Starting a blog post feels daunting, even for me & I love writing. I honestly struggled with where to begin. But I felt it was really important to share an update with all the amazing people who’ve been supporting my music in 2024 - those of you on my email list and beyond. Please know that I haven’t forgotten you!
2024 has been a year of profound contrasts. I’ve experienced some of my highest highs and deepest lows - the kind that leave you changed. Releasing my first and second solo singles as Mary Mina was a huge achievement for me, especially as I wrote, produced & mixed them both myself with support from my mentors, and I am overwhelmed by the support I have had for my releases so far, it has been humbling to say the least, thank you so much for all the likes, shares & positive comments, playlist adds & streams! I am so pleased that you are enjoying the new music that I have created from my heart, as it means everything to me to be able to share it with you!
One of the standout moments this year was performing my new songs on the Rising Talent Stage at the Bristol Harbour Festival—it was such an incredible experience! I’m deeply thankful to everyone who came out to support that performance and to Ujima manager Miranda Rae for the opportunity.
Another unforgettable highlight was having my debut single, “7 Weeks,” featured on the Bristol Music World album, which launched in September at the Mount Without. The album raised over £1,000 for brain tumour research, thanks to the incredible efforts of Harriet Ward and the 21 other talented artists who generously contributed their music.
I felt honoured to be part of the publicity for the launch, supporting brain tumour research, and thrilled to see my photo, captured by the talented RD Smith Photography (pictured right), featured on the BBC website as part of the event coverage. I love that I look just like my mum in this photo too!
I had plans for a third single by the end of this year, but life, as it does, had other ideas. I was just so wiped out by October, and with good reason – I had not taken a proper holiday all year, I was just ploughing through & hadn't given myself time to stop and breathe.
And then everything suddenly hit me, as losing my dad in 2023 was a blow that I’m still learning to live with. For months, I'd kept myself so busy that I didn’t have to stop and feel it fully. But grief has a way of catching up with you. When I finally paused, I realised I’d been running on empty. My creativity felt drained, and I hadn’t recorded a new song in six months. Social media, once a way to connect and share my music, began to feel like shouting into the void. Hours of effort seemed to disappear into an algorithm that didn’t care and I was feeling overwhelmed & frustrated.
So, I stepped away. I didn’t make an announcement or plan a grand retreat - I just stopped. For the first time in months, I let myself be still. And in that stillness, everything I’d been holding at arm’s length started to surface. Grief. Exhaustion. But also something gentler - a quiet sense of possibility, like a door I hadn’t noticed before.
One of the things I’ve learned about myself is that creativity can’t thrive in chaos. It needs space and time to breathe. I am currently revisiting The Artist’s Way, a book that’s helped me reconnect with my creativity twice before, and have started the process again: writing in the morning, taking myself out on solo artist dates, and making gentle steps toward rediscovering the spark I’d been missing.
In practical terms, it’s been about slowing down. Taking time for simple joys, even as I navigate life on crutches whilst I deal with an old injury that’s flared up again. I’ve been to a spa, treated myself to a solo cinema trip to see Wicked, and cried my way through TV shows that struck a nerve. Not all of it has been particularly glamorous, but it’s been exactly what I needed.
I have also started a course of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy, which is helping me work through some challenging experiences from recent years and rediscover my creative spark. I look forward to sharing more about this journey in the weeks to come.
And slowly, the music is coming back. I’ve started writing again - not with urgency, but with curiosity. Little by little, some new songs are forming. Some days it’s just a lyric. Other days, a melody or a feeling. It’s a quiet process, and I’m learning to trust it, to let it take its time.
One song in particular feels ready to take its next steps. It’s inspired by my grandmother, who was a singer on Canadian radio in the 1940s. I never got to meet her, but after my dad’s passing, her story became a lifeline to something beautiful. This song feels like a tribute - to her, to the family connection we share, and to the creative thread that runs through generations, connecting us through space and time. Watch this space for release plans, as they unfold in the new year!
While my music has been moving at a slower pace, my radio show has kept me grounded. Hosting the Cruising show on Ujima radio every Thursday has been a pleasure - a chance to connect, share stories, and collaborate with amazing guests.
And now the show has expanded into a team, Charlie Bees from season 2 of The Traitors and the talented Jesus Nahmias have been fantastic co-hosts, and launching a monthly sustainable fashion segment with Meg Cox of Clothemod has been a highlight. Fashion has always been a love of mine, so bringing that into the show feels like a natural fit.
Looking ahead to 2025, I’m dreaming big. Producing music solo has been an incredible journey, but I’m ready to expand. I’m planning to build not one, but two bands, and to collaborate more with other bands, producers and songwriters. Even now, when it feels quiet from the outside, there’s so much happening behind the scenes. It was time to set up something different, hence working on creating something for the people who have supported me, who don't always get to see the stuff I post on my socials as the algorithm is hiding them from you, and instead creating a designated space for the people who truly care and want to hear more from me.
I’m also thrilled about the work I’ve been doing with my favourite photographer, RD Smith. Her incredible talent caught the BBC’s attention, and it was one of her photos was featured in their article about the Bristol Music World album.
I can’t wait to share the shots from our latest collaboration! We’ve worked on several shoots together now, and the connection we have is amazing. Here’s a sneak peek of one of them!
There is a music video in the pipeline too, I don't want to say too much after the disappointment of losing the footage from my last video shoot and the struggle I went through over that - I won't dwell on the point but let's just say that I am hopeful that the next one will be so much more satisfying.
Well, that's all for now folks! Thank you to everyone who’s been with me through this winding road of a year. Your support means the world. I’m so excited to share what’s next, and I hope you’ll stick around for the ride as it's going to be so much fun! Seasons greetings everyone and here's to a fabulous 2025!