27: Listening To Your Heart & The Power of Reinventing Yourself with Melanie Hawkins

Have you ever been propelled into a new chapter of life by a single phone call? 

Join us as we chat with the incredible Mel, who shares her transformative journey from Adelaide to Melbourne, sparked by a pivotal call from Todd Patrick. 

Mel opens up about her intensive year of training at PSA, the guidance of exceptional teachers, and the joy of being part of a tight-knit, dedicated group. Her story underscores the importance of following your heart, staying true to yourself, and the constant reinvention needed to thrive in the performing arts.

Reflecting on our own career paths, we explore the rollercoaster of success and rejection in the performing arts industry. From the fortune of early career breaks to the emotional toll of more frequent rejections, we share personal anecdotes on how these experiences pushed us to reinvent ourselves continually. 

We discuss the lessons learned from every role and gig, expected or not, and how expanding our skills to include singing and acting has shaped our artistic journey.

This episode is a heartfelt exploration of embracing versatility and stepping out of comfort zones. We highlight the importance of perseverance, the support of mentors and peers, and maintaining a sense of joy and reinvention through music and movement. 

Imagine dancing through the streets with headphones on, capturing that dreamlike essence in your everyday life. Whether you're a seasoned performer or just starting out, this conversation is filled with inspiration and the magic of following your heart in the performing arts.

Here Are Your Next Steps 👇🏻

Step One: 🫂 Join Free Facebook Support Group

Step Two: 👀 Check out the Momentum Program for aspiring MT performers looking to become professional

Step Three: 📝Get your FREE Audition Prep Workbook

Step Four: 🎥 Watch our MOST DOWNLOADED Podcast Episode with Luca Dinardo

Transcript

Speaker 1: 1:10

Hello Mel. Thank you so much for being on the show. How are you?

Speaker 2: 1:13

Hello, I'm good. Thanks for having me.

Speaker 1: 1:17

Oh, my god, of course I was just saying we recently were chatting about Todd Patrick, who we can't not mention, as that's kind of how we both are connecting today. We both went to the school and he messaged me not that long ago and said you have to get Mel on the show. I think she'd be great and I'm just so grateful that we've found a time and that we're here and chatting.

Speaker 2: 1:37

I'm so glad. I'm so glad to be here.

Speaker 1: 1:44

I'm a big like podcast girly as well, so it's like kind of fun too. I think this might be my first podcast. Yeah, I feel very lucky to have you on as your first time. Well, today we're going to be chatting a lot about listening to your heart. We've chatted a lot about on this podcast about you know, trusting your gut but going a bit further into you know, really listening to what your heart's wanting and learning how to constantly be in that reinventing stage and not being ashamed or scared to be constantly reinventing and reigniting yourself. But before we get into that awesome topic, I'd love for you to just chat a little bit about you know, your journey from PSA, where we both went through not at the same time, but, yeah, had a very similar experience, I'm sure. What was that experience like for you in terms of the training that you had when you're starting out?

Speaker 2: 2:37

Oh, I wouldn't have changed going there for the world. Honestly, I was just mentioning to you before, like I'm from Adelaide and I had no knowledge of well, the school didn't actually exist. So I was in the first year of it and I was like considering coming to Melbourne but I wasn't sure. And I got this random phone call from this guy, todd patrick, and he kind of just was like I've heard about you, I've heard that you're a great dancer, I would love for you to come over.

Speaker 2: 3:04

And for some reason, something in that phone call, something in his voice and this kind of goes on to what we're going to talk about, but something in that like I just knew that it was the right decision to follow that and it's just that energy and I just in my heart I was like, yep, this is the right thing. So I don't even know, like without knowing him or anything you know, packed my car up and drove over here to Melbourne with zero dollars to my name and, um, yeah, did just one year of full-time training there. But in that year I learned so, so much. I had the most incredible teachers. Like we were so, so lucky Andrew Hawesworth, yvette Lee, you know, we had amazing, amazing teachers.

