Interviewed by Danish journalist Anders Reuter

A windy day in April I met up with the talented Danish journalist Anders Reuter in Copenhagen for an talk about my music, my views on life and how it feels to realize a dream!

I was excited as Anders has interviewed big stars such as Timberlake, 50 Cent, Radiohead, Justin Bieber, Muse Enrique Iglesias and now me - wohoo!

Sharpen your ears and you'll catch every word. 

I hope you'll enjoy getting to know me even better.

Nina x

How I deal with fear, worry, stress!

As I wrote about in my previous blogpost I do experience sudden panic attacks when it comes to finances and how I will manage while I am realizing my dream. I guess it is because I am taking many risks with my career and I have no idea of the future. No safety net, no stable income and I just have to trust that with my work, dedication and focus I will make it.

This may sound irresponsible and as if I live my life with my eyes closed. I guess if you compare my way of living to the majority it would seem that way. For me it is all about believing (strongly) that when you embark on your real mission and follow your passion (exploit your talents) you will succeed - but only if you trust in that you will make it. If you don't believe this no one else will.

When I feel panic I know I must not let it take over and I have to stop worrying immediately cause worrying gets me nowhere except deeper into a black hole where I get nothing good done! I have gotten quite good at noticing when I think negative or go into worry-mode and so I know when to set in and combat my thoughts. Most people, unfortunately, don't even notice how negative their thoughts are cause they have simply become a part of them. So, begin by observing your thoughts! Anyway, how do I combat these panic attacks? Here are a few easy to "copy" tricks of mine:

1) I do my 5 Tibethan rites almost every morning as soon as I get out of bed. This makes me calm down and get "grounded" before I start my day. When I don't do them I feel more stressed and less focused. Moreover, the 5 Tibethan Rites balance the chakra system (energy system in our bodies - if you are into all that), they keep you young (!) and it good shape, and I have less headache + bodypains when I do them.

2) I meditate. This does not have to mean you sit in a lotus position humming funky words. I do this sometimes, but mostly I lay down with my eyes closed and imagine light washing away all my worries and fears. It actually helps me a lot. I remind myself of my dreams, goals and what I have achieved. Everyday I "say" thank you for the good things that are happening in my life and this makes me think of what I HAVE and not what I lack! You can start by saying thank you for 3 good things everyday before sleeping. That is how I began, now my list is a lot longer than just 3 things ;)

3) GET OUT! A normal walk in nature, in the city or anywhere away from your home gets you into a more "normal" state of mind. The trick is to observe what you are passing as you walk/jog and this brings you into the moment and calms the mind. When I come back I am always peaceful and focused.

4) Small jobs. As my worries are mostly of a financial character it helps me so much to work these planned 4-5 hours a day every day in a reception. This is my only "stable" income and everything else is unknown. Cause naturally I need to make quite a bit more than what I do at this job. When I come back from my job I feel good and working with young children energizes me. Their spark and joy is so inspiring. It gives me energy to work on other things too. It feels empowering.

5) Eat well! Actually I never eat junkfood, cause I get so tired from it and my body deserves better than eating crap food. It has to serve me a whole lifetime so I take good care of it. I also stopped eating meat, but that is for moral reasons (another story). I try not to drink too much coffee but so far I cant lay off it completely. Sugar is also best to stay off during stressful times, but damn that is hard for me. I looove cakes and chocolates.

6) Exercise. Going to the gym for as little as 30 mins really works wonders. I clear my mind and use my body so after both body and mind feel great!

7) Sleep! Get your sleep. I cannot stress the importance of this enough. Don't have your phone / laptop next to you, cause they do affect your sleep. Don't watch a splatter/drama/horror movie just before bed cause it overstimulates your brain and makes it more difficult to sleep. I don't drink caffeine 2 hours before sleeping.

8) Fun times. Although I feel I should be working all the time to make enough money so I can get peace of mind, I know it wont help. However, spending time with great friends or family doing something totally different gets my mind off things and reminds me of all the great things / people I have in my life.

9) Creativity / Hobbies. For me being creative gets me into a balanced, joyous, happy and powerful state of mind. So, playing the piano or singing or even putting music on and dancing alone in my flat makes me feel great. So, be sure to practice your hobby if you feel stressed. Remove yourself from the stressful environment or person that is causing you stress and do something for YOU!

10) Laugh! This is probably the best remedy against fear, worry or stress. Laugh with friends, family or even put on a fun series or movie. Such a simple thing with such a powerful effect.

I hope these small tips help you like they do me ;)

Have a fantastic day

Nina x

Avoiding panic !

Since my last post a lot has happened and I am on a major emotional roller coaster ride of feeling great and feeling low.

