Rising Star on ABC

Want to see little ol' me on this new show? ;o)

Would you like to see me on a "New Music Talent" Show by ABC called Rising Star ?

If you're sitting there thinking "What in the heck in the World are you talking about Greek Girl - did you fall down and hit you noggin?!" I know most of you know how I feel about TV Talents shows... but hey a little National Exposure can go a long, long way for an Independent Recording Artist like myself. I had actually planned to attend the open call in NYC this past week. However, due to the relapse in my back injury from the car accidents I was unable to attend as I could not even stand that day. In fact I spent most of that day at the Chiropractor & getting an MRI, I know sounds like oodles of fun.

Thank goodness I'm on the mend again, and decided to do a video submission instead. So with that said I need to ask a favor, hey you never know. If people nominate me it could help. I value your support and trust you would write a good recommendation about Greek Girl! If you'd like to help, here's what to do:

Visit This Link to Nominate Me: (follow the prompts)
www.iamarisingstar.com

(My Social Media Links to make it easy)
www.avaaston.com
www.facebook.com/officialavaastonmusicpage
www.twitter.com/avaaston
www.youtube.com/avaaston
www.pinterest.com/avaaston
www.instagram.com/avaaston
www.reverbnation.com/avaaston

When it gets to the Video Submission. Below is my "official online video audition". You may use it if you like or any of the other videos on my youtube channel.

Here's the link to my "Acapella Channel" on my YouTube page. There are over 60+ songs, so you can choose whatever you like best.

"Ava Aston Acapella Channel Youtube":
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD36065AB49A17789

HURRY though the LAST DAY to nominate me is This Wednesday April 30th Midnight Pacific Time! Just follow the prompts and tell them why you think I'd be great for the show. I appreciate your time and support very much! Thank you so much guys, your time is very much appreciated! Have a great week!

Blessings, Love & Music ~
Ava xo
www.avaaston.com

Spring Training

The Doctors Were Wrong... Anything IS Possible!

It's that time again... Time to pack up the winter clothes and get out the warm weather stuff. It's the time of year that can make people start to think about how "out of shape" they have become over the winter. Especially since this has been an extremely long and for many of us a brutal winter. Which only makes me that much more giddy on those days when the thermometer goes above 45 degrees and I can smell that spring is indeed in the air, old man winter is dying, and will soon breathe his last breath for the year.

Like so many others I'm thinking about summer, summer clothes and fitting into them.  Some people might not know this but I used to be a "chunker" as a little Greek Girl. It wasn't until I was an adult that I really got into fitness, healthy eating, working out as a lifestyle and ended up losing over 35 lbs. Now I was never "fat" by any means, I was just well... lets say "well fed". I worked really hard to lose the weight and maintain it for several years, and it was not that difficult, that is until the car accidents.

What car accidents? Some of my blog readers and followers of my music are aware of what happened; For those who are not, my husband and I were in two car accidents two years ago. First we were rear ended by an SUV while stopped at a stop light, pushing us into the car in front of us, totaling my car (RIP "Johnny Jetta" - I had only had about 3 months at the time). Anyway we both suffered several injuries including multiple herniated disks, and probably the most difficult is the Traumatic Brain Injury. Ironically while on the way to the chiropractor less than six months later, we were rear ended again while stopped at a stop light. Which was unbelievable I know, I still can't believe it myself. Needless to say the second rear ending only made everything worse including the TBI.

Now I won't go into the gory details about it because first and foremost we are alive and we have each other. Although we struggle every day just to do things we never even thought about before the accidents, we are thankful for our health and realize that so many other people in the world struggle with worse health problems. Now why am I telling you about all this muckery?... There is a point, bear with me.

See the thing is, my life changed forever that day. It changed for both of us, my husband used to be a fit model, and was even the standing fit model for Marc Jacobs for six seasons. I was in the middle of doing a transformation for a national fitness infomercial for a new product launch. Which I had to drop out of, as I was unable to continue to do hours of high impact cardio and workout to the level required daily. So in the aftermath of trying to recover we both had a choice to make... We have spent the last two years in recovery, doing physical therapy, chiropractic, epidurals, trigger point injections, massage, you name it we have probably tried it.

I even bought a teeter inversion table www.teeter-inversion.com - which is probably one of the reasons I am able to walk around today. I can not say enough about it and it has helped tremendously. But the thing is... everyone at some point in their lives has to struggle with some sort of physical limitations. Weather it be from a car accident, a fall, or weight issues... everyone will at some point, at some time will face something that challenges their physical body. There will come a time when it will literally come down to mind over matter. I know you might be thinking "What are you talking about Greek Girl?... Sounds like gobble goop to me". 

