I will still be reviewing the latest music and film reviews, adding more personal posts and ensuring that you guys are kept in the loop! Check it out and see what you think.
Fancy (no pun intended) a song that's different to the pop songs that we hear on the radio? Charli XCX delivers with her latest release Break The Rules from her album Sucker, which will be released October 21st. 2014 has been a good year for Charli XCX, who had hits with Boom Clap and Fancy, an Iggy Azalea smash song that Charli was featured on and co-wrote. Now she delivers a bass-filled synth song that reeks of rebellion and partying hard.
Break The Rules has a Kasabian-feel to it (almost similar to their single eez-eh) as it has a punch with the chorus but still manages to be sultry and smooth in its verses. Charli states "I don't wanna go to school, I just wanna break the rules" and "getting higher, getting wrecked". You can almost imagine the music video being filled with shots of fire explosions and cars spinning circles in a car park. Take a listen to the song below and prepare to be enlightened by Charli XCX's "I don't give an f*@!" attitude.
Twitter blew up a storm yesterday when Taylor Swift revealed a new song Shake It Off, a single from her new album 1989 (which is due to be released on October 27th). Making the announcement at a Yahoo live stream event, the singer gave her fans the song through the music video that was released.
A catchy pop song that has the lines "haters gonna hate" and "fakers gonna fake", Taylor hits back to "what people say" using her best strength: her music. Swift shares that she just "shake(s) it off", a motto that her fans are sure to follow (it would be interesting to see if it has the same effect as Drake's YOLO motto...).
The song doesn't really have Taylor's usual stamp on it - the lack of country and the heartbroken lyrics that are missing (which tend to be a part of the Swift-song-formula) mean that Taylor delivers a fun song much like her single 22. The verses and the chorus are simple, which means that we can learn the song faster and sing it incessantly! The only thing that I didn't enjoy was the bridge: My ex-man bought his new girlfriend She’s like “oh my God”, but I’m just gonna shake it And to the fella over there with the hella good hair Won’t you come on over, baby, we can shake, shake, shake To me it seemed to be lyrics that were just written to fill out the song. But apart from that, the song is easy on the ear, fun to dance to and with Taylor's advice in our minds maybe we can all just 'shake off' our problems (at least while the song is playing). The video itself is also simple enough - it shows Taylor taking up different personas: hip-hop twerk-er, Black Swan ballerina, a boom box-wielding poser, and a preppy cheerleader to name a few. See what you think yourself!
It's been a few weeks since Nicki Minaj posted the snap of her Anaconda single cover that caused a stir online, but Nicki has now released a lyric video for the song. Sampling Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-a-Lot, Anaconda isn't one of Nicki's best songs (I think I always think back to her verse in Kanye's song 'Monster' when I think of her best).
The song is all about Nicki knowing guys named Troy and Michael who buy her nice things like Balmain and Alexander McQueen, and then goes back to the chorus as if to emphasise the fact that they buy her these things because they love her 'bunz'.
With lyrics that when repeated almost sound like they could be from a adult-version of a playground rhyme - "Boy toy named Troy used to live in Detroit" and "This dude named Michael used to ride motorcycles" - Anaconda is a song not to be taken seriously. But I think that's the point Nicki's trying to make. And the Barbs know that Nicki can make songs not to be taken too seriously (eg Pound The Alarm) but will sure to come back with fire power with her next singles.
Ella Eyre - Comeback
Ella Eyre's new video for her latest single 'Comeback' is here, and the video shows Ella showing her fighter side as her boyfriend apologises to her for his sleeping around.
Smashing plates and destroying the home they had together, Ella sings "We've all been played, we all get hurt. Just take that pain and let that motherf***er burn!"
The song packs a punch, making it a great break-up song. Jazzy and fast-paced, Ella has fun while having pillow fights, destroying the bed and TV - showing any recently broken-hearted viewers that you can still have some fight in you even if your world's been turned upside down! With her big, bouncy curls, red lipstick and soulful voice, Ella is the advocate for the strong and undefeated woman in this video.
Iggy Azalea and Rita Ora - Black Widow
Taking a leaf out of Gaga's and Beyonce's Telephone video, Iggy and Rita take inspiration from film director Quentin Tarantino with the music video for Black Widow. With a Kill Bill-inspired sword wielding Iggy and Rita, the video starts with a diner scene with Iggy as waitress and Rita as the unhappy girlfriend of a bossy grumpy man. Drama unfolds as Iggy takes hold of the samurai sword and the pair fight together against mob men.