So what has been going on the last 2-3 weeks?
I heard from a label that has shown great interest in me after the new music video release, which is fantastic. Have not decided on anything yet, but it is a great feeling to be in demand. Then I have been flat hunting and found a perfect flat that I moved into this weekend and now I just need to sort out a ton of paperwork. It always comes as a surprise for me how much practical stuff there is to do when you move. I'll let you in on a little secret...this is my move number 20 so I feel like staying here for a while !

To have this new beautiful flat should make me feel calm and happy. However, I immediately felt panic as I now have to find the money for a rent + utilities + insurances. In fact, until last week I have been living of my savings to focus 100% on my music so, mega panic as I used most of them on this flat.

When I panic I forget what is good for me and I have a tendancy to forget my mission (making music and performing) as I just need to get an income fast. That means that I go out and look for crappy jobs instead of looking for jobs I feel like doing. Then I have very little energy to be creative and work on my music and it all slips through my fingers. When I am not creative I get depressed and then I go looooow. Then I am in trouble! Believe me, I have tried it a few times. I hate how financial worries stop my good feeling and ability to create and I bet this is the most common worry we have.

Because I have tried choosing the wrong job so many times and forgetting my music I am so scared of getting new jobs out of the simple thought that it may happen again. That all I have achieved with my music will be lost, that I will get depressed cause I am not being creative. Yet, I need an income... and if I dont have money I also worry about how I will make ends meet and then I can't be creative, so yes, you could call this a vicious circle! It is about finding a balance here.

Last week I was lucky to start a good job that I like here in Berlin. It is mostly children and their parents I speak to and love the vibe there and I get energy from it, so I can make music when I get home. Another great thing is that I have to use my German, so I am getting really good at it.

In the middle of what sometimes feels overwhelming and chaotic it is so very important to keep reminding myself of what I already achieved in less than 6 months. It is not only the end result that is important but also the small goals I reach along the way! Hurray for those! They make me smile and keep the faith.

I keep writing, performing and putting my own songs out there cause this is what I am meant to do and by working on my music (new material, performing, promoting etc) every day if only for as little as an hour, I am doing something! I know I can do this cause never in my life have I wanted anything more.

I will keep you posted on how everything goes.

Until then you can enjoy this acoustic version of my electro/80sPop song Better off Alone and a new song called Heaven is a place on earth that I performed here in Berlin a month ago.

Keep your dreams alive!

Nina x

A few thoughts on following your dreams!

Better off Alone entered on chart of top 20 Alternative hits

Today I found that Better off Alone has entered as no. 16 on a Danish top 20 list over the best alternative hits. Now I am on 3 charts! Pretty good for a beginner ;)

I am so glad I dared to give up my old life and follow my music dreams and my passion. It has been an emotional ride and still is, but man it is worth every minute of it!
 With that "passionate note" in mind, I would like to share something with you.

This morning I came across a TEDtalk about how the no. one regret the dying people have in a select number of hospices is that they did not dare to live the life they wanted to, but rather lived a life they felt others expected them too (I posted the video link at the end of this page).

I am glad I realized at an early age they I was living the life I expected others would want me to and not the life I wanted. I am glad I had the courage to do something about it. I was not meant to run a online marketing consultancy company. I was meant to sing, perform, write and inspire. How do I know this? I know it because this is what makes my heart sing. Where my passion is. What I can do for hours and hours without feeling tired, but rather it leaves me feeling energized. This talent is given to me for a reason. It has to be used!

If you don't know what you want out of your life I suggest you spend some time alone and just try and think about old childhood dreams, passions, what you like doing and what you imagined your life to be when you were little and the whole world lay open at your feet. What makes you happy! This sounds easy, but the best way to find out who the real you is and what the real you wants out of life is to stop listening to what others think and say and just listen to your own feelings. This was how I myself learned to follow my heart; spending time alone thinking about my life and my dreams.

I really hope you will take 10 minutes out of your day and watch this important and very inspiring video (click the link below). Maybe it is not a major life change you have to do ... just don't keep waiting until tomorrow, cause one day tomorrow may be too late. 

Rethinking the bucket list - Kathleen Taylor TEDxTalk

Love Nina x

My Brand NEW Music Video is out today!

This is the day where the fruit of hard work from a great team is revealed. A brand new music video for my song Better off Alone is out and made with me, Dance Allstarz and Team Recycled. 

Detlef D Soost, who is the man behind D's World, D's Dance School and who is one of the three jurymembers of Popstars here in Germany, decided to support my song by making a video with professional dancers and crew. I am deeply thankful for that. I could not have done it alone. 

So, I proudly present to you this video made with Dance Allstarz dancers. 
The choreograhy is now being taught exclusively across more than 140 of D's Dance Schools here in Germany and in June I will be performing this song live with dancers at a huge event for 4000 people here in Germany.

I am so excited and so deeply grateful for all the good things that are happening in my life. Determination and striving towards the wildest of my dreams is paying off in the most fantastic way.

