The Red Accordion Diaries

Using Negative Space to make POSITIVE Energy

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:35:00 +0000

my favorite vie

I have been blowing up a bit on social media, and it has been intentional. It was August, and I decided I was going to just start posting whatever I wanted to post. For more than two decades, I've been on social media BECAUSE I am a singer-songwriter. It was required. I remember the night I first heard of MySpace and realized that I needed to create a page for my music there. Thankfully, I have always been a fan of new tech, and it was generally a fun brain exercise to learn each new platform as it rose and fell.

But it has also been twenty-plus years of constantly thinking about branding and my career, despite my not really caring about branding. All I have ever wanted to do was travel the world, play music with good people for good people who want to listen. I want to write, to sing, to laugh, to see castles and ride on airplanes and trains. I want to sing in ancient churches and new libraries. I want to nerd out about music.

So I decided I was just going to post like a normal person, not like someone who was constantly trying to get people to listen to me on Spotify. And do you know what's happened?

My social media presence has exponentially grown. I've had countless invitations to be on podcasts. My inbox is full of messages from strangers who have questions about music. People who are significantly more successful in the music industry than I have ever been ... have actually asked me questions about music. And follow me. The biggest music producer in the world follows and regularly reposts my video observations about music. And I haven't even linked my own music to any of my posts. I talk about other people's music. And that's ok!

It's a lot of fun not to care about success and instead just talk about what I want to talk about ... and find that "success" can look very different to everyone.

I had a good laugh making the video above ... it's not one of my more viral ones, but it's the one I'm most proud of lately. Primarily because I realized a LOT of young girls watch my videos. And I know 100% that I've made a difference in their confidence and outlooks on life. Many of them have messaged me themselves; sometimes it's their parents thanking me for being a role model.

I'm here for it, y'all.

I've not paid much attention to this blog in FIVE YEARS. And can I tell you that those FIVE years coincided exactly with the FIVE YEARS I was taking my cancer medication? I'm FIVE YEARS NED now. I'm off those meds. And I feel like BRIGID KAELIN again. And it's fucking GREAT! Yes, sometimes I curse.

places you can follow me: https://www.brigidkaelin.com/links

PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/brigidkaelin

TIPJARS: https://www.brigidkaelin.com/links

I Recreated the 30 Musical Saws from the Harry Potter Deathday Party 🎻⚰️

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 14:30:00 +0000

Hope y'all get a kick out of this! It was one of my wild hairs, and it was so much fun to make.

Opening and reviewing a new musical saw! Stradivarius 296 from BAHCO 30"

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 20:20:00 +0000

Got me a new Musical Saw ... it had been 15 years since I purchased a true "musical saw," and I wanted to see what the fuss was about on this Swedish Stradivarius.

Here is a link to musical saw gear that I regularly use. Some are affiliate links, but I don't refer to products I don't use.

FREE ways to support an indie artist: Follow me on all the social media: TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook. Follow me on Spotify.
Share my posts or music or art.
Very cheap ways to support an indie artist: Buy me a coffee, Join my Patreon page, Tip Jars!

Family worldschooling trips and being a YouTuber

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 13:36:00 +0000

Must every blog post of mine begin with a "wow, it's been a while?" I have been so frustrated with the world of art, music, theatre, film, writing -- basically the business of creativity -- that it's been hard to find a point to anything. The world is in such dire straits. Kindness appears to have been lost. The educational system is falling apart. Nothing seems fair or right. I teeter between full nihilist and the intangible knowledge that something out there does matter, and that nihilism just makes it all worse.

Kids at Shakespeare house

So, yeah, that's why I haven't blogged in a while.

I've been posting regularly on my Patreon page, and I've been working hard to provide my kids with the best education possible. We just spent a month in England/Scotland, thanks to credit card points I'd been saving and the kindness of several friends who let us stay with them during our trip. When we weren't at people's flats, we stayed at several International Youth Hostels, which are ridiculously inexpensive and are always a refreshing lesson in the value of community.

We had a lot of magical moments on this trip -- who out there has studied the Roman Empire while walking along the top of Hadrian's Wall? My kids! Wildly fortunate, they are. A favorite moment was when we rolled into our first hostel of the trip about a week in. Jetlag had passed, and the boys were settling into the new routine of Mommy wakes up early and makes a plan and drags us all over whatever town we're in and to every museum or historic plaque possible and every time we pass a blue sign (e.g. "John Lennon lived here," we immediately go down a Google rabbit hole of learning.

This particular evening, we wanted to stay in Stratford-Upon-Avon. We booked a $60 room with four beds at a YHA hostel on the outskirts of town -- a three-acre property with a casual restaurant -- that had originally been a Georgian Manor. It sits on gardens of ancient yew and monkey puzzle trees. In a hidden space made of folded branches, there were a few other children happily playing. My boys immediately entered the enchanted playground, pausing only when they were asked the password. Not to be deterred, they boldly stated whatever word they felt would be appropriate (I was not privy to this information, given that IT IS A SECRET, MOM). Immediately, the branches bent, and the kids were welcomed into the fold. We did not end up wandering the streets of Stratford-Upon-Avon that evening, as the children were happy climbing trees, the sun was shining, and the restaurant/lounge/cafe area had shaded outdoor seating.

Also, in cool news, it turns out the family they were playing with had seen Angus's movie, Unsung Hero. He's not really been recognized in public (I'm thankful for that). But I am a little nervous for whenever his JonBenet Ramsey series comes out, and strangers recognize him.

