Photoshoot For My Upcoming EP Cover "Dreaming Is Believing!"

I am the worst at my blog these days. I guess that is what happens when you are a new mother, and trying to balance everything. Of course my baby comes first. He will always be number one...and then my fiance is a close second ha-ha. Kidding! They both come first, and my career a close second.

Recently I did a photoshoot for the cover to my upcoming EP, "Dreaming Is Believing." I had this crazy idea to be in a hoop, so I contacted this club called "Mynx Fitness" that offers hoop classes. Can you believe Saskatoon has such a thing!? I was able to take a private class, which now I think I didn't need, but it was fun anyhow.

The photographer I booked was Gemma of Gemma Johnson Photography. If you have not seen her work, you have to. She is a Brit, so I loved her already, plus she is just a monster behind the lens. She is extremely creative.

The hardest part of the shoot was finding wardrobe. Yes, Saskatoon has hoop classes, but clothes are limited! Go figure! I needed a red gown for the shoot, which was impossible to find. There were some things, but not good enough. We settled for green, which ended up turning out to be even better. See how everything happens for a reason. Where did we find the dress you ask? Oh at a bridal shop. What can I say...we had no choice. The green dress was perfect, even though we had already purchased a black one, which instead of returning I got to magically keep.

Usually I have a stylist for these things, but again...where do I find one in Saskatoon? I actually do love Saskatoon, but I also love making fun of it.

This time I decided to style my own hair, and do my own makeup. Very ballsy of me, I know. I have enough training from all the musical theatre I've done...why not save a buck or $300. The morning of the shoot I was feeding my baby, getting him dressed, styling my hair, doing my makeup. Somehow I managed to do all this in under 2 hours, which is shorter then some makeup artists have taken to finish my face. I love perfection, but come on now, time is of the essence, and am I really that ugly? Kidding!

The photoshoot was awesome. I had an assistant hoop coordinator holding my baby and my hoop while NHD ran to get an extension chord. Then when NHD got back he had the baby and hoop girl could concentrate on my hoop. The photographer, Gemma, had to shoot fast because I could only stay on the hoop for seconds at a time or else my arms or butt would fall off. I also didn't want to sweat off the makeup I worked so hard to put on that morning.

The shoot was 2 hours long in total. This was a world record for a shoot in my life, and the way I like it. Fast and sweet! I have to thank my baby for that.

I am so excited for you guys to see the final product. The EP will be released end of this year. The exact date will be announced soon.

Stay tuned for "Dreaming Is Believing."

I thank God that my dreams are coming true, and I hope yours are too!

Being a New Mother and a Singer/Songwriter in the Music Industry!

I am a mother to a two month old baby boy named Amari. I did consider how having a child would affect my career which I knew would slow down for a while, as my main priority would be my baby. I also knew that the way I was perceived in the industry would change. I was prepared to face the fact that many industry tycoons would see me as inflexible and tied down. However, I decided to risk it, as being a mother was something that meant the world to me. I had faith that I could handle both a newborn and a thriving music career. I just had to believe in myself.

Being a successful mother, recording artist and business woman is about balance, being great at multitasking, and having good support. I am blessed to have all three. Balance is something I have learned throughout the years, however it is my little one who has truly taught me how to be balanced. Each day I must prioritize and work on what is the most important thing that day. If I don’t finish all my business goals in the day, it’s okay. I don’t beat myself up. I allow myself to enjoy my son, and relish in the business accomplishments I did obtain. In regard to multitasking, I have learned how to breastfeed while emailing, or while making business calls or Skype calls. I have also had to schedule my recording sessions during Amaris' nap times, which is all over the place, as he is still so young. My producer also happens to be my business partner, and my life partner. This is the best support I can ask for, since he is able to pick up any business slack. If I need time to finish a project, he understands and will take the baby for as long as I need. I mean, he is the daddy after all so he has no complaints lol.

Being a new mom and a working mom has it’s challenges. I am exhausted from lack of sleep. I should be napping when Amari naps, but I am working. The times when I need to record, I have a crying baby and can’t get any music made. This can be frustrating, and a bit overwhelming, but I just have to roll with the punches. People ask me, “Why don’t you just get a nanny?” The truth is, I am not yet ready to have a stranger look after my baby. Amari is too young, and I am an overprotective mommy. I also like to do everything myself. I can be quite the control freak, so I just have to make sacrifices to make it work. What really suffers is my beauty regime lol. My nails suffer, my hair suffers and my body suffers. What I mean is that I have less time for myself. Of course when I go out to an event, that is a different story, however, this singer does not doll up just to go to the grocery store or walk the dog like she once use to...well maybe sometimes I still do:)

Recently, I had a radio DJ ask me how my brand has changed since being a mother. I said, it hasn’t just changed, but has grown. I now have a son who is part of my brand, and if anything, he has enhanced it.