Hear me out. Most people who know me know one thing about me, "Rocky" is one of my favorite movies of all time. I can never tire of watching any of them, and Rocky is one of my heroes. The never give up spirit is something I have always connected with, especially having spent my entire life pursuing my musical dream. However never in my life have I ever really understood what "Never Give Up" meant until now. The TBI is different than the physical stuff, and really besides diet, sleep, and therapy for it, and adjusting how you do things, slowing down ,etc. there is nothing that is going to "make it better". Other than being frustrated when you do something like say leave the stove on for seven hours while you are home and have no idea... it is just frustrating more than anything else, but with it there is no "pain". With the physical things though, there is pain. Your body hurts and the last thing at times you want to do is go "workout".

I've been here, thinking to myself... "I don't need to go exercise I'm injured and I should just relax". This is where so many people get stuck. Stuck to the point where it spirals out of control and their bodies become a prison. I have dealt with it and it takes a conscious effort, choosing every day to do it because it is helping your body to become stronger. Making that choice all starts in the mind. The mind tells your boy what it can and can not do, and your "will" is the gas pedal. Shortly after the second car accident I saw this video on youtube titled "Never Ever Give Up" .

It brought me to tears. It's about a man named Arthur who was a disabled veteran. He was injured from many years of jumping out of airplanes. The doctors told him he would never walk unassisted ever again. He lost hope, and he gained a lot of weight. His story is so incredible and honestly just like Rocky movies I can not get tired of seeing it. I have posted it many times to my Facebook page, but it just seemed so appropriate to spotlight again in relation to "Spring Training".

You see, every single one of us has a struggle. There is something that everyone thinks is out of reach, something that they can never do. The beautiful thing about Arthur's story is he shows us that anyone can change if they put their mind to it. You can change your story and climb your mountain, but you have to make up your mind to do it. You have to tell your body that you will not allow it to keep your spirit locked in a prison. I hope you will enjoy watching his story and seeing where he is today as much as I do, and that you will share it with someone you know who has lost hope. Who thinks they are too far gone, who thinks they can never overcome their obstacle. Arthur shows us that anything is possible, anything... you just have to believe in yourself.

*(If you're reading on a mobile device and video is missing or does not play, click the following link to see - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX9FSZJu448 ) 

Blessings, Love & Music ~
Ava xo
www.avaaston.com

This is My Story

Do what makes your heart happy!

I wanted to take a minute to share what is on my heart.  Most of my friends and fans know what Greek Girl is all about.  You know what I stand for, what my values and ideology are, and what I feel I have been put on this earth to do, and for how long I have been working towards it.

However there are people who are new to my music and message and for those people I wanted to take a minute to explain why the average person would want to help me in this endeavor, and tell you my story.

As a Christian my goal is to be a positive influence to people using the talent that God Blessed me with.  In all honesty my desire is to be a singing philanthropist.  To be able to use my voice to lift people up and to give to those in all kinds of situations who are in need.  There are several organizations I am passionate about helping which are linked to my website.  I am married to a Veteran, and my mom works for the Purple Heart helping Veterans.  I have given free concerts to all kinds of people including Veterans, and given away literally thousands of CD's to our Veterans serving over seas, to kids, sick kids and people.  Because that is what is in my heart to do.

Ever since I was a little kid, from the time I started to talk, I have been getting lost in music.  I was like a little Tina Turner with the hairbrush in the mirror giving concerts in my bedroom, writing songs in my journal.

However when I was growing up people were not going on youtube and then the Ellen Degeneres show at 7 years old getting record deals. So I kept on singing, practicing and honing my skills by recording when I could, writing and singing anywhere and everywhere I could.  I have sang everywhere you can possibly imagine, from nursing homes, to funerals, to weddings, to National Anthems starting at local high school sports games, AA baseball games, College and on up to for Professional Sports Teams all over the country.

When I was growing up - when people listened to music all they cared about was when they heard a song was if it made them feel something.  Did the singer invoke emotions?  That was it.  If it makes you feel something you like it.  If not, you don't... simple right?

Then something weird happened in the music industry...  One day I woke up at 28 years old and I was "too old".  Huh?  Britney Spears came on the scene and followed by American Idol with it's 28 year old age limit and although it had been creeping in for years before - everyone in the industry from potential producers, to managers and anyone who could open up any kind of door... All they were concerned about was the number.

