A Song for Everything

This is a little late this year as I have been super busy getting ready, singing so much and then popping over to Melbourne to actually have Christmas!  It has been lovely this year to be at Lauren's house. Us Raymond Sisters got to sing together again this year and we were all able to have a family Christmas dinner (prior to the day so Jake & Liv could be back in Adelaide for Christmas). But there is something special when there's little kids involved and remembering tradition, sharing the preparation and finishing a year together.  I hope and pray you have had a special Christmas season. I understand for many that loved ones are missed, memories arise and family feuds are still not resolved but there is always hope in Jesus. And you might think otherwise or not know him but He is the reason for the season and will bring hope, joy, peace & comfort into your life if you ask him :)  Wishing you all a Merry Christmas! Enjoy you day! I want to leave

December 1st already!!! can you believe it?? Granted, I have done a lot of things this year but it does seem to have raced past! So Christmas is fast approaching and for me that means numerous gigs usually entailing lots of carol singing and joy bells ringing 😂 I truly LOVE Christmas and think that it IS the best time of the year. I love the amazing reason for Christmas after all Christmas is Jesus!, I love the songs and music, the atmosphere, the decorations, the films, the times of family get togethers and people sharing with others plus it does end our year and so to focus on this at the end of a busy year makes me happy. So what does your Christmas season look like? what are your favourite traditions? It wouldn't be Christmas for me without singing and this often takes many forms. This Sunday I am making a steller effort of three singing things in one day haha!! Sunday 4th December - so Oklahoma rehearsals begin. Do you remember that at the start of the year I did O

3 seems to be the number at the moment! I turned 33 the other week, last weekend I had 3 rehearsals for 3 separate 3 girl harmony groups. Well they do say things come in three's haha!! So my birthday.....another year gone and gone quickly I might add but I have to say a great year! This year my birthday fell on a Saturday which was handy and meant that of course I had to do something :) Brunch dates! Thanks Val for the photo So first of all it was a beautiful day, 30 degrees warm and sunny. I began the day with brunch with some of my beautiful friends from Soul Factor. Then I had a gelati date with my niece and nephew (my sis Lauren & Mum and Dad too) and to end the day my friends and I headed out for a "Burgers & Ballgowns" night!! Twas a fabulous night and it was great just to do something for my birthday. Gelati dates with these cuties Burgers & Ballgowns That weekend was quite a big family one as my beautiful niece Eva was dedicated

I honestly can not believe how fast this year is going! It is almost the end of October, that means this Saturday is my birthday, Christmas is coming and I am already being booked for things next year!! But lets not go crazy, one day at a time right?? So October has been a busy month for so many reasons. To start it was the opening and performances for the Musical "Two from Galilee". This was a fabulous show and went so well. After only two months of rehearsals we opened to a great crowd and were so glad that audiences loved it as much as we did. With fantastic leads and an chorus made up of mainly Soul Factor Gospel Choir, it really was a feast for the ears and a lovely story to boot. It was a real pleasure to be able to sing and perform with my parents as leads. Mum and Dad actually played my parents in the musical and I was so proud to see them up there next to me. As well as playing leads Mum was the Director/Musical Director and Dad created and built all the sets.

Well this is really the first moment I have had to sit down and write this! So much has happened since my last post, I've been doing a lot and having a great time! Time does fly when your life is a little crazy but I wouldn't have it any other way. Nazanin & I   So to fill you in, August was a CRAZY month! For most of that month I was working on the film, Hotel Mumbai, being filmed here in Adelaide. I was the Stand In for Nazanin Boniadi and had a fantastic time. It was really long days at times but such an experience to be on set, working with such talent and great people. My fellow Stand Ins were such a fun bunch and it was really a blessing to be around creativity like that everyday. The film is about the terrorist attacks that happened in Mumbai at various hotels in 2008. Many people died but the courage and actions of staff particularly at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel saved others lives and this movie showcases that. I am very much looking forward to seeing the fil

