Welcoem to posts!!
in the future - u will be able to do some more stuff here,,,!! like pat catgirl- i mean um yeah... for now u can only see others's posts :c
Isn't it ironic - don't you think?
Last week's video about being thankful even for very small view numbers had 4 times the views of the previous one...and has started me on a truly original thumbnail template journey 🤣
Catch up here -> https://youtu.be/kdclLTDP0ww
Then join me for a laugh or two today at 6pm x
PS yes absolutely the Milky Bars are on me!
10 - 0
After 17 years of uploading videos to YouTube, I've finally cracked the thumbnail code.
Have you seen my latest masterpiece? 🤣 https://youtu.be/kdclLTDP0ww
12 - 0
How was your weekend?
I'm starting this fresh new week finally free of the lurgy that has been plaguing me for the past little while. My new album is in the last stretch of tracking, and I'm looking forward to making a new Tea & Empathy episode for you :)
Sending love
Laura xxx
PS here's the latest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vDIa...
8 - 0
I've been making some changes around here, and I thought it was time to let you know about them.
You may have noticed the name of my channel is now Penfriend's Letterbox, both to match my blog and to communicate the idea of a variety of video styles.
I've also been tweaking my intro text for a while, and I think it's the best it's ever been. I hope this shows existing subscribers and new people what to look forward to from my uploads, and makes it clear who my videos are for:
===
"Weekly creative encouragement and sad songs to make you feel better.
I'm Laura, a music producer and solo artist on a quest to live my most creative life and encourage you to live yours. Whether you make your own stuff or just want to see how I make mine, you're very welcome here.
I live in Nottingham, UK and create music, videos and podcasts under the name Penfriend.
➡️ Get a FREE 12-track album and 31-page zine when you sign up at penfriend.rocks/hello
➡️ I’ve run my own independent label since 2009, releasing 6 solo albums: five under the name She Makes War and one as Penfriend, plus a collaborative album under the name Obey Robots called "One In A Thousand".
My last two albums went into the Official UK Album Chart at #14 and #24 (Independent Album Chart at #1 and #5) - all due to generous music fans and the magic of the internet.
Let's do amazing things with good hearts" ❤️
===
My main video types on this channel are:
- Tea & Empathy - my weekly to-camera chat videos about the creative process
- live performances
- livestreams (monthly til recently when I've been too ill to sing!)
- music experiments / hang out with me while I do stuff-type videos
- music videos
What's your favourite video of mine so far, and what would you like to see in the coming months as I prep my new album for release?
Thanks for being here!
Love,
Laura xxx
23 - 0
What were you doing 16 years ago? Sixteen years ago today I appeared on Letterman playing bass in Tricky's band.
That's more than the years I'd lived when I first heard the brilliant "Maxinquaye" on tape in the school playground.
Shame everything was shot on a potato in the aughts.
(I'm the one on the left)
Memorieeeeees.
I'm always surprised to note just how long ago certain periods of my life are - it's always good to look back with gratitude on exciting adventures and see how far I've come since.
I love not being on the road constantly, making new music way more often and generally doing my own thing.
I'm still available for exciting adventures, though!
42 - 7
I'm celebrating ONE full year of living in Nottingham today.
I'm so glad I didn't ignore the nagging feeling that I was in the wrong place (Bristol), albeit doing the right things with the right person (and dogs) by my side.
Change can be hard but life's too short to stay stuck.
And now: onwards to day 24 of home album recording...commencing VOCALS powpowpow!
Love to you xo
31 - 5
Swipe to see how I get one decent shot for a livestream thumbnail 🤣 *
Last night I tried something different: a talking only livestream.
I’ve had this urge for a few years to encourage you in your own creative hopes and dreams. I try and do that by sharing my own journey as an indie artist doing my best to make work I’m proud of.
I’m confident about my work, focused and dedicated, but I still find myself needing encouragement every week to keep going, so I listen to podcasts, read articles and watch videos to get creative energy and inspiration.
That’s why I share videos every Saturday teatime on topics around creativity, productivity, facing the blank page, dealing with the inner critic and everything in between, to show that I’m just an imperfect human trying to do my best.
And if I can do this - you absolutely can too.
Last night around 50 of us hung out for an hour and I answered questions about songwriting, band names, how to get inspiration and more, and I shared a couple of sad tales from my past which might shed some light on why I do things the way I do.
I’ll expand upon those some time in a non-live situation where I can make sure I say exactly what I want to say, but thank you to those in attendance for the empathy you showed me last night when I was being vulnerable.
I’ll always do my best to do the same for you.
The livestream is on my YouTube channel under the live tab if you’d like to know more and hopefully get inspired and encouraged to do your own thing today xo
* the same way I get anything done: by trying and trying and trying again 🥰
11 - 1
Livestream tonight at 8pm! A non-musical one: youtube.com/live/lFoGCsXccp8?feature=share
Bring me your questions on creativity, productivity, facing the blank page, defeating the inner critic and anything in between. If you can't make it live, post your question in the chat box and come back later to see if it got into the livestream.
I'll draw from my 25 years of live performance, 20 years of freelancing / video production, 15 years of making and releasing albums independently, 5 years of running a membership, 2 x #1 Official Chart trophies and 2 x Blue Peter badges to help you with your own projects, schemes and dreams.
And yes - I have located the Blue Peter badges to show you tonight!
I'm looking forward to talking to you xx
8 - 3
THANK YOU.
I spent 10 years regretting giving up on YouTube. I started uploading vlogs to this platform in 2007, after having made videos as a hobby and then as a business since 2002. On tape!
Juggling freelance work, trying to make my own music for the first time and making videos to share on YouTube was too much for me at the time. I had to prioritise building up my future career as a music producer and solo artist alongside making money to live on from my client work. Creating solo albums and releasing them independently took up all my non-work time, and even after I left expensive South London in 2012 it was a struggle to keep afloat financially.
I know I didn't really have another choice - it's not like I was lazing around in a paid-for house eating bon bons and actively choosing not to make the stuff I wanted to make. But every now and then I felt annoyed that making videos for YouTube (apart from music videos) had to be dropped like that.
When I was planning the launch of my new music project PENFRIEND in 2020, I knew it was time to stop regretting things. I really hate regretting things I haven't done!
4 years on, I'm feeling very thankful to YOU for supporting this channel all the way to 326,644 views. For comparison, in 17 years, my first channel has enjoyed 482,997 views.
What the heck?!
THANK YOU.
Now: go and have a fab week. I'm off to record guitars for my new album, then make another video for you!
Love, Laura xxx
PS see you on Wednesday night for "Tea & Empathy: LIVE"? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFoGC...
19 - 0
* caption this thumbnail! *
My new episode of Tea & Empathy goes live at 6pm today - what do you think the video is about based on this image?
Catch you at teatime xo
🎹
7 - 7
Weekly creative encouragement and sad songs to make you feel better.
I'm Laura, a music producer and solo artist on a quest to live my most creative life and encourage you to live yours. Whether you make your own stuff or just want to see how I make mine, you're very welcome here.
I live in Nottingham, UK and create music, videos and podcasts under the name Penfriend.
➡️ Get a FREE 12-track album and 31-page zine when you sign up at penfriend.rocks/hello
➡️ I’ve run my own independent label since 2009, releasing 6 solo albums: five under the name She Makes War and one as Penfriend, plus a collaborative album under the name Obey Robots called "One In A Thousand".
My last two albums went into the Official UK Album Chart at #14 and #24 (Independent Album Chart at #1 and #5) - all due to generous music fans and the magic of the internet.
Let's do amazing things with good hearts ❤️