I have to admit that I'm writing this in the Oscars add-breaks, i must admit... but my life is like that right now.. a bit fragmented. I'm in a transitional phase... out of Sydney Conservatorium, into touring full-time! I'm in the studio writing new music, and planning what exactly I'm going to do... in the meantime, I have been working on something which has been on my mind for years. Uniting women to celebrate International Women's Day...
...and I am so excited to have gathered an amazing group of women have joined forces to raise money for Lou’s Place, a Shelter for Women in Sydney’s Kings Cross & to promote awareness, promote and celebrate International Women’s Day!
Our goal is a huge 2010 festival I'm gonna yak and yak about this for a whole year and more! To start with, we are going to work together in and out of the shelter, and raise money for the cause. This is going to be a massive annual event in Sydney starting next year.
Joining me so far are fellow Aussie girls Bianca Dye, Melinda Schneider, Kate O'Shea, Jenny Morris, Amanda Easton, Carolyn Koens, Monica Kade director of Mink Magazine and Tansy Mayhew just to name a few (more TBA very soon!). Lots & lots of news coming soon. And fyi, we AIN'T EXCLUDING YOU BOYS!!! Join us to celebrate your wives, girlfriends, daughters, mothers...
OK so what is INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY?
Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate their achievements.
IWD is now an official holiday in Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The tradition sees men honouring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc with flowers and small gifts. In some countries IWD has the equivalent status of Mother's Day where children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers.
The new millennium has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in both women's and society's thoughts about women's equality and emancipation. However, great improvements have been made. We do have female astronauts and prime ministers, school girls are welcomed into university, women can work and have a family, women have real choices. And so the tone and nature of IWD has, for the past few years, moved from being a reminder about the negatives to a celebration of the positives.
And so what is Lou’s Place? Lou’s Place is right in the centre of King’s Cross. It’s a daytime centre for women – women who need a hand in putting back together lives that have crumpled under the pressures of abuse and neglect. They are homeless, in crisis or in need of support. Most are either victims of abuse, mentally ill, and/or suffering from substance abuse. At Lou’s they can eat, take a shower, seek counselling or just feel safe – safe from isolation and loneliness, hunger and cold, ill health and the dangers of the street or even dangers within their own homes. This cannot be underestimated.
To donate to Lou’s Place, go to www.lousplace.com.au
This is gonna be huge ladies & gentlemen! And getting back to music… I’m about to head off to Tokyo in March to perform at the Launch of 7 For All Mankind, a fashion label in Japan!
Soon I will have some news about gigging in my hometown here in Sydney. It’s great to be home as much as I adore travelling! I have spent a long time away performing overseas, and the last time I performed a show and caught up with everyone was last year in October at the Basement… it was so good to have all my friends and family there. My family hasn’t seen me perform since I was about 19 here in Sydney, so of course I had to have them all there…. Someone wrote to me recently to tell me how annoying that was, but I have to say gimme a break mate! I just got home, family first! I had to get them all in there, there will be plenty more shows coming... See you out there soon…
Sophiexxxxxxxxxxxx
Recent news:
Last Wednesday, Sophie performed at the Piano Room Sydney with a number of acts including Joanna Corcoran, Mirrah Reflects and MC Bianca Dye. The event raised over $20,000.00 for the Red Cross aid of the Victorian Bushfire victims in Australia. Today Sophie was listed on Media Man Australia's Social & Community Entrepreneurs Showcase
Photo by Gino Nalini Photography of Sophie live @ the Max Awareness Launch, Sydney on 6th February:
news update 13th February 2009
Sophie is in the studio working on new music. She is also preparing to perform in Tokyo on 11th March for the launch of a new flagship store for the fashion label 7 For All Mankind Japan. Also, Sophie is now endorsed by Maurizio Morucci Italy (MAMO) and currently appears in his advertising campaign.
Sophie's youtube channel now has footage from Sophie's performances at 360 Istanbul, and the Okan Bayülgen Show (Disko Krali) Turkey-