Rachel Woodward Hansen
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Come What May w/ Alfie Boe

3/17/2015

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Since a lot of people have been asking me about this, I thought I'd put the story in one place and write down the memory for myself as well. So here we go!

Question: "How did you get picked to sing with Alfie Boe?"

My friend Nate Keller (who is awesome and I need to kiss his feet) directed the benefit concert that Alfie was headlining. That's the connection. Late Thursday night, Nate called me saying there may be an opportunity to duet with Mr. Boe and asked me if I was interested. Duh! He said it wasn't for sure, but there was a good chance. I was just flattered he asked me. My answer was, yes, please!!!! Like I would turn down an offer to sing with that voice.... Thank you, Nate!

Question: "Did you rehearse?"

I had one rehearsal. And by rehearsal, I mean I got to sing thru it once with Alfie and the orchestra. I was more nervous for the rehearsal than the performance, because I felt like all eyes were on me to make sure I wasn't horrible. I guess I wasn't too bad or he probably would have nixed the duet. Alfie was so kind though and he put me at ease. He also forgot his lyrics in our rehearsal which made me feel better considering I learned the song the day before. I mean, if he forgot his lyrics, he couldn't fault me for forgetting mine, right? (Sidenote: I did change one word during our performance...oops. It still made sense though....Can you spot it?) After our rehearsal, he gave me a hug and said, "That was lovely." Again, he is the nicest. 

Question: "What was it like singing with freaking Alfie Boe."

It was a delight, of course! He came and found me before he went on to tell me he was looking forward to our performance and that I looked beautiful. You guys, what a class act. Those Brits, I tell you what.....

On stage, I was actually surprised at how calm I felt. That's probably due to the intense deep breathing I was doing the entire song before me. Or it could have been me saying, "Help me baby Jesus" over and over. We'll never know.... Also, I just decided to channel my inner Beyonce and have confidence. I knew I could do a good job. 
Click here for the video if it doesn't come up
I love how at the beginning he came over a brought me closer to him. Initially, I just stood in the spot I did for rehearsal. Once he brought me over, I just tried to follow his lead for movement and cutoffs. Remember, one time through beforehand. 

Truthfully, it isn't my best singing ever for a number of reasons. 
  1. I had some kind of bronchitis the week before and was still dealing with the aftermath.
  2. Springtime allergies. 
  3. One sing-thru
  4. A teeny bit of nerves
  5. The sound.
Lemme take a second to explain the sound. The venue was UCCU Events Center which is UVU's sports arena. Basically, that means it has horrible acoustics. Meaning, it has cement walls and echos like crazy. I was struggling to hear myself and the orchestra (ear monitors would have been a dream, but I digress). Even with all that going on, I'm still proud of myself for getting up there, handling the pressure fairly well, singing my heart out, and not royally sucking it up. It was literally the hardest I've ever sung in my life, but I had to! Not only to match Alfie's intensity (hello, powerhouse), but also because of the sound. I was belting it out to try to hear what the *honk* I was singing. 

Looking back, I probably would have liked to sing it a little more classically like in my Secret Garden days (pardon the all the military booty shots in the video). I think our voices would have blended a little better that way.
Click here for the video if it doesn't come up
I guess there's always next time. 
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Thank you Nate and Alfie for the opportunity!!! It was definitely an honor. 

And thank you to Mr. G for letting me cancel our plans to go camping and for being so supportive. Come what may indeed! 
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Even though we both look like we're passing kidney stones, it was a good time. 
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Rachel's Recommendations 

3/9/2015

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I was inspired by friend, Natalie Hill's Hit List that she does monthly for Studio 5. It is a list of things she is currently obsessed with. I thought, why not share what I'm currently obsessed with too! So, here you go. Just a few things I can't get enough of right now.

TINKLE RAZORS:


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A few months ago, I tried threading my eyebrows for the first (and last) time. It was the most painful hair removal process I've ever experienced, but my eyebrows looked so damn good afterwards, that I was tempted to go back. Never again thanks to these little guys. They are a godsend! They aren't painful AT ALL and they work wonders. I've had them used on me on set before, but forgot all about them until my cute cousin, Ashley, posted a video on how to use them on her YouTube channel. One of the best parts is that they are so cheap! I got a 3-pack on Amazon for about $3 and free shipping. Not only are they great for your brows, but for other peach-fuzz on your face. I use them for my unruly sideburns as well (thanks genetics). Get into it!

MAYBELLINE COLORSENSATIONAL MATTE LIPSTICK
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This is another Ashley find....(hint: you should follow her!). I'm a sucker for a good matte lip. These gems have great color, don't feel too cakey on my lips, I like how they smell, and they won't break the bank. I have 4 out of the 10 shades and will probably end up with all of them. In the photo above, I'm wearing: top left- Daringly Nude; top right-Touch of Spice; bottom left-Mesmerizing Magenta; and bottom right-Divine Wine (I think cosmetic color names are hysterical). This line in matte hasn't been stocked at Target yet (get with it, Target!) I got mine at Walgreens, but I believe they also have them at Ulta. 

HOUSE OF CARDS
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If you're looking for a new series to binge watch, PICK THIS!!!! Actually, you should stop whatever you are watching and start this. Even if you end up not liking the story (which it is amazing so you're weird if you hate it), you should continue watching it for the acting alone. It is honestly like watching a master class for film acting. Don't get me started on my love for Robin Wright.....we're not worthy! The format is fun too. There are moments when Kevin Spacey's character talks directly into the camera with little asides and I love it. WARNING: it is a Netflix series so there are no rules when it comes to content. There are some sexy time scenes and some F bombs. So you've been warned.....but it's soooo gooooood! 

BLACK SHEEP CAFE
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My mouth is watering just thinking about this place. It's located in downtown Provo and has a nice cozy atmosphere. But the FOOOOD! It is all locally sourced, organic, and it is made from scratch. The prices reflect that, but they aren't over the top. Tip: go for lunch. It's basically the same menu, but lower prices. I ordered the Red Chili Beef Navajo Taco and it was out of this world tasty. How can perfectly cooked beef, topped with fixin's, red chili sauce, on a bed of fry bread be bad? It can't be. I hear the Sweet Potato Fries are killer. Try the Cactus Pear Lemonade while you're there too. Delicious! Check out their menu HERE!

That's it for now. Let me know if you try any of these things and what you think!
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