Heaven on Earth

Everyone has childhood crushes. Some last a moment, a week, a month or even a year but my childhood crush has lasted about 18 years. It wasn't some girl at school who really took my fancy before i even know what took my fancy meant. It wasn't some girl who i met outside of school. Come to think of it there was one girl i never met but i remember seeing in this distance at a swimming pool on summer holidays. My family was holidaying up the north of Victoria (Yarrawonga to be exact) when whilst walking towards the pool for a swim i saw this girl on the top of the diving board. I must have been about 10 and i'm thinking she was 12.

The sun was setting behind her and she was wearing a white shirt that just seemed to make her look angelic. She dived in and i was breathtaken by that image. I can still see this girl on top of the divingboard about to jump in. For those few seconds time stood still. I must admit (as you all know i'm sure) that moments like that don't come along very often where time stands still. Childhood crushes can be silly things but they leave an indeliable mark on your adult perspective.

My childhood crush has been and always will be Belinda Carlisle.

I've loved her since i was about 10. When i first heard "Heaven is a place on Earth" i just loved that song and i wanted to find out who was the person who sang with that amazing voice. One night whilst watching MTV Australia (which at the time was a 3 hour show on a Saturday night) i remember seeing this music video and thinking..."She is sooo beautiful." (Remember i was 10 years old on the floor in front of the TV just amazed at these images on my screen)

Here's the video in question:




When i first saw this video i was in love. There was something about her voice, her eyes, the way she looked at the camera as if she was singing to me and me only. So througout my teenage years where supposidly your musical interests vary and you find what music appeals to you i found out that Belinda's music still makes me smile inside even now 18 years after i first heard it. Sure i may be not be a musical powerhouse and i don't follow the latest trends in music a lot but that's me for better or worse. Belinda was left such an impression that when i heard that she was coming to Australia a few years ago for a 80's concert i leapt at the chance to see her. Sab came with me and i must say it was one of the best concerts i've ever been to. Not only because of the music but because i finally got to see Belinda sing live. I was in heaven that night even though Sab commented "Is she pregnant?" as Belinda came on stage that night.

Which leads me to today. I worked today so i had yesterday off which means at work there are about 50 emails waiting to be read. One of them was from my lovely Aunty Rhonda who in a one line email got me so excited i had to read the message again:

Is it Belinda Carlisle that you love? If so, she has a new cd out called Voila. If not, forget about this email.

I was shocked. Not by Aunty Rhonda knowing i love Belinda, that's an open secret in my family. Belinda hasn't released an album in over 10 years. This was monumental in my universe. She did a Johnny Depp and moved to France! She got away from the pressures of living in America and all the stories of drugs and weight problems. She got away from her solo career being compared to her career with the girl band the "Go-Go's." Searching on Google whilst at work i found out her new record is entirely sung in French! So needless to say i'll be off to JB Hi-Fi in the morning to see if it is avaliable and if i do get the chance to catch a few seconds alone with Belinda serenading me then i'll know my childhood crush will last a few years longer.