B.R.O.K.E.N.

... again ...

My Speech at the Press Conference

Good Morning to you all, distinguished guests, members of the press and media, sponsors, volunteers and friends. Thank you so much for being here.

First and foremost I’d like to say a big Thank you to our the Honourable Datuk Dr. Ng Yen Yen, Minister for Women, Family and Community Development, for taking time out of her busy schedule to be here with us this morning. Thank you also to everyone involved in putting this Press Conference together.

I must say that this is all so ‘huge’ for me… and what I mean by ‘huge’ is that I had never intended for my run to create such a positive outcome. Here’s a little summary of what has brought me here to this podium before you.

Around the end of January this year, a couple of friends of mine urged me to join them in enrolling for the 10km category of the KL AmBank International Marathon. I cast them aside saying it was not really my thing and that I preferred to stay fit within the confines of my gym. Well they continued to encourage me and said it would be a good challenge for myself. Eventually I relented.

The next 8 weeks comprised watching my diet, keeping hydrated, getting lots of sleep and waking up at the crack of dawn to train – an incredibly painful and torturous process – more so because I really am NOT a morning person. Suffice to say that most people in the music industry are nocturnal – it’s just the nature of our business!

I decided that as I was investing so much of my personal time and commitment into this task, that I should use this to drive some sort of fund-raising. I’ve always looked up to the likes of Madonna, Richard Gear, Sting and Angelina Jolie for using their public profile as a platform to help create awareness and spread knowledge on various charities. Here was my chance to do the same. I have always wanted to do something for charity and have had these 2 childrens’ charities in mind – Protect & Save The Children and The Children of NurSalam ChowKit. Why? And excuse me for the cliché, but children are indeed our future. Children are precious, innocent, fragile and they represent us in the future. It imperative that we ensure that they are safe at all times. How they grow and develop directly affects how they turn out as adults, as our future leaders and the formation of our communities. With the fantastic press and media support I’ve had since the launch of my career in December 2007, I felt it was time to start putting my growing public profile to some good use!

My team and I handled this very much as a ‘side’ project, afterall most of my time was spent promoting my album as new artistes do, so you can imagine how overwhelmed we were when the pledges started pouring in. On a personal level, that’s when the pressure kicked in… The charities would see NONE of this money if I did not complete the race within the stated 90mins.

Before I knew it, race day had arrived and I found myself drawing closer to the finishing line and there lined up were some children holding up posters and banners, cheering me on. It was amazing. I can’t even begin to describe to you the feeling of accomplishment, joy and love I felt. It was simply inspiring.

Hand in hand with this, as the pledges poured in we were thinking of other ways that we could help increase awareness and publicity on the plight of these children and the cause that the charities support. I remembered an old song I had co-written many years ago called FORBIDDEN LOVE. The song was written as if from the mind of an abused child and the lyrics are absolutely perfect to help represent these charities. It not only illustrates how many abused children are not aware that what is happening to them is wrong but it illustrates how we all too often turn a blind eye to issues that seem taboo. We forget that in doing this we give up all hope of ever making this world we live in a better and safer place for those who represent our future – our children. Allow me to read out to you a few lines:-

“……”

In this highly technological age that we live in, the next obvious step was to shoot a video to add the visual side to the audio storytelling in order to create further awareness – this would mean hopefully telling the story over television and across the worldwide web. Once again we were lucky to find sponsors to do this.

Thank you for listening to my humble words today. I am incredibly proud to say that in total, to date we have received RM126,240 in donations. I am absolutely thrilled and delighted with this outcome – especially for these two amazing charities.

I cannot thank all the sponsors enough for all their support – I would love to name you all but there are over 40 names to mention ranging from private individuals, to companies in the entertainment sector, F&B sector, hospitality and insurance sectors, to the larger shipping and oil & gas corporations. You can find a list of these names in your Press Kit.

In closing, the one invaluable lesson I’ve learned from this entire experience – every little bit counts. Every little thought and idea – Nothing is too small. This was meant to be a small run that I set for myself as a personal challenge that could perhaps raise some money for charity… RM126,240 later I’m here talking to you. This small thought and idea of mine became so much bigger than I had ever dreamed. You don’t always have to wait to be lead, take the first step. Never underestimate your own abilities.

Thank you

Press Conference for PS the Children & Yayasan Salam Chow Kit Kids

Well today was a rather grown up and 'official' one for me as this morning I had to attend my very own and very FIRST Press Conference which was graced by the presence of our NEW Minister for Women, Family and Community Development - The Honourable Dtuk Dr. Ng Yen Yen.

To date, out of the RM138 or so THOUSAND we've received in pledges for my 10km run in the AmBank KL International Marathon (held on March 30th), we've received RM126,240 !!! Yup - that's a nice ole stash of cash innit...

So today was the day for me to hand over the GIANT (mock) cheques to my two chosen charities (I've ALWAYS wanted to hold a giant cheque, since the days of watching Blue Peter on BBC1 in the UK!).

Pretty damn cool i reckon.. i just cant bleedin well believe I don't have a photo of me holding them *aaaargh*

My two chosen charities are of course:

Protect & Save The Chilren (for sexually abused kids) and
Yayasan Salam Chow Kit Kids (for underprivileged & neglected kids)

Each of us spoke about the plight of these children; what each of these charities do to provide and protect these children; what the government's involvement is; how we tackle these very taboo subjects. I spoke about my run, my inspiration and also how overwhelmed I was to have raised all this money through something that initially was for my own gain (improved fitness!)

