Neysa Malone is AMAZING!

So yeah, Neysa Malone is my daughter--there's the disclaimer. She's a singer-songwriter, slogging it out in NYC. Day after dismal or sunny day, she gets up, writes her songs, finds dancers for her music video, heads over to a studio to tweak production on her latest song, or heads to the subway (and sometimes Union Square) to perform. Yes, she's a busker, for now.

She's also a former Berklee College of Music scholarship recipient. She's an invited member of SESAC. She has worked with some pretty famous people, including a producer who was Joss Stone's former musical director. Neysa fronted a back-up band for a couple years in NYC, performing her own originals at the Knitting Factory, Joe's Pub, Arlene's Grocery and S.O.B.'s, among other venues. Her band included a keyboard player and drummer who have gone on to work with Beyonce's all-girl band.

But the people who put money in her bucket don't know this. Neither do the people who take it upon themselves to spew their bad mood or worse day in vomitous words on the internet. On the other hand, the many MANY people who have stopped, emailed her, become a MySpace friend, just to let her know how she brightened their day, and how talented she is, also don't know anything of her background. They just like her, a lot. And that says everything.

Still, I don't know how she does it, honestly. I have a degree in music. I've performed in my life, but quite frankly I just don't have a thick skin. Lousy family background, zero support, in my case. Zero support coupled with constant put-downs doesn't make for a thick skin. I made a lot of mistakes raising my daughter, some like most people do, others unique just to me, or at least only a few of us, I'd guess! But I DID encourage her a LOT with her dreams.

So Neysa, my beautiful talented daughter heads out to the subway. She descends into the bowels of the earth, into the stench and smoke, the grime and dust, the screeching brakes, hauling her heavy amp and her simple bucket. She plugs in her MP3 player and, head held high, sings Madonna tunes, or her own originals.

Some days she makes bunches of money. Others, not so much. She started busking because she had no means to pay a back-up band. And understandably, I guess, people in NYC want money up front. And she needed to perform, needed to reach out. She asked me if I thought it was a bad idea. I said no--many musicians have busked, including Tracy Chapman, Beck, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton. Not bad company.

I do wish she had more chance to perform her own originals (and in a clean, fume-free environment). But she says (and she is probably right) that in the subway, it's a quick fix, and a little uplifting while waiting three minutes for the train, that people need. And that's what she gives them. Despite her own struggles, her periods of discouragement, Neysa Malone still has something to share, something to give. That's an amazing spirit, and it should be honored and cherished. And I do. Hats off to you, honey! You're doing great! And I love you with all my heart.