Amari is now my sidekick, and even though things have changed, they have changed for the better. I will get a nanny eventually, but right now it is me, Amari and NHD. I love my life, and now I have someone special I get to share my success with. He makes me want to work harder, and smarter. I am incredibly excited for the future.

Dream big...do bigger! Dreaming is believing!

Missing my baby Daddy!

This morning my baby Amari and I said goodbye to daddy NHD. We saw him off to the airport with heavy hearts, and sad faces. Even though he will only be away for 6 weeks, it feels like an eternity.

One of the dilemmas of being a recording artist in Canada, is that there isn't enough happening here, so we artists have to venture out to other countries. NHD has gone back to London to work. He is a British boy, born in Namibia, but grew up in London, which is a mecca for anything in the entertainment world. We will be joining him in England in a couple months, but for now he is there, hard at work, and we are here, in the "getting colder" Canada. Such is life!

To be honest, it feels a little overwhelming to be without him and have our 5 week old baby to look after. I am blessed not to be a single mother, however I now can relate to all the single mothers out there. We are strong, fearless women, and I have even more respect for our sometimes under appreciated jobs as mothers. My mom was a single mother for a long time, with 3 kids, and she conquered it.

At the end of the day, though it may be daunting to have to look after a small baby on your own, daddy is out there providing for his family. I am also working, doing my best to juggle both my business, HunnyB Entertainment, and my new life as a mother. Today was the first day without NHD, and so far so good. I will get back to you after the 6 weeks are up and update you on the reality of how difficult juggling work and family life will inevitably be.

I am ready though, so let's go! I have already mastered breastfeeding and recording simultaneously so bring on whatever other challenges may come with the territory. Though now I am thinking to be careful for what I ask for lol; I could be over my head.

In the meantime, we will take it one step at a time. We will pray that daddy gets all his business taken care of successfully, and that he gets back to Canada safe and sound.

We love you daddy!

Behind My Project - Round & Round Ft. Joe Budden (OUT SEPT. 14th, 2013)

I wrote the single "Round & Round," produced by NHD of NHD Productions Inc., in Atlanta, Georgia, while I was there promoting my HunnyB brand. The story of the song was inspired by one of my relationship experiences, and a girlfriend's experience as well. Women are notorious for taking back the men who cheated on them. I have never understood this. However, I have been the victim of being in a love triangle, though I never knew it at the time. I was being played. If I had known about the other woman, I would have been out so fast, however a lot of women I know have been too weak to leave. I would never judge them, as I know when you are in love, you make every excuse to justify your man's behavior. There is always that guilt though, that lingers and the song is about that guilt.

I wrote this record with the intention of it being a solo record, meaning only me on the track. Then one day we had the opportunity to work with Joe Budden, and I thought, "Yes, let's get him on Round & Round." I wanted to work with Joe on something eventually, so I contacted his manager. I knew I needed to send him a dope record he would want to be a part of. Needless to say, he loved the song, and in less than a week he had recorded his verse, and sent it back. He was even in the middle of touring with Slaughterhouse, so I was excited that he took the time to go into the studio so fast.

The verse Joe did really "rounds" out the song.

The single comes out September 14th, 2013 on Itunes and all other online stores. We are hoping to garner a lot of press, as we intend to raise money to shoot the music video. I spoke to Joe Budden's manager about the video, and they are down. Now all we need is the funds, and away we go:)

This will be a great challenge, and one I look forward to accomplishing. Dream Big...Do BIgger!

Round & Round Ft. Joe Budden - OUT SEPTEMBER 14th, 2013!

Music | HunnyB - Round & Round Ft. Joe Budden | Singersroom

Music | HunnyB - Round & Round Ft. Joe Budden | Singersroom

Amari Alexander Gawanab - Born Aug. 21, 2013

Baby Amari is finally here...born August 21st, 2013. I haven't had time to do much, especially write my blogs. However, it's ok. Amari is the love of my life. You don't realize how much you can love someone until you have a child. Being a new mother in the music industry is not easy. I knew that this would be the case. I knew that making music would slow down, but I didn't know how slow. Babies need a lot from you. They teach you to take your time, and enjoy the moments.

Newborns are "new" for only so long. They grow up so fast and the time is fleeting. I look at him and think, I don't want to miss a second with you. He is my number one.

My career is still important, and I will do what I can when I can. My music career is life long, but my baby will only be a baby once.

