What's Up

Thank you Facebook July 2, 2009

...it's about time! We finally have an official facebook url: www.facebook.com/cjlimusic It's about time! We had that long, terrible name before that no one (including me) could never remember. Anyways, tell your friends! :) Later!

To My Fellow Canadians July 1, 2009

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!! Enjoy that sun, Vancouverites! :)

More than Words June 27, 2009

We are currently uploading an "Extreme" cover vid onto YouTube! This vid was taken at Stanley Park in Vancouver on a very windy day. Ended up playing some frisbee, walking on the beachy area & playing in the park... we put some more outtakes in there for you at the end. ;) Enjoy!

RIP MJ June 25, 2009

RIP to the greatest songwriter/singer/dancer~ :(

Haruka Kanata June 22, 2009

Last night I posted a vid of our Naruto-"Haruka Kanata" cover. Pls excuse the bad Japanese- haha! It was really hard learning those lyrics and playing at the same time! Hope you like the vid. :) Btw, hurray for us on getting our official 800th subscriber (Dark867) on our YouTube channel! Thx so much everybody!

Evolution Pics June 18, 2009

New pics from Anime Evo's closing ceremony concert are up! They look awesome, I'm so happy! We also took some "behind the scenes" shots of me putting on make-up while my band members teased me- it's nice to have those fun memories in the gallery for you guys to see! Also, some fan and autograph pics, very cool. I'll stop here, just go take a look. :)

Thank you x 1,000,000 June 14, 2009

Oh my~ Today's performance was one of the craziest/most fun shows we've ever done! From the craaaazy dancing peeps up front, the awesome supportive audience & amazing lights/sound- everything seriously went so well and was so much fun. THANK YOU so much for making our gig tonight so freakin' fun & for rocking with us! For those of you who managed to purchase my CD, thank you x 1,000,000 for your support and believing in me. Just a reminder, iTunes sells all your fav CJ songs to satisfy your cravings. :) You are all amazing & I totally luv u...(just as much as I love anime!) Rock on everyone & thx again for making tonight so special! Oh, feel free to email me- I promise to message back. :)

Anime Evo- Tomorrow! June 11, 2009

See you tomorrow!!!! :)

Time Change! June 6, 2009

Just letting you know, our Anime Evolution timeslot has been changed to 5pm. That gives those who have school that day some time to get to the convention! Hope to see you there! :)

Something Beautiful on iTunes! June 2, 2009

YES!!!! My new single "Something Beautiful" is finally available on iTunes! HERE :)

Twitter May 28, 2009

I've finally set up a Twitter account. I seriously don't know how to use it yet, but I'll figure it out. :P Add me, & we'll "chat"... can you even chat on Twitter? @_@ Oh boy.: twitter.com/cjlimusic

Gigs... here we come May 28, 2009

And so it starts! Gigs will be updated as we go. We're ready for the summer!

The Guiding Light May 17, 2009

Blog updated...

"CJ WHERE'D YOU GO!!" (direct quote from fanmail) May 14, 2009

No, I haven't disappeared. :P Read my "Inner Rebel" blog for the update of why I haven't really been around in the last while.

CJ Wishes May 10, 2009

Happy Mother's Day to the moms out there! :)

CJ x BadAss Music May 7, 2009

Hurray~ CJ is now officially working with BadAss Music in hopes of getting her songs in movies and onto your screens! Let's keep our fingers crossed!

Mili In Korea April 29, 2009

Mili, our drummer, will be staying in Korea for a month to visit her family. Sucky for us, but we're happy for her! :) Looks like we're gonna need a temporary Mili-replacement for gigs this month. Know anyone good?

First Round- Pass, Second Round- Fail! :P April 25, 2009

Alright, so yet again, I made it through the first round, and stopped at the second. No worries ppl, pls don't send me sympathy emails or anything~ lol! :) Check out "My Inner Rebel" for the whole story on today's competition!

The Beat Music Awards April 24, 2009

Tomorrow I'll be "auditioning" for the Beat Music Awards! I've been on lots of Beat-hosted competitions and always seem to get the finals, but then no luck. I don't know what exactly they're looking for, too bad I can't sing my originals though!~ Very sucky! I'll give you guys the update tomorrow!

Time After Time I've tried to Make ProTools work! April 22, 2009

I've put my noobie ProTools skills to the test- and this is what happened. Don't be too judgmental, be nice...! :P

YESSSS!!! April 17, 2009

Exams are finally over, I'm graduating, and can FINALLY focus on my music! :D Keep your eyes peeled on here for new stuff that'll be coming up!

Boobies= New Award in Japan April 5, 2009

Our Boobies video has been out for only a few days and has received lots of hits! Very awesome- and to top it off, we've been given "#68 - Most Subscribed (All Time) in Japan" and "#60 Most Viewed (This Week) Musician in Japan" awards. Thx again to all our YouTube watchers, supporters & subcribers!

Feel My Boobies! (well, yours really...) April 1, 2009

That's right, all you lovely ladies! We're helping spread the message to young women, to remind them to "feel their boobies". Here's an original tune, that I hope you peeps will enjoy. Lyrics are also posted! Don't forget to comment and help spread the word like a crazy wildfire! Post it on your blogs, Facebook, anything- and let's get our friends/family into the healthy habit of FEELING their BOOBIES! :) www.feelyourboobies.com

Breast Cancer Campaign March 25, 2009

Big stuff coming up next week or so. This weekend, we'll be working on a lil video exclusively for a Breast Cancer Awareness campaign. I've already written an original composition and am so excited to get this project going!