Ariana Grande ft Zedd - Break Free
Taking the world by storm with each new single, Ariana does no wrong with new song Break Free.
The song is accompanied by a video set in space in a futuristic alien world, with Zedd taking control of the spaceship's music decks for an alien party that's filled with people dancing to the upbeat dance track.
It's also safe to say that Zedd's collaborations are ones to pay attention too, after his smash hit with Stay The Night that featured lead singer of the band Paramore, Hayley Williams.
Ariana and Zedd deliver a great summer track for all those parties in the sun and sunny car rides!
After two weeks away on holiday - one week kayaking and sunbathing in Wales, a day trip to Dublin, and a week camping in a tent (and a couple of scheduled posts during that time) - I can now return to my regular music and film review posts!
Have you seen a trailer for a film that you can't wait to see? Or heard a newly released song that you can't stop playing? Let me know in the comments below and I'll write a post on them! :)
On another note, I finally managed to read all three Hunger Games books!! I loved the first and second, but I'm still unsure as to what I think about the third... Maybe it's because I've seen the first two films which may have added an extra element to the story, but I guess I wasn't satisfied with the ending. Although there was a conclusion and a glimpse of the future, I still couldn't help but feel as though there were elements missing or that had perhaps not been written about in as much detail as I'd hoped, particularly in relation to one relationship and one death (sorry if that's a spoiler but it is the Hunger Games after all... What would it be without at least one character dying?) But I can't say too much without ruining the story for those that haven't read it yet!
Anyway, I hope you're all enjoying the summer and don't forget to let me know about any films or songs you'd love for me to write about!
With my previous music review being single 'Bang Bang' by female pop divas Nicki Minaj, Jessie J and Ariana Grande, I take a look at what could arguably be the best collaborations in the history of music or ones that will at least bring back great memories.
Lady Gaga and Beyoncé:
The two biggest names in pop came together to release the track Telephone that peaked at number one and sold 7.4 million copies in 2010 WORLDWIDE. This song and its video really stood apart from the rest and is still popular today.
Eminem and Rihanna:
Rapper Eminem and singer Rihanna released Love The Way You Lie, also released in 2010, and was the UK's best selling song of that year. Singing about a love-hate relationship, it was clear that it was all pure love when it came to buying the song.
Jay-Z and Alicia Keys:
*NEW YOOOORRRRRRKK* Alicia Keys went back to the streets, New York's streets to be exact, when she collaborated with Jay Z for Empire State of Mind way back in 2009. With Alicia's vocals and piano, and Jay Z's lyrics it wasn't hard for this song to become a hit.
Big Sean and Ariana Grande:
When pop princess Ariana Grande and rapper Big Sean released the catchy Right There in 2013, after her success with songs The Way and Baby I, it was clear the two had musical chemistry. The two seem to be great pals, with Ariana rapping Big Sean's track Guap in a radio interview.
Timbaland and Aaliyah:
Timbaland and the sorely missed 'baby girl' Aaliyah worked in numerous musical projects, one of them including Try Again, which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. The song reached Number One in America and Number Five in the UK, also winning two MTV VMAs for its music video.
Avicii and Aloe Blacc:
Mixing country and dance together was a bold move for Avicii when it came to this hit Wake Me Up in 2013, but it paid off when it reached number one in over 20 countries.
Pharrell Williams and Daft Punk:
You couldn't drive anywhere without hearing this hit on the radio. When Get Lucky was released in 2013 its success boomed, winning Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Record of the Year at the Grammy awards.
What are your favourite music collaborations? Or is there a collab that you wish you could un-hear? Leave a comment below!
Imagine you're a casting agent for a new film that needs two major Hollywood stars to play siblings, and you have the fabulous opportunity of casting whoever you want (regardless of age gaps)! Who would you choose to act side by side? Below are some examples of film stars who I think would make great brothers and sisters in a movie: Lisa Kudrow and Christina Applegate:
Imagine these two hilarious actresses as sisters in a movie! With Friends star Lisa and Anchorman's 'Veronica Corningstone', the laughs would never end...
