I Have a Website!

Playing music, and supporting others in their musical journey, is my souls purpose.

"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." - Neale Donald Walsh

I would like to be the first to introduce you to my website that I am over the moon for and absolutely in love with.  Not only am I finally stepping into my own as a music teacher here in Thunder Bay Ontario, I am stepping into the rhelm of being a holistic spiritually based music teacher/coach.  A very interesting combination indeed.  One that took many many years to fully accept, and now with the help and encouragement from many lovely strong women that have recently come into my life I feel I am ready to fully step in.

These women are "Yes" Women and have inspired me to create my niche that is unique to me.  These lovely women build you up with trusting support, and never knock you down.  They are an intrigal piece to the puzzle I was creating.  Angela G, Stacey H, Meg S, Alison G Thank You Ladies from the bottom of my heart for your creative spirits, and the light you shine so brightly!  Also thank you for the needed boost in confidence and confirming for me what I knew deep in my heart for so long. Your efforts, beauty, and grace do not go unnoticed.  Thank you for your ability to hold space for me when I needed it, for creating and editing with non judgmental eyes and ears, and for seeing something in me that i never thought could possibly be meshed together as seamlessly as it has. Thank You for sharing and helping me learn how to receive from others.  A True Gift!  

There is a saying that I saw in my very near and dear RMT's office (Mrs. Alison G) that has been rattling around in my head for quite sometime. The quote is by Neale Donald Walsh that states "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." This saying is ringing so true for me in 2015.  I have pushed myself more than ever outside of my comfort zone and things are really starting to jive in my life, and all around me.  

I used to be very comfortable with the easy way of doing what was necessary to get through the day, to just start another.  This, I now know is no way to live your most authentic life.  Living an Authentic life has now become a passion and a goal for me in the last year.  It has pushed me to let go of the old to make room for the new.  With living outside of your comfort zone there has to be an acceptance of change, change for the better.  There is fear around change for some, for me living more authentically was not an easy transition.  However, with much self awareness and a lot of care and trust I started to make the necessary changes in my life that facilitated me in outputting large amounts of creative, integrative and soul searching work.  

Sometimes as we know, change is terrifying but I started to make slow changes that helped me shift the way I look at things and see the word. By giving myself permission to get rid of some very negative habits, I was able to make peace to integrate some new life and energy into my creative work and my everyday life.  Some of this creative work is not the highest of quality nor is the the be all end all, but as long as I am creating and welcoming my creative work to change and morph on a daily basis, life is good. As creative people we tend to judge ourselves before we even start to out put anything.  Time to Stop the Judgement, It is now the time to start Creating....Whatever that looks like to you.  Free Yourself from the confines of self doubt and judgment....and Jump Right in!

As an energy practitioner I have always had a major separation between what I do in studio with the music and students and what I do with my energy work for my clients.  It is so refreshing to rip off the veil and be able to offer both under one roof.  No longer am I Arley the vocal teacher and coach or Arley the Energy Practitioner I am integrating both practices into one amazing space to work from creatively!  And it is all about freeing yourself to be in the space and energy. To give yourself permission to let go and sing, to try an energy practice and heal those inhibitions from the inside out!  

This Website has been a major focus of this creative work lately and I am so proud of it.  I hope you have time to take a look at what is going on. Feel free to subscribe to the website to get your free vocal lesson and keep in touch with whats happening in and out of the studio!  The websites name is Arley Hughes Discovering Your Authentic Voice. Come and visit anytime!

International Blues Competition (the mouth of the beast)

Back From Memphis and what a trip that was!!! Growth on so many levels and true teachings from all realms. I have never been a true believer in competition...it is great for some but not for others because the sensitive souls can be punished into thinking the level of their creativity is not good enough to share....So There I was.....put in the mouth of the beast that is competition.....up against some of the most talented bands in all of the U.S.A....95% male......And I have to say it was a spiritually, emotionally, mentally, vulnerable experience for me. Which is amazing because it caused me to look at myself and my craft from all angles. The eye of judgement sitting there in the front row....singing like my life depended on it....leveling up with myself and giving the best performance I could....and it has taken me 36 years of life to get to the point where I know I can do it.....no problem at all....but the aftermath for this little sensitive is still a struggle.....after the competition was over I had a serious two day hangover....no not from drinking but from the sheer weight of the music that exited my physical form.....I sang from the depths of my being and was so overly aware and unaware at the same time......aware of each mistake I made....but yet so unaware, as my body takes a compleatly different form and spirit to what I know to be Arley.......someone else, and something else, comes in and takes over....I see this with so many woman singers......we are not who you know us to be when we sing......there is a transcendence.......as I watched Verlinda Zeno on stage at the Women in Blues Showcase....the crowd in the palm of her hand.....a true goddess of the art.....I stood there in awe of how much medicine she gives out to her audience when she performs.....she sang a song that was quite funny and flirty.....and I watched with tears in my eyes....yes for real tears in my eyes because I was receiving just what I needed from her in that moment.......confirmation of being a strong woman force....being unapologetic in sound......singing from a place of raw human emotion.....it was then that I realized that music is not solely about competition or being the best.......it is about healing, and magic, and sprit, and medicine, true true medicine.....the kind you can't get in a pill....and for that moment I am forever thankful and grateful.......that I allowed myself to sing with abandon....become breathless and let that other Arley take control....if only for a moment.....and to sing my medicine for anyone who wanted to listen.....Thank You Michele Seidman, Verlinda Zeno, 
Sami Chong and so many other fantastic women I met for sharing your amazingness and your medicine in music....Forever in My Heart

Music Keeps My Heart Beating!!!

This song has been sitting on the back burner for me for a very very long time....ever since I started singing Rhythm and Blues I have always wanted to cover this song. Again, full of belty high notes and it was close to impossible for me to hit any of them.....lately I have been working my vocals super hard and challenging my range and I am finally able to get up to those Aretha notes!!! She is a true R & B, Gospel goddess and I sit humbly in the shadow that is the vocal powers of Miss Aretha Franklin!! Music Keeps My Heart Beating!!!