Blind As Hope album cover and The Ilya Worldwide Congregation.

Today our album is mastered. Today the fabulous Ian Hazeldine has finished re-designing our website and album cover. Ian is a multi-talented individual as he is not only a designer and photographer but also a musician and our music and his photos/design are a match made in heaven :~)

As from today the next part our world domination starteth and that is the wee beastie known as MARKETING!
I have my sleeves rolled up ready for action but meanwhile I just want to tell you about our ILYA WORLDWIDE CONGREGATION.
When the recording of our album was almost finished it occurred to us that it would be a great idea to ask all those who supported us on kickstarter if they would like to not only be producers but also singers on the album. The response was brilliant, even though many sent such funny emails about the quality of their singing! We assured them it was not about perfection of voice, we just wanted them to go for it and sing their hearts out :~) We chose our big ballad - Blind As Hope - to have it's final choruses sung on mass. Around 40 singers, from all around the world (some of who sent multiple tracks of harmonies) are in our choir and it lifts my heart when I hear them all singing with me! But with over a hundred voices in there no one will be able to pick themselves out so I would love you to hear to our youngest - and most angelic of singers - called Nina. Nina is Polish and 5 years old. She does not speak or understand a word of English but one day she heard her father practicing the chorus along to my guide vocal. Later that day her father heard her singing the song as she was going about her business. She had it nailed - so he recorded her! We have just Nina's voice here for you to hear as it is SO lovely and her copying of the English language almost perfect!
Photo of Nina.