Leonardo DiCaprio and James Franco:
With both actors and their cheeky smiles delivering consistently amazing performances in their diverse range of films, it would be interesting to see the two work together as brothers! With films like The Great Gatsby, Wolf of Wall Street, 127 Hours and Oz the Great and Powerful, they've proved that they are both fantastic actors and to see them in the same film would be great! Tom Hiddleston and Martin Freeman:
Both British, both blue-eyed and thin-lipped, and both making it big on the big screen in America, Tom's character Loki of Thor and Martin's portrayal of Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit franchise would mean that the two could join forces in a fantasy-action movie, or - even better - show sibling rivalry with one being good and one being evil. Or they could be brothers in a British drama, showing their excellent roots of British acting!
Uma Thurman and Jennifer Lawrence:
I get the feeling that these two would really hit it off as onscreen sisters. Either that, or they'd kick each other's butts. The Kill Bill star and heroine of The Hunger Games would be two sisters not to mess with.
Eva Green and Zooey Deschanel:
Now we're used to Bond girl Eva Green playing sultry roles whilst New Girl Zooey is well known for her contributions to comedy films and TV. Put the two together as sisters and who knows: Eva could show us her funny side or Zooey could show us her Bond girl potential...?
Leonardo DiCaprio and Chloë Moretz:
I know, I know. I've already raved about DiCaprio's incredible acting abilities but I would love to see Chloe Moretz act as his younger sister. Just imagine sweet, sensitive Jack in Titanic dealing with a sister full of attitude and epic fighting skills as seen in Kick-Ass.
Sofia Vergara and Jennifer Lopez:
These beautiful ladies could be sassy, confident sisters capable of breaking so many hearts with their independence. Or maybe they'd be suckers for romance competitively chasing the same guy who wouldn't know what to do with himself...!
Colin Firth and Hugh Grant:
I know they look nothing like each other, but c'mon? Just for laughs? It would be so interesting to see after their brawling in Bridget Jones. Would you rather see them as brothers that got on with each other or brothers that fought with each other?
Jennifer Aniston and Sandra Bullock:
JUST IMAGINE THAT ROM-COM. PICTURE IT IN YOUR MIND. It would just be amazing.
Now that you've seen into my strange ways of thinking, who would you like to see play brother and sister in a movie? Leave a comment below!
Bang bang! - look out, three of the biggest female names in popular music have joined forces!
If you follow the three ladies (Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj) on Instagram you'll have noticed the images and snippets that the girls have been posting in the lead up to the trio's new single 'Bang Bang'.
Now before I sat down to listen to the song, I set up a blank document to jot down any thoughts I had whilst listening to it. Here's what was written:
*Pauses ARTPOP and loads YouTube video of official song 'Bang Bang'*
Jazzy. Very jazzy.
I like the clapping. I want to clap tooooo!
I KNEW Ariana and Jessie would sound amazing. I KNEW IT. AND WHERE IS THE GOSPEL CHOIR COMING FROM?!
I wish I could sing like Ariana...
Why did I just imagine the cast of High School Musical singing this in the cafeteria though.
Nicki just came in saying so many words... I think I made out the word 'slanging' out of all that. Wait she is spelling, what is she spelling... *moment of thought* oh yeah Bang Bang duh #facepalm
Oh...wait, what, it's over?
Then I took a few minutes for the song to sink in and found that the chorus 'Bang bang doo doo doo dooo' (I can only remember two words of the chorus) was stuck in my head as I was thinking about what I thought of it.
Image taken from @NickiMinaj on Instagram
Now this song is Number 1 in 16 countries around the world (as discovered on Nicki Minaj's instagram), the song is catchy and probably sounds better after the fifth listen. But my first thoughts are the reasoning behind why it's number one.
Think about just how many fans each female artist in this song has. It's undeniable that their loyal fans will purchase the song to support their favourite singer. But listening to the song I didn't feel that it was a Jessie J song, or a Nicki Minaj song, but it definitely had an Ariana Grande feel to it. And after Ariana's recent successes with Iggy Azalea with 'Problem', it's not hard to wonder why they would choose Ariana's style. It's different to most music being released at the moment and harks back to a time where Jazz and ballads where popular, and auto-tune wasn't really invented yet. Ariana herself is probably a happy chick after seeing that Bang Bang, Problem and Break Free (a song she made with Zedd) are in the Top 15 on iTunes in America.