Jazz-it March 21, 2009

Just a reminder that I often update the "My Inner Rebel" section, so keep checking there. :)

"Most Viewed Award" March 19, 2009

I uploaded a new vid at 2am this morning, and just now noticed that another "Most Viewed Today" award that popped up on our YouTube page! Hurray! :) Thx everyone for the views! Cliquez ici!

You're Lovely, with your Smile so Warm March 19, 2009

Can you guess the lyric above? I've uploaded another Youtube vid. An "older" sweet ballad, check it out! :)

You Changed Your Look?! March 17, 2009

Every so often, we'll be changing our "look", ie. the banner up top! It'll usually point out upcoming stuff that's happening, or sometimes just to look different. Change is always nice, and it's pretty sweet to see something new now and again- at least I think it is anyways! :)

Climbing up the Ladder! March 09, 2009

Hurray! We've reached yet another high on our YouTube, and have now claimed the "70th Most Subscribed Musician in Japan". How many times have I thanked you guys... but I don't care- I'm doing it again! Thx so much for everyone support & encouragement. Seriously, reading your comments and emails always gives me the motivation to do my best. You all rock! :D Talk soon!

Matchbox20 Cover Craze March 03, 2009

Another Matchbox20 cover vid uploaded to YouTube (recorded in the freezing cold!!!)... Updated "My Inner Rebel" as well! :D

Happy March! March 01, 2009

Time flies by crazy fast! Mondays and Fridays just come and go, and cycle over and over. Then, before you know it, it's already another month! Anyways, we're proud to announce that we've officially hit the 200,000 views mark on YouTube and have nearly 600 subscribers to our channel! Very exciting stuff- thx again every1!

"She Said I don't know If I've ever been Good Enough" February 25, 2009

That's the line that got me hooked on this song for some reason. It's just so catchy! That's right, I did a new cover vid of Matchbox 20's "Push". I only sang a verse and bridge, because really, that first line was the best part. ;) Here it is, pls comment/rate it!

New High in "Nihon" February 23, 2009

We've hit a new high on Youtube! Our newest award is "#73 - Most Subscribed (All Time) - Musicians - Japan" Arigatoo gozaimasu to all the subscribers!

Skatepark Pics February 17, 2009

Image Gallery has been updated! New skatepark and well, normal-park pics! :)

Pix r up! February 6, 2009

Need I say more? Take a look at our new image gallery!

New Website! January 29, 2009

In case you haven't noticed... ;) Our new website is done! Hurray! I'm super happy about how well this new site came together. We have a few new sections, including "My Inner Rebel", which will feature personal diary-like entries. Very exciting! As you can tell, we're still working on a few things, so be sure to check back soon for new updates, SONGS, pics and tons more stuff! And of course, special thanks to my good friend, James, who put this awesome site together~ You rock, buddy! :D Talk soon everyone!

My Inner Rebel

Aqurium July 2, 2009

When's the last time you guys have been to the aquarium? :) I went w/ a friend of mine & I forgot how much fun it was! Ok, let's get something straight- of course I feel really sorry for the poor fish who are stuck in a mini-cube. But, also slightly thankful as I would've never had the chance to see such beautiful animals otherwise. Seriously, I'm such a water person! I love all sea creatures. Oh, and there was a garden as well. This was the first time I ever held a real butterfly. For some reason it was super friendly and just sat on my finger while showing off its wings. Kinda tickled when it moved around. We saw tons of really cute fish of course- dolphins, jellies, turtles, sharks. You name it! (Actually got kinda hungry for sushi afer... I'm evil!! T_T). lol~ :P


After, we walked around a beach-like area and saw some dude fishing. I asked if he had caught anything, which he didn't... and asked if I could try it out. I seriously felt a tug on the string and got so excited! Then, I reeled it up only to find an empty hook. Apparently, I mistook the current of the water for a fish. T_T so sad! Further along our walk, we ended up at a water park, which also had a life-sized dryer! Very exciting. haha~ Umm, I think it was for kids only, cuz it wouldn't turn on when I stepped in it. Perhaps I broke it or something. Our day came to an end with some awesome Italian food.
Such a long, but awesome day! I wouldn't trade days like these for anything. I'm not into "partying"- in fact, I really hate alcohol & clubbing ><. I love my friends & am so lucky we're content with hanging around a campfire, sipping on a latte, rocking on stage or even mistaking current for a fish. :) Good times, good times.

Coolest Teens June 25, 2009

Yesterday the band and I did a show at BC Chidren's Hospital. We got to perform in an awesome teen lounge & had tons of fun! After the show we had a chance to mingle and play a bit of Rockband with the teens! It's funny how Rockband can be so much harder than actually playing/singing in real life, lol! We totally sucked & I managed to "fail" singing Joan Jett's Bad Reputation. >< Oiii~~ The kids were wayyyy better than us! Overall, we had an good time there & made some cool new friends! :)

Pics & More June 18, 2009

Funny to think that this time last week, I was checking into my anime evo hotel! Time passes way too fast! Anyways, I just went through the pics today and had them uploaded. They are so cool, and I seriously had the most fun at that gig than any other. I also found some vids of our performance floating all over the net- haha! Oh my~~~ It's still weird to have people call themselves my "fans", etc... I like to use a more personal word like "friend" or something. Anyways, glad the pics turned out, and I'm working on getting approval to upload the concert vid to our YouTube page. :) Off to a friend's house- talk soon!