Anyway ... I'm just here to check in. To acknowledge that the world changes. Content creation and apps change. But this blog has been holding steady for 20 years. It's here, it's searchable, and it's a nice outlet, mostly free of judgment.

I've been chasing YouTube monetization, so if you're able to stream any of my widescreen, long-form, regular YouTube videos (not the "shorts), that would be a HUGE help. I qualified for monetizatino MULTIPLE times over the years, but I never wanted ads on my channel. But now YouTube is putting ads on there anyway ... and not sharing the revenue until I reacah 4000 watch hours for the year. If you'd like to help me out, an easy way is to listen to my 1st album all the way through from this link or here: Or you can also just stream a long playlist of all my videos while you're at work ... they can all be on mute! I just need watch hours from different IP addresses before YouTube will share the dollars they're already making from my page. Grrrr.

I've also been making some proper music theory videos. My personal favorite, however, is a clap-back video I made for a cyberbully who was commenting on my body. It was a super fun mix of using my brains, my art skills, my comedy writing, and my intense desire to MAKE THE WORLD A POSITIVE PLACE. Watch that one here, please, and share it with someone who needs to see it. I can't even count the number of thank you messages I've gotten from moms of teens who are grateful their daughters watched the video.

Oh! If you're near Lexington, I'll be at the Kentucky Book Festival from 9-3 on Saturday ,November 1. Yes, I'm an author too! I'll be there (at Joseph-Beth Booksellers) signing my award-winning book, Lakeside.

FREE ways to support an indie artist: Follow me on all the social media: TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook. Follow me on Spotify.
Share my posts or music or art.
Very cheap ways to support an indie artist: Buy me a coffee, Join my Patreon page, Tip Jars!

It's negative two outside...

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 17:31:00 +0000

... and that is Fahrenheit.

I really want to go for a long walk, but two things are stopping me. One: I am sole parent to wee Angus, who is upstairs in the room playing Minecraft with friends from home. A crew member happens to be in the adjoining hotel room, so they are taking over "grab-Angus-in-case-of-fire" duties now, which is allowing me 20 minutes of peace and writing in the coffeeshop on the ground floor.

One thing that living in a hotel for five months has reminded me is that there is so much beauty in living in community. I don't understand the backlash against building taller buildings in Louisville -- buildings that have restaurants and coffeeshops on the ground floor and great living spaces above them. It's a great way to spend a Saturday morning, even if it's kind of like living in a college dorm. If you went to college in Yakutsk, I guess.

Coffee shop in the hotel ... espresso and writing!

Speaking of Yakutsk. Have you heard of it? My friend Danny (from those college dorm days!) first told me about it and how he like sto track the weather there. It's the coldest inhabited city on the planet (or at least it was 20 years ago when I first heard of it). I keep the town on my weather app, so I can always feel a little better about whatever temperatures I'm currently enjoying/hating. Today, for example, it is -33F there. (Weirdly, in the summer, it can reach 100F. Why do people live there? Same reasons they live in the polarizing weather of Louisville, I suppose.)

Anyway: it's cold in Calgary, but not as cold as in Siberia. So there is that.

Angus had an amazing week of filming. This child is so good at...

READ MORE at www.patreon.com/brigidkaelin (there is a FREE tier if you're not able to support for $1/month, which I totally understand. I support multiple artists on Patreon, and as my own members fluctuate, i have to often withdraw financial support to them ... but i always go back when my bank account is doing better! And I ALWAYS remain on the FREE TIER!)

Autumn, poetry, life on a TV show

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 21:51:00 +0000

Happy October! This time of year is always rough for me, despite my love of pumpkin spice lattes and the crunch of leaves under my boots (boots! I get to wear boots!). I try not to get morose about it, but I always think of that John Keats poem "To Autumn." It is beautiful, but in the beauty I think of what will follow. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, brings times of reflection and pause and wonder and love and fresh school supplies and new promises and family gatherings of love and hope. It is also a time filled with anniversaries of grief for me and many others.

I'm missing my mom something...

to read the full post and see more photos, please pop over to my Patreon page where I am sharing much more. There is a free option, so it's not behind a paywall. (Though, as any artist would, I appreciate your dollar-a-month support as well.)

Also, please read my essay published at Kveller.com about this time of the year.

Making a TV show & working from a trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 18:16:00 +0000

I've posted more on my Patreon page (which has a free tier, and I'm pausing billing most months these days anyway), but I'm spending the next several months on a TV production. Wee Angus has a big role in a Paramount+ show that's filming in Calgary, Canada. We are living up here, enjoying the clean mountain air, and living out of a hotel. If you know me at all, you know that hotel breakfast buffet is one of my favorite things. This isn't *quite* a buffet in Rome, but it's pretty great to have access to every day.

Here's the link to the Deadline article, if you'd like to know more about what my kiddo is up to.

I'm still getting the lay of the land here. Being a solo parent on a film set is no joke. Sometimes he's away from me with the studio teacher having the mandatory three hours a day of tutoring. Most of the time I have to have eyes and ears on him for his safety. I can't say much about the production, but I have been blown away by how much they are protecting and caring for his well-being. Being on a union set makes all the difference. His physical and mental health are their top priority. He's very, very happy. He's learning so much. He's making so many friends, both adult and child. I'm thrilled for him!

I very much miss my 12-year-old and my amazing partner, though. Thankfully we have lots of experience traveling for our own jobs, so it's not as bad as it could be.

About to go finish some accounting and a house portrait for someone back home ... thanks for being here:) I'll be posting more on Patreon because I feel like my subscribers over there deserve some love. Sign up if you like ... it's free.

Oh! Buy my book here, please.