Bang Bang is fun and will definitely have people singing along to the chorus as the gospel sings 'Baanng Baaaanngg' while they're swaying along to the song. And it has the formula of pop-song-then-throw-in-a-verse-of-rap-to-open-up-to-more-listeners, and I always find that a rap in a song helps to change up the pace and feel of the song, which sometimes helps to prevent the song from sounding too repetitious and boring. As do trumpets (at least in my opinion).
Reaching number one in many countries, it's great to see three women topping the charts. Yet although the song has potential, you have to think: if someone else were to sing it, would it still have the same feel to it, the same success? Or would it just be seen as another radio-friendly song that keeps people happy for a few days? I guess only time will tell...
What did you think of the song? Are you a fan? If you agree or disagree with this post, feel free to post a constructive comment below!
Prepare yourself for the return to the city of sin:
After analysing the Fifty Shades of Grey trailer and seemingly a little unsure as to whether or not I should put myself through the film's release, it was great to finally watch a trailer that built up my excitement with each shot! Of course, I'm talking about the new 3 minute 23 second red band trailer of the second Sin City film - Sin City: A Dame To Kill For.
As I'm a fan of action, Noir and all films that cleverly execute special effects that take you to a whole new dimension, A Dame To Kill For definitely looks like a film to watch. Starring Jessica Alba, Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke and new additions Eva Green, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and even Lady Gaga (who must have enjoyed her time shooting - equipped with a golden gun of course - with director Robert Rodriguez in his film Machete Kills), the trailer gives us not a snippet, but almost a starter course to get us prepared for the main meal!
Directors Frank Miller and Rodriguez will clearly be giving us another stunning film filled with violence, women and more violence. What I like about the Sin City films is that the women are also capable of kicking butt themselves, even if they are watched by men who call them 'dames to kill for' (which is still a compliment right?). The emphasis is definitely on the ladies, even if we do see the male characters that are also in the film.
Watching the trailer over and over, you notice the little tricks that make the film look like something from a video game; it's introductory shots that are something from a comic book page that fade to black and white camera shots, shots like at 00:39 where we see a character overlayed with police cars and the shots of the same character running, and of course its infamous emphasis on particular colours (red lips and blood, pink clothes, blonde hair or green eyes). Filled with a killer cast (no pun intended...), stellar effects and released August 22nd, Sin City: A Dame To Kill For is one to add to your diaries.
So as you've probably noticed from every ad that pops up when you watch a YouTube video, or when you log into Facebook and see it on your news feed (even being shared by Beyonce's Facebook page), we finally have been given a taste of just what to expect with the film Fifty Shades of Grey. ♡ Watch the trailer to the film below or here
After what seems like centuries of stories surrounding the casting and who would be playing Mr Grey and Anastasia Steele, the release of the trailer has allowed us to see just what the film is going to look like with actress Dakota Johnson and actor Jamie Dornan. Articles around the internet were comparing the storyline - taken from E.L. James' surprisingly popular book of the same name - to Secretary, a 2002 film starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Spader (whose character also just so happens to be a Mr Grey). If you'd like to take a look at the similarities yourself, check out the video from Hollywood Reporter's website that puts the trailers of Fifty Shades of Grey and Secretary next to each other to highlight the striking resemblance between their set-ups: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/video-how-do-trailers-fifty-721647 If you were analysing the trailer frame-by-frame, or you happen to be in the know with everything surrounding this film, or (like me) you happened to read the 'About' section underneath the trailer on YouTube, you'll find the words 'Rita Ora as Mia' in the paragraph listing those involved in the film. You'll spot her on the right in a short, brunette wig at the table:
Now, having never read the Fifty Shades of Grey books and never seeing the film Secretary, I can't help but think that it's inclusion of Rita Ora and Beyonce's place on its soundtrack (with a new version of 'Crazy in Love' for you to enjoy in the trailer) is to sway the minds of those that think that the film might not be for the masses (Cosmopolitan recently posted what men think when watching the trailer here). Perhaps it's also the fact that I've not been totally sucked into reading the books and my unawareness of how the story actually turns out, but I can't help but watch the trailer thinking that the whole film has a horror-esque, Hostel-type feel to it. Particularly when Christian Grey unlocks the door to his room of secrets that reveal his 'singular tastes' and we see Anastasia blindfolded and tied up.