I also premiered the song FORBIDDEN LOVE (co-written by me) which I've dedicated to these two charities to use to help create more awareness regarding their work - together with a music video designed to reach out and appeal to the younger generation who being more media and technologically savvy, are likely to catch it on the music channels and the worldwideweb... we just need as much help and support as we can get to spread the word, song and video round... A link and embedding codes will be up VERY soon...

Dr Hartini Zainudin

Our Q&A session

THE END
(L-R, Datin Nariza Hajjar Hashim (Patron of PS the Children), Boogaloo, Datuk Dr. Ng Yen Yen, Dr. Hartini Zainudin (Chow Kit Kids)

Melissa Elliot

yeah... we share the same first name.. non other than Missy MisDemeanour Elliot

Xlive was great... really great - I thought it was well organised apart from the fact that the so-called VIP tix were a bit of a con... the only perk of the ticket were designated STANDING tables and free rides all night long *ahem*

Missy was good - just D4mn L8!!!!! She kept us waiting SO SO long.. rather rude I thought

The music highlight was definitely LapSap... those guys ROCK!!

Music = enjoyable
Organisation = passable
Weather = perfectly pleasant
Company = P.E.R.F.E.C.T.

All in all a wonderful night away from KL with me mates - luverly jubberly

muah-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.......

we so-the-colour-co-ordinated-one-mah-colour-colourful

zipadeedooodaaaazipadeeeedaaaaaaaayyyyy

eebi eebi dahdoo dahdooobidopoooka

ooola koolipeeedeemeyay

sharrrubeee moooobeeee eeebibi

boogaloo is in great spirits today.... feeling fuzzy wuzzy lovely jubbly

wibbly wobbly silly nilly

*small person*

i miss being this way... no formal reporting... just raw expression

hokey cokey pokey

so lucky - so blessed - so loved

and all this wonderful positivity is keeping those demons at bay... the ones that hide in the dark corners an
d crevices of my mind and inner self

Things on a personal level are about to be tried, tested and challenged.... I want to channel everything i have into positivity

I can't wait til I have the time to write again

A.I.M.
Birthday
Wonderful Gifts
Wonderful Friends
Unending Support Circle
Family Unconditional Love


*WATCH THIS SPACE*

My incredibly nervous AIM speech!

Snapshots from AIMs

Approaching the 'blue' carpet with my super sister and Manager Marinna

Greeting the Press & Media
I'm at the AIMs!
The ever impressive Faizal Tahir opens

And the nominees for Best English Album are...
Nervously making my way to stage from my seat
Receiving my Award from Ben FlyFm
Attempting to make a speech ;)
Still stunned !!
With Faizal :) - such a lovely charming guy. I hope that we may do some work together in the future!

AIM 15 Best English Album

I still can't believe it....

Takashi Murakami @ The Brooklyn Museum of Art

I've decided that the exhibition by Takashi Murakami (more commercially known for his collaborative work with Louis Vuitton and the album cover design for Kanye West's Graduation) deserves its very OWN blog... I loved it.. I love the creation surreal animation that boggles and soothes the mind simultaneously... Of course you're not actually allowed to take photographs in there - Thank Goodness for we live in the era of mobile phones with in-built cameras !!


The Original Princess KS




check out his awesome website www.takashimurakami.com

Tuesday April 22nd 2008

My last days in the great NYC... :( and what an incredibly important days. Two HUGE meetings lined up as well as a listening session of a treatment done to STARLIGHT and PASS YOU BY to illustrate the ability of this Producer who wants to work on my next album - will I like what he's done?

First things first...

NiNaNo and I on our way to our 1st meeting with the inimitable RUSSELL SIMMONS

As we cross the Brooklyn bridge to Manhattan

Stay posted here for updates on that meeting... ;P

Our last meeting of the day was with the partners of dogmatic (check them out at www.dogmatic.com) An incredibly warm couple who then invited us to their stunning home on the western side of the Meat Packing District - a really cool, village-like area with lots of life, cafes, restaurants, bars. Their apartment faces the Hudson River and it was from there that we witnessed the most stunning New York Sunset

After the last few days, a night on the town was definitely in order...
Boogaloo & HouseDancer :)
My NYC Crew

Over and Out!

Monday April 21st 2008

Photo Blog only - Lots of sightseeing this day

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (can you believe it was closed the day I went - the guide books never mentioned that - aaargh)
The Guggenheim Museum which is famous for its exterior architecture - YES IT IS SCAFFOLDING YOU SEE SURROUNDING IT - Did we know about this before hand? - NO :s
Grand Central Station (Remember that scene with the baby's pram rolling down the steps in the movie 'The Untouchables' starring Kevin Costner?)
TIMES SQUARE (notice with the signature NY yellow taxi behind too)
MTV's TRL Screen in Times Square :)
Only in the US of A - 2 women campaigning for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) Although I couldn't quite work out the connection...
The famous Broadway
Dinner @ Republic after a day of sightseeing and meetings
My Sk8erb0i friend CHRIS I met @ Union Square