Anime Evo Madness Starts June 11, 2009

Wow, after all that, our gig is finally tomorrow. We're good to go, and so is the poster! Yay!!! It's finally finished and I'm really excited to post that huge thing behind us. I'll be sure to take pics for those of you who can't make it. One of the cover songs we're doing is Naruto's "Haruka Kanata". I still haven't fully memorized the lyrics... T_T It's so confusing with all the different syllables and the verses are so damn similar. I'll try not to mess it up. (And I'll sure to play guitar SUPER LOUD so you can't hear my Japanese) :P Anyways, off to the hotel (wow, sound so rockstar @_@)- hopefully see you tomorrow!

Power Rehearsals! June 7, 2009

Nikko, Patrick and I rehearsed at school for a whole 5 hours straight and were absolutely POOPED afterwards. Lol. We got a lot done and managed to get through the set a few times- hurray! Best part is, we hung out for sushi after. Sooo worth it! :) Can't wait for the gig, it's gonna be awesome! OHH, and in one part of the set, we play a version of Musical Chairs (well, musical instruments in this case), where I hop on drums, Nikko on Bass and Patrick on guitar/vox. It's so fun changing things up once in a while.

I dunno what to call this post! June 5, 2009

I've ran out of creativity- it all went into the 5 hours of working on that poster today. My back is breaking from hovering over the poster & carefully placing masking tape. Lol- I used up the whole roll, which is exactly 200 metres! That's a lot of metres! Anyways, I was complaining about how hard the "C" and "J" were to stencil out last time. This time, we put vine-like swirls EVERYWHERE which made it a million times harder. haha! Well, I must say, the poster is coming along nicely and I'm really happy with it so far.
Since Mili (my drummer) is still in Korea (T_T), we had to find a temporary Mili-replacement. His name is Nikko, and he's Patrick's friend- really cool guy. His drumming is much more "adventurous" than Mili's, which is neither good nor bad. We're working on teaching him 12 new tunes in one week for Anime Evolution. Oh man... that's a lot of songs to teach someone, but Nikko's catching on quickly. Looking forward to the many hours we'll be spending banging away on the drums & guitars in the steamy warehouse! :D Yeah!

Arts & Crafts! June 1, 2009

Since Anime Evolution is coming up, I figured it's about time I get my very own "CJ Li" poster that I can stick behind me & the band while performing. Well, I never realized just how much work & how expensive it was going to be! My buddy and I went to buy the fabric and paint. The fabric is really cool- it's like a jeans/canvas material & the paint is a bright white colour. Very, very sweet! Well, the hard part began with hem-ironing the edges. We then had to draw (free-hand) the letters with chalk & tape the "curved" edges with an inconvenient straight-edge, ie. masking tape! The "C" and "J" took forever with all the curves! Good thing my name only has 4 letters!~ Anyways, the poster is lying on my living room floor (thanks, mom! lol!) and drying from the prep paint. Looks good for now, hope we don't mess it up! haha- I'll keep you updated!

You'll Always Be the Warmest Hug May 26, 2009

My grandma passed away peacefully, with family by her side last week. Family & friends were busy the whole week planning the funeral, going through old pictures, editing pics for the slideshow, etc... I've never had anyone I've been close to pass away before. Sometimes I don't think it's really hit me yet, as I used to see my grandma only once a week anyways due to school and what not. I thought that maybe at the funeral, it would really sink in and I'd be able to get a good cry out- but I didn't too much. When I saw my grandma's body, I didn't feel that it was my grandma. I obviously knew it was, but it felt like more of a doll to me. It was very clear that her soul was gone and all that remained was a shell- strangest feeling, but also reassured me that her spirit was around us, rather than just lying in a coffin box. It's a really, really sad feeling, knowing that even if I wanted to, I would never be able to see her again. "I'll miss you" doesn't do this feeling justice, it's a million times more than that.

I used to think that love just hurts people- I know, it sounds stupid. But for once, just seeing how many people showed up to the funeral, I really got a sense of how one life made such an impact on other people's lives. My grandma was the trunk, and we were all the little branches that grew from it. I hope one day, I'll be able to make such bonds and inspire so many people as she did, of course, with music at my side.
RIP 'Grandma'- I love you and I'll miss you.

"Show Me the Guiding Light that Brings Peace of Mind."- Randy Adams (1950-1993) May 17, 2009

That was a quote, written on the fishtank in the Palliative Care unit. My grandma's IV's came off today, and we're trying to keep her comfortable and letting her know that she's going be in heaven soon. I can't look at her for more than a minute without having tears blur my vision. I know she's had a really long and wonderful life, but it's still really hard letting someone you love go forever. I also wonder if she's going to be alright once she leaves earth and if she's scared or ready to go? All of us will have to go through this one day or another, but it's different when you KNOW your time has finally come- what exactly would be going on in your mind? She can't speak.