Time for August, well I'd like just more time in general! Seems this month everything has happened and its crazy BUT a lot of fun!  I've said it before how it's amazing that you go along and then all of a sudden everyone wants you and you either have to try and stretch yourself or say no to things! Well this August has been a bit like that. I have been working long hours on a film and that continues until start of September, I've had Mary Kay classes, rehearsals and extra gigs plus some fun friend times as well! I really have been blessed this year with experiences. Last week I did an Ice Queens gig with ding productions at the Z Ward of the Glenside Hospital. Was such a great night, quirky and full of colour. We had only had short notice to pull it together so there was a lot of mad cramming and learning of songs but it was a lot of fun and people seemed to really enjoy it. Here some pics from it! Pic: Carolyn Ferrie Pic: Jo Casson Pic: Jo Casson, di

Well I couldn't let this month pass without letting you all know of my niece who was born on Friday July 15th!  Yes that is two new additions to our family within 5 weeks.  Olivia & Jake McCulloch welcomed little Eva Grace and she is a perfect little doll. So small compared to her cousin Hudson but just beautiful. It was so lovely to have both my sisters here in Adelaide for a couple of weeks and to have both of them with children. I collected the set, both a niece and a nephew in one year!  So THIS Sunday is Soul Factor's Concert "A Little Bit of This & a Little Bit of That". I do love these concerts but they are a lot of work! 19 or so songs, costumes, dancing, props, and music all with a smile haha!!  Hopefully yo have your tickets, if not click here!  3pm, Sunday 31st July at Southland Church Pasadena Green Shopping Centre,  20 Fiveash Drive, Pasadena SA .  On that concert, Michael Denholm and I will be giving you a little teaser of th

It's already the middle of July, can you believe it? And how cold has it been? My goodness, I thought that when I moved down from the hills I would be warmer .....not true. I hope you've been able to keep warm though, I am sure the weather will change soon (fingers crossed!). So we are into the second half of the year and I am in the process of locking things in and of course learning more music! A few things have happened over the last couple of weeks, including me taking on some singing students. I have been thinking about this for a while and decided that now was the time to get back to sharing knowledge and to work with people who want to better their vocal abilities. I am actually kind of excited to be getting back to it and hope that it is something that works. Singing is my passion and I love to share it with others, teaching it is just another way. Soul Factor's mid year concert is coming up on July 31st and this year it is a rather fabulous mix of music! What e

Usually with tears haha!! Sadly all good things do have to come to an end and on Saturday evening the season of "Big Fish" The Musical had its last bow. But what an amazing time it was! Often you'll get to the end of doing a show (which has taken months of your life up) and think "it's been great but be glad to finish", Big Fish was not like that at all. I have been blessed to do some fabulous shows, with great people and of course when your passion is performing and you get to do it everyday, you don't want to let it go. But from the first rehearsal, we all knew we had something special. The musical itself is a magical journey filled with colour, joy and mythical characters entwined with real life and love, the music although sometimes called unmemorable is just beautiful and not only am I not over it, I can't seem to stop listening to it! Our orchestra was so amazing with the difficult score, and the backstage & technical crew were phenomena

Well after around 4 months of rehearsal the time has come for us to open "Big Fish" the Musical. Tonight is the Preview before tomorrow Opening Night and I am so excited to share it with audiences and bring the SA Premiere to Adelaide! You may have gathered from other posts that I LOVE this musical and the role that I am playing. Of all the lead roles I have played, this one, Sandra Bloom, is a special one. But I think that has a lot to do with the cast, production team and all those involved with putting this show on. It has been such a wonderful rehearsal period creating something beautiful and for that I feel very blessed. I get to sing some beautiful songs, be a mother and grandmother and have red hair! Plus you don't want to miss my blue Sparkly dress!! If you are trying to decide whether to come to it as you don't know the story or music I encourage you to take a leap and come along. This music had me from the first listen and the story is so full of heart