Enjoy the video and if you really like the song you can buy it and support me at the same time, as I have released it alone. It is out on iTunes, CDbaby, Amazon etc etc

Here is the promotion D's Dance School is doing of the video on their website: 

D's World - Promotion of Better off Alone 

ENJOY 

Love

Nina x

Wow - I am climbing the charts this week!

I may be home in bed sick, but good news is the best remedy to make you feel better in an instant. 

I just found out that my new single Better off Alone jumped right in at place 12 on Chartbase top 100 over international hits in Denmark. Last week I was testing to get on the list and now I am the highest new entry at no. 12! Wow, how about that ;)

The funny thing is that when I looked to see if I had reached the list I somehow missed my song, as I was browsing the hits further down the list - I admit I had never imagined I would be this far up the list. So, as I did not see my song I noticed my sister was on the list at place 44 with her song "I'm not alone" that she performed at the Danish Eurovision Songcontest. She has been on this list for ages without me noticing it. I was so proud and sent her a message. 

Then as I scrolled back up the list and I saw my song at place 12 and I honestly could not believe it! I was so happy and had to rub my eyes to be sure I was not imagining things. 
It is a little funny that I have a song on the list called "Better off alone" and my sister one that is called "I'm not alone" and now they are both on the list at the same time. Rock on Hall Girls.

Red means new entry ;)

See the chart here: Chartbase top 100

I can now crawl back into bed with a smile on my face. This is indeed good news for me. My determination and my work seems to be paying off and that just gives me such a boost and energy to do even more. This is just the beginning ;)

Love from

Nina x

Do you also feel guilty when you relax?

It is the 5th of May today and the sun is shining and outside my window the park is full of happy people enjoying the summer feel and warmth. It has been a long grey winter (the longest since 1959) and we all need the light. Me, I am inside in my bed with a virus and have lost my voice, have the chills and headache and a cold. Brilliant.

I am sure I am an easy target cause I have had many things on my little mind lately; I have been shooting my music video this week where we all froze for 3 hours; I have been quite nervous about my performance in it; I had a performance in Denmark and I have to be out of my flat in 2 weeks and am in the process of finding a new place. So, I have been in "worry" mode a bit too much lately and I often get ill when that happens. Worrying gets me absolutely nowhere and blocks my ability to see things clearly! I am very aware of this, yet I still walk down the road of fear from time to time.

Relaxing with a clear conscience
One good thing about being ill is that this is the only time I seem to allow myself to relax with a clear conscience. This is totally silly - I know it! I feel I should be working on music, promotion, networking, practical things and if I decide to relax I feel a little bad about it - it is a kind of guilt over not working on my dream. Relaxing is necessary for me to see things clearly not mention it being essential for our well-being. I actually found that I more easily relax when I move myself away from my flat or the area where I live in Berlin and go out in nature or if I am in Denmark or another country. So, as I am in my flat with a virus I chose to see the positive aspect of it being that I am forced to relax (I just had to write this blogpost too.....). I am yet again reminding myself that I have to change my patterns so I feel good about relaxing. I know this is not done over night, but I will seriously do something about it now.

Until next time,

Hugs and coughs

Nina x

Now the Promotion wheel is rolling!

I have embarked on a super cool project together with Detlef D Soost and D's Dance School here in Berlin. We have so many ideas and I love working with people where things happen! It is all talk and ACTION! It is so inspiring and motivating.

The past week I have been having meetings with the team. It is fun and totally new for me to be a part of something this big.

Today I saw the übercool choreographer Caro dance to my song Better off Alone and that is worth it all - I got really moved by it! Wow it looked SO good! Can't wait to see a whole dance team doing moves to my song next week.

I can't say so much more about it all at this time, but as soon as things are ready I will post updates and links to it all.

So until then - keep sharing my video and thank you so much for supporting me and taking an interest in what I do. It means a lot! You are helping me keep my dream alive!

Sunshine and springvibes from Berlin,

Nina xx

My song has been picked for a dance-school video in Germany!

Things are really happening now! All because I put out my self-made, non-perfect video and released my song at the "right time". 

This week a group of professional dancers from D's Dance School are shooting a video with a new dance choreography. This video will be sent out to more than 140 dance schools across Germany as well as go online AND they decided they will use my song Better off Alone for it !!!  Wohoo - this is BIG for me! No, bigger than big and I am so happy.

Jeffrey Jimenez, who is shooting and editing the video just won an Audience award at the Berlinale her in Berlin for a shortfilm he did. Check it here ( I LOVE IT!). Don't think the one they do for my song is quite as advanced, but this guy has big time talent and dares to think out of the box!

But that is not all!
In June there is a huge show for all the Danseschools here in Germany and I will be performing my song live infront of 3-4000 people with dancers performing alongside me. Imagine that ;)

Love from sunny Berlin,

Nina x

What would you do if money did not matter?