There's a little lounge where I guess family of loved ones can go for a rest. It was empty. I got curious and decided to check it out. Once I turned on the lights, the first thing I noticed were these beautiful strings of origami, draped like curtains along the ceiling. Whoever made them had so gracefully folded and placed their work of art so precisely under the lights, that it gave the impression that the cranes were floating. In the room, there was also a floral couch, fireplace, bookshelves, stereo, flowers, paintings- everything and anything to make people feel "at home". After taking a walk through and looking at all the decorations, I wondered how many people had been in this room before me. It seemed that everyone who had, had left a little footprint or their story behind by leaving something beautiful and sentimental in that room. You could just feel the warmth in the air and it made you feel less alone...

Sunset May 14, 2009

I know a lot of you have been wondering why I've been neglecting my site and music lately. My grandma had a stroke about a week ago and has been pretty much unconscious since. My grandma, btw, is 96 yrs old. It's been really hard on the whole family. Sorry about not doing gigs lately or what not, but even as an artist whose whole life revolves around music, I have to prioritize my time, and right now, my grandma needs me. While I was at the hospital, I took a look at the sunset and really wished my grandma could see it. It was so beautiful. And at night, when you walk out on the balcony, you can see a shinning moon hovering above the city. I really hope my grandma can get through this again. My heart is broken.

Mom's Day May 11, 2009

Yesterday was a really good Mother's Day. My sis and I decided to surprise "mother" by taking her to a picnic on the beach. We told her to walk a few blocks down to meet us, but she ended up walking wayyy too far in the wrong direction! lol- she said it the only Mother's Day lunch she ever had to work so hard for! Besides that, the surprise plan went really well. My sis and I bought some nice red wine and baguettes which my mom loves, along with fruit (I cut a pineapple!-yes!!!) and desserts. After, we snoozed on the picnic blanket and that's when I took that pic of the ppl playing hockey across the field. :) The lunch was a lot of work, but obviously worth it!

Buzz, buzz, buzz May 8, 2009

That's the sound of the tattoo machine thing, buzzing in my head. I can still hear it, even though it's been a week. lol~ :) I finally stole the pics back from my sister's phone, and voila, there they are. Yikes, it looks really painful!

Tattoos Burn! April 30, 2009

As you guys know, I got my tattoo done about 2 days ago. I was so nervous, but it really didn't hurt at all when I got it. It felt kind of like someone's nail scratching you, along with some vibrating- it's more annoying than anything. Right now, my tattoo feels like a sunburn. I really hope the pain goes away soon and I'd like to sleep on my back again. Oh, and for those who don't know, you're supposed to put "hemorrhoid" cream on it to make it heal twice as fast. THAT STUFF SMELLS LIKE @$$- kinda ironic, since it's supposed to go there- hahaha~~~! K, I'll stop being gross, but trust me, it's really not fun! Anyways, the tat looks awesome and I'm so happy with it! I don't have any pics just yet, as it's all on my sister's camera. I made her hold my hand through the process cuz I was scared. Soooo not rockstar! ;) Today, I worked on a lot of music stuff and decided to go out for a rollerblade. Got to watch some hardcore football dudes on my outing (see pic)! I've been rollerblading since I was really young and always wanted to be a hockey goalie. Funny how things change. Maybe I can use my guitar to block shots- oi, poor guitar!

The Beat Music Awards- THE STORY April 25, 2009

Ahh, competitions are always still so weird. I'm so used to performing my own songs in front of a real "audience" and feeling so comfortable- then, when I'm put in a situation like a contest, I freak out. Lol- it's always like that! Ahh!!~~ Maybe I think too much. :P The first round was in front of 3 "judges" and was really fun. I ended up singing Taylor Swift's "Love Story" and Paramore's "That's What You Get" <--Thank god we did a cover of that song with the band, so I knew the song well. I would have obviously loved to have my trusty guitar and sing originals, but the judges were super nice, and we had a good connection- so overall, it went really well. :) Second round was in front of the rest who made it through (Left pic). The singers were really, really impressive- I felt like a proud mother. lol~ :P I ended up singing "For the Nights I can't Remember" by Hedley. Oh my, it was such a last minute choice as I wanted to choose a song based on what they suggested in the first round. See the second pic? That's me writing out the lyrics 100 times on a handy-dandy notepad I grabbed in my car! Thank you, Craftsman Collision. ;) Anyways, the competition went really well, and I met some super sweet people. My producer once told me that for every 1 thing that goes right, you'll get rejected 100 times. Let's count this as one of the 100 rejections, no way in hell I'm giving up now. Not like I ever have anyways... :)
Btw, tomorrow I've scheduled to get a tattoo done. Haha~ I'm so super excited, and hope it doesn't hurt too much! I'll be sure to keep you updated! Can't wait for you guys to see it when it's done! Keep those emails a comin'! You know I always msg back.

