Idol and Other NEWs

Did you know that the word, NEWS, comes from the acronym for North, East, West, and South?  I learned that from a bathroom book... ha!  

Well, I've got some Idol news first for ya and this time, it has nothing to do with the contestants.  THIS time, I will be on stage with Jordin Sparks singing background vocals on her new single "Battlefield"... such a good song!  While I am continuing to set my record up just right, I will be joining Jordin along with other artists TBA =)  on the road for a little bit.  It will be a bit of a new adventure and a different role for me to play, but I am excited about a change of pace and am open to what God wants to do with me in the midst of it.  In the meantime, I will be continuing to write, record, and really connect with you all and keep you in the mix of things.  It has been a very trying time for me personally, just with having this project be delayed, and more delayed, and more delayed, but I believe that it will release when it's ready to be released and all I can do is be prepared.  SO, I hope that I can see some of your smiling faces on the road and don't forget to watch Idol on Wednesday night (and Tues, of course).... it's gonna be a blast!

Spring Wardrobe Makeover!

Hey guys!  I wanted to let you all in on a little secret of mine.  I recently wiped out my closet and replaced it with a fresh looking collection of fun and different ideas and options.  Everything I got rid of was either donated or consigned to go toward my new look and I am loving the change.  Change is good =).  I am not exactly the most creative when it comes to fashion, some might say I'm a little plain, but my stylist, Annie, helped me to make some of my old accessories new and fun and helped me find new little gems that add so much to my usual jeans/t-shirt look.  We spent a lot of time at cool second hand stores and boutiques where we found stuff that no one else has.  Not only was it a blast but it made me realize how much unnecessary clutter I've lived in for so long. 

Anyways, you're probably wondering why I am telling you all this... Well, it just so happens that she is making her services available to YOU!  Feel free to email her for all of the details and ideas and any questions.  I promise you will be so happy you did it!  

HERE'S A LINK TO THEIR WEBSITE:www.panachestylists.com

or

EMAIL ANNIE AT:  annie@panachestylists.com

There is also a link to their blog on the right side of my blog page!

newness.....

Hey guys!  Sorry I dipped out for a second, it has been quite of time of decision-making and forward moving and I had to sort of turn down the volume of the world to hear the truth.  Have you ever felt like that?  It's good for ya, I highly recommend it!  Thanks again for your patience.

On another note, I have apparently underestimated the powerful storm that is the American Idol rumor mill!  Ha... I don't know if anyone followed it, but it was pretty entertaining to see how far a few words can travel.  All that to say, I'll be doing my best to stay out of that, but the funny thing is that now I go on one of those blog sites to keep up with Idol.  Oh this internet is a wonderful thing.  

So, I have nothing juicy for you this time, but I do want to pass on to you one of my favorite records right now.  I know I'm a little late on the train, but I can't stop listening to Adele.  You must check it out!  Love you guys...

www.adele.tv

New friends....

Hey guys!  This past week was quite a whirlwind... lots of fun and interesting possibilities for this summer... and the road, but can't make any official announcements yet, sooooorrryy!  So I can tell you that yes, Idol was a lot of fun, but what was more fun was the rest of the week. 

 The day after the taping, I was called to meet with some people at a studio out in North Hollywood so I trustingly typed the address into my GPS (Anne Margaret, for short) and follow her British accent to a strange and unpretentious part of town.  I pull up to this small studio and as I am walking in the door, I am greeted by 3 friendly brunette lads (as Anne Margaret would say).  It took a couple seconds to put the pieces together, but sure enough, they were the Jonas Brothers.  I got a kick out of how sweet and gracious they were as they were offering us coffee and a place to sit.  I am not crazy familiar with their music, but all this was to say that I was pleasantly surprised at the humility that still exists in this business =).

Immediately following the meeting, I jetted to the Dreamcenter where I was to be singing that night.  *Sidenote: the Dreamcenter is a wonderful church that gets out into the neighborhoods and does what Jesus asks us to do, take care of each other, LOVE these people! www.dreamcenter.org*   Anyhoozer, so I get a call that a fan of mine wants to meet me and would love to spend some time together... later in the call I find out that its my fav American Idol contestant, Danny Gokey!  I am an unashamed Idol watcher so it was cool to spend some time with him.  He is a stand up guy, loves God,  has a genuine heart, and has a freaking crazy voice! (That's my way of saying he can SANG).  SO, if you find yourself just aching to vote for something on a Tuesday night, let it be Danny Gokey on AI, k?!  K.  More to come!

 

Well, I'm busted.. it has officially been a long time since I last connected with you!  I hope you can cut me a little slack since I have had the flu for the past week =(.  No fun!  For everyone who was planning to attend my cancelled San Diego show, I promise I will make it up to you somehow!  

Well, I am currently at a Starbucks in beautiful Santa Barbara, CA.... which, I could safely say is one of my favorite places in America.  Beach, mountains and amazing people are 3 things high up on my checklist.  I am starting the second week of my time on the west coast and its already been an eventful trip.  Tomorrow, however, could be a highlight of the trip.  I am attending the taping for... American Idol!! Haha... should I be admitting that?  Oh well, I did... I'm stoked and I can't help it.  (You like my west coast language?).  Yea, so look for me making a scene in the crowd somewhere.  I'm small and brown so you might need to wear your strongest prescription glasses.  I'll make sure and have some little fun fact about it all to report back to you.

For everyone living in or around the SoCal area, I'd love to see your face either on Thursday at the Dreamcenter in Los Angeles or at the Way World Outreach in San Bernardino, CA on Easter Sunday.  You can find details at www.myspace.com/rachaellampa under the "Upcoming Shows" section.

Again, sorry for my tardiness, but I am feeling so much better now and am planning on keeping you in the loop from now on =).  Love you all... Happy week before Easter!

boo...flu....

Trading Notes....

Every Monday, I have the blessing of joining my brother, Ryan, and a few others and experience something life-giving and life-changing.  We all meet at Ryan's and cook a crap-load of food and take it to the park across from the library in downtown Nashville where we sit and hang and provide food for the people that don't have any.  

I have had the chance to get to know people that I never thought to be interested in and heard stories that I never thought I would hear firsthand (some of which I could've done without!).  They share their gratefulness and we share our friendship and in the end, it really becomes this great big wisdom-exchanging-fest!  I have learned more about simplicity and pure joy in the last couple months than I ever have before.  I had a joke battle with an old man from AlabamER and greatly extended my library of football trivia with a die-hard Michigan fan (Go Wolverines).  I learned about the point of view from an alcoholic father looking down to his daughters and I've learned that even women that are hungry and cold want to look and feel pretty.  I've learned that pain is relative and loneliness is curable.  I learned all this by trading notes with people I would have never thought to ask.  

I am not always sure why I am placed in the situations and conversations that I am placed in, but I am SURE there is always a reason.  I have had to learn a lot about forgetting myself in these situations and allowing God the room to work.  Some of us get worried about what WE have to do and how WE can contribute to situations.  We feel this obligation and almost pressure to minister and preach, when all God wants us to do is to love and be with each other.  By being friends with my Monday people, I feel like I have been able to share me, they share them, and we all realize how much we belong together, how much we need each other.  

There are beautiful people in the world that the world has called ugly.  Introduce yourself.