The Importance of Being Active While Pregnant

I can't let pregnancy slow me down! Time is of the essence!

We all know that being active during pregnancy for the reasons of health, healthy weight gain, and a healthy baby is important. However, it is also extremely important to remain active so that you have the energy to work! As a recording artist, I am self employed and therefore, need to be disciplined, not only with my time, but also with my energy. I don't work 9-5; I work all day long, and I need that energy to sustain my career. I know many other mothers to be, who are not self employed, who also need to be energized because they work 9-5, and have other kids at home. Rest is crucial, but so is exercise. Some women feel that being pregnant is a free pass to be lazy, and eat junk. It is nice to indulge in those things, however, this is not a lifestyle you want to continue for the whole 9 months.

It is important to keep your ambitions and passions alive, which take energy. Several women I feel lose themselves, and that can be unhealthy, and sometimes lead to postpartum depression. Of course there are other factors that can lead to this as well, but feeling good and keeping active is a huge component in how you will cope after the baby arrives.

As the months role along, and you get bigger, you have to adjust your workout. Women don't realize how effective a simple hour of walking a day, at a good pace, can be. I like to do my squats when I walk my dog. Every time Tonto stops to pee or sniff, I am squatting. I also practice yoga once a week which helps keep me focused, strong and limber. I am about to give birth any day now and will be recording a new song in the next few days, if I am not in labour. I feel motivated to keep working; yes because I love what I do, but because I still have the energy to do so. I also believe that this will help when the baby arrives, as I will continue writing and recording, and hopefully putting on a few gigs here and there.

I looooooooove sweets, and so I have no choice but to work out. If I got too big, I wouldn't want to go anywhere. It would be too painful to walk or even get up. Not to mention, I would feel miserable. I like that I can still go for a night out with my friends and family. I was dancing away and doing the limbo, only a few days ago. I feel strong, and it is all thanks to not giving into my pregnancy, and staying active.

Balance is the key...so stay fit, rest, work and have fun!

NHD and HunnyB - Engaged in Paris! My Story...

Now that you all know I am engaged to the genius producer NHD, I thought I would share the story of how he proposed.

Our first date was in Paris, and it was an amazing experience. I just fell in love with this romantic city. Everything was exquisite, from the cappuccino and croissants, the shopping in Champs-Elysees, to partying with Ne-Yo and The Dream at an exclusive VIP event.

NHD knew that I loved Paris, and decided to take me back there to celebrate our anniversary, and of course ask me to marry him. I don't want to make the story too long so I will be brief in my descriptions.

The first day in Paris was a very relaxing day, since I was jet lagged, as he had whisked me off only an hour after I arrived in England. It was a surprise, going to Paris. I had no idea where he was taking me. Our second evening in Paris, NHD had made reservations for dinner, and we had to be ready for 7pm sharp or we would lose our reservation. I started to get myself ready early, as it takes me a while. I was done too early, so I decided to chill, and not get dressed right away. NHD asked me when I was planning on getting dressed, and I replied, "Soon, but just not now." He then asked if I'd get dressed with at least with 15 minutes to spare. I thought, "What is this man up too?", but I shook my head and agreed. Once I got dressed, he motioned me to the bed, (no it's not what you think), and turned on the television. He started to play a video he created, which began with a love story. Before I could even bat an eye, I realized the story was about him and me. He had pictures from my childhood, of my birth, and of my life growing up. It was the story of how we met, and how our lives intertwined in the best possible way. I cried!

The video ended up cutting off on us, but we had to leave for the restaurant, so we rushed out, met our driver and off we went. NHD escorted me to a boat on the Seine River, to a table that was right at the front, where you could look out and see the magical lights of Paris, including the Eiffel Tower. The table was gorgeous with a bottle of champagne, chilling, and just waiting to be uncorked.

During dinner, NHD started talking about Love, and questioning how one knows they are truly in love. He started this speech, which I interrupted as I had to use the toilette. When I sat back down at the table, NHD continued where he left off like nothing had happened. All of a sudden I heard him say, "I promise to take care of you, and I promise to take care of Tonto (my dog), and then he got down on his knee. I thought "No, no, no, no, no, this can't be happening." Not because I didn't want to marry the guy, but because I was shocked, and it was in front of a lot of people. I even said, "No, no, no, no, no," out loud with my hands over my eyes, before I said "Yes!" I didn't see NHD open the box with the ring, nor the ring...I was crying so hard, and saying "No!" Finally, after what he says felt like 5 minutes, he asked me if I was going to answer him. I looked up with my tear stained face and said, "Yes, Yes, yes..I will marry you." Then the entire boat erupted in applause! How embarrassing! He slipped the ring on my finger, and it was massive. It pretty much it took up my whole finger. I was speechless.