Over and Done! April 16, 2009

My last exam was today. Can you hear the big sigh of relief? Feels so awesome, but at the same time, I'm sad. I'm really, really going to miss my "music" friends and a handful of teachers. My final jury today went alright I guess. Lol- yesterday, I studied. But I also took a long break. haha I just felt like I really needed time for myself and had a good think about where my life is heading. I took a nice walk along some cherry blossoms (then bees started attacking my red hair thinking I was a plant -_-'). Then, sat by the water and soaked in the sun, while sipping on a cappuccino. I think ppl should always make alone time for themselves. :) Well, glad exams are done, and I can finally start working on POP/ROCK music, instead of Jazz. :P~

1 More to go!!! April 12, 2009

...One more exam to go! YESSSS!!!!! You have no idea how happy I am. :D Oh, and I also checked out my final Japanese mark and got a B+, which is totally awesome. I don't even know how I got that mark to be honest. I think the teacher liked me or something. lol~ Anyways, I'm excited to finally be able to start working on booking gigs, etc. I feel like my life is finally starting, as I graduate with my Music Diploma this month. Thanks for the encouraging emails that I've received btw. It's nice to know that we're all in the same sinking "exam" boat at the same time. :) haha, I'm tired. Off to bed.

Exams and Boobies :P April 6, 2009

Well, it's 12:22am over here, so technically, I have a Japanese exam today. My eyes are so heavy, and I've been studying/cramming for way too many hours. Maybe I should've started earlier. lol But that never happens. I'm sure you students can relate. You know, I'm so excited about how well the Boobies video is going. We've really got a lot of hits, considering the vid has been out for less than a week. I'm just stoked that the message is getting out there! Hurray! Ok, I should really stop stalling and finish this last stupid chapter of the text. Ahhh~~~~~ this really sucks! I'd so rather be surfing Youtube or something. ttyl

Feelin Your Boobies? April 1, 2009

By now, I hope you've seen the "Feel My Boobies" vid. :) I actually found 'feelyourboobies.com' through a friend's Facebook page. It really hit home (tell you more about it later), and felt a huge urge to help the cause. I'm sure a lot of us 'young ladies' don't do regular self breast examinations, which is actually really bad! @_@ I wrote the song with the same "I'm too busy" and "I forgot" excuse in mind, and came up with a great lighthearted, yet serious message. Hope the vid and song inspired you peeps to "feel your boobies" and to remind your friends to do the same! :)

X-aaams R StreSSssssFuL!!! March 31, 2009

Yeup, it's already that time again. Exams always like to creep up on you like that. OH MY GOSH I'm so stressed!!!! I really don't wanna screw up these exams, cuz if I do, I don't get to graduate with my Music Diploma. Feel the pressure?! Haha, I had a Japanese powerpoint presentation to do. I was partnered up with that gorgeous girl above, Cathy. We took that pic after our presentation, while ppl were doing theirs. lol, we're such (rude) rebels. Cathy's really smart and is awesome, so we had tons of fun. U know, I've never been so nervous in front of ppl before. I could literally feel my jeans shaking with my legs! I'm such a nerd. And yet, singing/playing in front of tons of ppl gives me an incredible high. Weird how that works... Anyways, back to studying. Don't be surprised if it seems like I've disappeared this week! -_-'

Fallin' off the Dock March 27, 2009

Took a little time off today and walked around the quay with a friend of mine. It was really nice getting away from stress and just staring at the water. Btw, I love water- especially water-sports! We found some cool binoculars at the end of the dock, and were able to stalk-watch ppl on the ships. lol! We then got a little crazy and dared each other to climb down these little ladders on the sides of the huge dock. Keep in mind, these ladders are meant for boat-related things, so there's not much room for your feet! I climbed down that rusty ladder only to find that it was shaking like mad with the dirty, cold water under me! Damn, it was so scary! -_- We then met this dude named Steve, who was playing guitar in the middle of nowhere. He had a great voice. Vancouver is filled with so many talented, awesome ppl! Makes me wanna work harder! Yeah!

Video Hunt March 25, 2009

I did a gig at Rekados Lounge a few months ago. Sang a slightly different set which included more cover songs than normal. It was a lot of fun, and soon packed it away in my mind. Today, a buddy of mine showed me a link on YouTube of a vid that someone had filmed. Lol, I'm sure you can guess it was of me singing at Rekados. -_- Being a singer/songwriter, you'd think I'd get used to these types of things, but it's still strange when ppl come up and ask for an autograph or something. It gets even stranger when ppl put vids on the net without me knowing. Don't get me wrong, let's call this a good kind of strange. I'm very flattered- but still don't think I'll ever get used to it. Anyways, here's the link if you were curious.

CJ sings Jazz?! March 23, 2009

But Not For Me- CJ Li

As promised, here's the raw recording of my school project/Jazz standard "But Not for Me". Thx to Jesse and Malcolm, on guitar and bass respectively. And of course, my awesome drummer, Mili. I know the levels are wayyy off, haha- but it's raw and I don't have time to edit/mix it with finals coming up. Lemme know what you think!

Playing Tour Guide March 22, 2009

One of my buddy's cousins came from the Philippines to visit, so we got to play Tour Guide for a day. I always love showing off Vancouver, because really, it's such an awesome place. ;) We first brought her to a crazy sushi place called "Eatery". Their sushi is really non-traditional. Best of all, their restaurant is strangely designed with mythical creatures flying overhead, and even had a huge "Bruce" statue (the shark from Finding Nemo) up there. Very cool!