Speaker 1: 3:47

And how many people were in the school at that time, Because I mean, that was like the start of it.

Speaker 2: 3:51

I know I actually gosh, I mean a few dropped out along the year, which is obviously, which is funny, you know, like that's gonna happen. But, um, I think we started.

Speaker 2: 4:02

Not many, hey, like I want to say 30 yeah I think from memory there was the air, because it was only the one group and because it wasn't divided into musical theatre and yeah, that's. At that point we were just kind of doing everything like we were singing and doing a bit of acting and things like that, but yeah, it was mostly dance stuff and, um, yeah, I feel very lucky because, because the numbers were so low, you got a lot of attention from these teachers and I think that was a gift you know, I mean nowadays like I'm sure there's like over a hundred students.

Speaker 2: 4:39

Yeah, and not saying they don't. You know, I'm sure they account for that and work it all out as we're scheduling, but there was something kind of special about there just being the small group of us and you know you couldn't get away with anything at all, you know from anyone.

Speaker 1: 4:54

Yes, and you said that you went there for a year. What was your training like before that? Were you training much as a dancer in Adelaide?

Speaker 2: 5:03

Yeah, I danced from when I could walk, basically Two and a half years I think, I started ballet at this really, really amazing ballet academy in Adelaide and, yeah, focused mostly on ballet, then moved into jazz and tap and all that. Tap's really big in Adelaide too, so really did a lot of that. And then contemporary acro. You know, you add all the extras in hip-hop whatever comes up.

Speaker 1: 5:27

I feel like the best talent comes from Adelaide. I know so many, so much talented people from Adelaide.

Speaker 2: 5:33

You know what? I think it's similar to the idea of, like Australians in America or UK. It's like the Adelaide or even I wouldn't even just say Adelaide, I would say any kind of smaller, smaller cities, because you kind of have to. If you're going to make it, you have to really want to, because, like, you're not going to go and travel and move to Sydney or Melbourne if you're not totally in love with it, you know, because it's just not worth it. So I think that is part of it.

Speaker 1: 6:04

I don't know absolutely, when you were originally saying about how you're on the phone to Todd and you kind of just had this moment where you were saying, like listening to your heart, your heart saying this is where I'm meant to go. Has that been the same for auditions you've gone through or particular shows that have resonated with you? Do you find that it's your heart that you listen to the most?

Speaker 2: 6:27

I think, yes, I mean, firstly, I'm a classic Leo um. We love Leo's through and through um and just like. Everything is there, you know like my heart on my sleeve tattoo.

Speaker 2: 6:42

I'm just like and I try, obviously, like we all combat it too. Like sometimes it's like you, you forget to and you have to remind yourself to. So it's not. It's not that I'm like constantly nailing that, but um, it, um, it is a constant theme in my life and that's why, you know, when you were, uh, when you asked me to come on the podcast, I was thinking about what to talk about. It's one of the things that's like a constant theme in my life that I realized from the start.

Speaker 2: 7:10

Um, that's, that was something that came up, like you said, when I got that phone call.

Speaker 2: 7:14

It's like it was just a feeling and I had said to you like before it wasn't necessarily like trusting your gut, like I feel like there's a difference between trusting your gut and following your heart.

Speaker 2: 7:28

Like trusting your gut is definitely super important and it's a whole other thing. But for me, I feel like the following your heart part of it has just come constantly in like what shows I auditioned for, um, what people I wanted to work with, you know, like the chemistry between you and another creative or another, um, all of those things. And I think, yeah, following, just following your really listening into your heart and what it's telling you, and I think, as performers, we're very we should be and we are very connected to that, because the reason why we started dancing is because we love it, Like we love, love, love, love, love it. Or we started singing because we love it. So I really think it's so important and I think I've tried to do this is like keep staying connected to that feeling because, it's a feeling that like lives within you, right, so it's like, I don't know.

