@bethfrazerx

www.youtube.com/user/bethfrazerx

[wanna-be-kardashian]

KUWTK Season 12

[bethfrazermusic]

Keep your friends close...

Another day another drama. Since I’ve been unwell, I’ve found it really difficult to balance my friends because I’m sick most of the time so I can’t do much with them, but then when they do things without me I get SO jealous. Like, really jealous. It’s a vicious circle. 

Another thing I’ve been anxious about lately is do I actually even have any friends? I look back at my life and - although I was a nutcase in school - I had a lot of friends. As I’ve grown up, I like to think that I at least was a polite person to everyone, but I don’t feel like I have many real friends. I could probably count all of them on my hands and still have fingers left. 

I sit on Facebook or Instagram most days and see people who I used to be close with with other people and I think, am I that bad that no one wants to hang out with me? The answer is probably yes. I get that I’m ill and that makes it difficult to see people or go places but it really hurts my feelings - but at the same time there’s NOTHING I can do about it. 

I have a lot of “Facebook friends” - like thousands and over 700 friend requests - but that’s not to be my “friend”, it’s to look at my posts and have a nosy at my things. Social media is a really fucked up platform and although it is SO good for some things (like my fundraising for example) but it can also be a HORRIBLE clothes line for people to air your dirty laundry on and you have no control over it (another fundraising example when someone spread a load of lies about me). 

My goal as I get better and stronger is to do more with my friends. Stop letting myself be left out. Go out on the town even if I can no longer drink. Spend a few hours out shopping even though I’ll pay for it for the next 3 days.

Sickness is a bitch.

[bethfrazermusic]

Sharing is caring

The biggest impact on everything that's happened has to be YouTube. That's where it all started.

I used to sing in the house all the time for my family and friends with my acoustic guitar and my keyboard but I didn't know how to make myself more known, how to get gigs etc. 

So one day, my babysitter Claire decided that she was going to record me secretly on her phone and upload it to YouTube and share it to Facebook... And that DEFINITELY was the beginning of me. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mjogMMQhtk

Since then everything on YouTube has been amazing, there was one point where a fellow musician, a girl younger than me got a little jealous and decided to create a fake profile and dislike and comment on all my video's. It did damage my confidence a lot but thanks to my supportive friends I just reported the horrible comments and her "account" was removed. I haven't uploaded onto YouTube for about 2 years, I'm not too sure why but it is definitely on my list of things that I need to get back into ASAP. People still stop me in Tesco or whisper to their friends when I pass, "she's the girl with the guitar on YouTube" which is amazing! I've even been asked for autographs before! It's a crazy world, this music world. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz_lAaQbd2U

I'd better get uploading!

[bethfrazermusic]

"But you've gotta' have frieeeends"

This guy here is Joe Strode and he is up there with the best. He's so talented and he doesn't even realise it! He writes the most amazing song lyrics and is an incredible guitarist and I feel so blessed and lucky to have him in my life as a fellow musician and as one of my best friends. 

I can't even remember how we met to be honest, but since we have met we've done so much together. We've had hours and hours of jamming sessions, we've written songs together, recorded YouTube videos, gigged together, had photoshoots together and performed in open mic nights together. We have had an amazing journey and he's a big part of why I am where I am now. Without his confidence boosts, always reassuring me that I was doing ok and pushing me forward with my music. He has been amazing and I have learnt from him that it's always good to be with people in the industry and try and collaborate and expand and share ideas rather than be against them and try and compete.

Love you Joe!

[bethfrazermusic]

Vocalzone is my best friend

Ever heard of Vocalzone tablets?

If you're a singer, you probably have. If you haven't... GET SOME!

They have saved my life so many times. I'm prone to tonsilitis and dry throats and water just doesn't do anything for me! So Vocalzone really has helped me throughout my career. I've been in two situations so far - and I hope I am never in one again - where I've been at a gig, raring to go and on a high and suddenly - out of completely nowhere - my voice just disappears. It even happened mid song! (Thankfully it was Valerie by Amy Winehouse so everyone helped me carry on) The worst thing is, when this happens I just can't get it back, no matter what I try!