This morning I accidentally came across this brilliant video on Youtube. It asks the same question as I have asked myself, my friends and others the past year: What would you do if money did not matter ?

By asking yourself this question and not thinking about your own limitations or skills, you will be surprised over how much fun it is and how much energy it gives you to think in this limitless way. 

When I ask myself this question I know the answer: I want to live of writing music from the heart; working with great producers; performing my music so it touches an audience. I want to to travel the world and get renewed inspiration for my music. Alongside it all I want to write about my life in the hope that it inspires more people to dare to follow a passion - big or small. One day I would also like to meet Mr Right and have someone to share it all with.  

The best thing is that I have begun my adventure. I quit online marketing after 5 years in the bizz and devoted all my time to music. When I write music I dont think; " how can I make a hit so I get rich and famous". I go into a quiet mode and often a little melancholy too and then I write from my heart. If my music is authentic I believe it will touch the right people and then I may be able to live from it one day. If I turn my focus around and let it be on money then I will loose the magic. I would rather live a minimalistic / scarce lifestyle as long as I can do what I love and wake up every morning and look forward to a new day. 

I know this is more easy for me to do than for some of you, as I am alone and have no children, but getting to this point took a lot of sacrifices for me too. I don't regret any of them. They made me into who I am and would never go back to my former lifestyle now that I have tasted the nectar of this sweet new and passionate life I live. 

So, back to why I decided to write all this... I saw this video and I so want to share it with you as I am sure it will inspire you too. Watch it, remember it, share it, live it and enjoy it.

Love from Berlin

Nina

How's it been going since I released Better off Alone?

It has been 3 days since I released my single Better off Alone and my homemade musicvideo and what a ride it has been!

Charbase.dk the 09.04.13

As I wrote in my last blogpost I almost did not post my video and make my single release official, cause I was so afraid my video was not good enough. Boy am I happy I did not let this hold me back, cause the response and support I have received from people is overwhelming. 

So, apart from people sharing my video and liking it, I have received a fantastic review of my song on a Danish website called Chartbase. They said my song had the potential to get lots of airplay on radios and be a top10 hit. It all depends on me knowing the right people! So, there you have it. A good song is only 50% and the other 50% is knowing the right and influencial people. Let's hope I do that! Knowing this does not put me off, I see the PR side of it as a challenge I can overcome through skill, determination and dedication.

I guess most importantly the biggest success feeling I have right now is that I dared to do it; I quit my job, did a video and released my music alone. This is in itself a huge accomplishment for me and one I must never forget the value and symbolism of. 

If you want to see the Danish review then here is the link:
http://www.chartbase.dk/soegning.php?soeg=nina+hall&hitliste=1&artikler=1 


I'll keep ya posted as soon as something new happens!

Nina x

This is it ! - My first single and video are online!

“Cold feet” wont get me anywhere!

What a ride the last 24 hours have been. Since I finished editing my video yesterday I have not dared to share it. I posted on facebook that I was finished and would upload it within 24 hours. This is 30 hours ago and I still have not uploaded it. I did not sleep much in the night and I felt sick all day today! 

Honestly, I went into complete panic mode and it did not help when a good friend of mine saw the video and said it was way too poor quality to use. For a second I felt like deleting it all and then immediately I felt this surge of energy taking over and saying NO, you will not give up! Not now when you have come this far! I love my song and that is key.

How am I gonna manage if I have to go through this every time I upload a song or video being an artist? I actually sit an laugh as I write this, cause I can see how silly it is. I am so afraid of not making my music dream that I think it all depends on this one thing! I really have made this thing into something so huge I almost don't even dare do it and just how far is that gonna get me? 

My sisters husband saw the video today and said that I had to put it out there and stand by it. Then he wrote, and I love this: Perfection is not the goal, but movement is! 

That hit the spot. If I chose not to take action and keep on waiting then nothing will happen. 

This is when I woke up from my trail of fear thoughts! If I have to wait with getting my music out there until I have made another more pro. video I can easily wait another month or two or three and my song has been finished since… hold on… October 2012! And, I would probably still doubt a new video knowing me.

The challenge for me today has been to overcome my fear and keep the ball rolling. I am doing this now. So, in all its imperfection, authenticity and glory I present to you my own video and my first Single: Better off Alone. 

The video is my life here in Berlin. It is shot in my hood and the bar Acud (or Max Fish as it is also called) is the first place where I performed Better off Alone at an Open Mike. I wanted it to be real and 100% me. I feel this is accomplished.

If you feel like supporting me feel free to buy my song Better off Alone on iTunes, CDbaby, Amazon, Google or listen for free on Spotify. I would be so happy if you would share my video and my story!

Lets keep moving even if it means being imperfect and vulnerable. This is the real life!

Love Nina xx

Learning by DOING!

I decided to write about this powerful phrase: learning by doing. Why? Because, that is where I am right now! 