Speaker 2: 8:26

It's just like. It's almost like nostalgic. I think it's something that I just always come back to. Like you can probably relate to this. Like you know, those days when you get like maybe it's your first show that you ever got. Come back to like you can probably relate to this. Like you know, those days when you get like maybe it's your first show that you ever got, or like, even if it's something smaller, like this gig that you booked or asked to do a cool photo shoot, or I don't know something that just like gave you this, like, like, you just like want to explode.

Speaker 1: 8:52

Yes.

Speaker 2: 8:53

You know like I have the most vivid memories of when I booked certain shows, like Wicked is one of them.

Speaker 1: 9:00

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 9:00

And I remember exactly where I was. Like I was standing in the middle of a street and I was like on my phone and I was jumping like up and down, I was like staring at the sky and I was like thank you, thank you, like crying like I love you, I love you. And then I was like thank you, like crying like I love you, I love you. And then I was like thanking the universe and you know like that feeling should keep living within you. You know, and over the years, like I've gotten older and I've done, you know, different things, but it's something that I've.

Speaker 2: 9:31

I really keep trying to like keep within me, because that's the whole point right yeah, well, it's why we started a lot of the time as well, you know when you first get on stage, when you're or even I remember just like doing classes and just having that right, like all time goes away.

Speaker 1: 9:51

You're just like fully immersed in it. You're there, you know, and I think that's really important that we're bringing this up today, because I feel like in a new generation that's coming up, a lot of people that listen to the show are emerging performers. You know, there's so much information, there's so many things online to compare yourself to, like this. There's so much going on that I think we we forget the fundamentals of what makes us artists and why we're doing it in the first place. So I'm really happy that we're talking about that today.

Speaker 2: 10:21

Yeah, and I think like it's an interesting one because I think it leads into also like dreaming and almost like I like to like romanticize my life a little bit, like on purpose, you know, like intentionally, because I think that no one else is going to do that for you. And yes, I've had many success stories and I'm so grateful for them and I don't want to like stand here and be like it's easy for me to say, like dream your dreams and like follow your heart.

Speaker 2: 10:54

Easy for me to say, like dream your dreams and like follow your heart when things are not going your way. Right. But I still think that it's maybe even more important then, you know, because I was thinking about this and I was like it's almost like the same as love, like romantically or friendships-wise, right. It's like you say, you know, like keep opening your heart and keep like risking falling in love at the risk of getting hurt. Well, I feel like that's what it's like as a performer risking your heart. Like go into an audition when you just think like in your head you're going, I, I would rather die than not book this show, right?

Speaker 2: 11:33

yeah like it feels like that sometimes, like you're like if you loved, say, if it was like your dream show, you know, and you were like I would literally just rather not die, obviously, but I would that was a joke, but like I would rather just like bury myself in my cinema and like not see the like a whole year than not get this show, you know. And so there's such a risk there sometimes because we're just putting our heart on the line and.

Speaker 2: 12:03

I think that you just have to do it. That's all I can say about that is like if you don't, you're still going to get hurt. It's still going to hurt because you're pretending to yourself. You know like it's not real. You're just faking it because inside you really know that it's what you love and it's what you want. And so I just think like feeling okay to really go there and really like dream those dreams, and you don't have to like say it out to the world, you don't have to put an Instagram post being like I want this, this, this, but inside yourself, have those like little private conversations with yourself where you're it's. I think it's okay to just be like I really want this.

Speaker 1: 12:44

It's really.

Speaker 2: 12:45

It's really what I love, it's really a dream of mine, and then it kind of allows you emotionally to like go the whole way there and then, if it happens, wow, how amazing, right. And then if it doesn't, I think then it's that process of like really feeling those feelings too, like feeling the heartbreak of it, going through that, moving through that and then falling in love with with something else, which you will and you always do, and it always makes sense in the end, you know.

