Sooo…the other day I was hopping around the grid, bouncing
from sim to sim, looking for new and exciting things to do in this wonderful
world of pixels. Suddenly, faintly at
first, then growing louder, came the sound of angelic singing, wafting over the
airwaves. I was instantly captivated
like Ulysses and the call of the Sirens.
Yet, unlike Ulysses, I had no one to tie me to the mast, lest I fall
victim to the enchantment. I followed
the dulcimer tones as they wafted over the airwaves. Before I knew it, I was standing in the
middle of a concert. The vocalist? A woman named Raven Zenoria. I stood there…transfixed…unaware of either my
location or the passage of time.
Finally, I was awakened from my stupor by the riotous applause at the
end of her concert. After several more
minutes, I was finally coherent enough to head back stage. I found Raven in her dressing room, preparing
to leave, and she graciously consented to an interview.
Josh (Thomas1 Bellic) (JB): Hello Raven, and thank you for agreeing to chat with me this
evening on such short notice. Share with
our readers, please. Just when did you
first start singing and who were your initial audiences?
Raven (Raven Zenoria) (RZ): In Real Life, I first started
singing when I was almost 6 years old. I sang in school choir, and solo at
various places. As an adult, I have performed anywhere I could.
In Second Life, I started singing back in 2014. I have
performed all over Second Life. My audiences....The only way I can explain it
is extremely diverse.
JB: How
was it you happened to get this job, singing in SecondLife?
RZ:
Aside from my family and friends, my one true love has always been
music. It gives me a feeling of freedom. I noticed how music can change people,
heal, and bring people together. I wanted to be a part of that.
JB: What genre
of music do you sing, and do you have a favorite?
RZ: I like to sing
all genres of music. Any song i can get my hands on that moves me in some way,
I will sing it. My favorite has always been rock.
JB: You said you sing in RL as well. Can you tell me more about that?
RZ: I do sing in RL.
I stopped doing live performances in RL to focus more on studio work. Jay and I
are putting together an album. It is coming along slower than expected, but we
are working hard to get it released.
JB: So, how did
you come to learn that you could also sing in the virtual world as well?
RZ: Back in 2014,
one of my friends found out that I sing. I didn't talk about it to anyone. So I
was asked to perform one day, and I found that I liked it.
JB: What type of
audience do you hope to attract to your performances?
RZ: I don't
discriminate. I love to be around all people from all walks of life. The only
thing I ask of people that attend my shows, is that they respect themselves and
others around them.
JB: How long
have you been doing this now?
RZ: In Real Life, I
have been performing for 36 years. In Second Life, I have been performing for 9
years. It has been and still is an awesome experience in both lives! I can't
wait to see what comes next.
JB: Do you have
standing gigs you do each week, or do you mix it up, and where might someone go
to learn where to catch your next gig?
RZ: I have standing
gigs that I do weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly. You can always look at my Google
calendar and profile picks. In my picks, you can find the SLURL to the gigs. I
try to make it easy to get to my shows.
RZ: I am in a
committed relationship in RL. My partner and I don't date outside of our
relationship. Behind every avatar in SL, there is a real person with real
feelings. I don't like to play around with people's feelings. It is just not
fair. I am always open to having more friends though!
JB: Is there anything
else you would like to share with our readers before you head home for the
evening?
RZ: I am a builder,
singer, performing artist. I have my hands in many things, but the stage is my
home. On stage, I try to reach out to many different age groups. I love sharing
my love of music with everyone, in hopes that it makes a positive impact on their
lives.
The number one thing I speak out about at my shows is
something I strive to live for each day. My message to everyone is that you
don't have to conform to what others want, think, or tell you to be. You are a strong, beautiful person who impacts
the world around you in many ways. It is up to you to make a positive
difference in your life. You be what you want to be, just never forget where
you came from. You are you, and that is what makes you special.
I want to do a special shout-out to Amalia, Dee, and Teresa.
Thank you for sticking by me, and hosting the shows. You are very much family
to me. I love you!
JB: Do you have
any groups or social media sites, like FLICKR, SnapChat, Twitter, etc, where
people can learn more about you and your incredible music?
Google Calendar:
https://tinyurl.com/Ravens-Schedule
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100012747346707
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHfC81tURKDxyQeDfvP9_Rw
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/people/142451151@N02/
Discord: ravenzenoria
So there you have it, Folks.
In a land where you have lots of singers out there, how do you know the “really
Greats” from the “also sings”? Wellllll…for
starters, you can take my word for
it. Hey!
You’re reading this article on the internet…and if it’s on the internet,
it HAS to be true, right? But if that isn’t good enough (or even if it is), go
catch one of Raven’s shows and decide for yourself.
Check her out. And
when you do, tell ‘em Josh sent ya.
You’ll be glad you did.
Be there! Aloha!
JB
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