 photo credit: Doerthe Externest
Oh my friends!
How long has it been? It's been looong. In fact, I think this is the longest I've ever gone without sending an update! 3 months of deafening silence! :)
Admit it, you know you missed me! *wink*
Well, don't worry, I'm ok. In fact, I'm better than ok. It took a while to realize that, but all is well. Here's what happened:
JAN-APRIL:
I worked round the clock preparing to release my new project. Mixing, mastering, artwork, press, booking, tour routing, social media, designing a website, photoshoot, music video, the list goes on...
APRIL:
I released Bigger Than Your Box
APRIL-JULY:
I hit the road with my band and played a ridiculous amount of shows in a ridiculous amount of places in a ridilously short time frame
JULY-SEP:
I fell apart. Yea I literally sat on my couch in between my other life responsibilities trying to recover from lack of sleep, lack of rest, lack of self-care, lack of spiritual edification, and lack of a whole bunch of other stuff. Lack.
AUG-SEP:
I went to Ecuador for a few weeks to get some fresh air.
OCTOBER:
Here I am. Alive!
Honestly, I have never experienced a year like this. It's been a complicated season of jumping all in, then abruptly stepping back to recover, reevaluate, and reset. I'd never been in a place where I literally could not move forward...and even worse could not "think forward". If you follow me on social media, I've shared bits and pieces. I've mentioned that I've stopped actively booking shows (although still taking incoming requests), and I've been working on a bunch of unexpected side projects that fell in my lap and are proof to me that God always provides. I've begun to say "No" alot more and "Yes" to things I never would have said yes to in the past.
But more than anything, I have begun to reclaim my rest. It's been SO good!
So what next? Am I still playing shows?! Heck yes! But not nearly as much.
Continuing to travel and performing when the opportunities are life-giving, sustaining, and joy-filled (#seewhatididthere). And also returning to my first love - house concerts!
 photo credit: John Mollura
California Show this Sunday!
Pigs must be flying b/c I'll be in Cali this weekend. They said it would never happen! hehe. Spending time in Los Angeles and Pasadena (for something that I'll share more about in my next newsletter). BUT I will be playing a house concert in Temecula that is open to the public! RSVP at the ticket link below, tell someone out that way, or mark a date for another show in your city.
Oct 28: DARIEN, CT - Music in the Stacks @ Darien Library [details]
Nov 11: BALTIMORE, MD - Owens House Concert (rsvp to joy@joyike.com for details)
Nov 16: BETHLEHEM, PA - ArtsQuest Steelstacks [details]
www.joyike.com/tour for details
 NYC: Good Grief!
I'm in a play! Well...my music is! I'm very excited to announce that my music is in an off-broadway theatrical performance this fall called Good Grief. Last month, i was contacted by NYC's Vineyard Theater, Ghanian director Awoye Timpo, and Nigerian playwrite Ngozi Anyanwu to write original music for Good Grief - a play about a first-generation Nigerian-American woman who loses the love of her life due to an unexpected accident. The play is beautiful and I identify with it for obvious reasons (Nigerian girl raises hand). In any case, the last few weeks have been a fun excercise in stepping out of my comfort zone and creating musical interludes and moments to be used throughout the production. It was nervewracking, fun, and stretching! I spent the last few days in NYC attending rehearsal and recording with sound engineer Daniel Kluger.
The play opens Oct 11-Nov 18th and you can go see it if you want! More here!
OK, that's all for now folks!
To everyone who has sent a note sharing their thoughts and opinions on the new album...thank you! I love hearing which songs have touched you and why.
To all of you who are still waiting for Kickstarter rewards, thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your patience!
Nothing but love to you!
Joy
p.s. New music video coming soon!
p.s. I forgive you if you have not heard the new album yet!
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