Speaker 1: 13:16

Well, I mean, with all the things that you've done, I'm sure there's been countless, if not probably even more, auditions that you've not got through and not done. You know, and you've probably had to go through those stages and wanting to bury yourself in the sand. And was it your heart that guided you through those periods or how did you kind of pick yourself up? You know, I know that you mentioned to make sure that you have space to feel those feelings. It's not about just like pushing to the side, but was there any points in your career so far that you had moments that you wanted to bury yourself, and how long did you stay there? What did you do to get out of it?

Speaker 2: 14:02

You know, I have to be honest with you, I was very, very lucky for a very long time and I didn't really not get anything I went for and I'll tell you why. A lot of that had to do with timing, because I did a bunch of like long running shows and things, so I wasn't doing a lot a bunch of like long-running shows and things, so I wasn't doing a lot of auditions. I would like audition for a show, do it for, like you know, two years or something, and then do another audition, and that was just kind of how it played out for me. So that's just me being honest about that. However, as time went on, yes, I did have auditions that I did and I didn't get them. Yes, 100%, just not so much at the start.

Speaker 2: 14:34

Yes, and when that happened for me, I think that I really, yeah, I definitely felt super down and I let myself feel that way and I also just like, gave myself the time to think about, maybe the reasons why it was okay that I wasn't doing that show, maybe the reasons why it was okay that I wasn't doing that show, um and um and what else could come up for me next, and just like and this kind of goes into. The other kind of topic that I was talking about is where I feel like, around that time, that was when I started to reinvent myself a little bit. So I think that's where I started to think outside the box, because I think it's like these things come up and you're kind of you're come, you've come up to like a door closing on you and you have to look to the sides and be like, okay, where am I going to go?

Speaker 2: 15:35

yeah, um, that's not to say it didn't hurt me and all of that, but yeah, I think I really felt it went through it. And then I kind of looked around and I was like, okay, what kind of other things do I want to do in my career? Um, that I could do instead of just like kind of auditioning for the same kinds of things again and again, and maybe I want to try something different.

Speaker 1: 15:56

So, yeah, that was kind of where that came up for me, if I'm honest yeah yeah and I feel like I mean every person that I've had on here has agreed with this that you know what you're going for and what you get is exactly what is meant for you in that moment. And a lot of the time we can't swallow that pill in the time when we do really want it. But anything that I've not gotten and or I have gotten like, there's been. I won't say wish, but there's been some shows that I've gotten being like, you know, I didn't think I would have loved it or I didn't know what the opportunity was there.

Speaker 1: 16:32

But every time I've done a show, there's been, you know, so much learning and after the uh contracts finished I'm like, oh, I get it, I get why. I got this? Because I was meant to learn this lesson, um, which is a beautiful thing that you actually don't understand until you do a show, because a lot of the time we just think, oh, we're just, we're so focused when we're starting out on just like getting the gig, getting the show, whatever, but there's so many beautiful miracles that happen from doing it and it could be one lesson, but it could be the exact lesson that you need, um, in that moment I so agree with that and I think, you know, and I feel like the older I've gotten, the more I'm able to see that before the before the fact more, which has been a really cool like learning thing for me, because I think I wouldn't have seen that years and years ago, especially at the start, in that time that I said that I felt like I was like really booking a lot of shows.

Speaker 2: 17:28

You know, it's like I think now, um, that I'm a bit older, I really look at each kind of gig, each show, and I go what is what might be the reason that this show might be good for me, or this role, or something different, as opposed to just feeling uncomfortable, being like this is very different for me, or this is like I'm not sure, or like, you know, maybe I don't get to be like hot and sexy in this show, or maybe I don't. You know, like there's all these little things that we tell ourselves or like maybe I'm not doing it, singing a solo line or whatever. You know it's like yeah, and then you do it and I wholeheartedly agree with that. I really, you know, I feel like sometimes you even learn more from those ones and you come out and go.