Film premieres, Book launches, Catching up

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 12:23:00 +0000

As I write this from my front porch, sienna leave are floating down to my laptop keys just as I'm trying to soak up the last rays of summer. It's been quite a year.

The last time I wrote, it was about a United Kingdom tour I was doing in January and February. The tour was magical, as always, and it flew by. The shows were magical, all of them house concerts or folk clubs. Those types of shows are my favorites. Intimate. Quiet. Eye contact. Gratitude all round -- me being grateful for an open-minded crowd there to linger onto every lyric; the audience being grateful to professional musicians who went out of their way to play their town/village/hamlet. Those shows remind me of what I love about folk music: human connection.

In April, my newly-minted-8-year-old whisked us away to an all-expenses paid trip to a swanky film premiere. He had to work -- the work being an hour on the red carpet talking to 15-20 media outlets, sitting front and center while his movie premiered, shaking hands with fans after, and staying at a rooftop after-party until midnight re-connecting with castmates and their families. I tend to smile a lot anyway, but that night was something for the memory books for sure. Wee Angus was so happy to see his film friends, and

My spring was focused on final details with my publisher for ... THE BOOK I WROTE.

How do I have this blog here, and I have failed to tell you that I wrote and published my first book??

I have kept it off of Amazon, at least until I recoup the advance and break even. (Updated: it's on Amazon now!) But it's a local bestseller, and I'm honestly shocked how many people have actually read it. I designed it with the intent to make a coffee table book -- one that people can flip through for photos, memories, and fun facts. I even wrote a little summary in the beginning of each chapter so people could skim it. But people have actually been reading! I was prepared for the comment section, which has existed, but hasn't been nearly as horrible as I thought.

It's a niche market: the book is a history of Lakeside Swim Club, a quirky and mysterious neighborhood swimming pool in the Highlands of Louisville, Kentucky. Its history is fascinating, and I wanted to document it for the future. The history also shows the bigger picture of what kind of magic we can create when we think bigger -- when we think community -- rather than individualism.

You can buy it online here: brigidkaelin.com/author. It's also available at Carmichael's.

Now that my big writing project is over, I'm thinking I need to get back to blogging. I love the practice and the outlet. I had been over being silly on Tiktok and stuff, but I think I prefer words.

Consider this dipping my toes back in and testing the waters...

As always, ways to support:

FREE ways to support an indie artist: Follow me on all the social media: TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook. Follow me on Spotify.
Share my posts or music or art.
Very cheap ways to support an indie artist: Buy me a coffee, Join my Patreon page, Tip Jars!

Yorkshire - UK tour updates

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 09:59:00 +0000

Greetings from the Yorkshire Dales! Rehearsing in All Creatures Great and Small country (literally in the town where they film the show) for a few days.

Friends! We arrived yesterday after a long travel day (10 hour layover in Atlanta, but I bought the plane tickets on credit card points and that's just how it goes). We flew into Manchester this time because our shows ended up being all in the north or in Scotland for this tour. I'm pretty bummed we couldn't make it down to the south to see pals Neil, Lou , Diana, Duncan, Sid, and wow I could keep going with all the people I am going to miss this time round ... better planning next time, I think! But I'm thrilled with the people we *are* going to get to see.

When I first started touring in 2008, I did every tour with a different performer ... my favorite thing was bringing other Kentucky artists abroad, showing them off to the world. Steve Cooley was supposed to be a one-time thing, but it turned out that people turned out in DROVES to see him because: he's already a big deal over here. It also turned out he's a total delight to tour with, he ...

Read the full blog and see a video at: https://www.patreon.com/posts/greetings-from-97403907?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link It's free to see this post on Patreon, but it would also be wonderful to have you join ... I'll be posting a lot of tour videos over there only.

UK Tour, my kids in movies, love.

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 14:37:00 +0000

Goodness, it's been almost a year! I've been updating folks over on my Patreon page, which is not entirely behind a paywall now that Patreon is offering a FREE tier. Join me there if you don't mind, please:) But that's not why I come to you today ... today I'm just updating because I realized there is a whole crew of you who still get updates when I post here and that may be the only place you receive my updates. So!

I'm going on a music tour in England and Scotland beginning January 31.
Tour dates and ticket info click here
I'm playing a lot of smaller towns this time, so take a look at this map and see if I'll be anywhere near you.
If you can't be at a show, but you'd like to help out some indie musicians touring Kentucky music abroad, consider being a Tour Sponsor ... any amount buys us tour sustenance.

Steve Cooley, Banjo Legend, will be joining me on this trip, and we're thrilled to bring my quirky tunes and Steve's banjo pickin' to folk clubs and house concerts and even a couple of theatres all around Yorkshire, Merseyside, and Edinburgh.

Other life updates!

I was commissioned by the Governor of Kentucky to create the official artwork for his inauguration. I'm pretty proud of my art here ... strange that it's not music, but I'm beyond honored. Prints are available on my Etsy shop. (Did you know I make art? I've always done it, but I only started doing it professionally during COVID because music was a bust.)

Graham's film, Monica, had a great theatre release and is now making all the awards blogs as the most-snubbed-film of the year it seems ... not exactly the accolades one wants, but Hollywood doesn't seem to be ready for a trans-lead just yet. Shame! He's proud to be part of a film that is opening doors, nonetheless.

Angus's film, Unsung Hero, produced by For King & Country and distributed by Lionsgate, will be out April 26 in theatres everywehre. It's going to be huge ... like, really, really a big deal. He's even got a line in the trailer:

That's me with quick updates and sending lots of love to you!

brigid

FREE ways to support an indie artist: Follow me on all the social media: TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook. Follow me on Spotify.
Share my posts or music or art.
Very cheap ways to support an indie artist: Buy me a coffee, Join my Patreon page, Tip Jars!

