Native Son Music

A sneak-peak from today's studio session with producer, T. Colon, of Native Son Music... Can't wait till this song's completed! It's a dance/house track with that Latin soul, getting ready to play it at WMC (Winter Music Conference) in South Beach, Miami ;)

Creative Artist Oath

“Singers and Musicians are some of the most driven, courageous people on the face of the earth. They deal with more day-to-day rejection in one year than most people do in a lifetime. Every day, they face the financial challenge of living a freelance lifestyle, the disrespect of people who think they should get real jobs, and their own fear that they'll never work again.

Every day, they have to ignore the possibility that the vision they have dedicated their lives to is a pipe dream. With every note, they stretch themselves, emotionally and physically, risking criticism and judgment. With every passing year, many of them watch as the other people their age achieve the predictable milestones of normal life - the car, the family, the house, the nest egg. Why? Because musicians and singers are willing to give their entire lives to a moment - to that melody, that lyric, that chord, or that interpretation that will stir the audience's soul.

Singers and Musicians are beings who have tasted life's nectar in that crystal moment when they poured out their creative spirit and touched another's heart. In that instant, they were as close to magic, God, and perfection as anyone could ever be. And in their own hearts, they know that to dedicate oneself to that moment is worth a thousand lifetimes.”

My Funny Valentine For The Chinese New Year

DOES A COMPANION HAVE TO COME IN THE FORM OF A HUMAN BEING?

What if your best companion came in the form of a spirit guide? What do you think Cupid's message would be then? This year it seems that he's pulling back his arrow during the week of the Chinese New Year, ready to shoot it forth with the angels of love.

Tonight, February 10th, marks the Chinese New Year - Year of The Snake. They say that how you feel, what you do, and who you spend it with could determine how the rest of your year will go. Well, although I'm not Asian, (I'm Latina) my little superstitious streak is questioning how destiny will unfold for me in 2013 (which according to Chinese culture, is the year 4711). Talk about a difference in time!

... So

... How could this year unfold? Think you'll find the one or remain single?

With that question being the main point, I woke up on this lazy Sunday feeling compelled to write a blog entry about love and romance since Valentine's Day is approaching, but for some reason, I had a little bit of writers block and decided to give my brain a rest. Maybe then, an idea would flow spontaneously which is the way I like it. Well, hours passed and nothing sparked until a friend sent me a text reminding me to watch the Grammys on CBS. Suddenly, my thoughts shifted from finding a soul mate to watching the greats accepting awards for their outstanding careers in entertainment. That's when my spirit started to speak to me, spontaneously, the way I like it. 

I always found that it's healthy to listen to our inner voice and not shut it off with logical thoughts. In fact, it was those logical thoughts that made me think I was getting too old to think BIG and that it was more realistic to look for a companion and settle down, so with Valentine's Day creeping up around the corner, I was beginning to feel just a little bit lonely for my single status. But a good thing happened while watching some of the amazing performances by Rihanna, Alicia Keys, Maroon 5, and Kelly Clarkson amongst others at the Grammys; my spirit tingled with a few crackling sparks of inspiration. It's as if it was trying to tell me, "You should be there." Shortly after, I scrolled down my phone to read tweets only to find that some of my good friends were actually in the audience. They're friends who travel on a regular basis, (unchained from a 9 to 5 routine) and of course, happen to be in L.A. at the Staples Center where the show took place. In reading those tweets, I realized... why have I been thinking so small? It's not impossible to be in that circle of success and greatness. Because the truth is that I already am in that circle but I just didn't stay close enough to my peers, and perhaps it was I who blocked my own success from a fear of failure.

In short... I feel like I started this Chinese New Year on a good foot because of this beautiful awakening I had. I could've wallowed in loneliness, feeling bad to be out of the couples loop for this coming Valentine's Day, but instead I saw the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm glad that I didn't force myself to write earlier in the day, and that I waited for something more real and authentic to propel me from within. The way I feel right now is that I am gifted, talented, creative, smart, sexy, and definitely someone who deserves to shine with some of the biggest names in show business! (And who by the way... already has the resources & connections to do it)

 

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, 

talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world."

—Marianne Williamson

So how are you feeling about yourself on this romantic holiday? Whether you're  involved or single, have you fallen in love with life because of the magic that you, your unique self, bring to it?  Or is there a part of you that seeks validation from an outside source other than yourself? I realize that this year I have a very funny Valentine: My spirit guide - how he works in such mysterious ways, getting my attention through people, a song on the radio, a TV episode, or even a text such as - watch CBS tonight; for when I followed those instructions, I saw the bigger picture in the message.  

Let your lifestyle reflect a celebration of life so if one day you're lying on your death bed and someone asks you, "Did you live a full life?" You can honestly say, "Yes... And I listened to my spirit the whole time".  

Happy Chinese New Year 4711! 

May Your Spirit Serve Your Higher Purpose & Earthly Dharma

Year of The Water Snake

INTUITIVE SUCCESS

Business & Magic 

We sometimes think that we have to separate the professional from the human being. Putting on our poker face, signing contracts and choosing who to work with is mostly based on people's past credentials and how both parties feel they can benefit. Not that this is a bad idea.... But what happened to making decisions based on intuitive hunches?

You've all heard the saying, "Everything that glitters isn't gold." So when someone proposes a beautiful business plan that looks & sounds great, should we automatically jump on it? And is it smart to assume that just because someone is famous, that you should join forces with them to get ahead? What if that famous person was just about to disappear off the scene and have a major fall?