Speaker 1: 18:08

Oh my gosh, I'm so much of a better performer because of that yes, oh my gosh because if you were doing those ones that you knew you were going to smash all the time yeah maybe there's not as much growth there no, yes, I mean I feel like I could talk about just that topic for hours, but just circling back on, when we're talking about, you know, re reinventing yourself and not being scared to do that, I feel like, as a performer, we're constantly in that reinventing, with the industry ever changing, and not just in mt but in performing arts even, you know, corporate, whatever it is. I feel like, as an artist, we are in inherently is that the right word like inherently always changing and having to reinvent ourselves.

Speaker 2: 18:54

But I would love to, yeah, talk a bit more on that and how that's kind of played out in your life too yeah, well, for me, like obviously coming from mainly a dance background and then having to really add singing and acting to the mix.

Speaker 2: 19:10

You know that was a part of reinvention, I guess, and kept and I kept improving that and, um, adding that in as I went along and working on those things.

Speaker 2: 19:20

Um, but then more recently in my life, and during that time that I was telling you where I was auditioning and not getting as many things as I hoped I would get in the musical theatre realm, I had this opportunity given to me to be in a circus cabaret and that was like very different for me and something you know I'd just been doing musical theatre for a long, long time, like 10 plus years.

Speaker 2: 19:52

At this point and, yeah, once again following my heart, I felt in my heart, like when I had this discussion with the director who approached me and asked me to be a part of the show, and I was feeling into it and it was super different. It was quite scary actually, like some of the things I had to do. I had to be naked on stage and all of this stuff that I'd like never done before, oh my God. And I just felt into that feeling and I went with it and gosh, it was one of the biggest blessings of my life because I basically ran away with the circus for three years. Cool, and that's what I've been doing mostly the last few years actually.

Speaker 2: 20:28

Wow, yeah, mostly the last few years actually, and, yeah, it was such an amazing experience to go into cabaret, as you probably know these amazing cabaret performers that sometimes they cross over with musical theater a lot as well, but the level of talent and ability to like connect with these smaller audiences yeah, things like that is just something different that I hadn't done as much like a whole another world. Yeah, and it requires so much like, so much connection, like direct connection, like I've been doing.

Speaker 2: 21:02

You know, 2000 seat theaters which are amazing and the best, obviously, um, so this was really different and uh, yeah, wow, like that was. That was something where I really I changed, you know, changed my path and then I really saw my kind of level of growth just go uphill like really fast yeah yeah that was really interesting to watch.

Speaker 2: 21:28

I was like, wow, I'm so much more comfortable than I was, you know, two months ago. And then again, and again, and again. Having now done this show that I did for so long and I've just finished it for a while, I've come out of it and I'm like my gosh, yeah, I don't know, it was really cool and I think performers shouldn't be afraid to do things that are a little bit different like that. It might be scary, but I think, yeah, the growth is great.

Speaker 1: 21:58

Well that's it, I feel like any time we're in growth we have the most like happiness.

Speaker 1: 22:05

I know that might sound a bit cliche, but I mean we as humans are going to be scientific now we're actually designed to grow Like.

Speaker 1: 22:12

Whenever we are learning and growing, we always feel better off, we feel like we're moving forward, that we're progressing, so for sure.

Speaker 1: 22:22

And I mean there's absolutely no harm in doing the same class and if that's like bringing you a bit of fun. But I think as performers, we need to be constantly challenging ourselves and choosing growth over comfort, because definitely that's always a place where you're going to find those little nuggets of success that you didn't know were there and how good they just, you know, listened to your heart and you went away with the circus and I'm such a big believer in that, no matter what, whether it's cabaret, circus, musical theatre, gigs at Crown, like you know what I mean I feel like there is always opportunities for growth, and even in class, if you're not performing yet, I've always told my students that in every single class there is a place to learn and to learn something from the teacher, no matter who it is or what you're learning from, and I think having that mindset has helped me personally as well, but I love how that's played out into your life too.

