Unfiltered: Norman Vladimir

(Posted by a fan: June 1st, 2013 at my Solo performance at The Living Room, NYC)

Hey everyone!
First of all, many, many apologies for being away for so long. Much has happened since my last post, and I really look to getting back to a more consistent stream for you. So, as you may or may not know, last time we spoke, I had initiated an Indiegogo campaign for $5000 for funding to do an Spring European tour...and it was a complete success. The tour went from April 15th-May 15th, and I performed to awesome audiences in Berlin, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Cologne, and Hamburg. My audiences grew, I had some features on radio and tv, and I had some stellar meetings with industry leaders who I hope to translate into a wider reach for my music. Can't wait for what's to come.

So, today's post is centered around being "unfiltered". I will say, first off, that I think it's impossible to be unfiltered...because we are, at our core, filtered. What we say and do, hopefully has a thought process behind it. What that means to me in today's music landscape to me is simply being okay with the idea that, though I'm a creative person who, in some way, has to pay more attention to my statements and how people view me (I'm clearly not at Kardashian levels of exposure...thank god!), that it is important to also be fine with the idea of not always being perfect. It's something I think we all struggle with, with our friends, our family, and in our relationships. Creativity thrives on connectivity. Today, with social media being as strong as it is in shaping our perceptions, perception IS reality, so what we hear, though it may be unfounded or bent in some way, can completely shape the lens with which we view a person. There will be no doubt, that along the way, I will say or do something that will be viewed either positively or negatively, but it ultimately comes down to not letting the ideas of perfection get in the way of the people we are or how we are relateable. It's always a balance of wanting to show your heart, but keeping some things just for yourself - sometimes you can control it, sometimes you can't.

I was checking YouTube to see if anyone at one of my shows had posted any new video that I hadn't seen because I'm INCESSANTLY curious how I sound to an audience and how I'm coming off from the stage. It's great for me because I can take notes on the things that I'd like to improve. Was my voice off? What was I wearing? Are my songs making statements that my audience can, if not relate to, at least, understand? It's all about connection, so when this morning, I found this clip I was excited. I love that someone, who doesn't personally know me, would be compelled to post a video from my show. It's such a cool thing to be able to see from the audience since, I never get to...because I'm the one performing. haha! Let me know your thoughts! Message me on FB or twitter to let me know what you think about perception as reality? Is it the case? What about Paula Deen? (yeah I had to ask that too!)

Much love,
NV

FB: www.facebook.com/normanvladimir
Twitter: twitter.com/normanvladimir