#14 - MEXICO CITY

Mexico City has been a beautiful and magical place. My host Ana Noble was so generous and kind to open up her home for the Golden 30 Tour and host me for the few days that I've been here. It's been a whirlwind of color and tacos and markets and music and new friends and art and morning sun and afternoon rain. We raised $7450 pesos for the International Rescue Committee. :) Absolute magic.

My beautiful host Ana Noble in her beautiful home in La Roma

My beautiful host Ana Noble in her beautiful home in La Roma

Misha the cat

Misha the cat

Mushrooms from the ancient market, found and cooked with magic by Hugo Duran

Mushrooms from the ancient market, found and cooked with magic by Hugo Duran

The bridge that connects

The bridge that connects

Treasure hunting with Omar Barquet

Treasure hunting with Omar Barquet

Passing through the unrest + protest with Ana

Passing through the unrest + protest with Ana

Raised 7450 for the IRC

Raised 7450 for the IRC

#12 - BERN

In Bern we raised $3000 for the International Rescue for their work with Syrian Refugees thanks to my hosts Bjorn + Stef and all the wonderful guests who came out to support. Also, a very special thanks to Tom James for opening the show with his beautiful music and Matthew Cianfrani for previewing his refugee portrait series that touched us all. 

#11 - BEIRUT

In Beirut I felt like a stranger at home. I only had enough time to kiss my Teta and see my grown cousins before I had to wave goodbye. I caught a glimmer of the city and the rich and captivating cultural scene of Beirut and my hosts at Ono Hub were generous and kind. It was a pleasure to see the staff from IRC come out to the show and tell my briefly about their work. Here are a few pictures of the place where I left my heart. 

#9 - PARIS

The moment I touched ground in Paris, my friend Deborah took me to Place de la République to witness the revolution first hand. Nuit Debout is what they call it. I felt tired from the flight and overwhelmed with images of the Icelandic landscape of waterfalls and hot springs and endless arctic horizons that were still burned on my brain. Now we were making our way through a maze of people at Nuit Debout. There were different groups sitting on the ground with notebooks, debating and writing a new French constitution. Young people serving coffee and tea, a pop up library, a donation tent for refugees, a circle of youth dancing to techno music and then we came across the musicians, first the brass, then we walked by a group of woodwinds, and then a large number of string players all huddled together. I turned to Deborah and she explained that tonight they had called for players to join in the orchestra to play in the square at 10pm and here they were rehearsing quickly. Strangers with their instruments coming together because of a Facebook post! She said that each night was something different, and the last time she was there it was filled with painters and artists...tonight it was the symphony. As we walked, she talked....translating the signs, translating the voices speaking to the crowd, the whispers in the circles, the cards with photos of lost ones from the recent terrorists attacks. I snapped photos and cried.

After a small dinner in a Parisian cafe we returned to the square and sat among the hundreds of people who came out to listen to Dvorak's New World Symphony. There were young men perched in the trees, on top of the bus stops and as far as the eye could see. At first people were standing and it would be hard to see the musicians let alone hear them very well. But people were considerate and kind and it wasn't long before the first 100 rows of people in the crowd sat down on the street so all could see and everyone fell silent as the conductor stepped up on the pile of pallets with a flashlight in his hand, ready to conduct the orchestra. I couldn't believe any of it. As I looked around at the crowd, at the musicians, at the night sky I thought how beautiful if every revolution could be won like this, with music. 

The following day Deborah and I visited Palais de Tokyo for the exhibit Double Je. We solved a murder and ate food and braided our hair and that evening I played my 9th house concert of the year in Iris and Renault's parisian living room and  together raised over 300 euros for the International Rescue Committee.  I ate a lot of baguette. Paris never disappoints. 

#8 - REYKJAVIK

In Iceland, I was the farthest North I had ever been. On my first day I felt a little out of place in my jean jacket when the wind was howling around me and the snow began to fall. But, eventually I found myself a wooly Icelandic hat and sweater to keep me warm the coming days in Reykjavik. I already know I'm coming back to this breathtakingly beautiful and harsh land that's full of art and music. I found it generous and kind. Thank you Reykjavik. Thank you Sofar Sounds. <3

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#4 - WINCHESTER

I arrived in London and the first thing I did was head north on the tube to visit my childhood friend Lucy who is minutes away from giving birth to her first son. In the morning I reunited with old friends from Cardiff University. As we walked around the city I felt completely energized by London. The smell, the people, the action before my eyes was so stimulating and inspiring. In the afternoon my friend Dylan tagged along with me to Winchester for my forth house concert. It was a Sofar Sounds show in a tea shop in the city center. When we got off the train a bright double rainbow greeted us and the good omen was welcome. 

