Hive Open Mic ( #openmic ) is a global community celebrating live music on Hive. Each week is a new event, encouraging musicians to share songs with an international audience.
Weekly Update
Hive Open Mic Week 60: May 30-June 5, 2021
Our community continues to grow in numbers, and it feels like we are also growing closer together in kinship. What a joy! This week we far surpassed our previous record of ~100 entries, with 120. Oh yes, and our community reached over 1000 subscribers, with 181 active posters. These are substantial signs of success.
More importantly, though, I feel our connection grows stronger as humanity. Since the beginning, we've always stood for global harmony, and it is a beautiful thing witnessing all of the musicians and listers worldwide rallying together for a common cause: music appreciation. Music is a uniting force, allowing us to relate with each other, despite any apparent differences, giving us glimpses of oneness.
This week, we explored what "Broken Heart" means to us, and we expressed ourselves in this area. This theme was selected by Spotlight Artist: @adreini. For me personally, I am inspired every time I hear her perform. I keep thinking she is a rising star, and I feel she will get far with her guitar. It feels natural to begin today's highlights with her song.
Nosotros Dos / The Two Of Us (Original) by @adreini
I am thankful to @juliopalomo for giving @adreini an excellent comment:
"I congratulate you for the great dedication you put into what you do, the quality of your work is exceptional and your talent overflows with through your hands and your voice, escaping from the screen to flood the hearts and ears of those who listen to you."
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Spotlight Artist
I Will Always Love You (Cover) by @celticheartbeat
I am happy to name @celticheartbeat as our new Spotlight Artist. As a token of appreciation, I invite him to choose our community's Hive Open Mic theme for our upcoming week 63. Brother, please choose a theme that will inspire and enliven us as we explore new territory as artists. Just name it in the comments below, and we're good to go!
If you've been in the Hive Open Mic community for a long time, you recognize this musician, who has been a steady presence since the beginning. His playing style is uniquely down-to-earth and ultra-chill, like gently rolling ocean waves. He brings a vast awareness of music history, particularly the traditional Irish folk song. He is versatile in his song selection, treating us listeners to a variety of flavors.
In my eyes, he is a friend to our community as a whole, as well as being the single most enthusiastic participant. He is almost always the first person to participate in our weekly event, immediately following Sunday's announcement post. The song he's sharing here demonstrates his certain special way of carrying cover songs, always with careful consideration of our weekly theme, and this one is played so beautifully.
I think @brujalamusical's comment says it best:
"Simply masterful brother. good vibes. very very good"
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A Warm Welcome to New Musicians
Anhelos / Longings (Cover) by @nellynohemi44
@nellynohemi44 joins us, offering her pleasant voice, with guitar and cuatro accompaniment by @zorajr and @armandolnrs. I am inspired by the expressive singing style I'm seeing and hearing here, and I am even further inspired by the expressions on these faces, because I remember that blessed feeling of being in the flow, touched by the divine, feeling featherlight. Brings tears to my eyes. 💧
I acknowledge @nataliaeline for her comment:
"You have a beautiful voice and it is very nice that you have dedicated your wonderful performance to your husband, my condolences for his departure and a musical hug for you 🎶 It is wonderful to have you here sharing good music that comes from the heart ❤️ and your familiar instrumentalists who accompanied you they are also excellent, bravo!" 👏
All I Want (Cover) by @stefanovah
@stefanovah shares his singing in a way that is full of delight, and he is accompanied nicely on the keys. This song feels soothing to my soul.
Chau de No Te Va Gustar (Cover) by @luisenriquecp
@luisenriquecp shares a percussive strumming pattern that keeps me swaying to the beat, enjoying listening.
Chao Lola by @josueelinfame
@josueelinfame sings passionately, and pleasantly.
I'm grateful to @mipiano for her lovely comment on this song:
"But how beautiful, how nice this has been, I am amazed @josueelinfame. The melody of this song took me to a sadder place in my heart, thanks to your great interpretation! Wow, how you transmit with your way of singing !!!" 🙌
El Amor Estuvo Aqui (Cover) by @betzaelcorvo
@betzaelcorvo carries a song with a chorus that sounds heart-strummingly beautiful to me, even though it speaks of losses in love.
The Most High God (Original) by @peterkeyz
@peterkeyz gives us an original song that brings me joy, listening. I'm thankful to him for sharing his art, and expressing his heart with the Hive Open Mic community.