Now I tend to go to the cinema without watching the trailers for the films that I'm about to see (bad idea when it came to Fault in Our Stars - the only warning I was given was by my friends telling me that it was a film that makes you cry, I had to hold in the tears which made me look like I had a heart of stone). I like to let the film just present itself as it is - with a trailer so much is cut out and pieced together that you could almost make an entirely different feel to the film, which can give you false expectations. So maybe watching the trailer before seeing Fifty Shades of Grey was a bad choice, and maybe I shouldn't judge a film by its trailer in this case. But as this is another phenomenon (although I'm still not sure why, should I read one of the books?), I couldn't help but to watch the trailer as did 15 million other people judging by its YouTube views. I realise that I have treated the trailer negatively, however, I will say that as a film student and avid cinema-visitor I think that I will be grateful that this film will hopefully create a burst of movie-goers and give the film industry a well-deserved boost. I just know that someone that I know will want to see this and I'll be taken along for the ride, but until then I think I'll stay out of this phenomenon for now... What did you think of the film trailer? Are you excited or dreading the new addition to the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon? Comment below and share your views.
Now it doesn't really matter too much if you haven't seen the first of the sequel, 'How To Train Your Dragon' because (although you might want the back-story of just how dragons came to exist within the Viking town in which main character Hiccup lives), the film is just as dynamic, funny, touching and entertaining without it. I went to see the film with two other HTTYD fans and one guy who had never seen the first one, and we all unanimously agreed that it was a good film.
Much like my review of Despicable Me 2, I have to say that it is the children (of course) that may enjoy this film particularly more than the adults. But that's not to say that if you are a parent taking your children to see this movie that you should find something else to do whilst they're watching. And that's not to say that you need to be a parent or a child to enjoy it either, as my 21-year-old also found it to be entertaining. Like most animated films aimed largely towards a younger audience, How To Train Your Dragon 2 has the ability of delighting the youngsters and upholding the adults' interest. I'll refer to my Despicable Me 2 review again here, because although there are plenty of main characters that we can and do attach ourselves to, we also begin to enjoy the company of the dragons (particularly Hiccup's dragon Toothless) much like we enjoy the yellow minions of Despicable Me. Although I'm not sure whether my attachment to Toothless comes from his remarkably similar qualities to my pet dog (although sadly he cannot breathe fire or fly through the air like Toothless...).
With humour, romance, tragedy and action, How To Train Your Dragon 2 is entertaining and with the summer holidays here it is one to take the whole family to see!
It's been a hectic week in the world of pop. With the leaking of Katy Perry's latest release 'Roar' and Lady Gaga's new song 'Applause', both Katycats and Little Monsters were sent into a meltdown! Both pop artists are head to head with their releases, and with both set to make an appearance at the MTV VMA's, it's only a matter of time before we see which one comes out on top.
Roar
Catchy, inspiring and uplifting, Katy Perry brings back the big guns that she used with anthem 'Firework' to create a summer track set to battle with Gaga's 'comeback' single. Using popular emoticons in her lyric video that are regularly used by teens and young adults, it's clear that Perry is out to sell a happy, fun record - one which people of all ages will find themselves singing "You're gonna hear me rooooaaar!" I mean, imagine driving home after a hard days work and yelling out the lyrics "I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire, 'Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar". The lyrics are motivating and leave you wanting to climb a mountain - almost Rocky-esque style in the infamous scene when he runs up the stairs! Take a listen and try to prevent yourself from joining in the chorus' "oh oh oh oh oh ohh!" ♡ Below is the lyric video to Roar, or you can watch by clicking here
Applause
Gaga is back!!! Monsters rejoice! Applause is fast-paced and is definitely the rave song that Gaga hinted at way back in November regarding her latest album ARTPOP (to be released in November this year) with the tweet: "#HappyBirthdayTheFameMonster a special day when you were born, your techno raver little sister is in my uterus she says hello in glowsticks"
Never one to disappoint and always filled with surprises (after releasing the song early), Gaga has penned a dance song laced with lyrics that might escape some people such as 'One second I'm a Koons, then suddenly the Koons is me!' (referring to artist Jeff Koons). But despite the poetic and cultural lyrics, Gaga delivers a pumped-up and celebratory track as she asks us to "Give me the thing that I love, put your hands up make 'em touch!"
How could we ever say no?
♡ Below is the official audio for Gaga's 'Applause', click here and get your hands ready for some clapping!
Comment below with your opinions of the songs! Who do you think has won this week's battle of releases? Gaga or Katy? Are you a Katycat that loves Applause or a Monster that loves Roar? Or are you still stanning for your favourite diva?