Speaker 2: 23:22

Yeah, and I think it's important not to make assumptions about yourself, you know.

Speaker 2: 23:26

I think, that's a big one, especially in this day and age, with everyone really expressing their identity a bit more in their personal identity a bit more, you know, being more open to that. I think don't put yourself in a box. Let other people do that for you. Don't assume like, oh, I look this certain way. They won't want me to do that like old school, like gig, or I'm more commercial, so like they're not going to really want me for like a musical. It's like. Don't like do that for them.

Speaker 2: 24:01

Just, you know, I think I know everyone says it's like it's one of those things that we say a lot like being a jack of all trades, but I really like for me it's served me so, so well. Just like really committing to everything you know, yeah, like being in that hip-hop class and being like whoa, I'm definitely not one of these guys but like it's going to serve me. Then, when I do this gig where I have to do like a bit of hip-hop in it and like I'm pretty good at it, you know, so it's like it's not my thing.

Speaker 2: 24:30

But, um, yeah, don't. Yeah, don't cut, don't sell yourself short.

Speaker 1: 24:35

Let the industry will do that for you anyway, but you don't need to and I think that plays in a lot of longevity and, um, I've had a uh, a similar career in you in the sense that when I was starting out for the first five or six years, like I had kind of back-to-back shows, but I think that came down to my willingness to just constantly want to grow and pick things that were forcing me out of my comfort zone. And I think if you are listening in and you're in full-time, you're already growing so much because you're getting so many things thrown at you. So if you've just finished or you're in a period where you need to, um, you know, I have a saying that says sort it out, which is a bit of tough love. I have days where I have sorted out days. So if I'm feeling a bit low and stuff, I'm like, right, taylor, you need to sort it out.

Speaker 1: 25:20

You know, just go to that class, get to that singing lesson, whatever it is. That's just gonna push you a little bit out of where you are. It's the fastest way, I think, to going back into that growth. Um, and also on that, I'm a big believer as well in, uh, just sourcing things, that because we already know right, we already know what we need to do. We already know, inherently, like the things that we need to do that make us feel good that will push us, us out. So I think, again, it goes back to listening to your heart, listening back to yourself and trusting that you actually know what you need to do. We just need to give us a little bit of courage and a little bit of strength to just go and actually do it.

Speaker 2: 26:02

Yeah, yeah, and I think, you know, just while you were talking then it was making me think of, of, like I really rode the highs, like I've had a lot of highs in my career thus far and I'm, you know, like, when I think about them, like I could cry thinking about them, because I really, like, I'm so in love with, like the journey I've had so far. I couldn't have been, I never would have dreamed that all of this would have happened. Honestly, if you told me when I was 17, I would not have believed you.

Speaker 2: 26:34

Yes, but you know, when you were talking then I was thinking of, like myself, when I went through like harder times or other people out there that are not having those highs all the time, and I think it's like, um, I think just remembering as well that this is a community that we're, we're part of, like it's, it is a community yeah and so you know, reaching out and connecting and um and finding those people around you that you connect with, whether it be like your favorite choreographer or your friend that you love to dance next to, or someone that you love like just singing with, like on the guitar, with Thank you, thank you, you, mom or dad, to like take you to class, or you know that it comes from somewhere or you'd rock up early and you'd just be like jumping around and stay late and then you get home and dance more like crazy.

Speaker 2: 29:02

Yeah, yeah, so yeah, I don't know, I did that just when you were talking before it. Just I was thinking like the good moments are great as well, but really, like you know, thinking about when it's hard as well, like tapping into that feeling again, I think is a good thing to do. Yeah, it's crucial.

Speaker 1: 29:22

Absolutely yeah. Has there been any? As we're kind of coming near to the end of the show, I feel like I could talk to you forever, but has there been any? As we're kind of coming near to the end of the show, I feel like I could talk to you forever, but has there been any advice and it could have been from Todd or anyone in your career that's like helped you in some sort of way, like what's the best form of advice you feel like you've been given as a performer?

