropriate time to 'feel' and when it's time to 'know'. During this pandemic, there were weeks I felt I was floating in... Continue Reading →
Happy One Year Anniversary, Ray.
The show was starting in 20 minutes. I had already taken up my normal post for whenever I play the Bluebird Cafe. My preferred spot in the round is the chair that faces the big windows and the front door, so naturally I claimed it the moment I walked through the door. I was fiddling... Continue Reading →
Reinvention on paper.
It's midnight. I've got the front window open and I can hear the rain hitting the pavement. Usually that would put me to sleep, but for some reason, it's inspired me to open my MacBook once again. So again, I'm sitting where I feel like I've been sitting for weeks now... at my kitchen table.... Continue Reading →
Messy
One week ago. Sunday morning. I woke up in my own bed for the first time in 8 days. My bags that had been unloaded from my frozen over car the night before, awaiting me still by the kitchen door. After an 8 hour drive home in a snowstorm, hauling my belongs upstairs to unpack... Continue Reading →
The ‘hood’ that raised us
I'll start this post off with a simple "Thank you" to whoever is reading this. Whether it's been a random call or text to say Hi, a congratulations on my engagement, leaving a comment on a video I posted, or coming up to me after a show... I'm thankful (and still socially awkward with compliments)... Continue Reading →
The beauty and total weird-ness of “engaged”
So for those of you that are late to the party... I'm engaged. Yes, I know. Start praying to your God because the apocalypse is near. Ha. But really. Thirty-one days ago, I said "Yes" to a guy who kneeled down beside our bed with a big diamond ring. While I sat there, makeup-less and... Continue Reading →
“the music thing”
So, for the past few weeks, I've been trying to commit to "mental health mornings" to start my day. Aside from waking up at the ass-crack of dawn to work out, I've been trying my best to take advantage of these early morning rises to "check in" with myself too. So after our work-out, and... Continue Reading →
the hometown bubble.
I haven't been very good about writing lately. (I sound like a broken record.) Aside from some journaling here and there and starting a few song ideas, I've allowed my mind to be distracted by other things... travelling, packing/unpacking, being outside as much as humanly possible, Harry Potter books (I've decided to read the entire... Continue Reading →
everything in the middle of nowhere.
It's a weird thing. I have literally thought to myself and/or said out loud to others, "I really feel like blogging" and yet... nothing. For quite awhile now. That is always a huge indicator for me. I write when I have something that needs to be said. When the desire to write my heart, read... Continue Reading →
The Reinvention Of Raye 