#joannaeden

Sam Smith… Teaching singing…. and the universe…..

Okay… so here's the thing.

My career was trotting along nicely at the end of my twenties with a successful jazz album under my belt and a nice little deal in the offing for an all-original album… 

Then… out of the blue… Hormones kicked in!....I had to get pregnant…. Nothing else mattered….

And I did… (with a little help from Charlie my ex-husband, ex-drummer… he still drums… but not for me!)

And Drousha my daughter is the most amazing person... watch this space!

But unfortunately babies and singer/songwriter careers are not always the best of friends…

So when Fred Smith called me up and asked a bleary-eyed new-mum if she taught singing… and had time to listen to their ten year old boy… my gut instinct was "NO NO NO!" I'm ashamed to say.  

Why no?  Because:-

A) I was K N A C K E R E D!  

B) I didn't know if I could teach what was never taught to me; how to sing and 

C) I missed being a performer SO much and somehow teaching felt like I was being demoted…. like I'd failed as a performer and all I could do was pass on the baton to the next generation.

Of course… this was all ego-driven, neurotic nonsense… but you'd be surprised what sleep deprivation can do to a brain!

So Fred and his little boy Sam turned up at my toy-strewn house… Politely ignoring the chaos… and Sam started to sing.... 

At the end of an hour (which flew by) Fred returned to collect Sam saying "we think he's got a good voice… what do you think?".  And - still in a state of shock - I replied "I've never taught before… so I have nothing to compare him with BUT I think he’s incredible!"   

Many years later I’m so glad I trusted my instinct.  With Sam’s help!... His talent, enthusiasm, courage and dedication made me forget all my fears about my new-found role.  I could teach… or rather 'share'.  For the next nine years our lessons were never like lessons.  We just shared songs… our gifts - what a joy!  How lucky am I?!

Spring 2014  I went to see Sam at the Shepherd's Bush Empire and sat next to Kate his mum.  A packed house of doting fans sang his songs along with him.  I tried to… But singing and crying are hard to do simultaneously…

I cried with pride... and gratitude... Because little Sam brought me back to singing... Refilled the empty batteries... And now... here I am... bands, projects, albums, new songs pouring out of me….!!

Whenever Sam sings… You forget other stuff.  You're lifted into a different place and all you want to do is sing along.  Is that why he's a superstar?  I hope so… Cos that makes me feel great about the human race!