And in the other gig my sore throat went from bad to worse and by halfway through I couldn't even manage a croak and I knew I had to carry on as there were loads of young people drunk and singing along... So I had to run a karaoke off my laptop, sticking on YouTube and letting them sing for me! Thank god it was a great night and everyone enjoyed it

Since I've been taking Vocalzone, thank God nothing else like this has happened - touch wood - and I hope it never does, it was the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to me by FAR!

[bethfrazermusic]

Practice makes perfect

If you want a good career in the music industry and you want to make something out of yourself, in my opinion "practice makes perfect".

When I first started out in the industry, I was very unprepared. I've always been carefree and easy going about every situation - including not studying for my GCSE's, oops! - and I realised after a few gigs that this needed to change. I've always been very nervous and still suffer majorly from bad nerves to this day before every single gig! I had this one gig where I was completely unprepared, I didn't even have my lyric book with me but I just though "ah it's fine I sing this song all the time". I was wrong. It was a cover of Wonderwall by Oasis - such a massive song - and I STILL managed to forget my lyrics! It was so embarrassing but thank God everyone started singing along and helped me! 

I have never ever ever gone to a gig without my lyric book since then...and I practice for hours before I leave the house!!

[bethfrazermusic]

The amazing man himself! 

[bethfrazermusic]

My rock

The best thing I have ever done in my career so far is meet an amazing man called Alistair James. A DJ on Heart fm, an incredibly successful artist in the industry, owns his very own record label Recordiau'r Llyn and - most importantly - the nicest most sefless human being I have ever met. 

I went into the studio with Alistair's help and met an amazing producer Russ Hayes who helped me produce a great achievement - my first, 3 track Welsh self-written EP.

After Russ and I's individual hard work, it was all in the hands of Mr James and I am so glad that things have worked out the way they have! The songs were sent out to various names across the music industry not missing out a single radio station and amazingly, what followed was loads of radio play across different station's, various interviews, all my music on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby and even TV appearances! 

It was never a hard process, Alistair made everything run so smoothly and it was an absolute dream, an ongoing one at that!

I'm about to release my new single which is due just before Christmas - Tanio Y Fflam - and I can't wait to get back into the studio but I know I would never be in this position if it wasn't for the amazing Alistair James.

Da chi werth y byd! X

[bethfrazermusic]

Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.

Victor Hugo

[bethfrazermusic]

How many gigs can you fit into one day...

As a musician, when summer comes and all the festivals come out to play and all the venues want to put on entertainment for all the holidaymakers and sunshine seekers... So what happens when all of these people decide that they want you the same day?

There is a massive music festival that happens in Holyhead every year called LL65 Live and everyone gets together for music, fair rides and lots of food! I have played the festival twice already so I was chuffed that they wanted me back for the third year running! The only problem was is I was already booked into a different festival AND also had a gig on that night..

I fitted myself into the festivals agreeing to be at one festival for 12pm, the next for 3:30pm and then to be sound checking in the last venue of the night at 8pm...and everything went smoothly!

It was a hectic day running and driving around everywhere, preparing myself, tuning my guitar three times, warming up my voice three times and even lugging my massive 5 piece PA system to the last venue. 

How many gigs can you fit into one day? As many as you think you can handle!

[bethfrazermusic]

Do you really need ALL your gear?

The answer is YES.

I'm sure every musician/band have their last minute checks before a gig. 

Instruments in? Check.

Cables in? Check.

All of us here? Check.

LET'S GO! But the key is definitely checking twice, maybe three times... Because when you're getting paid quite a lot for a gig, the best thing isn't to turn up without the main power lead for your amp!

I did my first gig with my agency in a nice little venue in Manchester and after travelling hundreds of miles to get there with not a care in the world, my amp's cable was just NOT in the box. 