I tend to believe that there is a natural flow to success, and to achieve this may require us to rely on our intuitive hunches. What goes up, must come down. So there must be a cycle in business just like there is a cycle in nature, a cycle in the seasons, and a cycle within our bodies. And since our bodies are not disconnected from the rest of the world, perhaps we should listen to the intuition within our bodies to know when to do something or when to hold back. For example, if the Fall is best for harvesting, and the Spring is best for blossoming, then surely there are seasons in business when one can prosper and when one should take a pass. The key, I think, is to be in touch with your soul and in tune with your intuition so you can make wholesome decisions.

Unfortunately, more often than not, some people don't include their intuition within the equation for successful decision making. They rely solely on facts and logic, and became so focused on achieving a goal, that they make no room for their intuition to direct them. This is why you hear stories from people saying things like, "I worked my entire life for this and it was all for nothing!" Then they're on the verge of committing suicide, or they go into a deep, dark, clinical depression because they've lost their entire identity. 

  "Intuition and the acquisition of wealth have a lot in common. There are many ways to arrive at each, and every individual has their own unique gift in doing so. In fact, it is the homogenization of the path that often impedes an effective strategy." - Laura Day, Bestselling Author

The point that I'm trying to make is that we shouldn't go into work slaving our lives away to fulfill a dream or a fantasy without honoring the natural life force that is the common thread which links all of humanity together: Our intuitions. Without being in tune with this divine part of our selves, we run the risk of being ego-driven, which separates us from the things that truly empower our health and happiness, and divides us into isolating lifestyles. Especially as Americans, our capitalist country has a knack for driving out the money-hungry fire out of people who feel that they have to be successful by any means necessary - at the cost of losing their families, their friends, their morals, their peace of mind, and even losing touch with their inner spirit. 

In no way am I suggesting that we shouldn't dream. It is our divine right to share our gifts, skills, and talents with the world - and get paid for it! And yet, on our quest for success and happiness, we have to make time for meditation and solitude in order to honor our intuition. It's our intuition that is going to guide us away from those business deals that make complete sense but have pitfalls that we can't see, or perhaps the person we're doing business with is going to throw a monkey wrench on our project down the line, or the company that's endorsing you could suddenly go bankrupt overnight. It's happened. Not to mention, you can relocate to a new state that you swear will be like living in paradise and suddenly your marriage falls apart or your children run into danger.

Those examples above are not to scare you away from taking risks. They're there to show you that our intuition is an inner compass that shouldn't be underestimated. It's like a little psychic tool that let's you know when something has real potential to empower you, or will take you off course and hold you back. If you don't feel that following your gut is the smartest thing to do, it may just be the wisest thing you ever did. Remember that your intuition is linked to your soul, the very entity that has been with you since birth and has collected every memory you've ever had over the span of your lifetime. Don't doubt its power, for it can lead you to the right people you need to partner up with, who have the right ideas, the right resources, or it can be the right timing even if you're not sure how you'll make a way. Perhaps someone will offer you something for free that you needed but couldn't afford to buy. Go ahead, follow your hunches. What's the matter? You don't believe in magic?

Music Videos

JASMINE CLEMENTE "EVERYTHING YOU NEED" ORIGINAL VERSION MUSIC BY ECHO JASMINE CLEMENTE "EVERYTHING YOU NEED" REMIX VERSION MUSIC BY JESUS MANUEL

STARRING "YOU" THIS HOLIDAY!

 A HIGHER HOLIDAY

Photo Taken by Reggo Wilson

You see those stars dripping from my ears in that photograph? Well, guess what? They are actually Christmas ornaments! That's right! Even I was shocked when clothing designer/fashion stylist, Massah Fofana, (gku soul) revealed her secret on our photo shoot last week, taken in D.U.M.B.O. A.K.A. Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass.

On another note, I like the energy that goes behind wearing such lavish earrings because for one, a star represents everything positive. The sun, warmth, showmanship, life, vibration, and reaching for higher heights. It's no wonder we place stars at the tippy top of a Christmas tree.

Okay, so now that I've shared that fun fact about my stylist thinking outside of the box with her over-the-top fashion statement, let's get back to the root of why I'm writing this blog entry.

Honorably speaking, I am the first to jump start the 2012 Holiday Blog Tour curated by none other than the amazingly talented writer & blogger, Icess Fernandez Rojas! It was her idea to put together a social media event which gives selected bloggers the opportunity to crisscross their works between December 7th until December 25th with a string of holiday themed entries. With that being said, I'm in a pretty special place since my entry will be the very first to set this marathon into motion!

(Side Note: wearing Christmas ornaments for earrings was a totally spontaneous venture and it just so happened to fit right in with the holiday theme! I love it when cool stuff like that happens - naturally.)

But from a more humble approach, (tucking my alter ego away for a quick nap) when I thought of what the word Holiday meant to me, I thought of all the holidays - Christmas, Hanukkah, 3 Kings Day, and one of the biggest of all: New Years Eve resolutions! Being a Gemini, (a multifaceted, versatile, jack of all traits) could you imagine me trying to narrow it down to just one holiday? I couldn't just choose one without including the others. So I decided to get to the heart of the matter and talk about what matters the most. And to me, the holidays are all about the gift of giving!

Okay, fellow starlight's, here it goes... Regardless of what ethnic or religious background you come from, may you find this 4 minute video clip as uplifting as I did! For in this short video, you will find a peace within that will remind you of your divinity, your uniqueness, and your purpose for being in this moment. Remember, there are no accidents! We were all chosen to connect with one another on this blog tour which means we have alot to share. And I'm excited to see what's to come! So let the creative juices start flowing and activate what this holiday season is really all about! PRESS PLAY & ENJOY THE SHOW...

Tis the season to be jolly!

Jasmine Clemente

Jasmine Clemente, a photo by serrini on Flickr.

Found this mysterious picture of myself on flickr and I'm inspired to take some new ones... Playing with images.