After stuffing our bellies with Indian food we headed to the gig and already the tiny tea shop was filled to the max with people sitting on the floor and standing behind the bar. I was the first act to play and when I plugged in my gear the worst thing happened. The UK voltage blew the fuse in my Nord keyboard and it was completely toast. I kicked myself for not thinking about the different electricity here and I was gutted that I couldn't perform. Luckily I had my little op-1 and I played one little tune on it before resigning myself to the fate of my broken Nord. The Sofar host Steve and his team were so sympathetic and he called on his friend Richard who was in the audience for advice. To my surprise, Richard who worked for an electronics company jumped in his car and headed to his lab and brought back all the bits to fix my Nord. At the very end of the night when all the other acts had played, we plugged my Nord back in and rejoiced when it all seemed to be okay. They asked me if I wanted to play a few songs at the end even though it was late and I did even though I knew we'd miss the last train back to London. The audience hung in there with me and I sang them some songs and at the end Richard and his wife invited Dylan and I to crash at their home. They had six kids, one which had just returned back to uni that day so we took her empty room. We drank wine and in the morning I played legos with their beautiful children, drank coffee, jumped on their trampoline and caught the train back to London town.

It's moments like this, strangers who are kind and generous that are making this tour possible, that fill my heart with love and give me hope and strength to keep going. <3 

Thank you Winchester. You are storybook worthy after all.  

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#3 - BIG SUR

Easter Weekend I went up to see my friends Chris + Jaime and play my third concert in Big Sur for the Golden 30. The Henry Miller hosted the concert and it was beautiful to be surrounded by books and candles and good people. The volunteers at the Library were more than cool and opened up the show with a performance art piece! To sing in the forest, sit on a meadow of grass high above the sea and lay by a fire with friends in the evening eating cookies and drinking milk is dream-state. 

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#2 - SAN DIEGO

Last Saturday was the second house concert of the Golden 30 Tour and it was magical and full of mixed feelings. My friend Maryna and all the wonderful people who live at the Pescadero House in Ocean Beach were my kind and generous hosts and after I set up my gear they made me rose petal tea with lemon and honey and I sat outside and greeted everyone as they came. Some were friends, some were strangers and everyone was extremely generous with their donations to the International Rescue Committee. Someone even brought me a bouquet of dried flowers with an amethyst crystal tied to it; a gesture that warmed my heart and invited me to open up in song for all those people.

Once the room was full I began to play and when it was all over I buzzed from all the overwhelming feelings I had shared and that were coming my way. People started to jam afterwards and faces of friends and strangers all came up to offer their hugs, inspirations, stories and encouragement for the journey ahead. By the end of it all I was exhausted and as midnight approached I stepped outside for air and I noticed it was raining. My hosts fed me soup and bread and cheese and as we sat there and talked about life I slowly faded asleep on a giant stuffed polar bear whose arms almost wrapped the whole way around me.

#1 - GRAND CAYMAN

There is something comforting and encouraging about beginning a project that you sometimes feel like is an impossible goal in the embrace of your homeland. This last trip to Cayman was especially filled with an immense amount of support and love from everyone back home and I feel so full of gratitude for you all. Here are some straight up facts and pictures of the whole adventure below.

I flew in on a Tuesday night and got a sunburn with my friend Rachel on a Wednesday. 

On Thursday I walked the red carpet at the CNCF National Arts + Culture Awards and was given a Silver Star. I was really happy to have Miss Lassie's face etched on that medal and proud to stand next to all my peers who were also honored with stars that night.

Oh, and this picture of my Dad laughing with me on the way to the ceremony makes my heart really really happy.

On Friday I borrowed some speakers from the Cayman Music Collective and played my first house concert of the year surrounded by friends and family. My Grandma made chocolate muffins, my Dad fed everyone tabouli, my Mom filled our living room with pillows and ambient lighting, my sister collected donations at the door and my brother opened the show with an awesome guitar solo.

This is love. 

My friend and fellow artist Paul Chin captured this super intense moment mid song.

My girl Naomi snapped this photo of all these beautiful humans who collectively raised $1201.32 for the International Rescue Committee that night.

After that last song you guys brought me to tears with your kindness, generosity and overwhelming support. Suddenly it begins and it all feels possible because of you.

Thank you.

On Saturday night I played on the rooftop of the Harquail Theatre for the Red Sky at Night Festival. I ate my fill of conch stew + cassava cake and danced to Swanky Kitchen Band with my Mom like two true Caymanian women. 

On Sunday I flew back to San Diego, happy and sun-kissed with love and encouragement for the 29 more house concerts ahead of me.  

Thank you Cayman. I'll love you forever. <3

BLOG LOVIN’

“…her sound is a cultural melting pot, a wild, new-age pop gem…” - Pigeons and Planes

“South is incredibly enchanting with its crystalline vocals and avant-garde beauty.” - I Heart Moosiq

“…experimental folk-pop tune that hits all the right notes for my eardrums…” - Indie Shuffle

“It sounds so experimental as folk pop can be, but you can’t really put your finger on what makes it stand out. She’s done what it takes to make us remember her name, though.” - The 405

“…Kozaily makes this sort of folk inspired rippling electro-pop…this refusal to adapt to what’s expected.” - Backseat Mafia

“…her voice leaves a sense of mystery and intrigue, enticing us to listen to her tell more of her stories.” - Vinyl Mag

“South,” is an edgy track laden with experimental pop intrigue from a cautious build-up to piercing layered vocals" - Free Bike Valet

“angelic drones…crash catchy pop jingles…” - Apparently Magazine