When we got back to the hotel, NHD took me to a different floor. I was thinking, "Oh no, not another surprise." But yes, of course it was another surprise. He had all of our bags moved, secretly, to a larger suite that was decorated in rose petals, and boasted two more bottles of champagne. Now that I think about it, he might have been unsure I would say yes, hence all the champagne.

Then we watched the last bit of the video, which was of NHD asking my parents, his parents, and my grandparents, for my hand in marriage. This was the last straw..I was a mess like melted butter. He did good! Real good!

I do have to say however, that I did give him back the ring to propose again, in the hotel room, as I was so emotional on the boat, that I couldn't take it all in. I wanted to savor the moment of seeing my man on his knee.

This was the beginning of my new life with NHD. Then we made a baby:)

That's part 2!

Appearing single in the music industry when you're not!

How important is it for a female artist to keep hush, hush about her relationships? Music industry professionals are always saying that it is better to appear single. I understand this, but I think if you're hot, men and women are going to fantasize about you anyway. Whenever I've told someone I was in a relationship, they didn't care anyway, and still persisted to ask me out. I had a "rep" from Def Jam say some pretty, sexually nasty things to me to try and persuade me to leave my man. So does appearing single help you to elicit more attention? I don't know! In all honesty, I struggled with this predicament for a while. I mean, my relationships are a huge part of my life. As an artist we should be able to freely express ourselves through our lives, especially our relationships. My fans listen to my music and wonder, who is HunnyB talking about? Which dude cheated on her, and which dude makes her happy? I have known my music producer for a long while now, 11 years to be exact, and a couple years ago we became serious. In time we fell in love. Now he is the father of our soon to be first baby. For a year, we never once announced that we were together, as we thought it would be better if I appeared to be single. When we went to events, he was my producer and nothing more. Eventually, I got tired of this game. We are a mean ass team in music, and in life...I wanted to share both. Many of my songs were inspired by him, and still are. I wanted my audience to know who I was talking about. Rita Ora was dating Rob Kardashian for a while. It was all good until it started to get more serious, so Rita had to pull the plug, or so she thought. She wanted to keep Rob under wraps to appear available. Was this her idea? Maybe! However, Roc Nation probably had a lot to say about this as well. In my opinion, Rob Kardashian is a huge public figure, and if anything, this relationship would have garnered great publicity. I am not in my relationship with NHD for publicity, however I am proud to say that I have found love, and someone to support me in this fight to make it! He still allows me to be sexy, and be me. If you as my fans are going to like me, you have to know me. Well, here it is...HunnyB is in love, and getting married in 2014. My next blog will be about how he proposed, so watch out for that;) NHD and HunnyB all the way baby! This dream team that will make the world scream!

Why making the video for "The Unknown" was special!

I currently have had the blessed opportunity to release 2 music videos thus far. The first was for my single "Jack," and the second was for my single "The Unknown." "The Unknown" was the very first single I ever released professionally, and therefore, this music video meant so much more to me. Making the decision to pursue a career as a recording artist changed my life. I already was a professional entertainer, performing in musicals all over the country, as well as having a lot of experience as a television actress. However, I felt like something was missing. I wasn't able to creatively express myself the way I wanted to, but when I wrote music, it was like I could finally breathe. I recall sitting off set on the production of Suits, listening to this beat that was so generously given to me by music producer Terence Lam. The instrumental was absolutely beautiful and touching. As I was listening to this beat, I was trying to find some kind of inspiration, so I turned to my actor friend, Steve Bewley, and asked, "When you listen to this beat, what comes to mind?" He said, "Not knowing what life is going to bring you in the future..the unknown." Joey Graham and I had just split, and I was a mess. Then I thought, yes this is what I need to write about, and the words came pouring out. It was extremely therapeutic, and I completed the song in 20 minutes. Releasing this track on iTunes was such a powerful experience for me, because it meant the beginning of something special. I was nervous sharing my work, and my vulnerable self to the world, but it was freeing as well. I knew the video for "The Unknown" had to be made. I asked Steve Bewley to be my leading man in the music video, as it was only fitting that he play that role. The team I had to shoot this piece of art was amazing. My vision for the video couldn't have turned out any better. Thank you to the Cole family, Rohit Thakur, Sylvia Zuk, Zayne Gawanab, Steve Bewley, Sadita Graham, Kenya Henry, Jeff Mcculloch, Terence lam and Marcel Jones. "The Unknown" is on Itunes at: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/the-unknown-single/id480349061

You can also watch the video here: Just copy and paste the link... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgiV5vhO2lI

Self Made!