Elvis, Art, Movie Stars

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 15:36:00 +0000

Last time I wrote here, I blogged from an aperitivo sidewalk cafe in Florence, Italy, while my 9-year-old sipped a Shirley Temple and ate crisps, and I lounged with an Aperol Spritz and visions of moving to Europe (again). I filled a sketchbook with ink and watercolor architectural drawings and rode high-speed trains and savored espresso and pommes frites while my little one recited fun facts about popes of yore and the Path of Illumination.

He's 10 now, and I've spent the winter hibernating in Louisville, still dreaming of European sidewalk cafes and universal health care.

But to catch you up ... here he is on the red carpet at the Venice Film Festival.

And here's my 6-year-old, who WHILE ON VACATION IN VENICE, somehow managed to self-tape an audition, do a Zoom callback at MIDNIGHT Italian time, WITH AN AUSTRALIAN ACCENT, and book a big role in a feature film. He spent the next six weeks filming.

Life has been weird and wonderful, and finally, after months of being a stage mom and homeschooling, I got to get back to my own music career a couple of weeks ago, playing in New York City with someone you might have heard of: Elvis Costello. Here are some photos from other people's cameras - I believe these are by Wilma Wilkie.

Art:

I've got ONE original watercolor of Churchill Downs available. It's large for watercolor - 18x24" - and it's listed on my Etsy shop.

Much love to everyone. I spent an hour at a coffee shop this morning, and I wrote a bit. And it was lovely. I should do that more.

As always, here are ways you can support an indie artist like me:

FREE ways to support an indie artist: Follow me on all the social media: TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook. Follow me on Spotify.
Share my posts or music or art.
Very cheap ways to support an indie artist: Buy me a coffee, Join my Patreon page, Tip Jars!

Worldschooling adventures: Florence, Italy

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Sun, 28 Aug 2022 18:24:00 +0000

Before i had kids, before blogging felt a monumental task, back when i slept on couches, rented rooms of my house, worked in Nashville 3-4 days a week … oh, just writing about it makes me wonder what circles I was spinning in … anyway, the BEFORE me would be just oh-so-proud at the current me, and that alone feels like a win.

I’ve had all kinds of ups and downs, more trials than I care to ever talk about, and more people doubting me than I would ever have imagined. And they mostly doubted the same thing: that my life would become boring after children.

So I think today, having followed my brilliant almost-10-year-old’s path through Florence, Italy, chasing Machiavelli’s shadow and searching for Galileo’s finger, feels like a win.

I’m in Italy this week … it’s a work trip, but more about that later. And it’s also a work trip for GRAHAM, who will be 10 in a few weeks, and who has a film premiering at the Venice Film Festival soon.

We decided to make a homeschool field trip out of it, given that we’d been studying the Ancient ROman Empire and the Renaissance and art and science.

I’ve always wanted to be one of those obnoxious families (okay, they are only obnoxious because we are all envious!) who travels the world with their children, working remotely, gigging at night, painting during the day, homeschooling and teaching my kids that the world is so much bigger than they could ever imagine.

Today was one of those beautiful days where my dreams were realized, and we did the simplest things. Dinner was some cheese and veggies we picked up from a wee supermarket in the middle of Florence. We popped into the Galileo Museum after a friend noticed I was in dear Firenze and suggested it. Graham marveled at Archimedean Screws and Astrolabes and stumbled upon the third finger of Galileo’s right hand (for real: it’s in this museum … just … why?!), and told me all about Machiavelli and Cosimo and Lorenzo and Michaelangelo and of course, his favorite: da Vinci.

We didn’t even begin the day with plans. We stumbled out of our apartment in city centre, and popped around the corner to the Piazza Santa Trinita seeking a croissant and espresso … and stumbled upon the Florence Urban Sketchers, plopped down, sketching the column of Justice and the Santa Trinita Church. And of course i had my sketchbook on me, and Graham wanted to draw on Procreate on his iPad … so we joined them, met tons of locals, plenty more travelers who were also artists, and we were still for two hours just sketching and chatting and LOOKING.

I’m going to finish up some of my sketches, but for now just wanted to write and say hello and ponder the possibility of worldschooling full-time and express my gratitude … for what? My gratitude for gumption. I’m so grateful I’m able to just DO these things and figure out The How later. I’m still working my butt off at a zillion jobs, and do look for a new record to come as soon as my record label gives me the green light … but for now: shall we look for an art show? I’m hoping to find a way to get my sketches and bigger pieces an audience and pave the way for even more exciting future.

It’s cliche to talk about how you do the big things after you almost die … but also, some things are cliche because they are true. Take the trip: you’ve never promised a tomorrow.

Galileo’s Middle Finger

Graham’s drawing of a palazzo

My sketch of St. Trinita

Lots of artists drawing the world around them …
urban sketching in Florence

Thanks for following along here … I Post more often on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Join me there!

Links are all here: www.brigidkaelin.com/links

Deep thoughts on the after-times, performing, humanity.

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 18:07:00 +0000

Sitting at a coffeeshop (masked) in Louisville with my laptop for the first time in literally years, and whoah does it feel good/strange to be here writing. It has frustrated me that people seem to have given up on COVID precautions and just resigned themselves to, "Oh, but my family will probably be fine if we get it." While I understand that on some level, that phrase just feels wildly selfish to me, and it's been devastating to my faith in humanity. I like to think that people are generally good. That we care about each other. That if our neighbor needed help, we could gather all forces and swoop in. The past 2.5 years have shown me otherwise.