Before they ever heard me sing, and even after they heard something and liked it, it all came down to the million dollar question - "so how Old are you?"...  Silly I concur, but once they hear the number - it changes the entire conversation.  Ridiculous... what are women supposed to do after the age of 28? Jump off a bridge?   It seemed inconceivable to me that anyone would think anyone, a woman specifically is supposed to give up on their dreams and goals after a certain age because they are considered "Not Valuable or not Talented or Marketable".

So I did what any stubborn Greek Girl with a fire and a dream in her gut would do - I stuffed cotton balls in my ears and ran around singing... "La la la la la I can't hear you". I continued to pursue my dream, regardless of what the gatekeepers told me.

So I started to just let people think what they want, I just avoided the topic.  I am also an actor which is about "pretending".  You can be young and play old or old and play young.

I did even sneak into an American Idol audition one time with a fake id only to be pulled aside after I sang by the casting director and told: "Honey you have a gorgeous voice, keep on singing and do not ever stop. However you are never going to be picked by one of these shows... This is TV we have to start in one place and show an arch to the top.  You are way too polished".  My heart sank on the verge of tears.  So I picked myself up by my bootstraps and pressed on.

I still audition for the ones that do not have an "age limit", even though I know that they have already made up their mind about me before I have ever opened my mouth to sing based to the answer to question #2 on the application - my age.  I go because I think maybe just maybe this one time they will put talent ahead of a sad shocking story.  It also does not help that I have a website with a large following on social media, so they google me and see all this stuff, and think I do not need any "help".

I don't have a sad shocking story... the most shocking thing about me is how long I have been working toward my dream without once ever considering giving up.

So... what is a girl with morals and values to do?  I keep going.  I keep making music, when and as I can and putting it out to you guys.  I am not complaining by any means - please do not get me wrong. I chose to follow my dream and to not give up after almost everyone says it is not going to happen, if it were it would have happened by now.

Because I believe that if you have a dream - if you have a purpose, if you know like you know like you know that you were put on this earth to do something, that if you Never Give up, you Can achieve it. Whether it is to lose weight, to be an astronaut, whatever it is... You can do it.

So... how does this tie into this contest you might be wondering?  Well... making the music is not the only thing that takes resources; it is also putting it out to the masses.  There is no way an independent artist such as myself can possibly compete with the resources of a Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry, Rihanna or any of the other artists who are on labels.

Winning the $100,000 in the Veewallvocals Contest, will enable me the chance to for once in my life to be able to put my music and message out to the masses.  To be evaluated for my art and talent, not for the day I was born.

No one can control what opportunities they have had or not had in their life.  Just because I have not yet had the legitimate proper "opportunity" does not mean I am not talented.  It just means it is not my time yet.  I know that God did not put music into me for no reason.

Winning, will give me the chance that the Mainstream Industry will not give me: 1. Because I am a Conservative 2. Because I do not have Pink hair and a Sad Shocking story 3. Because I am not 15 years old.

Talent is what matters, not age.  Age is irrelevant.  You can package a rock to sell if you need to, anything can be "packaged" and it is not like there is something wrong with my package anyhow. However the music industry has a nasty little habit of putting the age, "package and sad shocking story" before talent.

If you are tired of seeing trash everywhere you look, on TV, on the radio, in magazines... If you are not happy about the new season the Kardashain's, and wonder as I do when and why it became cool to sing in your underpants for guys or girls.  Society is manipulated by Pop Culture.  It has been going on for years.  If you desire to see a change in the moral fabric of our society, then there needs to be people in the Mainstream pop culture who actually have decent morals and values.  Actor goes to rehab, great give them another movie or TV role, singer beats his girlfriend - awesome lets give him another Grammy.  Better yet lets buy more of his singer girlfriend’s records after she goes back to him... Someone please stop the insanity.

So If you would like to see someone who has a dream in their heart - who has morals and values and does not sing in their underware to finally after 25 years of banging on doors get an opportunity. Then I am asking you to please join me in voting in the veewall contest.

It is Simple, Easy and Free.

1. Visit Veewall.com & register.
2. Confirm Registration via email
3. Vote Once Daily Through 4/29.

Ava Aston "I Carry You With Me" is up for voting now:

http://www.veewall.com/vocals/video/avaaston

Thank you for your support helping to get my music & message out to the masses.

Blessings, Love & Music~
Ava xox

P/S: Greek Girl doesn't usually do "voting" contests, but hey for 100K this girl has got to try!