Last night I went to the Macklemore and Ryan Lewis concert. They are amazing! I love Macklemore! Why? Macklemore is a self made artist and that to me is extremely inspirational. Macklemore is not ashamed to admit that he struggled desperately with drugs, and alcohol. He is not ashamed to admit that, until he was clean, he couldn't write the music he so passionately wanted to write. When Macklemore was 25, he moved back into his parent's basement. This was his new beginning. He was clean, humble, and ready to work. He teamed up with Ryan Lewis, who also lived at home, and together they created music that was honest, catchy, brave, and entertaining. Macklemore is self made! He had the chance to sign with a big label once his notoriety started to climb, but he opted to stay independent. He knew that he could do it, and would reap the rewards he deserved. Instead of giving himself over to a label, and making only 12 cents on anything he sold, he now has full control, and gets to keep his earnings. I know how hard it is to be independent. You really have to believe in yourself as you are your own investor. You need to know how to brand, and market yourself, which takes time. However, with social media these days, if you put in the time, money, and effort, you can have a shot at something huge. I have had several meetings with big time managers, and A&Rs, and sometimes I think to myself, do you even know what you are doing? I don't know what the future has in store for me, but the way I see it is, if I don't invest in myself, who else will. I will keep doing what I do best; making and performing music. I know I am on my way! Hopefully, bit by bit, I will catch on to more and more people, and I will be able to say, "YES, I AM SELF MADE!"

Losing the Baby Weight Fast!

One of the biggest concerns, in my opinion, for a performer in the public eye when getting pregnant, is losing the baby weight quickly. The entertainment world can be extremely superficial, which brings fear to women who are in this particular world. When it comes to booking a gig, or a magazine spread, or any type of publicity, appearance becomes a huge factor. I will be getting back to work as soon as possible after the birth of my precious baby, and the pressure to lose baby weight fast is real. I want to look as much the pop star as I can when I am on stage. However, I am realistic, and I know that this takes time. I will have to learn to embrace my post-baby body, work hard to get to where I want to be, and more importantly, where my body wants to be. I will stay focused, not get down on myself, and know that anything is possible, even with a few extra pounds. My talent does not change due to the fact that my belly may sag, or my breasts are not as perky. In time, these things will change; it's just about getting through it with a positive mind set. I can still sing the heck out of anything, even with a little extra bulge here, and there. I will still be able to rock an outfit, and make love to the camera. Life is too short to worry about the superficial. The music industry should embrace new mothers, supporting them through the changes that they face. Before I became pregnant, I was so critical, and self conscious about my body, however, being pregnant has made me realise how fortunate I was to have had the body I had pre pregnancy. I look back at pictures, and think, "Wow, what was I honestly worried about?" I can only dream to get that same body back quickly. Mentally this will be a struggle. Getting back to work, going to meetings, doing photo shoots, and performances will be difficult if I am down on my appearance, but I will have a beautiful little baby, and that to me will shine through me more than any glitter or flat tummy would. The pressure is there, but I will wear the baby weight well, and it will come off when it comes off. I will work very hard to be fierce and fit again. I intend to bring a whole new sexy to the world, and to HunnyB.

VEVO...I'm Important Too!

The problem with being an independent artist is that you don't have the clout to have people care enough to get your stuff done right away, even if you pay them. I use to have a Vevo account, which had thousands of views by the way, which was great, however, on the account my name was spelled incorrectly. I asked Vevo to fix this several times and they never did. In actuality, I asked the company I pay to sort out my Vevo, and have Vevo fix this for me, and NOTHING! So I had no choice but to cancel my account, and start again, because they weren't able to fix my name unless I started a whole new profile. I swear this is bull! I had thousands of views taken away because of them. If I were Beyonce or Pink, you better believe they would fix everything and anything I needed fixing in just 2 seconds. Anyway, I had the company terminate my old profile, and create me a new one. It took approximately 2 weeks to get my videos up and running...not bad. My name, "HunnyB," is even spelled right. The problem now, is that Vevo hasn't put up my profile picture, or any of my links. When you search for me, you find HunnyB, but what does she look like? I swear, this is so ghetto. I was hoping I could start promoting my new Vevo account to build back my views, but I can't even do that because I am too embarrassed to show off my ghetto Vevo page. Aaaaagggghhhhh....This is so frustrating. It has been one month, and I am still without a picture and link-less. Really? I mean we are all artists who work equally as hard, shouldn't we be afforded the same respect. I emailed the company today who deals with my Vevo account, and I am hoping they can sort this issue out sooner than later. If only I had the name Rihanna, or had Warner Bros. on my side. One day I will, and never again will HunnyB have to wait for a profile picture, or have her name spelled wrong! Mark my words! http://www.vevo.com/watch/hunnyb/jack-official-video/QMGR31301030

Who and what to trust..The business of unveiling scams!