We care about people as long as they are not disabled, immuno-compromised, or old.

And so I sit here, masked, trying to hammer out emails, writing, accounting, thank you notes, blogs, posts, responses, tiktoks, reels, lists, etc ... but I'm nervous to even post this blog, knowing full well the eye rolls I'll get in the comments. (Thank you for refraining - thank you for just letting me whinge into the ether.)

My UK tour was a total success, and I am SHOCKED that I cam back healthy. I masked except when singing, and despite several exposures, I escaped unscathed. It was glorious to sing to people again.

I recognize that dichotomy between wanting to stick to all COVID precautions and also wanting to perform again in public.

I also know that I will never perform again as I used to. I've become very picky about what jobs I accept. I need to only accept gigs that are either a) great for my career or b) pay a lot of money. There is no room for in between, especially not in a country where one hospital stay could bankrupt any family.

It's been a while since I blogged, and I miss this space. I miss the wee community I built. I never get more than a few thousand views, but it's nice to know someone is reading. And let's face it: if a few thousand people turned up to hear me sing, that would be INCREDIBLE. So thank you for reading my words.

Releasing new music has been great ... I'm looking to plan another UK tour for 2023, and I'm ready to go ahead and get that on the calendar. If I missed your town this time, please get in touch. No town is too small ... I adore London, but I prefer being the main event in a small town, rather than being one of a thousand events in London.

I'm also trying to plan an album release, but my record label seems to not be prioritizing me. I get it. I'm no Jack Harlow, but I also can't shake this need to create and release and repeat.

So look out for an album release and, I hope, an art show to sell some of the paintings and illustrations I've been working on. I'm opening up some house-portrait commissions. If you'd like to order one, please get in touch. Sizing and prices are here.

Here are some of the quick sketches from my UK tour. It was fun to keep a sketchbook rather than a journal this time:

Ways to support an indie artist besides buying merch.

Follow & listen on Spotify.

Or follow me on: Twitter. TikTok. Instagram. Facebook.

Financial support. Patreon, Venmo, Paypal.

UK TOUR, Old Graveyards, iTunes charts!

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 18:31:00 +0000

My new single came out at midnight - i didn't set my alarm to wake and midnight and check the iTunes charts, which meant by the time I saw the charts it was at #180. I'll never know how high it started, but I don't care ... because honestly i didn't expect to break onto the charts at all. I pushed the pre-save campaign on this one, but i didn't ask people to buy the iTunes song. Bandcamp is more of a help to artists, but it's still pretty cool that enough of y'all (I assume it was y'all?) bought the song that I squeezed into the charts at all!

Unexpected victories making me feel great - thanks.

If you haven't heard the song, here are all the streaming ways to hear it: https://onerpm.link/211160667299
Here's a BandCamp download if you prefer. https://brigidkaelin.bandcamp.com/track/kentucky-with-you
Here's the official YouTube Music Video:

I'm busy packing and freaking out ahead of my UK Tour. I leave on Tuesday, and I'm SLAMMED with To Do Lists. But I got my taxes filed, my recording files completed (i do a lot of recording for other musicians and film composers), and am now packing my merch and compiling detailed homeschooling tasks for my children for when I'm gone.

Today I delivered Matzoh Ball Soup to a dear friend with COVID and after that porch drop-off, Graham and I stopped by the secret graveyard where my ancestors are buried. We talked about genealogy and Russian armies and the persecution of Jewish people and all kinds of history. Hands-on schooling is the best schooling.

Thanks for the love and support! I'm so thrilled to be back to doing what I love. The last time I was on tour, my dad was dying, but he joined me for 3 weeks of shows in Scotland. Since then I've had cancer treatment myself and somehow managed to survive a pandemic (so far), so believe me when I say I take nothing for granted.

Here are my tour dates:

If you'd like to sponsor any leg of our tour, you can venmo me a donation @brigidkaelin or:

buy us a gallon of gas!
buy us a dram of whisky!
buy us a full English Breakfast!
buy us a dinner!
buy us hotel rooms!
FREE ways to support an indie artist: Follow me on all the social media: TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook. Follow me on Spotify.
Share my posts or music or art.
Very cheap ways to support an indie artist: Buy me a coffee, Join my Patreon page, Tip Jars!

New song out April 22 :) pre-save link now!

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 15:15:00 +0000

TL;DR I'm off to England on April 26! Buy me a dram or litre of petrol here. New song out on April 22! Please pre-save by clicking here. (it's free).

I am so excited to release a new song just in time for Derby. It's called "Kentucky With You," and it's already been licensed for a statewide advertising campaign that I can't tell you about yet. But I'm releasing the song into the wild on April 22. (Patreon members have access to a sneak peak of the song NOW.)

PLEASE help by clicking this PRE-SAVE link - it's free!

If you've got a $0.99 and an iPhone, you can open iTunes on your phone, search "Kentucky With You" and pre-order my song.

Steve Cooley and I are ready to play a 3-week run of shows in the UK. Covid is making this tour extra expensive, so if you'd like to sponsor any leg of our tour, tiers include:

I'm happy to do shoutouts on social media - or if you buy us a whisky, feel free to name your scotch and we'll post tasting notes.

Also, there are still some prints available of my Churchill Downs watercolor print, both on Etsy and RedBubble.

That's all! Thank you for the love.

