Erisa Rei

Lately I've been just relaxing in God. He has shown me that I just need to rest a little bit and let Him take care of things. So I haven't been pushing to try to get gigs. I really believe that this is a rest that is preceding the busyness of the future. I'm not sure what He has in store, but I know that whatever I do will be within His steps for my life.

On a side note....haha....no pun intended, God has been giving me more direction for my next recording project. I initially thought that He was steering me in the direction of the Bride project, but after some more prayer and RELAXATION! I feel to still go in the praise and worship direction, but it won't be the Bride project that I was thinking of. They are just some good praise and worship songs. There is at least one song from my first project that I'm going to re-record. So far I have 11 songs picked out for the album. Now it's just waiting for God's timing and provision and direction.

So I've been practicing those songs, plus a handful of cover worship songs that most churches know, so that if I'm called upon to lead worship/minister somewhere I'll be ready. That's what's been going on musically!

I have a couple of gigs this month in Nashville. The first one is on April 17. I will be in a music contest at Cafe Coco. It starts at 8:30 p.m.

The second one is a showcase with Toronto Exclusive Magazine. I was in their contest last year and won a couple of entries. The showcase is going to be held at The Limelight in Nashville. Erik Ferguson, the guitar player who sometimes plays with me, is coming from AZ for this one and also to work on some music for some upcoming albums.

I plan on releasing a praise and worship-ish album sometime this year. I also have another CD in the works that I want to finish and have ready for when God says it's time for it to be released. But for the meantime, there are about 10 songs that I want on the first album, 3 of which are Erik's. :)

In the summer I plan on doing a tour to promote "Backwards," my last release. I will also be part of a Christian indie artist tour called, Earthen Vessels Tour. I'm looking forward to working with them on promoting God's Kingdom.

There is so much to look forward to in 2008 for my music. I feel like I'm right at the brink of something truly amazing. It's RIGHT there.....just out of reach, but close to being touchable.

I will be recording again REALLY soon! The project will have 14 songs on it. They are all about my journey from what I call my "fluffy pink cloud of delusional idealism" to sometimes stark reality. I won't say that I've had it terribly bad, but I've went through a decent amount of hurt which has made me into a strong woman. That and throw in a little bit of politics and you have my new project. :) I can't wait to see how the sound evolves.

The holidays were nice. It was great to see family and friends in IL and then see my Mom when she came and visited here. But I'm ready for all of the hoopla to be over with and get back to normal living.

This is a song that's going to be on my CD. It will be be so much better when it's produced. It was spur of the moment, so not the best quality. I might put up another one in a week or two.

Artist: Erisa Rei

CD: Backwards

Home: Tennessee

Style: Pop/Rock

Quote: "This EP is one power-packed little firecracker."


By Dan MacIntosh

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Erisa Rei's Backwards EP is one power-packed little firecracker. At only four songs in length, it is but a small taste of what this explosive singer can do. Yet it's more than enough material to evaluate Rei's earthshaking talent.

Some biographical material compares Rei to blues singer Susan Tedeschi and classic rockers Heart. No doubt these two acts were models for what Rei attempts to project. But I hear a few other significant (potential) influences, as well.

I don't believe it's any coincidence that Rei looks a little like Wynonna Judd. While Rei doesn't growl like Wynonna, nor does she get many chances to harmonize like the younger Judd once did with her mom, this smoldering pop-rock singer oftentimes reminds me of an un-country Wynonna. Rei also shares Wynonna's Christian faith.

Maria McKee is another vocalist Rei resembles. This is especially true during "Cover Me," which brings to mind Lone Justice's "Shelter." Lone Justice was McKee's breakthrough rock band, before she set out for solo ground, and McKee's sound is also conjured whenever Rei sings in that conversational style of hers. She's is not just singing at you; she's also talking to you.

Tim Holt, who also provided digital programming, bass guitar, and keyboards, produced this effort. He brought along Mike Caro for some of the disc's bass work, while Erik Ferguson contributes electric, acoustic, and bass guitars. It's what Holt doesn't do that counts most, however. He doesn't let the instrumentation overpower Rei's vocals. Then again, a full-on hurricane would have trouble drowning out Rei's powerful pipes.