We then hopped over to the very artsy Grandville Island. Snapped some pics of a few things, including a cute old French man who was playing me some music. While we were at the Marketplace, cousin "Arvi" told us that our potatoes and bell peppers were really huge compared to those in the Philippines. Haha Funny how you don't think of those things until someone from overseas points them out! We ended the day by feeding a bunch of hungry ducks. Turned out to be an eventful Sunday! If you ever visit Vancouver, let me know and I'll gladly give you tips on the coolest placest to visit- including one of my gigs! ;) lol~

Jazz Recording~ March 21, 2009

Yesterday was my Jazz recording day for my school project. It went really well! We did 2 takes for each song. I'm most likely going to be choosing the first takes, but figured I might as well do another since we had tons of time left. After my session, my other vocal major friends did their recordings and I listened in the control room. The pic above is of the studio, sorry I got the producer's head in there. haha- I couldn't tell him to move! :P Also, the other is of me and my prof- she was doing work on her macbook as the others were singing. It was pretty cool because this time around, I got to choose my own jazz band to record with me. My drummer for this session was Mili, who is, as you know my real drummer. It was fun getting to work on Jazz with her instead of pop-punk or rock stuff we're used to doing on gigs. After a long night of recording and watching, we hit the sushi bar. Yummm~ makes me hungry again. :) I'll be getting the raw recording of yesterday, probably on Monday. I'll be sure to upload it for you guys! :D Can't wait for you all to hear it!

School Recording March 19, 2009

Ahh, I managed to survive that stinkin test today (see last post). It actually went better than I thought- yay!~ Tomorrow's project is a big one. I'm going to be recording 2 contrasting standards. I honestly still don't feel confident singing Jazz as it's obviously not my "real" genre. But I try hard. Still, I have those b*****y teachers who scold me for "not trying". That really sucks when you hard work doesn't show, but I try not to let it bug me. Anyways, I'm pretty excited for tomorrow as one of my fav things to do is record. The two standards I chose were the "easy" ones- lol. One is "But Not for Me" which is an extremely beautiful ballad, the other is "Someday My Prince Will Come"- which I'm sure most of you know. Don't worry I won't sing it all goat-y like Snow White did. Lol. If the recordings don't turn out absolutely crappy, I'll upload them on here for fun. I wonder what you guys would think of my singing of other genres- I'd need honest opinions! :) Wish me luck tmr!

...And all that Jazz March 18, 2009

Oh man, this week has been so brutal! It's been one thing after another. Lots of ppl who hear I'm in music school usually say "Oh, wow! How fun, you're so lucky!". Ok, sometimes it's fun, but 99% of it comes with lots of hard work, and locking yourself alone in a practice room with a very dirty (from other ppl's sweaty fingers) piano. Don't worry, I have sani-wipes in my locker, btw... lol! I don't know how many of you know or are into Jazz, but tomorrow, my assignment is memorizing two choruses of Art Pepper's "Imagination". If you don't know it, go take a listen. It has such a ridiculously difficult solo, I end up singing "bah doo bah...blahhhh?? @_@...???? dah!" most of the time. Anyways, I should get going and put that song on repeat. Here goes... ttyl~
Btw, I took those pics above recently. The first is a rainy night at school & took it while walking to my practice room. Second is that same old practice room that has become my 2nd home. If you ever need to find me, check there first...) :P~

Too Many Steps! March 12, 2009

My buddy thought it'd be a cool idea to walk up the stairs to the millionth floor of our building. He was so chill about it that didn't even cross my mind that I'd nearly pass out by the time I got to the top- which is, of course, what happened. Now that I look at the pic, you're probably thinking I'm a big wimp. The stairs were much bigger in real life! Seriously... :P

Pumpkin Head March 11, 2009

Feels like it's been so long! Last night, I wanted to update my blog, but found out I ran out of webspace! It was so sad :( But that also means that the site is getting bigger, which is so awesome. As you guys know, I'm in Music School right now, but taking a Japanese course for fun. Usually I'm pretty good at studying, but last night, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. So I started taking random pics on my phone- I got a new hair cut & dyed it bright orange (which explains the awesomely nerdy pics I took above). Somehow, the cam made it look dark red though. @_@ Oh, and that's my Japanese textbook collecting dust. ;) I had my Japanese test today- and actually did quite well! YES! Taking pics and not studying works- I'll do it next time too. Maybe it's lucky...? :P~

Spidey March 07, 2009

Nothing new since yesterday, really. My puffy arm was supposed to heal after 30 mins, but it's still there. Not fun! I keep scratching at it, cuz I forget. Maybe I should cover it up with 20 bandaids or something... I was scrolling thru some pics today, and found one I took of a spider one night. Thought it'd be cool to share it with you guys. I'm not scared of spiders, as long as they don't jump on me or anything. haha. Oh, btw, thanks everyone for your kind messages. My grandma is doing much, much better and is pretty much over her Delirium. :) My throat still kills, I'm gonna take a shower and rest. Later guys!