FREE ways to support an indie artist: Follow me on all the social media: TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook. Follow me on Spotify.
Share my posts or music or art.
Very cheap ways to support an indie artist: Buy me a coffee, Join my Patreon page, Tip Jars!

My visual art career

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Sun, 27 Mar 2022 13:10:00 +0000

Some of you may be wondering why I'm spending so much time creating visual art instead of music. The answer is two-fold, but they are tied to the same thing: it's rehabilitation.

After having seven surgeries related to my breast cancer in 2020 & 2021, the nerves & muscles in my right arm were wrecked. I'm ambidextrous, so day-to-day life wasn't affected as much as it could have been. 

But music, my friends, is for both arms. I found, when I sat back at the piano to play or compose, that the fingers in my right hand would not behave as they used to. I'd work on a Mozart piece for hours to master a certain trill, and that's something that I could have done previously without effort. 

I noticed I had developed a slight tremor and didn't have the control over my fingers that I had prior to my surgeries. 

And that's why I turned to art. As a form of physical therapy: drawing lines, angles, curves, allowed me to focus on specific movements and work on my my piano skills away from the piano. 

Fortunately for me I am good at drawing, I enjoy it, and I was able to turn it into some form of income, aside from my Patreon. It's also really helped my piano fingers. They are still not what they used to be, but I'm doing my art therapy most days. Healing by creating. 

Patron discount info:

I've started selling some prints in an Etsy shop (a shop I originally started so that I could sell some of my mom's jewelry, hence the name "Baubles by Brigid." I have a collection of work I've done over the past year, but right now I've only put up a couple of Kentucky Derby prints.

If you're a patron, pop over to my Patreon post to find a discount code for you to my Etsy Shop.
FREE ways to support an indie artist: Follow me on all the social media: TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook. Follow me on Spotify.
Share my posts or music or art.
Very cheap ways to support an indie artist: Buy me a coffee, Join my Patreon page, Tip Jars!

"When St Paddy's Falls on Purim" - song for Purim and St. Patrick's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 14:41:00 +0000

Gregory Maupin and I wrote a silly song! Hope you enjoy it.

Stream the studio version here: https://songwhip.com/brigidkaelin/when-st-paddys-falls-on-purim

Download the sheet music for free here: https://brigidkaelin.com/product/769546

This song was created 100% with Patreon dollars. Your dollar-a-month support (or less if you pay annually!) is what's keeping me alive. Can I convince you to join? You won't even notice that dollar, and it means the world to artists. www.patreon.com/brigidkaelin

Updates and been a while

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 20:14:00 +0000

:::sheepishly types:::

Remember me?

Argh it's been so long, but I wanted to check in. I'm doing ok. I'm living in that post-cancer-treatment world, though even if all goes perfectly, I'll still be in hormone therapy for nine more years. If you know anyone with cancer, you know that "scanxiety" never goes away. Labwork and "let's just do an ultrasound to make sure" scans lead to the wildest feelings. I didn't even think I was nervous about a result a few weeks ago, until I saw the caller ID and I almost threw up with fear. It turned out to be fine, but it reminded me that cancer is a trauma.

My kids are amazing. We've been homeschooling for a variety of reasons, but a huge one is that I feel like they've just experienced too much over the past few years -- caring for three cancer patients, seeing two of them die. Toss in a global pandemic, and I just want them to relax and have space to be children. We've already completed their official curriculum because they're whip-smart, so we spend our time together going down rabbit holes, writing, playing music, checking out our limit of books at the library pretty much weekly. (Did you know the Louisville limit is 50 books per library card?)

My Patreon page is keeping me going - both financially and mentally. Knowing that there are people out there like you who understand that $1/month to an artist is important ... that art is important ... well, it just makes me not want to give up. That's a good thing because I've come to realize I cannot exist without creating. Whether or not anyone else pays attention doesn't really matter -- i just have to create.

I've gotten into TikTok, entirely because, as a business, I needed to find younger and new fans. It's been good, but I'm trying to balance content creation with art creation. They are different, but I enjoy them both.

I've been constantly trying to think of new income streams, since CD sales aren't a thing, and live gigs aren't a thing. I love brainstorming business stuff, and i've got notebooks full of ideas ... but I really dislike implementation.

And I've been painting. I'll leave you with a painting I did for a Patreon member. It reminds me of happy pre-pandemic times.

Hope you're well! I would like to write more and spend more time on the ol' blog in general. Thanks for being here.

ways to support & fun links: brigidkaelin.com/links

Brigid Kaelin - "18 Months Later" (Official Video)

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 17:46:00 +0000

I'M #1 ON ITUNES SINGER/SONGWRITER CHART!!!!!

Last night I cried myself to sleep thinking what was the point, I did all I could, I still got ZERO press and all I did was tweet. I thought "if this is me doing my best, then why am i bothering" and all kinds of dumb intrusive thoughts that made me wish I would be happy doing literally ANYTHING aside from making music. It's hard having that artist soul, friends.

But, y'all!! I woke up ... made coffee and sheepishly made a TikTok of myself checking the iTunes charts.

And there was MY name! MY album cover! MY SONG AT NUMBER ONE!

Here's the official music video. Huge thank you to Steve Cooley for engineering the song, to Kelsey Lee for playing percussion, to Tara Anderson and Alex Wright for lending their home to shoot the video, and of course to Joseph Mays of Alien Twilight Photography who directed the music video. I am eternally grateful.

How to support!

Listen the link to the new song, available on ALL streaming platforms: https://onerpm.link/348966323745

Listen on repeat:) (but not on mute, that doesn't count)

Watch the video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNYlkBKi2Y4

Follow me on all the social media, all links here: https://brigidkaelin.com/links

New music out FRIDAY!