Rei wrote all four of these songs, and while her words could easily be applied to male/female relationships, one suspects all of these tunes are directed solely at God above. Both the title track and "Cover Me" speak of looking for the divine in an oftentimes dark and godless world. But with "I Still Need You," Rei sings sincerely about her desperate need for God. On it she asks God to show her whenever self-reliance replaces God-dependency.

One factor that separates these songs from all the mostly forgettable sugarcane in cellophane that fills Christian radio play lists is Rei's serious demeanor, put to minor key melodies. There are no useless everything-is-alright-forever tracks here. Instead, Rei is begging for God to not only save her in the afterlife, but to uphold her soul for as long as it takes for that day to arrive. When she begs God to break her spiritual chains during the closer "Set Me Free," you best believe she means it. --> -->--> -->-->



..>..> ..> Indie-Music Profile

Katapult Entertainment Group
Current mood: thankful


"It's a small world."

I can't really agree with that statement at this moment. My reason being, I feel like everything that we go through and every step we take happens for a purpose. Even when we feel like we're just going through our every day life "normally," the smallest decisions can affect our lives and others lives. This is even more true of bigger decisions.

So when we moved to TN back in May, it was a big and hard decision to make. We would be far away from all family and friends. I would be taking my music away from where I was just starting to gain some momentum. We left a church that we liked very much. BUT we felt that God was steering us to TN. So we went.

To make a long story short, God moved and I am now a new client of Katapult Entertainment Agency. It is nothing that I could have done in my own abilities, but by the grace and destiny of God. Meeting ZoeLena was a true "divine appointment." I often shirk from using that term, because I feel that it is way over-used by Christians, but maybe not, considering.... Still I truly think that this is one of the times where God intricately orchestrated His will in my life and in ZoeLena's life and brought us together to work for His purposes.

God is so very, very good. 'Nuf said there.

http://www.myspace.com/katapultent

I have been praying a lot about direction for my music for a good year now. I recently have been praying about it even more. I feel that I'm going to have to come to some decisions soon on how serious I want to be with this and what style I'm wanting to do. Sometimes I just want to chuck the whole thing, because it gets so frustrating not knowing quite what to do. All I know is that it is my destiny to do whatever it is I'm supposed to do. Little comfort, right now.

Recently I have met someone in the Nashville area that is also in the music industry. I feel that there are too many coincidences for it to just be chance. I think that God has brought this person in my path for a reason. I don't know if it's because I need a friend- someone besides Eric to support me on the non-musical side of it or if I'm supposed to work with this woman. I am to meet her this afternoon. From talking to her on the phone a few times I know that we do have a lot in common.

Right now I have so much to do with my music that it is almost overwhelming.

List of things to do:
1. send out demos requested by radio stations
2. send out CDs to fam
3. practise, practise, practise
4. probably should send out press releases to newspapers and such
5. send out promo materials to booked venues
6. get more bookings
7. go to some open mics in the area
8. solidify some details with booked venues

This is all on top of homeschooling my kids and getting ready to move again! Yeah....I need some thought organization.

Backwards is officially released!

Yea! It looks pretty good. I'm still unhappy with the graphics, but what can I do? It SOUNDS great though. I have waited for a product like this for a few years now. I feel relieved to have it done. I am itching to record more though.....always looking ahead.

I was planning on selling the EP through CDBaby, but they now collect $4 per CD sold. That would mean that I would have to sell it to you for $8 or $9 just so I can make SOMETHING off of it. So I decided to set up an on-line store instead. This way I can sell it to you for $5, rather than $8-$9. Give me some love.....

I also will have T-shirts, posters and stickers. I hope to expand this later, but for now this will have to do. Until these sell, I won't be getting any other types of merch.

To hear Backwards, go to the following site:
http://www.myspace.com/erisarei

Click on the picture below to get to the store:

The first 10 to buy Backwards will get a free autographed poster. Also if anyone buys 5+ within the first 2 weeks, they will receive a free T-shirt.

The above offer expires on September 7, 2007.

I haven't been on here for a while. I've been busy getting my new EP done. It is at the replicators right now. It should be ready for purchase by mid-August!

If you would like to hear a preview of a couple of the songs, you can go to:

www.myspace.com/erisarei

I have two songs up there! :)

This is now going to be exclusively a music site for myself to blog on. It's easily accessible, etc. So here it is!