 

I must say that I am learning to embrace this phrase in all its glory and challenges.

As you may have read in my previous blogpost I decided to release my first single alone, or as you would call it in business terms; as an independent artist. 
 

Editing my video - waffles and coffee aid in the process!

This also means that I have to read a lot about which aggregator (cdbaby, tunecore etc) to use to get my music online on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon. I would lie if I said I found it fun to read my way through all the info about each one, but it won't get done if I don’t get my hands in the "dirty"!

Asking for help! 
Next step has been shooting and editing my music video and asking friends to help. I have a history of being very bad at asking for help. I always felt that if I did ask anyone, then they would probably expect a lot back from me and I would let them down. Even worse, what if I did not like what they had done and had to tell them? Yes, a blessing from my past. So, now you see why I often have chosen to work alone. 

Now that I am trying to change this, I am realizing that many people are just happy to help and do not expect anything in return. I am actually that kind of person too, which makes it even more funky, I gladly help people when I can and all I ask for in return is a "thank you". But, flipping the coin and being the one asking for help is so different. SO, overcoming this fear is also a part of the process. 

Lasse - chillin in between shooting my video

Having a “team” of good people around you, who help out as much as they want because they think it is fun is truly inspiring. This is what carries me through it all and keeps me focused and motivated. Of course there are other things than "asking for help" that affect my focus and determination, but this is a major one.

Lasse, my Danish Berlin friend, and I are editing my music video together. He took most of the shots of me here in my fave places in Berlin. All we used is my iPhone, an App called Super 8 (used to shoot most of the famous movie Searching for Sugarman), iMovie for the editing and our creativity (lattes, chocolates, cakes and laughs).

So, on that note I just encourage all of you out there to ask for help (preferably before you get stuck) and enjoy the ride with more people around you. It makes it so much more pleasurable to share the achievements and be in the creative process. Learning to listen to other people’s views on things and following your gut-feeling are key ingredients in taking things to greater levels.

Soon I will share my music video with you and I hope you will enjoy it as much as we did while making it.

Peace and love and keep your dreams alive!

Nina x

Shooting my music video

The cover for my first Single

Video shoot tomorrow and soon my song will be released! 

I am so excited and I must admit it feels like it has been a long drawn out birth of my music. I have been waiting for this moment for such a long time and I constantly found things I needed to do before I could release my song.

I could not make up my mind on anything as I wanted it to be perfect, so I came to a halt (again).

A few months ago I sent my song to Universal in Germany and an AR for Sony and both said no to releasing it for various reasons. This just made me want this even more, yet I knew I had to do it alone. I did not really know where to begin at first, but no good sitting around doing nothing, cause that won't get my song out !

So I made up my mind and now I am gonna release it myself through CDbaby. It is a ”one stop” aggregator (same as Tunecore) that ensures your music gets on iTunes, spotify, Amazon and a ton of other places. Also, the artist gets 91% of the money from a sale. There are many pros and cons of the different aggregators out there and I suggest you read this thread below before you make up your mind - it made me go from Tunecore to CDbaby instead!

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/songwriting/346983-cd-baby-vs-tunecore-vs-songcast-vs-others.html

I asked a friend of mine today if he would help me make a cover for my song and 15 minutes later I got what I asked for. I went for simplicity. I love it and you can see it here on my page.

I wrote and asked another friend of mine here in Berlin if he would use some hours with me tomorrow filming me. I did a lot of filming alone today and I use a Super 8 app for iPhone and just hope for the best. The next few days it will be made into a video for my song. How cool is that! I got the inspiration for the App when I watched the film Searching for Sugar Man. Most of that was shot with this app on an iPhone!

No need to go all fancy when things can be done in a very simple way and they need not cost an arm and a leg. All it takes is asking for help (!) and being creative and… once again I remind myself that beauty is in the imperfection and authenticity. Sometimes we need to take action and not plan it all to death, cause otherwise you risk that the magic from the whole project vanishes in a pile of "to dos" - and you risk never getting it done!

So, I cant wait to present it all to you very soon.

Nina x

So, HOW does it feel to follow a dream?

How does it feel to throw yourself into the unknown and follow a dream?

I decided to write about this because some of you may be thinking it can't all be rosy and red or can it?

The first two weeks after I had stopped my full-time job at Zalando in Berlin I was high. I was gonna follow my dream and do everything to make a living of my music and I was gonna make it or break it! It is always easy to talk about what you dream about but a whole other ballgame to go after it, embrace it and live it.

I wanted to wake up every morning and feel good about what I do. If not 100% of the time than at least 95%! That is why I love Steve Jobs and his quotes. He was his passion and he lived his dream. He said that if he woke up too many days in a row feeling unhappy about work he knew he had to make a change and he did.