Scams! What can I say? They are out there and everywhere. There are tons of vultures trying to prey on poor, innocent independent artists. They know these artists will do anything to make their dreams come true. It's disgusting really. I have been a victim to a scam or two, and even though I am extremely wary now, I want to believe that every opportunity that is presented to me is real. I can't help it...I'm an optimist. It is good to be positive and optimistic, however it is also important to be realistic. Most people in the music industry are looking out for one person, and that is themselves. How do you determine whether an opportunity is a scam or not? Research is the key to discovery. Research everything you can about the person, company or event. You will usually find other people commenting on their experiences or better yet, if you can't find anything at all, stay away. Another good hint of scoping out a scam, is if the person or company is asking you to pay up front. When someone asks you for money while promising you something in return, that is usually a bad sign. This morning I woke to an email from an individual in the music industry. This person is claiming to be putting on a tour this fall for 15 undiscovered talent acts. This tour is set to take place in 10 different cities, all expenses paid, and even a projected earning per show. Sounds too good to be true doesn't it? Well, it just might be. To submit you have to pay $7.77 and that's it. Hmmmmmm....Is this legit? Is there really going to be a tour? Yes, $7.77 is cheap but I hate to be taken advantage of. If I submit, and it does turn out to be a scam, I won't lose much, though I would hate for the guys behind the scam to gain from it. However, if the tour turns out to be the real deal, it could be a fantastic opportunity. Is it a risk you take? Only you can answer that. Make sure you go with your gut. If something doesn't feel right, then it probably isn't!

Where is my assistant when I need one?

The beautiful thing about being an independent music artist is that I get to make all the calls. I am able to be the artist I want to be, because I have full control over my projects. The downside of being independent, is that I don't get all the perks that come along with signing to a big label. I don't get the signing bonus, the connections, the A list manager, the publicist or the assistant. To have an assistant would be a dream. Especially now that I am 36 weeks pregnant, and as slow as molasses. I woke up this morning thinking I was going to be late for this meeting at 11am, and I still layed in bed for an extra 10 minutes. If I had an assistant, I could have sent him or her, and slept another hour. He/she could have written this blog for me ha-ha. Just Kidding! I would have had time to finish my new record instead of walking Tonto, and making dinner while replying to emails. I still haven't showered today. Gross I know! NHD, don't judge! It's hard being the artist, the manager, the publicist (though I did have one at one time), the assistant, the this, the that. It's hard! I would love to just focus on my music, but nope, that doesn't come with the territory of being independent. I am as good at writing contracts as I am at writing songs lol. However, I love this life, and at the end of the day, the pay off will be much greater. When I look back, and see what I have accomplished in such a short time, I'm astounded. Saying this, I will still get my assistant, but for now it's just me and NHD...my trusty supporter, producer, friend and soon to be husband. Thank you to all my talented friends who have lent their skills to enable my dreams to move forward. Without you I would be stuck! Many indie artists make it big. I know I will, and when I do...HELLO ASSISTANT...boy do I need you! Dream big DO BIGGER!

New Dance Remix for "JACK" OUT Now On Itunes https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/jack-ayce-beat-junkie-remix/id661968062

I Am A Pop Recording Artist and Pregant!