Throw me a Tree, if U wanna kill Me~ March 06, 2009

...And so the story continues! I went for an allergy test today. I always knew I had tons of allergies, but wanted to check out exactly what they were and how severe. It was pretty painless. Dunno if any of you have had an allergy test before, but they put these drops of allergens (such as trees, food, etc) and then stab you with a needle so that the tiny drop can seep into your skin. If it swells up and turns red, they rate you with stars. Four stars= very allergic, One star= slightly. Well, I must be a damn big superstar, cuz trust me, I got LOTS of stars! Haha, I'm basically super allergic to everything (as you can see in the pic). I literally started laughing at how my arm was slowly turning into a big red mountain, and was acting like a little electric heater. You could seriously feel my arm burning up by just hovering your hand over it. Haha! I took the pic especially for you guys- sorry if it grossed you out, lol! (If u think it looks bad, can u imagine how it felt?!?!). Epipen and I will be spending a lot of time together. <3 ...try not to get too jealous. ;)

"My Lymph nodes turned into oranges..." March 03, 2009

Yeah, you heard me. I have a super sore throat right now, and it's soooo upsetting! I'm in music school and am a vocal major, and I can't even sing. How ridiculous! Oi, my lymph nodes seriously feel like two screaming, big, swollen oranges- right in my throat. Maybe if I chopped out my tonsils, it would help- haha. Anything, anything, anything to get my freakin voice back! I sound like a man!!! lol Oh, but at least I found a creative image of oranges on the web because of this. I guess that's cool...?

Invisibility Cloak March 01, 2009

Last night, I had the seriously most bizarre but coolest dream ever. Dreamt I was in a Kung Fu tournament and had to do a demonstration with some crazy silver swords (I was really good at it- lol!). Then someone gave me an invisibility cloak (like the one in Harry Potter) that looked like a blanket. I remember it had some nice designs on it, was black and was super thin. A friend and I tried it on and caused trouble in the Kung Fu stadium and it was hella fun! Then I woke up- damnit! Don't you hate those kind of dreams, where you're having the time of your life and all of a sudden wake up? I tried to fall back asleep to "continue" my dream, but it didn't work. Haha! Too bad!~~

Fan Review! February 24, 2009

Here's more proof why I have the greatest fans! Max Barsby (from UK) is a journalism student, that decided to write a review on my music- How awesome! Here's what he had to say. Thanks again, Max, for the great article! Voila:

It's not very often you'll come across a singer/songwriter that can pull off both punchy, attitude filled rock songs and insightful ballads, but that's exactly what CJ Li does. You may not have heard of her yet, but there's no doubt in my mind that it won't be long before you do.
Hailing from Vancouver, Canada, CJ Li despite being currently unsigned, already has a worldwide fan base. Many of her fans are attracted by her excellent covers on her Youtube account, which are as disparate as Jason Mraz and Green Day. Proof of her huge Youtube fan base comes from her Youtube awards: She has won most viewed artist in Canada innumerable times and has even become most viewed artist in Japan too. When asked how she felt about the amount of awards she had received she said:
"I feel like my hard work is finally getting me somewhere, and I'm obviously very touched that people enjoy my music."
Although many people may be attracted to CJ Li via Youtube we mustn't forget CJ is a songwriter too and has an album of her own. Despite being only seven tracks long CJ's album What If is a brilliant showcase of her talent. With both punchy rock songs such as Who'd You Think I Was? and beautiful, insightful ballads such as What Happened To The World? There's no doubt that CJ has talent. She sights Nirvana as her main influence and states that she is inspired by the emotions Kurt Cobain conveys with his lyrics. With such a high bar of talent to aim for, coupled with her relentless determination its no wonder CJ Li has done so well despite being unsigned.
There's no question that CJ Li deserves to be signed and I personally don't think it'll be long before she will be and then we all better watch out because CJ herself states that soon she's planning to take over the world with her music.

CJ Loves her fans! February 22, 2009

Hey people, it's been a while. This week has been so extremely overwhelming and hectic. My grandma fell and broke her hip. She went for surgery which was successful, but is now suffering from Post-op Delirium. For those of you who don't know, Delirium causes the patient to forget things, become confused & act completely different from their usual selves. It's a very heartbreaking experience to watch someone you love so much (& took care of you) go through so much pain, knowing you can do very little to comfort them- it's the most helpless feeling in the world. Like I said, it's been a really screwed up week, but after checking my email and getting your guys' messages, I feel so much more alive. All my "fans" are so awesome, supportive and accepting of me, that's it's truly inspiring and makes me feel like I can get through anything. Thank you soo much! :) Anyways, I gotta study for Japanese right now as I have a midterm tomorrow... Talk soon!

Bruised Butt! February 17, 2009

As you can see, James and I decided to go to the skatepark this morning. I really love skateboarding, but skateboarding doesn't love me! The best I can do is roll and a seriously weak ollie. lol! Anyways, decided to be oh-so-bold and try to skate down the ramp. Ok, for those of you who don't skate, the ramps looks really small when you stand on top of it. But for some reason, once a board is under your feet, and you stand there, you feel like you're on top of a freakin' cliff! Haha! Let's caption those pics above: pic#1: "Yeah, I can do this!!", pic#2: "OH MY #%@^*$&!!!", pic#3: CRASH!!!!!~~~~ Haha! And that's pretty much how it went. Regardless, I still went on and managed to do it in the end- hurrah! Skateparks are fun- and I got a bruised butt to prove it! :D Try it sometime... umm, just don't be stupid like me- wear a helmet!!!