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 00:26:00 +0000

It's been FOUR years since I released new music, and I"m busting my BUM trying to promote it the right way. But of course, I'm on my own, so here goes:

"18 MONTHS LATER" will be out on all streaming platforms on FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10!

Sonablast Records is distributing it for me, and I'm so grateful for that. I'm still on my own for promotion though, so I'm editing music video teasers an begging people on TikTok to pre-save the new tune :) I'd rather be singing, but so it goes!

Here's a HUGE and FREE way to help me out ... pre-save the song on your streaming service of choice here:

https://onerpm.link/348966323745

And if you have an iPhone and $1.29 to spare, i would be eternally grateful to you for buying my new song there. I'm trying desperately to get into the charts, which I think only requires a few hundred sales. If everyone who reads my blog bought the song on iTunes, I'd have a #1 single!!!! Seriously. Please????

1. open iTunes (NOT apple music, has to be iTunes for some reason)

2. search "18 Months Later" -- that's the song name. The album artwork looks like this:

3. buy the song!!! Please.

I've been posting more on Instagram than on the blog, but i've also been writing a lot in my journal instead of here:) I've also been full-time homeschool mom and knocking out 50 art commissions before the holidays, and trying my best to promote my new music, and taking gigs that feel safe. Not sure I'll ever play a club again, but I've enjoyed playing the events that have required proof of vax and kept me safe.

I've got plans to release a new song every month or two over the next year, then put them out on CD. Everyone on my patreon page will get a copy of the CD.

I miss y'all!! Will do better in 2022. It's been a lot of ... stuff over here:) Much love to y'all, and thank you for the support.

One year anniversary of my mastectomy

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 15:41:00 +0000

Find me on TikTok :)

It's been a YEAR since I had both my breasts amputated. I let my diagnosis-anniversary pass without acknowledgement (mostly because we had some other drama going on that week), but I am going to honor today with a video chronicling the struggle it took to even get my diagnosis.

I made a video over on TikTok -- a site I'd avoided for so long because it confused me, but now I realize I should have been on TikTok all along. It's the perfect outlet for me because video is my favorite medium. I've taken thousands of hours of footage since I left my career as a TV producer in 2001, but I never had a good outlet for it. YouTube wasn't right because I like short videos, and Facebook is annoying when you inundate your page with video. TikTok allows me the perfect short way to throw up video content. Anyway if you're on TikTok, give me a follow, please: www.tiktok.com/@brigidkaelin

Here's my story, which I think you can watch without actually joining TikTok:

@brigidkaelin
My cancer diagnosis took almost a YEAR. ##icouldbebrown ##breastcancerbadass ##feelitonthefirst ##breastcancer ##cancerjourney
♬ Inspiration - WavebeatsMusic

The most important things I've learned over the past year are:

1) Be your own advocate.

2) Don't back down.

3) SHARE YOUR STORY, if you're able to handle the public forum.

Tell me ... have you scheduled a mammogram or similar since hear a story like mine? Odds are, you have. Sharing our stories saves lives.

Love one another.

Essay on Rosh Hashanah - published in Kveller

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 18:46:00 +0000

Hi! Kveller published an essay I wrote. Here's a preview, but click over and read the whole thing:

At high noon on Rosh Hashanah nine years ago, I became a mother, kissing my newborn’s enormous head with wonder. It was the ultimate new beginning — a new year, a new identity, a new routine, a new life.
Shortly after noon on Rosh Hashanah three years ago, I became motherless, kissing my mom’s cold forehead, and entering a new chapter as the matriarch of my family.
Last year on Rosh Hashanah, I sat under a mulberry tree, the same place where I’d scattered my mother’s ashes just weeks before. My phone rang and I heard words that would change my life more than the birth of my son or the death of my mother: You have cancer. READ MORE HERE...

How to be a set parent on a film.

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 18:05:00 +0000

Greetings from Ohio! I've been working on the admin side of my own career, rather than gigging and live-streaming, because I've got something else going on: Graham's shooting a movie.

I'm not allowed to talk about the film itself (though I can say that his IMDb page is up to date, so you can do your own research), but I thought today I'd write something for other parents in the film industry. And also for anyone just interested in what life is like on a film set.

Rules for being a set parent:

You have to be on set at all times. This is for your child's safety. You are entitled to have line of sight on your child all the time, whether it's a costume change or filming a scene. Sometimes you're just watching on a monitor, and always remember to stay out of the way.
No siblings on set. This is the most challenging bit for us because it means I have to find childcare for the little guy.

No guests. Nope. Your friends can't come.

No phones/cameras. General rule is, put your phone on silent and don't take any photos. It's usually in your contract. However, follow the lead of the production crew -- and ask if you're not sure. Don't take photos of the talent, but it's sometimes fine to take a picture of your child in their trailer for your scrapbook. Typically there is a no social media rule and you need to follow it.

Bring proper ID for your child. This varies state to state but it's usually some combination of birth certificate, social security card or passport. They will need it to start work, and if they don't have it, they can't work. Don't forget it.

Respond to communications timely. When you're on set, you won't have your phone with you all the time. But while you're filming or on hold or the days leading up to the shoot, check your email a lot. Respond right away. The producers are juggling a lot of balls, and it's really helpful to them if you can give them answers right away. Also the call sheet usually won't come until the night before, so you may not even know what scenes are shooting when until 12 hours before you're due on set.

Help your child with costume changes. From the first costume fitting to the day of shoot, help your child change. Make sure they don't rip the costumes or treat them badly (sometimes costume designers use favorite pieces from their own family). Helping them with changes makes everything go faster and saves time.