In the music industry "they" say never reveal your age. Never tell people you are in a relationship and especially never tell people you are pregnant. Babies and success don't mix. Well, too late! This singer is serious about her music career, will make it big, and is about to pop. I have questioned whether I should keep my pregnancy on the down low or reveal it to the world. Well, the world knows, and I am proud that I made the decision to not feed into the industry's expectations. One of my goals in life was to become a mommy and now I get to be just that. Why should I hide something so precious and dear to my heart? As an artist I believe it is important to share all sides of your life; that's what makes you so relatable to your fans and the people who love you. When Raekwon, formally of the Wu Tang Clan, showed interest in helping me with my career, the first questions he asked me were, "How old are you?", Are you in a relationship?" and, "Do you have any kids?" Don't get me wrong, I understand their fear, but honestly, if you make great music and you are dedicated to your craft and business, you will go far. People will want to listen to you and read about you, because they can relate to you. One of my guilty pleasures is watching the reality television show, Love and Hip Hop Atlanta. Don't judge! I spent 3 months in Atlanta and fell in love with the place. This show reminds of me of the short time I spent in that incredible opportunist of a city. The show is about the lives of these music artists whom I tend to relate to on a lot of different levels. In the show Rashida, who is an American female rapper, falls pregnant. She is a woman who wants to do it all and will not let her pregnancy stop her. In the show she decides to shoot a music video while pregnant, against the wishes of her manager/husband Kirk and another manager by the name of Deb Antney of Mizay Entertainment. Deb tells Rashida that she should have waited till she got her body back to shoot this video. She said that her trying to be sexy and pregnant wasn't appealing. "First of all Deb, being pregnant made Rashida more curvy which is sexy. I believe that women would find Rashida inspirational, and will watch the video just to see her win. When I was 3 months pregnant I shot my second music video for my single "The Unknown." I was not about to let pregnancy stop my momentum. I am a beautiful and bountiful woman. Why should I be afraid of sharing this? If anything my child will be motivation for me to want to work even harder. A man in the industry can have 5 children from 5 different baby mamas, but God forbid a female music artist having 1 child. If you are a music artist, pick and choose what you want to reveal about yourself, but don't be ruled by "industry expectations." Live you life, work hard and be yourself. Be proud! You decide what is right and wrong for you. I am about to give birth to my first child and I still intend to travel the world while performing. Passion and dreams never stop. I am a recording artist, pregnant and DAMN PROUD OF IT!

Recording Studio Rip Off...Solved!

Ok, so as you all know I am in Saskatoon visiting family and awaiting the birth of my first child. Even though I am preggers, work don't stop! I wrote a new song called "Falling", and couldn't wait to lay down the tracks. When I looked around for a recording studio in Saskatoon, I realized that this girl definitely wasn't in Toronto anymore. First of all there is ONE major studio in Saskatoon, and they charge double what the studios in Toronto charge. I know there are less recording artists out here and virtually no competition so they can keep their prices high. I called this ONE studio, and after the owner gave me his rates I thought, "WHAT! You can't be serious?" Well he was, however, as I have learned as long as you have a great space, a wicked mic and a wicked engineer, you can still make magic happen. This is when it comes in handy to know people...yes even in Saskatoon! I emailed a guy whose email I got from a girl who got this guy's number from another guy;) Let's just say it was a process. However, it all worked out! When I saw the space, heard the music and got the quote I was like, "Yes, Yes, Yes" give it to me now please. I will take it as soon as possible. This past Tuesday was my session. I went in to record and BAM, a hit was born and I didn't have to sell my first born child to do it. I am already onto the next song as I have been holding on to so much the last few months. I think this "other" studio is going to be seeing a lot of me this summer and I can't wait! Though I do dream of a label deal so that I can fly to LA whenever I need to record. Having some palm trees around couldn't hurt. Got to love being Independent! It's a challenge, but it will all pay off, as long as I keep myself from getting ripped off!

HunnyB - The Unknown (Official Music Video)

I am very proud of my newest music video! Please share and let me know what you think.

Love

HunnyB

Turkey - flying to Istanbul at 28 weeks pregnant!

Recently I flew to Turkey for my cousin Leonn's wedding. He is a very talented drummer and is currently playing for a great band called Graffiti 6, who is signed to Capitol records. I am so proud of my cousin. He has a great career because he followed his passion, married the woman of his dreams and is an amazing father. I couldn't miss celebrating his accomplishments and his recent journey of marriage, so I had no choice but to fly 14 hours, even at 28 weeks pregnant. Brave? Yes, however I wouldn't say that as much as I would say crazy, ha-ha. My handsome fiance, music producer NHD was going to be meeting me in Turkey so I was very excited. I hadn't seen him in 6 weeks due to his busy career in London, England. The flight was amazingly easy until the plane started to descend. I flew overnight and couldn't sleep, because I had to walk every couple hours, so needless to say I was exhausted. I became quite nauseated, but it was nothing I couldn't handle. Once I landed, NHD was waiting for me at Ataturk airport. Man, he was more handsome than ever. He almost took my nausea away. You get the joke...my nausea away instead of my breath away? Ha-ha! Ok, never mind! Then he gave me a gift, a Swarovski bracelet he so thoughtfully purchased while waiting, and my nausea was almost gone;) After waiting a few minutes we finally met our driver who took us to our hotel, which by the way was only a 2 hour drive in traffic. Our driver decided to take side streets due to the bumper to bumper traffic on the highway, which was scenic, yet very, very, very bumpy. OMG I wanted to hurl. I haven't been sick my entire pregnancy, but being this exhausted, I just couldn't manage to shake the nausea. By the time we got to the Marriott hotel, I couldn't even wait for my purse to pass through the security belt, I had to let it all out. I ran to the lobby bathroom and threw up in their sink, yes, their sink. That evening was brutal, and all I could think was please don't let me feel like this for the next 9 days; I don't want to hate Istanbul. When I woke up the next day, I was feeling much better and saw Istanbul in a new light, a healthy, feeling great kind of light. The rest of the trip was amazing! The riot started while we were there so we were limited to what we could do. Regardless, the food was so fresh and full of flavor, the pool was refreshing, relaxing and the place where we created many memories with family and friends. The wedding was beautiful and full of life. The shopping...hmmmm I have no words to express how I felt about the shopping except...I want to go back! The ocean, the architecture and the scenery were breath taking. The cab drivers were the most...well...ummm they were sketchy let's be real. We had a few drivers try and rip us off, but that was to be expected, plus they didn't realize who they were dealing with. HunnyB does not play! All in all the trip was special, worth the 14 hour flight and one sick day. To see my cousin as happy as he is and to experience a new country with my man and my baby bump was momentous to me. To top off the trip, once we reached the airport and exited our drivers vehicle, we were greeted by the police. How nice and thoughtful of them:) I honestly thought they were impostors with fake badges but NHD quickly reminded me that nope they are real cops. Supposedly they were looking for illegal drivers and our driver just happened to not have his papers. Well, not our fault police men, you have to take that up with the Marriott hotel as the driver belongs to them. Anyway, thanks Istanbul for a proper Turkish send off! Teşekkürler (thank you) is all I have to say.