I have a few gigs coming up. Three are in the Nashville area. One is in MO. I have a few lined up in central IL at the end of September. I might do some in early Sept. also. I just haven't decided where to pitch my stuff. If you would like me to come to your area, just let me know!

Later!

I had some new promo pics done a few weeks ago....here are a couple of them.

I will have a new EP out soon entitled "Backwards". I'm really excited about it because it sounds AWESOME...

Check it out if you want:

http://www.myspace.com/erisarei

It's the only song on the site.

Don't be afraid to leave a comment! ;)

We are officially moving to Tennessee on Memorial Day.   We have found a townhouse that we will be staying at in Spring Hill, TN.  It is about a 20 minute drive to work for Eric.  It has three bedrooms and 2 baths, a fireplace, living room, dining room, etc.  The area is really nice.   The public library is across the street, as well as a big community park.  The complex in which we are living in has a community pool, tennis courts, fitness room and a clubhouse.

Eric might be flying home on Friday, so that we can have a last holiday weekend with our families, as well as pack everything up.  We plan to leave IL on either the 28th or the 29th.  This is earlier than I anticipated, but things worked out where we can afford for us to go down sooner.  I am glad, because I miss Eric and it is apparent that he misses all of us too.

I wish that we were moving to the country, but because our house hasn't sold yet, that is impossible.  We also have a 1 yr. lease on the townhouse we are renting.  So hopefully when that year is up, our house will have sold and we will be able to buy a place in the country.  It is really beautiful in the area with all of the rolling hills and green!  I like it in TN.  It might be harder to garden though with all of the rock!    Depends on the property probably. 

It seems unreal that in one week we will be saying goodbye to IL and hello to TN.  I'm SOOOOO ready...you have no idea!

We're moving to Tennessee! :) My husband got a job in Franklin, TN at ACS. He'll be starting there a week from today. I'm staying here in IL, until some things get straightened out financially. We also need to sell our house.

I'm now in the middle of the daunting task of packing for a household of 6! I've already done some here and there since our house has been on the market, which makes it a little easier. We also had a garage sale in which we got rid of some of the junk we don't want. There is still more left. I'll be holding another garage sale in a month or so right before I leave. Then whatever is left after we sell everything will be given to Goodwill or another charity like it. I can't wait to move!

"Whatever is denied,cannot be healed.
And the world is still drowning in an ocean of blame.
They have no idea how real Your love is."
Kevin Prosch, Palanquin

Those words were what got me through a very dark time in my life. I'm going to be very real here. I'm sure that's no surprise, I'm rarely not. For a few years I was in denial of the pain that some people brought in my life. I kept telling myself to "rise up" and just take it, like Christians are "supposed" to. Finally, I came to the conclusion that I was denying that I had any pain and I was in a horrible state spiritually and mentally. God in His grace moved me to where I could be healed.

Now before some of you get all tiffy, hear me out. After I got through that part of the process, I had to come to the reality of the pain that I caused other people. To admit that I had done some things wrong in being right about leaving a church wasn't easy. It took a great deal of courage to get past my fear and pride, but ultimately I apologized for my part in their hurt.

This next portion uses "you" as a generalized persona. It's not about someone in particular. If you think I am writing about you.....get over yourself, REALLY!

The first step to healing is realizing that you are hurt. If you deny your pain, you can't get healed. If you run away, thinking that you'll just ignore your problem, it will just bite you in the butt later on. (Trust me.) And that is what it is....it's YOUR problem. It's not the other person's problem, even if what they did was wrong. YOU are the one who is going to have to be truthful about your pain. YOU are the one who is going to have to figure out why it bothers you. It is YOUR problem because you are the one who is going to have to forgive the other person. They may be wrong, but you can't be god for them. You have no right to be god for them. After you realize the above and be honest also about your part in it, then comes the healing, if you choose to forgive.

God's will and people's opinion aren't always the same. Sometimes people's opinion happens to line up with God's will and then all the clearer the way for you to go. However, more often than not, people's opinion is... (SHOCK) people's opinion- just how they feel about something.

