Behind the Scenes with Trinity Ermintrood- Debby Sharma Reporting...

Photograph Credits: Larinda Ravenheart (Peachy)

2014 SL’ Got Talent Winner, Trinity Ermintrood (Bubbles) started as a little girl singing for her friends on hay bale trailers to the one with a nightingale’s voice at the talent show.  At 30, she has an electric taste in music in almost everything with a deep love for rock and country. She has been a karaoke host and Dj for over 9 years in real life. She has been singing in Second Life over the past year and has already got her hands full with requests for Live Performances. One can book her by instant messages or notecard in world or through other communication channels. Her schedule can be viewed at http://tinyurl.com/Bubbles-Schedule 

Debby Sharma: Please tell us something about yourself. And how did Second Life singing happen? Would you like to explore other virtual worlds too as your singing career?

Trinity Ermintrood: Well, I've been a singer my whole life. I grew up on a farm, and I used to use the hay bale trailers as a stage when I was a kid and perform to all my friends. Laughs. I've always loved performing in front of people.

Well, I used to record songs on to my PC at home, with a pretty bad PC headset and some free software *laughs*. I started DJing in SL a few years ago and every now and then, I would play some of my recordings to people. I would be told all the time that I should perform in SL, but I never had the equipment I needed to make that happen. Until a very kind friend was adamant that I needed to be heard and funded the equipment for me. I was just Djing a while back at a venue who had live performers and they were willing to let a noob like me sing there, to start me out.  And the rest kind of went from there really.

InWorldz has been mentioned to me a few times, but to be honest, I am so busy here in SL that I wouldn't have time to sing elsewhere, especially with my studying too. Plus SL is where all my "fans" and supporters are. This is where I started and I'm pretty sure this is where I will stay.

Debby Sharma: How did you come to know about SL' Got talent? And how was your experience there? How have the days followed after you were announced as the winner?

Trinity Ermintrood: I actually sing at a club owned by one of the judges from the auditions. She wasn't one of the main judges only for the audition stage, but she mentioned it to me and told me I should audition for it. I loved the whole experience, it was fantastic. Although it was tough for me as all the rounds were at 7/8pm SLT which is 3/4am for me and my neighbours certainly didn't appreciate me singing at that hour *laughs*. I never in a million years thought I would win though. I was stunned to even make it through each round. I was in total shock when they announced me as the winner!

Hectic, *laughs*. It was all very surreal. I had people IMing me non-stop to congratulate me. I still couldn't quite believe I had won. And I was inundated with requests for bookings, which is fantastic.

Photograph Credits: Trinity Ermintrood

Debby Sharma: What do you think about Live Performances vs Djing in Second Life?

Trinity Ermintrood: It's a whole different kettle of fish to be honest. I love DJing, because it is my lifelong love affair with music. I love playing good songs and people to appreciate them. I love getting requests and learning new music that I may not have heard before, discovering new songs and bands etc. But I truly love singing also. It's what I love to do. I've always used music to express my emotions and such, and I can do that much more through singing a song myself than just playing it. I love the compliments I get when I'm singing *tries not to let head swell*. And I really enjoy the loyalty some people have to their favorite singers. I never saw that much when i was DJing. I had a few followers, but not like I do with singing. Although singing can be a lot tougher than DJing, because if you're feeling a little off color, or not having a good day, you still need to try and belt out those songs and hit those high notes etc. Whereas with DJing, you can always play good music no matter how you feel!

Debby Sharma: What are your favorite genres of music? Do you have any recordings that people may hear you outside Second Life, like on YouTube etc.? Is there any song that you love to sing and which also defines you?

Trinity Ermintrood: Rock and Country, for sure. Although I love literally every kind of music, from dance music to classical, show tunes to hard rock, Blues, Jazz, Soul and Funk, literally everything.

Yes I have a few videos on YouTube. Although, they are very old and I was half drunk, doing karaoke and one pretty bad recording of my final encore song at a small gig I did. I also have a Sound Cloud page with many of my recordings on, that is updated regularly. It's Trinity-Bubbles Richards http://soundcloud.com/trinity-bubbles-richards

There are many songs I love to sing; many "old faithfuls" that I will always love. But I think, with my life right now, the one prominent song to me, that I love to sing and that defines me as I am at the moment, is Eva Cassidy's Songbird (originally by Fleetwood Mac). All because of my partner, he calls me his songbird, and I sing that to him. He also proposed in the middle of one of my performances, whilst making me sing that song. My world revolves around him and my music right now, and that song, combines the 2 and defines me pretty well at this point in my life.

Photograph Credits: Trinity Ermintrood

Debby Sharma: Would you like to sing at any charity concerts, if given an opportunity?

Trinity Ermintrood: Yes absolutely! I have done concerts for SU2C and Feed a Smile in the past and would love to be part of something like that again.

Debby Sharma: If someone wants to follow your path, what would you advice? Your passion for singing, makes it sound so easy and simple, is singing really easy in SL?

Trinity Ermintrood: Enjoy it!!! When I first started, I was so nervous all the time. And it definitely showed through in my gigs. I was always so worried about everything. I have recorded every single one of my gigs from the very first and the difference between the first one and my recent ones is huge. Once I learned to just relax and enjoy it, I found I was much better at what I do and people definitely enjoyed my performances more!

It can be. It obviously requires some technical knowledge, and I was lucky enough to go to Music College and I am also doing a computing/engineering degree so I know my way around technology. And I was also lucky enough to have some good friends who offered great advice when I first started out. It's a lot easier if you have a set routine before your gigs. As in, give yourself a certain amount of time to prepare and choose songs etc. But other than that, it is easy. Especially if it's something you love to do. Again, enjoy it! And it all comes as second nature. I know for sure that my singing career would not be what it is without the support of my partner and my best friend Becks as well as my good friend Hardy. They have all been absolutely amazing. And I couldn't have made it through SL's got Talent without their support either and their belief in me.

Debby Sharma: Would you like to say anything to your listeners?

Trinity Ermintrood: Just a huge thank you for all their on-going support. I know I have some very loyal fans out there and it most certainly is appreciated. I wouldn't be where I am today without them, and they all mean a lot to me. So Thank You to everyone who has stuck by me, encouraged me, believed and had faith in me and who has supported me throughout my whole singing career in SL!

Second Life: Bubbles (Trinity Ermintrood)

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TrinityBubbles

Email: trinitysky@gmail.com

Sound Cloud: http://soundcloud.com/trinity-bubbles-richards

For contest details visit the official website http://www.slgottalent.com

For cover article of the event visit http://www.slenquirer.com/2014/09/for-immediate-release-bubbles-wins-2014.html