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December 2023 Archive
31.12.23 > Review of 2023
With hindsight, I would probably describe 2023 as being much better than it seemed at the time. Despite the usual ups and downs of life, the setbacks and those occasional sweet moments that make everything worthwhile, and of course all the awful things that are going on in the world, there was also plenty to cheer during the year.
Expectations were low in January—after all, Katie was cradling her son Sandro, a mere few weeks old as the year began. But it soon became apparent she was not going to accept that being a mother and being a music star are mutually exclusive. On the 12th January, “Golden Record” was released, the first single from Love & Money. It more than made up for the fact that season 2 of Katie’s podcast with Polly Scattergood, The Detail, never materialised. Hopefully, at some point it will because it was brilliant.
February began with another single release, “Those Sweet Days”. The early months of the year are rarely sweet but Katie’s drip-feed of new material was pulling us through nicely. March kept the momentum going with “Quiet Moves” being the third release from the album, accompanied by a charming video which featured the unlikely sight of Katie in a chip shop. On March 22nd, Katie performed an acoustic set at Pryzm in Kingston, and two days later her 9th studio album, Love & Money was released. It did not disappoint. The next day, “Love & Money” became the fourth single to be released along with a curious video that seemed to be about a cleaner being possessed.
At the beginning of April, Katie featured in a podcast by Holly Rubenstein, “The Travel Diaries”, which was fascinating and well worth seeking out if you missed it. A few days later she was one of the guest reviewers on BBC’s “Between The Covers” book show. I won’t reveal her pick—you’ll have to poke around on iPlayer to find the episode. Meanwhile, on 11th April, Katie began the Love & Money Tour, European leg, in Warsaw. Finally, normal service was resumed after a couple of years of covid mayhem.
For me personally, May 16th was the highlight of the year. I suspect it was well up there for Katie too. She performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London. That venue had long been on my bucket list but to see Katie there was more than just icing on the cake, it was like having your dream cake and eating it. It was made all the more special by having the opportunity to meet up for a meal with fellow Ketefans Angie, Chris, Liliana, Sabrina and Rene—all known to each other through social media but finally brought together in person. An amazing night.
Things went a bit quiet for a while during the summer. Well, we had been spoiled in the early months of the year with song released and a major tour. Germany however, hit the jackpot again as Katie performed a mini-tour there in July.
In September, Katie released “14 Windows” as a single, with proceeds going to the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund. A very personal song and for a very deserving cause, which was supported by a beautifully shot video.
The latter months of 2023 saw a spate of anniversaries. September 16th, Katie’s birthday, marked the 10th anniversary of Ketevan. October 5th was the 5th anniversary of Ultimate Collection. Exactly a week later saw the 15th anniversary of The Katie Melua Collection. Then, throughout October, remastered songs and videos from Call Off The Search were released before, on November 3rd, it was the 20th anniversary of Katie’s iconic debut album. A new version of the album was released with remastered tracks and a bonus CD of unreleased tracks and demos. An absolute treasure trove! What an extraordinary round of anniversaries. Please check back here in five years from now for an updated version of this paragraph.
November saw Katie deliver a moving performance of “Fields of Gold” as part of the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance, which marked her second appearance at the Royal Albert Hall this year.
Katie’s final performance of the year was in Timișoara, in beautiful (and frosty) Romania before she jetted off to the rather warmer Australia just before Christmas. Hard to believe it is Sandro’s 2nd Christmas. He’s already managed to rack up more air miles than I have managed in six decades!
I have no idea what 2024 has in store for us, and even if I did I wouldn’t tell you. Let’s await the surprises. Join me this time next year to find out what Katie did next. Come what may, I hope you all have a wonderful year.
26.12.23 > Christmas Thoughts
I hope you all had a lovely Christmas. I had my best one in over a decade. It can be a very difficult time when you live alone but this time I was determined to put more effort into getting in the mood and enjoying myself and, thanks to some beautiful friends, I broke the curse of not seeing anyone I know on Christmas Day. Friends are so important but true ones are a rarity and to be treasured when you find them.
On the face of it, 2023 doesn’t seem to have been that much better than 2022 when you consider the awful situation in Gaza, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and the cost of living in the United Kingdom. Peace and prosperity remain distant dreams for most. Yet if I give thought to my own life over the past twelve months I can think of a number of reasons why life today is better than it was last year. We all tend to dwell too much on the negatives but if you try to focus on the positive things that have happened in your life then you too may conclude it wasn’t such a bad year. There is room for improvement, of course—there always is—but that is why we look to the New Year with hope. I hope 2024 will be better for all of us, yet it is the way of the world that we will have battles to fight and mountains to climb, both on a personal and global level. Just remember that victory tastes sweet and the view from mountain tops is worth the effort of reaching them. The best way to enjoy life come what may is through gratitude. Instead of wishing and wanting for things you haven’t got you should look at the things you have got and feel grateful that you have them. Enjoying what you have instead of pining for what you haven’t is one of the great secrets of living a happy life. Even if you consider yourself to have nothing there will always be something you can be grateful for such as a person in your life, your health or simply the wonder of nature that is free to your eyes and ears. And I am grateful to each and every one of you that reads my humble blog! Enjoy the rest of your holidays and I wish you a wonderful 2024.
17.12.23 > Katie's Performance in Romania
Katie wowed the good people of Timișoara in Romania last week. It was a cold night but there's no better way to warm your heart than to listen to Katie, as well you know. On a crisp winter's night her voice is like mulled wine for the soul.
03.12.23 > Katie in Romania
Katie will be performing in the historical city of Timișoara in beautiful Romania on Friday, 8th December. If you happen to live in Romania then this is a rare and unmissable opportunity to see one of the finest musical artists in the world on your home soil. For everyone else, well, if you have the time and the means then why not treat yourself to a last-minute trip to to a beautiful and fascinating country and get a Katie live fix into the bargain! Click the pic for more details.