2013 Memorial Cup and Melissa "HunnyB" Veszi - American and Canadian Ant...

I had the pleasure of singing a second time at the Memorial Cup. Here is me singing both anthems, first the Canadian and then the American anthem.

Memorial Cup Part 1 - Behind the Scenes

Performing Friday night at the opening ceremonies of the Memorial Cup was such an honor. I made sure I was there early so that there would be no last minute surprises. I had my mom there with me, or should I say my momager, my step father, or should I say my camera man, and my step brother, or should I say my bodyguard. Anyway, who says family can't be those things right? Hey, they got free tickets so I made them work for it. Everyone running the Memorial Cup was so nice and extremely accommodating, except for this one guy who wouldn't let us through the curtain when it was time for me to sing. Ummm... hello there is only one way to the entrance sir! If there is no anthem singer then you can be the one to explain yourself to the organization. Needless to say he had no choice but to let us pass. My mom (momager) came with her pitch pipe so that I would be able to hit my first note right on pitch. It was so handy the whole evening, until I went onstage. Between the crowd and the DJ music I lost my note. Oh well momager, we tried. I started a little lower then I was supposed to, but hey it happens and I am a professional singer with a big range, so I still sang it like a champ. It was amazing being out on the ice in front of all those people. When the crowd started to cheer it was such a rush, even though I couldn't hear myself sing by the end of it. Thank goodness for my ear plugs and my keen concentration or the end would have been a disaster, but it wasn't. The performance felt fantastic and I left feeling like I scored the first goal! Gooooooo HunnyB! Watch the behind the scenes here: Copy the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5WlF4LxRto&feature=youtu.be

One drop at a time!

So today was another day of greatness. I say this because there are so many positives happening. Yes, I am expecting my first child, but the great thing is I have more time to really work at my business HunnyB Entertainment. People ask me, well what about your career? I say to them, what do you mean what about my career? I am still full force ahead; if anything I feel much more creative. I even feel more driven, because now I have someone else to think about. Today my day started with a great vocal lesson. The lesson was focused on me singing the National anthems. As some of you may already know, I was asked to sing the anthems at the Memorial Cup. This Friday, May 17th I sing the Canadian anthem at the opening ceremonies. Then on May 22nd, I have to sing both the American and the Canadian anthems. My vocal coach loved how they were sounding but decided she wanted me to start the Canadian anthem higher, because I wasn't showing off my money note. I was like, okay my money note huh, well hopefully I hit it because it will be more like my booooo note and my unemployment note if I miss! Of course I am a singer who loves a challenge and ended up hitting that money note no problem. Let's just say I am a professional. Now let's see what happens on the day, but I have confidence that I will knock their socks off! Then my producer, NHD, sent me the mastered version of our newest record called "Another Girl." Our mastering engineer said it was our best produced track to date which makes me very excited as I am sending it to an A&R at RCA records. These little steps I call drops in my bucket. Even though they may not catapult me to my ultimate dream...they are steps towards it and I am truly enjoying the process and love the positivity. Love HunnyB

"Falling" The Making Of by HunnyB (Teaser)