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Honorable Mentions
Humming Bird (Original) by @audiohive-me
@audiohive-me shares an original sing that is sweetly satisfying. I cherish the way it stirs up a smile on my face as I listen, recognizing the blessing they're bringing through their words, their instruments, and their voices.
Mi Ángel / Daga En El Corazón (Original) by @nahupuku
@nahupuku channels Jimi Hendrix, with absolute excellence on acoustic guitar.
I acknowledge @orimusic for leaving the perfect comment:
"Another improvisation showing genius, originality and creativity ... Admiration is what I always have in mind in your career ... Blessings and successes 🙏
Life Goes On (Original) by @juliopalomo
@juliopalomo gives us a terrific original song about a broken heart, written in recited in English. I feel it is highly honorable to be multilingual, respecting various cultures. This is a giant leap toward global harmony, I feel, because communication is a key aspect of brotherhood. Oh, and his acoustic guitar playing totally rocks too.
I believe @holisticmom's comment is noteworthy:
"Your song writing skills are fabulous and the fact that you can write in English too, amazing. The song is beautiful, your guitar playing on point as always, and yes life does indeed go on!"
This City (Cover) by @nataliaeline
@nataliaeline stands out with a stellar song selection for our "Broken Heart" theme. Her singing and playing is superb!
You're Breakin' Mama's Heart (Original) by @holisticmom
@holisticmom offers a Blues song that is in-cred-ible! I feel she is a good example of a changemaker and a trailblazer, bringing positive change to the world through the power of poetry. 🔥
Sonata op. 27 no. 2, aka Moonlight Sonata (Cover) by @mipiano
@mipiano plays a Beethoven sonata and gives us a bit of history to help us understand the message the composer made with this musical masterpiece.
I admire this comment by @franciscodesousa:
"Without words @mipiano!! I had already heard this piece in the past and it really conveys an aura of sadness and melancholy, you interpreted it too well, for me those 5 minutes fell short!!"
Small (Original) by @cabelindsay
The song I shared this week is one that helps me to handle the heaviness of life. These words bring things into perspective for me, remembering the vastness of the ocean, forest, sky... and by comparison the smallness of my little worldly existence. All my troubles seem to fade away, being so very small.
Acknowledgements
I feel so happy seeing our community flourishing. There are real friendships forming here, across oceans. Musicians are finding their voices, refining their talents, and sharing their creative gifts. Listeners are listening generously, and creating meaningful connections through their encouraging comments. The feeling of brotherhood abounds.
That said, I do see some challenges that perhaps we can overcome. It sounds like some of the musicians are feeling invisible, or under-appreciated. This is understandable when comparisons happen between artists. Personally, I believe our moderators are doing a good job of recognizing talent and celebrating achievements as we see and hear the magic happening. I also see that our greater community is doing a good job of engaging, showing support. I'm thankful for this.
I noticed something insightful when I attended an outdoor open mic event last week, here in Austin, Texas, USA. One thing I noticed is that every musician stayed in the audience and listened respectfully to the other musicians. This shows mutual respect. So, it feels important that our community's musicians serve as listeners too, offering applause to the other musicians. This engagement is a way of giving, and this giving comes with great appreciation on all sides.
In summary, I just want to encourage us all to seek out the best in others, as well as seeking out the best in ourselves, offering our compliments to other musicians through upvotes and comments. In my eyes @mipiano is an example of someone who is especially good at engagement. I am grateful to her, and to all of us who are putting in the efforts to celebrate live music here on Hive.
Finally, whether or not your music is highlighted here, I hold high respect for each of the 120 Hive musicians who expressed themselves this week in the Hive Open Mic community. I am thankful for the connections that we make through the songs we carry and share. I believe the entire world benefits through the global harmony that music makes possible.
Inspiration
Reba McEntire is a popular artist in the Country music genre. Here, she performs a song called "Walk On," in 1995, complete with a gospel choir. I enjoy seeing the massive support surrounding this singer - there must be 100 people on stage with her. I also resonate with the message she shares in the beginning, about handling the hardships in life:
"I'm gonna tell you how I deal with my problems. See, I let all my troubles go up through my music. Because once that happens, that's when all your troubles disappear. And that's when the light can shine through."
Appreciation
I am grateful for the various ways this event stretches me as a music maker, generous listener, and patron of the arts. I enjoy the surprises, discovering songs that inspire me. I get the impression we're all making progress, sharing our art with the world, making steady steps toward global harmony. And our unique way of honoring artists is centered around live music. Fun!
Hive Open Mic - Week 61 is underway now.
This week's invitation is: "Retry.”
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This week's invitation is: "Retry.”