Make sure your kid doesn't eat in their costume. This one is tough because your child will want to snack. I let my son eat in his costume, but I'm there to make sure he doesn't each Cheetohs or something that's going to get all over the costume. The main goal here is not to stain or ruin the costume on a snack break because there is rarely a backup.

Don't bother the other actors. I know, I know, you're kinda starstruck, but your job is to be seen and to be available, but mostly to stay out of the way. Do not ask for a photo or an autograph. If that's an option, it would be on the last day of shoot, and you should read the room and ask permission.

Be kind to everyone. EVERYONE. So much goes into making a film, and everyone's job is important. Give people grace, and do unto others, etc, etc.

Read the room. Subtle, but important. Pay attention. Know who does what job.

Make sure your child knows their lines. Again, you may not even receive the scene until the night before, but they hired your kid to br professional. Show up prepared.

Keep track of working hours & days. Keep a log. Everyone will thank you if you notice a discrepancy in the paycheck.

Go with the flow and don't complain. Things change. Weather happens. People get sick. Don't be the problem.

Be seen but not heard. You need to be there for your child's safety and for union rules, but don't start demanding things.

What have I left out? Or do you have any questions?

Was this helpful or interesting?

I'm a musician and artist and writer and here's how you can support me:

Buy me or my kiddos a present:)

Or check out my: Tip Jars.

Or my favorite: join my patreon page!

Ohio summer life

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 00:29:00 +0000

Follow Graham!

I've spent my whole life unwittingly gearing up for my newest profession: stage mom.

It's pretty wild, considering my wish-upon-a-star for when my child was born was Business School, child, Business School. Of course, my brilliant baby, who could be anything, has fallen head over heels for acting. And I'm here for the ride, supporting when I can, but sitting back and watching the show most of the time.

If you're a patron, you already know what I'm talking about because I posted Graham's news over there weeks ago :) (If you're not a patron, how's about you pop over right now and become a member? Seriously, it's so cheap, and everyone in the arts has had a HELL of a year. Feel good about yourself: support an artist!)

ANYWAY: this life as a stage mom is kind of fantabulous. It's a lot of work, but I'm also finding it easier to actually have office hours. Because I'm not in charge of the little guy -- you can't bring siblings to a film set -- I've got some down time to sort out my writing. I'm not able to record or even make phone calls (quiet on set, y'all!), but I've had time to. make plans, dream big, sort out some tax prep, make some release plans for my own albums, and research venues and folk clubs for future tours.

I am hoping that next week I'm actually able to: WRITE.

It still takes many days away from home before my brain feels free enough to write, or at least to write creatively, and that is entirely because parenting is freaking HARD.

But parenting is also beyond fulfilling, and there is nothing like watching sweet Graham do what he loves, and do it professionally. It gives me a hint of what my parents might have felt seeing me perform ... and now I understand why they came to every single show. Cannot imagine the squeals and wonder they would have experienced if they knew their grandchild was IN THE MOVIES.

Anyway, go check out Graham on his IMDb page if you're curious what he's working on this summer. It's not something I'm talking about publicly (I thought it was supposed to be secret, but apparently the production company linked his IMDb page so i guess it's public knowledge now...), but it you can also follow along his adventures on his Instagram.

I recorded a new song that I wrote for a regional commercial ... a preview of it is over on my Patreon page. I'm so close to releasing a full-length album. I'm getting started on re-writing my memoir, in light of my most recent cancer experience. Basically, I'm starting to feel like me again, and I'm so grateful for that. It's been a really, really, really hard few years in Kaelin-land.

Ways to support me!

Buy me or my kiddos a present:)

Or check out my: Tip Jars.

Updates, New EP, Patreon is amazing.

noreply@blogger.com (Brigid Kaelin) — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 14:35:00 +0000

I put this in the world this morning. Check it
out on my Patreon page.

Both my kids are in some form of childcare this morning, which has not happened in 16 months, and I used the first hour to release a new EP to my Patrons. BAM! It feels good to have someone doing wholesome things with my kids, so I can work. So I can CREATE. Even if it's just me doing administrative stuff, it feels good to release music to the folks to support me directly. (No guilt trip intended, haha, though of course wouldn't today be a GREAT day to finally join my Patreon community?)

What a wild year it's been. I'm fired up and ready to start nailing down jobs for the 2022 -- tours, festivals, speaking engagements, really ANYTHING!

This weekend I'm actually completely booked up, working three jobs in three days, and I couldn't be more thrilled.

Friday, June 11: virtual show for Cambridge Folk Club (UK)
Saturday, June 12: live outdoor show for YMCA conference in Berea
Sunday, June 13: private outdoor event

Oh, live music! Seeing the eyeballs of actual listeners! Other musicians! I have missed you SO!

Quick cancer updates:
I had my last surgery related to my breast reconstruction last week, and I'm hoping to not do any more surgeries the rest of my life. My breasts are uneven and are different sizes, thanks to the first plastic surgeon who was apparently lazy and sloppy. I'm trying to remember that all breasts are uneven, so maybe my new fake ones are just realistic. Mostly, I don't care what they look like: I just wanted my DRESSES to fit again! And hallelujah, they DO! I can wear vintage clothing. I can wear cowboy boots. My guitar no longer feels weird to play. I haven't attempted the accordion yet, but I think it'll finally work like I remember :)

Thank you all for the love!
Various ways to support me are all here: brigidkaelin.com/links and I appreciate every tip & good thought SO MUCH.