In my past I thought that people's opinion was God's will for my life. I would hear one thing from one person and then something else from someone else. I was in a terrible cycle of confusion and people-pleasing that needed to end. Thankfully it did.

So as an encouragement, don't let people's opinions be "God's" voice in your life. Take some "time out" to fast and pray for GOD'S clear direction. Because once you know His will for your life and have the confidence that He'll help you with it, there isn't anything that anyone can say that can detract you from it. Be like a warrior and focus on that particular thing that He puts on your heart. Be determined not to let friend or foe push you off the course that He has planned for you.

I'm not saying to never ask advice, because I think that there is safety in the counsel of others. However, you ALWAYS have to ultimately do what HE says...regardless of the critics, regardless of the voice of reason, regardless of your past, regardless of the haters, regardless of religious verbage that amounts to nothing, regardless of the present problems, regardless of the fear that will try to stop you, regardless if every person's opinion seems to be against what GOD says to you....You just have to do it. You will never be truly happy unless you do His will.

Nashville will be my second home this next month. I leave tomorrow to go to an independent Christian music conference. The conference runs from a concert tomorrow night until 5pm on Sunday. However, looking at Sunday's schedule I think that I'll skip that day. It starts with a service at their church and ends with information about the site I'm already on and not interested learning any more about. But I will get to meet some people that I've met on-line through the site's forum.

Then my second trip to Nashville will be two weeks later. This trip is the one I'm REALLY looking forward to, because this is the one where I will be recording! FIIIIIIIIIINNNNALLLLYYYY! I've been waiting for probably two years for this. It will only be an EP, but it will be so different from my last recording, in more ways than one! I can't wait!

Sometimes in order to accomplish something in life we have to do something that is a little beyond our comfort level and even beyond our faith level. I find myself in this dilemma right now. An opportunity has came to me that is requiring me to trust God like I never have before. With this decision has came insecurity and doubt. If I accept this opportunity, it could mean rejection. If I don't accept it, I think that it would actually be "easier".

But God doesn't always call us to do things that are easy. Sometimes He requires us to do things that are hard to do. Sometimes He calls us to things that we don't feel adequate for. Sometimes He wants us to get beyond our insecurities and our fears....to push past the doubt and ultimately TRUST Him to take care of us.

Since last June I have had a hard time really trusting anyone, God included. And although my mistrust was founded on good reason, I knew that I should trust God. Then I just couldn't. Over time, I thought that my trust was restored. That was until this new thing happened. It isn't a bad thing. In fact, almost everyone would jump at the opportunity. But I almost passed it up because of my fears. On Sunday, my pastor happened to quote a Scripture that God had given me when I first heard of this opportunity. It, and other circumstances, have confirmed to me that I am to take a step of faith and agree to do it. So I have agreed.

I can't give any information as of right now, but someday I will reveal it. It is a dream beyond my dream, a door that only God could open. I am in awe. I am very thankful, but I am also diligent in that I am constantly praying for every step of the way.

So, believe that God is there for you. Know that in His timing He will do for you what He has promised. He will give you your God-centered dreams and possibly even more than you ever could have dreamed. But sometimes you just have to go beyond your comfort level. I'm not talking enduring abuse or hardship. I mean faith-levels. Believing that God can do what He said He would. :)

If you want to know how podunk Lincoln is, just go to Wal-mart. They are getting ready to switch from the standard-sized Wal-Mart to a Super Wal-Mart. Because of this there are various $1 racks and carts around the store. Not that there is anything wrong with buying anything for a dollar. Today I bought Aggie a pair of capri tights for her birthday tomorrow and a pair of snowboots for Liam for next winter. What's bad are the people there. They have this look of sheer podunk panic etched on their faces and their desperation radiates into the atmosphere of the Lincoln Wal-Mart. People about run someone over for something that they never would have looked at yesterday, but now have to injure someone in order to get the prized $1 possession first. I almost was sucked into their tirade, but I stood strong and kept my peace. I calmly sorted through the shopping carts of capri tights while other shoppers craned their necks in order to see which pair of ugly tights I would get before they could get their hands on them first. (I bought the white ones. They aren't ugly.) Man, I can't wait to get out of here to move to a town less than 1/10th the size of Lincoln. Yeehaw...:) (Although, I am strangely looking forward to it.)