We did it! We did it! We…oh hallelujah!

After 30 days, I’ve come to a grand tally of $5, 425!

After wrapping the second week of recording, I was very relieved to let my producer & cellist know that they are, in fact, getting paid.

As the album comes together, I’ll begin sending out the rewards. I expect the album to release sometime in the Spring/early Summer 2012.

Until then, my heartfelt gratitude and thanks to:
Hayes Lee Williams, Mike Espinoza, Ray Prim Jr., Mireille, Joe Lynch, Neil McMcrea, Davis, Heather Tadros, Joanna L. Castillo, Marc Anselme, Carl Lyons, Alex, Oscar Valdes, Rob Z, Samantha Marquez, Ryan Williams, Steve Monier, Wolfgang Schaible, Seamus Enright, Bill Barker, Mitch Connell, D’Shan Berry, Lee Herman, Kim Bold, Oscar Perez, Preetam Sengupta, Courtney Sanders, Sheldon Gallegos, Andrew Pressman, Danica Dora, Michael & Jill, Matt Lupo, Kimberly, Dana Schack, Kazunori Yakuwa, Doug Bobo, Armando Ramos, Michel Jouan, DT, Ed Radakovitz, Renaldo Arroyo, Steven Rawlings, Xavier Cantu, Sarah Lovelace, Tomy Meny, Apryl, Dave Cool, Liz Murphy, Buckman Coe, Tara Craig, John M. Cook, Roger Temme, John S. Davis, Andreas Kusche, Hallie, Lisa A., Steven Goldman, Stephanie Giannone, Sebastian Ong, and of course, my folks: Nabil & Ellen Tadros.

PS. Remember that contest I entered to win $20,000 in gear and recording? Because of you guys, I’m in the lead. Voting continues till Dec. 11, and I compete live in Austin on Dec. 18th for the grand prize. I believe in Santa! I believe!

Filmed this video performing “Soldier” with The Sweetness just before our show at Cafe Henrici in
Zurich, Switzerland.

I’m sitting in the passenger seat of our rental. My friend, Nils is driving, ride-share gal in the back, en route to Frankfurt. I fly home to Texas in the morning, my heart is full of gratitude and nostalgia after an amazing German Tour.

So many of the shows were packed, full of smiles and yeehaws and earnest applause. A few, even lightly attended, but filled the room with dedicated listening and support. Many folks who started out as acquaintances at the onset of this tour, became late-night coffee and club matte buddies. I lost track of the long, wonderful conversations and life stories weeks ago. Not to harp on cliches, but I feel like this is the stuff of life: community. Killer shows come and go. The high of a great crowd never really lasts for long. Neither does the low of an awful turn out. The relationships I’ve forged in the last few weeks mean the world to me.

So, this blog post is for you guys. To Uli, for letting me crash in your bed while you slept on the couch for a whole week. Please keep growing your beard and by Christmas time I expect to see pictures of you dressed as German Santa. Nils, for sitting at all those cafes while I drank all those cappuccinos hiding behind my laptop, while you sort of read a magazine and sort of texted for 5 hours, waiting for me to finish. Also, for all the chocolate, and showing me that chivalry is alive and well in Germany.

To Andi and Benni for being our German psuedo-stalkers and Reiner for feeding us till we  waddled, Andy for my first stick-driving lesson, Pascal for making it feel like I was coming home, and every last person who touched my heart (here comes the sap) after a show. And who can forget the troupe of Serbian and Croatian dudes who serenaded us after the show in Berne. You guys are the reason I get through the rough patches.

I love returning to a city and knowing exactly where to find the forks in a kitchen, or what to order without looking at the menu. I love introducing the band to a life-long friend, and becoming fast friends  with everyone else’s.

The Sweetness has a few dates on the calendar for 2012. We have another North American tour in the works for February, and recording of another EP. Other than that – and my new album – I can’t tell you what the next year will bring. I can say my heart is pulling me back to the drawing board, creatively and intellectually. Sometimes it’s nice to feel remind myself that I’m not in control, take a step back and admire all that life has thrown at me.  The good and the bad.

It’s been a pretty great ride.

PS. If you haven’t heard, The Recording Conservatory of Austin has chosen me out of 400+ as a finalist to win $20,000 in recording and gear. Voting is simple and only takes two seconds – just click here!

I never enter competitions. Vote-to-win contests make me nervous.

I entered The Recording Conservatory of Austin’s Singer/Songwriter Competition on a fluke – on my friend’s recommendation. I’ve been chosen as one of the top 15 of over 400 entries. Go figure. And now, I want to win.

Voting is simple and takes 12 seconds (I timed it. twice.) Top four compete live next month for over $20,000 in recording, gear, and prizes.

Click here to vote for me.

Sending love from Frankfurt International Airport,
Aly