Hello Everyone.

It seems like I do this blog less and less now, but it’s just that life has taken over and I sit thinking I want to write it and then it’s being able to sit and do it around everything else. I want to write it more like I used to. I am getting busier and I have enquiries now for 2025. How brill is that? Starting from scratch again in January 2022 and working hard to build things up, and I think ‘word of mouth’ is just getting my name out there more and more. Good. I want this and I’ve wanted this for years. For years, and this is just the start. I’ve never given up on what I know I am here to do for people, and I just want to see it growing more and more now. I love that I get to lift people wherever I go and leave them in a better place than when we started. Passing my joy onto others.

I’m also taking two singing groups too. They are both very different. The first one is a community centre singing group, and they need no pressure fun. They need a release from stress and daily pressures, encouragement and building up of confidences. The second group is a ladies choir in Holmfirth that’s been established for around 26 years. It’s the first time I’ve conducted so it’s a bit out of my comfort zone, but I’m loving passing on my passion of singing to both groups, and I’m getting great feedback. For me, I think my mission in life is to share my passion, energy and light with others, and encourage others to find their own passion and light within them.

I hope that makes sense. To get to really shining my light and being ‘real’ has taken me until these past few years. It takes time and for me it’s been about a massive inner journey, listening to my gut and having the courage to follow my own path, regardless of what the ‘norm’ is, or what others think I should be doing. I love what I do.

It’s just great to see my name being passed on and people getting in touch. It’s the best form of advertisement. Me and Jon go to Crete on the 25th for 4 nights, and I’ll hopefully be singing twice out there. I’m back from a cream tea event this afternoon and was doing a singalong event last night at The Space in Rastrick. I sang in Settle Victoria Halls a few weeks ago too. I’d wanted to sing there for a while. The acoustics in that place make it a dream to sing there. It just pings out easily. Next time I go there it will be a full house. When I’ve made more of a name for myself.

Tomorrow is my first concert with the ladies choir, so I’m waving my arms around hoping we all stay in time, and entertain the audience. More or less every weekend now I’m at an event or events. I still have space for more but at least they are coming in more now too. Last weekend was an outdoor event at Kiplin Hall in Richmond and a Pride event at Norton Priory museum and gardens. Monday I’m singing in Altrincham, and then at the weekend for a couple of private events and then at the Yorkshire Proms at The Piece Hall.

It’s finally come around again after being cancelled last year, the day before. The utter luxury for me to sing with a big orchestra is just going to feel amazing. It’s been a long time since I sang with an orchestra, and then to have a crowd of 2000 there too, it’s just brilliant. A part of me will have nerves in my tummy that feel unbearable and the other part will want more of it. With all the ups and downs of the past few years I’m just going to absorb it all like a sponge and pray for more of where that came from.

My energy now is on staying in balance. I’m working out the times I know I’ve taken too much on, and what my limits are. I definitely need ‘time out’ in order to rest and be ready for the next event. It takes a lot out of me when I sing, and I know managing my energy levels is really important. I’ve got to make sure for every audience I’m able to give to them, plus I have a partner with a son and a dog to think of too. A few years back it was just myself but others are in the equation too now. I do sit worrying about my voice. Even more so now that I am getting busier. I think it just comes with the territory of what I do. A dancer hopes he has the stamina to dance, and a singer wants to be able to carry on singing. I think it’s the one thing I would change, all the worry that goes alongside what I do. I’m no longer worried about opportunities coming along, but that I can do them all for everyone, so I lay low a lot, get out in nature and keep things simple in my free time.

Me and Jon went to Italy for 6 days. It was meant to be a week but we came home a day earlier so I could Concert on the Hill in Huddersfield. It meant a right pain in the backside journey back, via Charleroi airport in Brussels and 10 hours waiting there for another flight back to Manchester. If we had stayed the extra day it was a direct flight. I’m still not in the position to say no to opportunities so I wanted to do it. It’s a good job that Jon understood. Italy was lovely though. We were about a 50 minute train ride from Bologna, in the National Park there and we’d booked an airbnb in the middle of nowhere, with the best view from the toilet window. With no car, we just had a staycation and did whatever we could locally. The nearest train station was closed so it forced us to stop and just keep it simple and we loved it. The food was amazing, nobody spoke English and we were part of the little community of the local village that week and even went to the opening of the new corner shop, which brought everyone out to celebrate. We loved the free food and nibbles they gave us. It’s made me realise how important it is to stop and just be sometimes. We don’t have to always be on the go.

I’ve got a few quieter weeks in August too so we are going camping in Wales for a week. I’ve learnt this year not to plan events in June (happy to sing at events people ask me to sing at then), because a lot of people go away before the school holidays as it’s cheaper, and not to give out comps if I haven’t sold enough tickets. I did my ‘A Spoonful of Julie’ at The Circle, Bacup in June and we’d done what we could get people in. The Circle is amazing and Freddy who runs it is a beautiful person, and they said they would ask a few people to come and fill some seats so we had a good sized audience. There were a table of 8 who arrived 50 minutes late and then talked all the way through the second half. It really annoyed me because part of what I do is bonding with the audience, and it was just shit for them. I did ask them to ‘not talk please as it’s hard to concentrate’, but it didn’t work. I really honestly do not like leaving somewhere feeling like I haven’t done my ‘thing’ for people. No more freebies for people who are not interested, no more organising any events in June, and expect a bit of time off in August. I’m learning all the time, but then next year could be different again.

I’d like a manager or someone to help me go to the next level, but I do feel that will come at some point. I want to eventually not be using a computer and backing tracks and have ‘live’ musicians too, and I want to do some stuff for other organisations too and maybe sing some different music too. We’ll just see what happens. I’m pleased with being busier for now, and lots of things to look forward to. Jon’s away for the night with a friend and I can chill now. Shut up too. I love being alone and not having to give to anyone. I cherish these moments. Just me and my dog.

I hope you are all well, and I’ll look forward to seeing what happens. I had a lady today who said it’s the 6th time she’s heard me now. She heard me in lockdown singing in the rain in Halifax and then told her sister and family and they were all there today. I must honestly be doing something right…

To find out more about where I’m singing look at my website at http://www.iamnicolamills.com and follow me on Facebook or Instagram at Nicola Mills Opera for the People.