Re-Manifesting Our Destiny
Shelly Peiken
by Shelly Peiken
2w ago
For all you go-getters who want to re-ignite your flame, I can relate. I’m in the process of inviting mine back — re-manifesting my destiny — or in modern terms, willing what my future will be. But let’s face it. We can't be manifesting our destiny every single day of our whole life. We need to recharge once in a while. Forgive ourselves for falling off the wagon. Manifesting my destiny was fire when I was younger. All I saw were dreams and goals. Absolutely no obstacles. I just plowed through. Blinders. But as many of us know life can get complicated. Not that all complications are a negati ..read more
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Beyoncé
Shelly Peiken
by Shelly Peiken
3w ago
Way back when I first started writing songs, long before there were algorithms and expectations and boxes we needed to check … I wrote something that had a spoken lyric. I will not share it here as that would be mortifying. In my novice mind I thought of it as white-girl rap, if you will. Though that wasn’t my intention or destination when I started plunking it out. I was experimenting, not thinking too much, as it should be. Some people liked it (my mother) and some never said anything … which meant they didn’t. But that’s not the point. Nobody suggested I didn’t have any business trying t ..read more
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The Greatest Night in Pop
Shelly Peiken
by Shelly Peiken
1M ago
The Greatest Night in Pop is a Netflix Documentary about how the song “We Are The World” came to be. The title is kinda cheesy IMO but it might be the truth. Inspired by Band Aid — the concert that raised money for anti-famine efforts in Ethiopia Harry Belafonte enlisted his friends Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson to write a song that could shine a similar light on African famine relief. We see Michael — alone at the mic recording the vocal that would teach an ensemble the song. Built-in auto-tune. A treat to witness. Fast forward to a January night in 1985 when Bruce, Stevie, Diana, Bil ..read more
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Post GRAMMY Musings
Shelly Peiken
by Shelly Peiken
1M ago
I watched the GRAMMYs this year while putting last minute provisions in a suitcase a few hours before a car was to pick me up and take me to the airport in the midst of the atmospheric-river storm in the sky above Los Angeles. Was I nuts to think I could get to the airport? Was I nuts to be willing to fly? In the best of circumstances I’m a an anxious air-traveler. If you saw the biblical rain you’d understand why I was contemplating a Xanax. It had been a long week. There were more GRAMMY parties than ever before. I pace myself these days. That said, I had a better time than I used to. I no ..read more
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Barbie & Billie
Shelly Peiken
by Shelly Peiken
2M ago
Here I am again - obsessed with yet another song. There have been more than a few but I rarely fall for one that doesn’t deserve falling for. I choked on a piece of popcorn when I heard “What Was I Made For,” a gorgeous, vulnerable, masterpiece in the Barbie movie. The song plays during a scene where Barbie meets her creator. She has a moment of dreamy introspection — Where is my place in a patriarchy of Kens? Many female humans in the audience had to be wondering the same thing. Director Greta Gerwig could have chosen a funnier song or a poppier song or a song that propelled us to the da ..read more
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I’ve Been Thinking About Taylor
Shelly Peiken
by Shelly Peiken
2M ago
Hello! It’s been a slow start to a new year. As I told a friend: I’ve been very busy being lazy. Self Care. Alone time. Yay me. I’m in no rush. Pulled into a spot at the supermarket and decided to stay in the car til the song was over. Cat Stevens’ “The Wind.” I let my music take me where my heart wants to go. I need to do this more often. Not be in a rush. I’ve been thinking about Taylor. Haven’t you? I mean, how could you not? She’s everywhere. You can’t escape her. I think that was the plan. And … I’ve been thinking about my dear friend Gregg Sutton who departed a few months ago. Once w ..read more
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Winding Down
Shelly Peiken
by Shelly Peiken
3M ago
Resolutions, regrets, breaking habits. Personally I’ve given up trying to keep promises to myself. The best I can do is wake up every day and try again. Here are some end-of-year take-aways I’d like to share. If you’ll have them. Krazy glue does us no good if the cap is glued to the tube. Making our bed every morning resets possibility. There’s no place more restorative than the ocean. Writing a song has always been and will always be my favorite form of therapy. I don’t feel I have to text my friends a turkey emoji on Thanksgiving and a Santa on Christmas to let them know I hope they ..read more
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Holiday Cards
Shelly Peiken
by Shelly Peiken
3M ago
Every December for the past 26 years I’ve sent out holiday cards — since shortly after my daughter was born. It was around the time my career was taking off. Along with being all grown up and wanting to share a yearly portrait with my friends and family, I believed sending wishes to my music business and song-making community would keep me front of mind. The image on the card has been light in spirit — usually the three of us in a loving configuration. Two kitties on the back. And then sadly, only one. It’s been a pleasure sending this yearly greeting. To touch base. To get touched back. Bu ..read more
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Liaising With Lucy… (Woodward)
Shelly Peiken
by Shelly Peiken
4M ago
Now that we’ve recovered from our Thanksgiving food (and leftover) comas we may start having some end-of-year thoughts. I’ve been thinking a lot about people in my life I wish I could spend more time with (if they weren’t so busy being busy.) One of these women is my friend Lucy Woodward. You may recognize her name because she’s been around the music scene for a while — perhaps not right in front of your face at all times, but gracing your periphery with her soulful presence. Lucy and I were ‘fixed up’ by our publishers in 2003-ish (some publishers actually still do this). One of the f ..read more
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Fast Car
Shelly Peiken
by Shelly Peiken
4M ago
It was 1988. I was stepping out of the shower in my New York City apartment one night. MTV was on in the living room. I was toweling myself off when I heard that infectious guitar riff.  Just a little magical soulful shape that stilled the towel. I cocked an ear in its direction.  Then I heard the voice.  You got a fast car And I want a ticket to anywhere Low and sultry. I thought the singer was a he. Back then female artists were not competing for Mariah Carey-esque melisma. (Maria hadn’t even come onto the scene yet.) They weren’t striving for the highest notes in th ..read more
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