The first 10 days of my new life were great. I was in Denmark visiting friends, having meetings with music people and a photographer I have worked with. I came back to Berlin full of energy and with a detailed plan with big goals. After a few days I hit the wall!

How was I gonna pull this off? I could not see the road ahead. I had no real structure or guarantee of success. No safety net. I had moved passed my comfort zone and was freaking out. For a while it felt like complete chaos would swallow me up.

I had so many ideas but I did not know where to begin. I needed a website, a video for my song, a whole bunch of people who could spread my music and tons of other things. I had saved up some money so I could stay floating for a while without an income, but then what? How would I make money again soon?

Then a close friend said to me; "Nina, why do you need all this? Why do you need a video before you can release your song (that has been finished since Oktober 2012 !).  Why do you need to blog about it all before it is even begun? It is moving your focus from your music. Is the key to it all not just getting up on that stage and singing?" 

I fell silent. He was right and it annoyed me. I could not write about following my dream until I had performed my songs live for an audience. I needed to break all my big goals into smaller ones and start with the most important; performing my music.

I felt that my product (my music) needed all this fancy wrapping for people to be interested in it. I needed a blog, a website, a music video, interviews... you name it! The next few days I was confused. I set my website on a halt. Stopped blogging. I put a post on facebook where I searched for musicians in Berlin and one hour later I was lucky.

This was one month ago and since then I have performed my songs 3 times and have set a goal to keep doing this every week and test my material. When I am on stage I feel like I am in my right element and it clears my mind and reminds me of what I love the most and why I quit my job and "old" life. Trough my music I can express the real authentic me and doing what I love gives me such a boost. It makes me feel that anything is possible! I know there is still quite a way to live of my music, but I made the first moves towards it and that is key!

I have teamed up with so many artistic and creative people here in Berlin the past few weeks and this gives me courage and inspiration and possibilities to perform even more places! It feels so good to be around like minded people - we lift and help each other!

All it took to get me "moving" again after hitting the wall (and in the right direction too) was some honest advice from a friend and one single post on facebook (ahh ok, and pusing myself past my comfort zone as well).

It may not be rosy and red to follow my biggest dream, but I would rather have my ups and downs and get bruised along the way than keep playing it safe and never daring to do it. I feel more alive now than ever before and that in itself is worth every bit of it!

In case you want to read Steve Jobs great quotes - here is a link: http://www.freemake.com/blog/steve-jobs-quotes/

Love Nina
 

I did it again - Open stage in Berlin

Yes, I did it again. 

Last night I performed my two songs "Better off Alone" and "Heaven is a place on earth" at an open stage night at club Sally Bowls here in Berlin. It was so much fun. I had had no time to practice at all, as I have been on Gran Canaria all week, so I came in 1 hour before the show began and played my songs through a few times. Thank God I could do that. I also sang a few cover songs last night and fortunately they went well.

I am so happy I finally dare to get onto that stage and perform my own songs. The cover songs are a total different and more easy ball game for me as they are not written by me. So, they are not so emotional for me to sing AND I don't play the piano while I sing - I only have to do one thing. Yes, when it comes to music and multitasking I am still challenged!

It was such a thrill to perform again and it went even better this time. There were so many fantastic acts and the crowd was so supportive and responsive. I love it. I will be performing there again in one month.

Here is a video of my Cover of Lana Del Reys fabulous song Video Games, from last night. Dimitris Grydakis and I managed to practice it one time before we did it live. Great to work with such talented people!

Bye for now ;)

My first live performance - all alone!

I did it!

I performed two of my own songs live at an open mike night here in Berlin a few days ago. I was so nervous. I have never performed any of my own songs live and never played the piano and sung for anyone before.

I knew that performing my songs live on a stage was the key to opening Pandoras box and facing my all time fear of failure; what if I was not good enough; what if I made mistakes; what if people did not like my music. It would kill my dream! To sing and write music is my biggest passion and the only thing I feel like doing. I was so wrapped up in this trail of fear that I was not realizing that I myself was killing my dream by not daring to get on that stage and do it! It was all in my head. Only my thoughts were my enemy. So, once I realized this I found an open mike night here in Berlin and decided to do it! No more talk and thinking. Now it was time for action. I had to make it or break it.
I invited friends to come and see me perform, so I would not bail out in the last minute.

I was so nervous on the day yet determined to do this no matter what. The one thing that made me relax, face my fear and be ok about most likely making mistakes during my first performace was a brilliant video by Brene Brown. It is on TEDtalk and it is about daring to be Imperfect and Authentic. That hit the spot for me - so true and so inspiring! The link for the video is posted at the end of this blog post.

HOW did the big night go?

After a big glass of redwine I pulled myself together and got up on stage. I think there were about 15 people there. Not more (that is including my friends!). I was a little nervous, but the good type where you are focused and not controlled by it. I sat alone behind a lovely old out-of-tune piano and gently touched the keys and took a deep breath. This is it, I thought to myself! Lets make it or break it!