The panic that I had in that moment was unreal! I wanted to give up on my dream before it had even started, I wanted to run away and change my identity, all sorts of thoughts crossed my mind...but you can't run away from what's right in front of you, so I had to think of other things.

Luckily my mum was on hand to help! She realised that the power cable looked like an old kettle lead and rushed off to find one.... Whilst I was stuck sitting there like a lemon fiddling with my guitar trying to hide the fact that I was an emotional, nervous wreck.

THANK GOD she found one in the hotel that we were staying it that night. I wanted to cry with relief in that moment!! 

Thankfully the gig was great and I went down a treat! The venue even re-booked me!

Moral of the story: CHECK YOUR GEAR BEFORE YOU TRAVEL HUNDREDS OF MILES!

P.s. Although I was adamant that I'd packed the cable, I found it when I got home on my bed. Oops.

[bethfrazermusic]

Have a Heart

Recently I was asked to perform my single, 'Agora dy Galon' and another track from my EP, 'Teithio' and also a duet with my manager, Alistair James in Heart fm's charity night, 'Have a Heart'. The charity event takes place every year throughout all Heart fm station's around the UK and I was so pleased to be invited along to perform at this night amongst two very big stars, Alistair James and Bryn Fon.

The gig was in a huge venue in Pwllheli which was absolutely surreal, I have gigged in the Chill Factore in Manchester before (the UK's biggest indoor snowboarding/skydiving venue) and this gig was up there with that venue! The gig went brilliantly and I was treated like royalty with my very own dressing room filled with plenty of food and drinks and all the Heart fm crew ensuring that I was happy with everything that was going on.

I wore a floor length, backless, glittery sequins dress and compared to other gig outfits - usually a nice knee-length dress and a pair of heels - I felt like a superstar and all eyes were on me.

At the end, we were all led down to a red carpet in front of a red 'Heart' backdrop and there awaited hundreds of fans wanting to take photos with us and get our signatures, which was the most amazing feeling in the world knowing that people young and old wanted MY autograph! 

If I ever had this opportunity again, I wouldn't change a thing - everything went perfectly and it felt amazing to be amongst - once again - big names in the Welsh industry.

[bethfrazermusic]

[bethfrazermusic]

Noson Lawen S4C - Princess Beth and my very own band!

There are a few times during your music career where you sit back and think, wow, this is pretty great.

THIS was definitely one of those moments!

I remember getting the call back in March asking me to appear on S4C's Noson Lawen and I was amazed they'd asked someone as little as me to be performing alongside Welsh legends such as Bryn Fon and Dylan and Neil! It was pretty crazy stuff! I went to the studio in April to record it and was amazed to be getting my make-up and hair done, free food and drink all day and literally being treated like a princess with runners asking me all day if I was ok and needed anything!

When it aired (in October) I was so embarrassed to watch it back on the TV, seeing myself perform live in front of a studio audience with my very own BAND! Playing MY song, and BACKING SINGERS! It's all so crazy. I was so grateful for the experience and I'm glad it's on YouTube so I can re-live the experience as many times as I want!

[bethfrazermusic]

A gig for free and A&E

After my performance on Noson Lawen, one of the runners at the company - Cwmni Da - messaged me and asked if I would perform at her charity night to raise money for her climb up Mount Kilimanjaro. All the proceeds would be going towards the NSPCC which I was more than happy to contribute towards. Unfortunately, a few days before the gig I've decided to go and tear some ligaments and sprain my ankle, resulting in a big flashy purple cast up to my knee! Thankfully though the gig was a success (although there were no effects on the venue's sound system so I sounded a little like a bingo caller) thanks to my roadie's, who had to carry my microphone, mic stand and guitar AND set me up due to my crutches! It was an experience having to choose appropriate gig wear and have everyone lugging my gear but I'm glad that the night raised £200 for a great charity.