Author: Louise

Last weekend ORFILA played at Blackheath Village Day. We were playing outside and were kindly given red fleeces… these matched our Christmas hats. I kept referring to the face that we all looked like Santa! It was all very fun! Thank you to Tommy, Sorrelle and everybody at The Jimmy Mizen Foundation for asking us to play. Always a pleasure to work with you guys!

Also this week, all the places I teach singing at are currently putting on their Christmas shows. It’s all very exciting. The build up to Christmas is always something to look forward to! All the Christmassy songs, buying Christmas presents and decorations starting to go up… Oh it’s great! Stagecoach in Oxted put on their Christmas show and I LOVED the stage and lighting. So I took a picture… Of course I did!

I do love this time of year (as I regularly state!). YES, it’s freezing and YES, it’s not ideal when you have to sit in your car for 20 minutes whilst you wait for the ice to melt, and YES it’s painful when you can’t feel your fingers or toes… But all that goes away when you’re inside in the warm with your fluffy socks and big jumpers and hot water bottles and countless cups of tea and pretty views… Just like this one:

This was my view one morning this week on my way to teaching. It was so pretty that I thought I’d share it with you.

So, this weekend, ORFILA are playing at a Christmas Show raising money for Diabetes UK! Will post pics and info next week!

Louise xx

Very excited to announce that ORFILA have just released our very first Christmas single! It’s a cover of Shakin’ Steven’s ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’! We have decided that we’re going to donate the proceeds to charity. The charities we have chosen to donate to are Make A Wish and the Willow Foundation. ALL proceeds will be split between the two. (Please follow the links to find out more about both charities).

PLEASE DOWNLOAD VIA THIS LINK: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/merry-christmas-everyone-single/id946889650

To accompany the release of the single, we put together a music video which includes home videos of our Christmases throughout the years:

Louise xx

Not too long ago we released our debut album, Writing On The Wall. After we released the first video to launch the album, we had already decided which song we wanted to use for the next music video and got started with all the planning! We chose ‘You Should Know’, which features on the album. The video will officially be released Thursday 8th December but for now, here’s a Behind The Scenes video from our time on set with the Backlight Film crew:

Please check out our official YouTube channel for the full music video!

Louise xx

Last weekend was so much fun for us Orfs! We played at The Leas Cliff Hall on Saturday night supporting the AMAZING No Jacket Required, a Phil Collins tribute band. They are spot on and Dave (Phil) sounds exactly like Phil Collins…! It’s amazing to hear, so impressive! If you’re a Phil Collins fan and you get the chance to catch them on their tour I’d definitely recommend that you go along!

Above: Us after we played our set! (More photos to follow!)

Sunday, we played at The Forum in Tunbridge Wells. It’s been voted the Best Music Venue by NME and acts like Mumford and Sons have previously played there, so that was pretty awesome….!!!!

We’ve got some exciting news over the next couple of days including where we’ll be gigging over the next few weeks so watch this space!

Louise xx

Here’s a little behind the scenes video put together by Josh and Adam at Backlight Films from when we filmed ‘Writing On The Wall’ music video:

ORFILA have got two gigs this weekend. First is at the Leas Cliff Hall supporting the fantastic Phil Collins Tribute Band, No Jacket Required:

And the second is on Sunday 23rd November at The Forum in Tunbridge Wells as part of the ‘Live In The Living Room But Not In The Living Room Wicked Winter Tour’!

Very much looking forward to our shows this weekend! Will be great to catch up with muso-friends we haven’t seen for a while!

Hope you have a lovely weekend!

Louise xx

It’s always a busy day for ORFILA. We can’t seem to sit still. Even when we do, we’re back to business 10 minutes later because we want to make sure we make the most out of all the opportunities coming our way.

Last week we had a video shoot (we’ll reveal the song it was for soon!), we were in the recording studio (again… all will be revealed soon!!) and we also went in to Academy FM for an interview and catch up with the lovely Craig Hayward and Wayne Conyers who have supported us since day one.

We then played at the Youth Festival of Remembrance where we were surrounded by all kinds of different performers and inspirational people. I have always had huge respect for everything revolving around Remembrance Day and anything to do with remembering those who died for us all those years ago. And even today. I feel like my perception of it all is slightly different this year. I watched Saving Private Ryan for the first time a few weeks ago. I had to attempt it twice as the first fifteen minutes were just so unbearable to watch. Then I managed to sit through the whole film a few days later. I know that wars are horrific, growing up I’ve heard stories and read books and poems etc, but I was so shocked when I was watching this reenactment of what really happened. I had no idea. My heart goes out to those who fought for us and lost their lives. And to those who survived too. I just can’t imagine how truly awful it must have been.

I am so grateful to those who fought for us, and still fight for us, to give us what we have today. Thank you and I hope you’re resting in peace in the knowledge that we are all here remembering you and everything that you did for us.

Louise xx

Our album is currently being played on radio stations all across the UK. This week we found out that ORFILA’s song ‘Be Mine’ was played on BBC Radio Scotland! You can hear it from about 44minutes via this link to iPlayer:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04l3w77

We played at Fremlin Walk in Maidstone last week as part of the Autumn Festival! We had a great time, we were even joined on stage by audience members for our last song!

We also caught up with Chas last week at ‘An Audience With Chas Hodges’. He’s such an inspiring guy with some amazing and interesting stories about his time in the music industry.

I then went to see Chas AND Dave play live in Tunbridge Wells a few days later. A lovely evening spent with Ryan and his dad.

Ryan played a gig last week so it was my turn to watch him take that a stage for this one. Him and his friend James (who plays guitar) put together a set of great songs; including Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, Eleanor Rigby and Don’t Worry, Be Happy. I love hearing Ryan sing!

So on this week’s agenda: lots of filming, lots of rehearsing, lots of teaching, lots of recording and gigs… Lots of them too!

Have many many things to share about what I get up to. I have to be selective with what I include in my blog… So much happens in my little world, you’d be here for hours trying to read each post!!

But for now I’ll leave you with a link to ORFILA’s facebook page as we’ve got lots going on over there so please check it out!

ORFILA’s Official Facebook Page

Louise xx

It’s been another busy week for us Orfs!

Last week we played at the wonderful Pizza Express Music Room in Maidstone. It’s such a lovely venue with a very chilled and relaxed atmosphere… Candles and everything! We had a great time!

We also played at The Barge in Gillingham on Saturday night, which is always a lovely venue to play. Very friendly and welcoming audience. I’m always happy when we are gigging but when there’s candles and pretty lights, it’s awesome!

We then had the pleasure of playing at the amazing Cargo, which is a bar located in Medway. It’s the first time we played there and it was fantastic. We were so surprised and pleased at the turn out!! Thank you so much to every single person who came to support us. It does honestly mean so much to us to see some friendly faces… and some new ones!!

NEXT SHOW:We’ll be at Fremlin Walk in Maidstone on Saturday 25th October from 12pm!

Louise xx

… You’re my sweetheart!

Here’s our latest cover video. Our own version of ‘Ho Hey’ by The Lumineers:

Please share, like and subscribe for more videos and visit our facebook for upcoming news!

Louise xx