As I performed I felt such peace inside. It actually marveled me as I had expected to be so nervous. I felt every word I sang came from my heart; I felt the piano under my fingers; I was in the moment; I sang my soul out. After the first song was over I realized I had done it! I had even made a few mistakes and survived it. I did not even care about that I had made mistakes. I just felt so incredibly happy and high. I played my 2nd song and the funny thing was that my focus was not so much on what people thought about my performance, but more a feeling of personal achievement. I had done it! It is the most amazing feeling I have had in a very long time. I kept saying to myself; is this really what I have been so afraid of all this time!?

I was so ready for more performances that I got up and played Better off alone at a bar in Berlin 3 days later and was asked to come and perform there the following week. Hurray! I am on my way. I love it and I cant wait to perform again.

Here is the link for the TEDtalk video I wrote about above:

http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability.html

Here is a video of my first ever liveperformance of my two songs here in Berlin at Maxi Fish.

The lyrics are below the video clip ;)

Better off alone

I am living my life like I want it to be
For the first time in life I am feeling free
Living my life like I want it to be
There ain't gonna be more of you and me

I'm better off alone
Your love is best when I'm gone
Don't change to bring me home
cause I'm better off alone

You broke my heart don't break more of me
I'll be loving you for eternity
I take with me a happy memory
and leave behind all the misery

Chorus.

"Heaven is a place on earth"

I'm hungry - I don't eat
I'm tired - I don't sleep
I can't see - when I am lost
I can't hear - if I'm too loud
I can't move - so I pray
I can't love - when I do
I don't believe - so I pray

Do I live when I die,
Or do I die when I try

Heaven is a place on earth
I hope to see before I die ....

No more talk - Just action!

What is going on? 

Until I have sung my own music live for people I have not done anything close to realizing my dream and my words on this blog are of little meaning.

I have only been spending time preparing the stage but not entered it.

I'll be back when I've got some real achievements to blog about.

Peace n love,

Nina

I quit my job - A new adventure begins!

Yes, I decided to quit my job after 3 months and if you read below, you'll find out why. I have recapped what has happened in my life the past year so you know where "I'm at", so here we go:

On March 2012 I left my boyfriend through 7 ½ years and suffered a huge break down. Little did I know that I would be spending the next 8 months living with my friends and family as I could not afford my own place. My economy was a mess. After 3 months in the darkest of dark I had regained some strength and found a waitress job I did in the evenings while I ran my consultancy business in the day. I knew this could not go on for long and more big changes were on the way. I wanted to let passion back into my life. Not passion for another person but for life and for what I do for a living. I decided to sell my 2-year-old business.

On the 1^st of October I sold my company and a few days later I booked a one-way ticket for Berlin – a city in which I had wanted to live for many years and it felt like the right time. I had decided I was going to focus more on my Music, which was my passion. It was time to follow my dreams. I had been working on my own songs and been in bands alongside running my company for a few years, so I knew I could sing. A producer helped me produce my song “Better off alone” and with that and a single suitcase with my favorite items I left Denmark.

On the 22^nd of October I arrived in Berlin. I had money for one month, so I had to get a job. I had one interview booked for the 25^th so I was hopeful. On the 1^st of November I began working with Online Marketing (Google Adwords) for a successful German company called Zalando. I was very excited about it. A week later I had a flat. Perfect! I was happy.

I am off on my new adventure!

Two months later on the 1^st of January 2013, I read my old diary to see how life was one year ago. I felt shocked. In spite of all the changes I had undergone to let passion and happiness back into my life, I felt stuck and as if I had fallen asleep again. I had not had any time for my music during my time in Berlin. I knew that in order to change this and “pull it off” I had to go “all in”. 

On the 31^st of January I left my job and fantastic and understanding bosses and colleagues, who wished me luck. I was slightly nervous, yet determined to make it. It feels right and my gut-feeling tells me I have to do this and I am so excited! I feel passion and joy for life again!

I have decided to let you all in on my story as it unfolds, in the hope that it will inspire you to follow your dreams and passions in life be it small or big things. Don’t let fear of the unknown hold you back. Your life is now and it is short, so make the very most of it.

I don't know what the result of this adventure will be, but I feel alive again in every sense of the word. I have money to keep me going for 3 months, so there is only one thing to do now and that is to work, focus on reaching my goals and most important of all - enjoy the ride as I move forward.

Peace n love 

Nina xx 

More than a month in Berlin

1 month and 6 days in Berlin!
I don't know where time has gone! I have already been here for more than a month and so much has happened. I have not had internet access the past 2 weeks (after work), so I have not been so good at updating you on my adventures. It may seem like I am trying to fit a whole lot of info into one blog... and I am!

Finansamt - the picture says it all!