Bad, Bad, Awful, No-Good Dentist Blues! February 11, 2009

This video brought back some bad, bad memories. For those who weren't around when the last website was up, I got my wisdom teeth out last summer. It was absolutely awful, couldn't speak/eat/drink anything or feel my lips! I also started crying right after they woke me up (for I don't even know what reason) and started hugging the nurse... haha! Then, you get those huge chipmunk cheeks! Oi, let's stop there! Poor kid- I completely know how he feels! Check this out! :P

New Wood February 10, 2009

Oh man, it's so late and I'm so drowsy... almost drunk-like. I'm supposed to be receiving my new guitar tomorrow through the mail. It's a brand new Daisy Rock Blueberry Burst guitar- of course, I chose blue cuz it's only the best colour ever! So super excited and can't wait to try it out- I plan to record a new YouTube vid with it. Hmm, should I do "Lucky" by Jason Mraz & Colbie? Anyways, it's always weird when the delivery person asks if "someone 18 or older" is available to sign that form. Haha- Ok, I look young, but give me a break! I'm in my 20's now, but I guess my face doesn't show it. lol The most embarassing thing is going to the lotto store and them asking for my ID- my gosh... it's just a scratch ticket! I'm totally getting off-topic- I'm off to bed!

Where's Patrick Star?! February 6, 2009

Haha, OK... I have to post this. I was taking a good look at my new website and figuring out a few things, when something popped out of the page- I suddenly saw "Patrick Star" (yes, from SpongeBob Squarepants, which btw, is one of my fav shows)! If you look closely, see the star on the banner above? The one right above the "O" in freak shOw, there's a little star that looks like it's holding a Canadian flag. A total fluke... I mean, we meant to do that...yeah! Say hi to Patrick everyone! ;)

Nihon February 4, 2009

I've taken lots of language courses including English, French, German, Spanish, and now Japanese. Out of all of them, I've enjoyed Japanese the most. It's fun watching anime and being able pick out a few words! Problem is, it seems that everytime I learn a new language, my other languages get funny accents. Currently, I speak French with a Japanese accent... @_@

And... so it starts! February 1, 2009

Often times I have these urges to take on a new challenge. It usually involves my music in some way or another. I guess I get tired of being "stuck" in the same damn spot all the time, and eventually do radical things that make me feel like I'm moving forward. Anyways, I ended spending lots of money (on trustworthy Mr. VISA of course) and bought an Mbox2. It's a recording program and box-thing that basically allows me to connect my mic and guitar to the computer and edit/record through ProTools. I was so very excited to try it out! :) Then, soon after opening the box, noticed that dreaded novel-long manual. Man, I knew recording was gonna be hard, but didn't realize that it'd take so much work to just set up, install and learn how to work the program. Anyways, since my computer (the family computer) is old and stupid, it took me- I'm not kididng you- 2 freakin' hours to install the program as I kept getting errors!!! I must've rebooted that poor old computer at least 8 times! :( *sob* Well, that didn't start out too well, and since then, I haven't touched my Mbox since. Haha! How completely depressing!~ Oh well, I'll give it another try soon... wish me luck!

The Story

CJ Li has a passion for music that breaks all boundaries -- she speaks her mind and stands up for what she believes in. Originating from Vancouver, BC, this pop-rock talent is in the music industry to stay.

CJ is an active member of Vancouver 's local music scene and has a rapidly growing fanbase. Her new collection contains guitar-driven pieces and a fresh sound which reflect the edgy side of CJ. Currently, this confident songwriter is increasing her exposure by playing various gigs around town.

On the web, CJ has created an empire. Her YouTube videos have had over a whopping quarter-million views and 800 loyal subscribers to her channel. To top it off, CJ has also been recently crowned the "24th Most Viewed Musician in Canada" & "75th Most Subscribed Musician in Japan".

Previously being known as the timid seven-year old girl who wrote melodic harmonies in her room, CJ has spawned into the quick-witted, in-your-face rocker that fans have come to love. Today, CJ has accumulated an impressive list of achievements as an artist. Aside from her collection of original tunes, the Canada Music Fund Council has acknowledged CJ's potential as a musician by granting her assistance in producing albums. The young artist has also been nominated "Best Songwriter" for the International MusicAid Contest, and her songs have been aired throughout Canada & Japan. CJ has also recently been proudly sponsored by "Daisy Rock" Guitars.

CJ's tunes hook you in while her lyrics keep you thinking. Each song is a story in itself and her music always leaves you craving for more.

Music

Still working on this part of the site... But for now, you can purchase your fav. CJ songs on iTunes!

Vids

Here's our YouTube site for you to check out...

Photo Galleries

Anime Evolution 2009

Random Galleries

Gigs

West End Cultural Festival- August 8th
1019 Broughton St (@ Comox St), Vancouver
Festival starts at 12pm

Gig with "After Effect"- June 27th
Olympia
10257 King George Highway, Surrey
7pm-ish

BC Children's Hospital: "Private" Patient show!- June 24th
4480 Oak Street, Vancouver

Anime Evolution 2009- June 14
Vancouver Trade & Exhibition Centre
999 Canada Place, Vancouver
Sometime during Closing Ceremony (after 5pm)

Anime Evolution 2009- June 12
Vancouver Trade & Exhibition Centre
999 Canada Place, Vancouver
5pm-6pm

Contact

Fanmail: cj@cjli.net
Booking: management@cjli.net
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/cjlimusic
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cjlimusic
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cjlimusic
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/cjli