Speaker 2: 29:46

I have a lot of like strong women in my life that have been around me One, my agent, peter Webb, and one, my dear, dear friend, who I work with and for a lot, yvette Lee and I think, like both of them over the years have really helped guide me and give me amazing advice about myself and my career and I think, yeah, I think both of them in different ways, just kind of reminding me like who I am and why I'm special, and I think it's not even like so many words, but I think, yeah, I think that's kind of the best. It's. It's not really advice, I guess, but it's like I think it's like re guiding you back to you a little bit. Um, that's not really the answer to the question, but I think it feels like advice to me because I think sometimes, when you maybe feel like you're doubting yourself or whatever which I have in certain moments over the years, and I think it's just been really important to have people that are outside of you viewing your career from an outsider perspective and just be able to kind of see it clearly, because we get in our own stuff, yes and um, yeah, I think I think one of one of the bits of advice was kind of was kind of what I said before, like don't, don't um, yeah, don't judge yourself before. Like they got like before the audition panel is basically going to, because I think for me, coming from dance first and then moving into singing and acting, I was like that classic example of like I'm not a singer, I'm you know, like all of that stuff which is just so common.

Speaker 2: 31:46

And yeah, I think it was really good, I think, to have these women in my life, like remind me, like I remember my agent actually saying to me before I went in for a final callback which was for a specific singer actor role, and she was just like you can you know like don't, don't like get ahead of yourself like that, like you are, you are this, like you, you just have to be it. You know like, don't like get ahead of yourself like that, like you are this, like you just have to be it. You know, like don't, yeah, don't judge yourself in that way, because it will happen anyway. So you just need to. Yeah, kind of like let those thoughts go. This kind of idea of who you think you are. It can be really toxic. I think it's important to have someone from the outside check you and be like no, you're that Like you just do it and let them make the decision you know.

Speaker 2: 32:40

So, yeah, that was a really long-winded way of kind of getting to that, but I think that's been really good advice yeah absolutely.

Speaker 1: 32:49

I mean, I speak a lot on the show about having mentors and I've been lucky enough to become a mentor for a lot of the people in the community that are emerging performers.

Speaker 1: 32:57

And, just because you know, I've also known the benefits of having people in your life that can check you, make sure that you're staying grounded and that you also uh, you know staying in in your lane. I think we can just get pulled into so many different directions in this industry, but I think, at the end of the day, if you have a good, you don't even need many people. But I think, like you have, you can count all of them in one hand, or even like half of a hand. I think you're in a in a really good position to just move forward in a way that is going to be most supportive for you and that may take a little while to find those people, but if you are lucky enough to be in full time, I'm sure many of your teachers could be one of those. I hope people have got a lot out of speaking with you. I know I have and it's just been awesome having you on. Yeah, I just can't thank you enough.

Speaker 2: 33:52

I'm keen to go ahead with my day and continue reinventing myself, yes, and romanticise your life and just listen to music and walk around and walk down the street and just be like I love to dance, I love dancing it reminds me of Christina Aguilera in Burlesque, where she's like, got the headphones on and she's down the street.

Speaker 1: 34:07

That's it.

Speaker 2: 34:08

That's the dream street.

Speaker 1: 34:09

That's the, that's it. That's the dream, all right, that's everyone's, that's everyone's call to action today get your headphones on, go down the street. If you're in melbourne, um well, if it's, if it's tuesday, and well, it's probably not by the time you hear this. But if it's sunny, or even if it's not sunny, get the headphones on, go for a dance, either inside, outside put on chapel roan's new album.

Speaker 1: 34:28

It's smashing oh, that's the vibe, all right. Yeah, I'll have to add it in the show notes so everyone can listen to it straight after. Yeah, thank you so much, mel. Thank you.

Speaker 2: 34:38

What a joy. Thank you so much for having me you're welcome.