Last time I wrote I had been to the Bürgeramt to register in Berlin. Then I went to the Finansamt (to get tax no.) and my gosh that place was taken out of the 70s movie (but actually so was the Bürgeramt)! The lady was so sweet but it was as if time had been standing still and she had old red retro vases on her worn down dark wood cabinets fillet with paper files. The wallpaper was old and looked more yellow than white and on her desk stood a teddy cup for pens, a teddy figure and a lot of other almost antique items ;). Only took 15mins there and then I could go to the bank to get myself a bank account afterwards, so I can get my pay check and also get my internet!

Living without... INTERNET!
It is funny how isolated I felt the first few days without internet at my home. It stressed me that I could not write this blog and emails etc. Suddenly I began feeling it was a bit of a relief, cause I could not spend hours on facebook, surfing the web. Instead I enjoyed hot baths in my new bathtub, read a book, meditated or went to bed early! I could feel how my mind actually benefited from this! I was more calm and slept better too.

My name on MY door!

Miss Hall's Cave
I moved into my fantastic and cozy little flat (35m2) last week and I love it. I have a huge bathroom with bathtub and washing mashine (!) and big modern kitchen with dishwasher (!). Have a balcony overlooking a beautiful park and I feel so at home there. I love coming home after a long day at work and knowing that this is my place and I can do exactly what I want and have things the way I want them to be. I have a huge closet with room for all my things and more, so i don't have to cramp it all into a tiny space anymore. To me this is magic! My first night there I had no cutlery only a gold spoon which the previous owner had left. I ate my dinner with this while looking at the only picture in the flat he had left: a picture of $ sign! This was a little funky and I had to laugh. Gold spoons and pictures of dollars are not items I have had in my flats before. I dare say the $ picture has been taken down and will be replaced by something less materialistic ;)

How's Work?

A history of MAC's - pass this on my way to work!

I so enjoy walking to work in the mornings with all the other Berliners, knowing that I am also going to work. I am not just a tourist here anymore! It makes me smile every time I think about it. I love my team and bosses at work. I work from 9.30 - 18.30 (which is normal here) and have one hours lunch. Most people go out for lunch at one of the many cafe's offering delicious lunch for only 3-4 euros. I found a Vegan place the other day and this has become my fave! Homemade soup (filling too) for only 3,5 euros! I still have to get used to sitting down for so many hours per day... and I need to enroll in a gym to get my exercise and avoid gravity kicking in all of a sudden because I have been to lazy and not taken good enough care of that precious body of mine ;) Just think how important your body is - it carries you for miles and miles and we often forget to treat it with proper food, exercise or even a relaxing massage! Also, it actually gives me extra energy to work out. I do my 5 tibethan yoga exercises every morning along with a quick meditation (at the moment Deepak Chopras 21 day meditation) but it is not quite enough for me. Note to self: remember to take excellent care of your body!

What about my music!?
I have not had time to do anymore music since I got here as I have to admit all the practical things and starting a new job have used all my energy. Once I am off from work I have almost collapsed on the bed. I am looking forward to coming home and not having something practical to think of and being able to just relax or write some music! I hope to get to this point next weekend ;) I guess I have not really had time to actually grasp the fact the I have moved to another country and live and work here now. It all went so fast and I have been so busy.

Das ist so Berlin!

Today I was sent a song and asked to do vocals for it and I could feel how I long to sing and write lyrics. I am so happy I was reminded of this today as I know this will recharge my batteries. I need to get my music up and running again here in Berlin as this is such a huge part of me. Note to self; don't neglect doing the things you are passionate about that GIVE you such an energy boost!

Before I left DK I had one of my songs produced and as soon as I have time for it I will make a video for it and share it all with you! Been talking to some creative minds here in Berlin and I am sure we'll come up with some magic together. I love the song and I am sure you'll enjoy it too.

Natascha (Bat for Lashes) performing in Berlin

Bat for Lashes Concert here in Berlin. 
Ah, I almost forgot to mention I went to Bat for Lashes concert here in Berlin a few weeks ago. It is by far one of the best concerts I have ever been to. I almost cried twice as Natascha (the singer) sang so beautifully and passionately and she just was her music 100%. It was especially the song Laura that got to me - man she sang that well! You must check out her new album - it is super! I felt so inspired and also a huge admiration for her talent. She looked like an angel as she performed with such ease grasping the entire crowd and holding us in her hand the entire 2 hours. Note to self; Go to more concerts and get inspired!

Xmas Party time!
On Friday I am going to a huge xmas bash at my company. I cant wait. It will be massive and in spite of the theme being Golden and James Bond I am gonna go in my little black dress, very high black pumps, black bag and I may just paint my nails gold! So, no Golden outfit for Miss Hall this time... I have a heart of Gold and that must be enough ;)

I wish you all a fantastic day, night and evening.

Peace and Love to you all from me and Berlin,

Nina xxx