Album Review : The Time Is Now by Craig David

Hello and welcome to another blogpost. Today I am going to be giving you not one but two reviews. First of all we have a brief review Childish Gambino's unreleased 2011 EP titles "EP", a unique rap record from a unique artist. Shorty afterwards, there will be an in depth review of Craig David's latest album "The Time Is Now". Both of the releases are amazing so lets get into it!

So first of all, if I had to describe Childish Gambino's "EP", I would describe it as literal 'rap royalty'. Overall, I am not a massive fan of rap music but for some reason I love Childish Gambino's bars and always have done, he is certainly my favourite rapper. In particular, I love "Be Alone" and "Not Going Back" as they are honest and relatable. "Not Going Back" is such an empowering song, telling everyone to stick up for what they believe in which is not really a common theme in Gambino's songs. Anyways, I cannot get enough of the EP at the moment and carry on reading until the end of the post to see where it ends up in my rankings...

Track 1 = Magic

We kick of "The Time Is Now" with "Magic", an infectious song that uses clever word-play and some nice vocals from Craig David. I would probably say that this song is one of my favourites from the album as it is just one of those tracks that will get stuck in your head for days upon end. This is an amazing start to an amazing album and something you all need to give a listen to!

Track 2 = Heartline

Looking back now, I am absolutely astounded that I have never mentioned "Heartline" on this blog before. The lead single from the album, the song is extremely catchy and is actually (at the time of writing this) the oldest song in my 'current' music playlist on Spotify which i reorganise weekly, meaning I really do love the song. This is a brilliant song that you need to hear if you haven't already.

Track 3 = Brand New

Another catchy song from the record, "Brand New" is yet another great song from Craig David on this album and one that I cannot stop singing. An ongoing theme throughout the album are catchy lyrics and catchy beats and this song certainly goes along with that. Just like the two previous tracks, take the time out to listen to "Brand New".

Track 4 = Going On

Track 4 on the album is one that I am not quite sure about to be completely honest. Like I have said about other songs before, I feel like the song is lacking 'something' which I am not quite sure of. It could possibly be that the vocal range is relatively slim throughout the track. One thing that I do love about the track though, is the beat and especially how it completely switches up in the middle 8 of the song.

Track 5 = Love Me Like It's Yesterday

"Love Me Like It's Yesterday" is the song that is probably my favourite from the album. Personally, I feel like this track is the catchiest song of the album as the chorus has been stuck in my head since the song first came out. There not really anything negative that I can say about this song as I just love it so much so please make sure you listen to it as soon as possible!

Track 6 = For The Gram

This next song is another one that I am not so sure about as I feel like it sounds like anything you hear nowadays, with me really feeling some Migos vibes, a band who I am not particularly fond of. I do feel like this song is quite different to the rest of the album and the only reason as to why I am not a massive fan of it is because I do not usually listen to this type of music; if you hear the song, you should probably get what I mean.

Track 7 = Get Involved (feat. JP Cooper)

I seriously applaud this song for not only putting Craig David, but also the featured artist JP Cooper out of their comfort zones as this song sound completely different to anything I have heard before from either of the artists. I do certainly love this song though as not only is it catchy, it is different and those are two of the main components of a great song!

Track 8 = I Know You (feat. Bastille)

If you know any of the songs from this album, it is probably this one as, especially in recent weeks, the song has become insanely popular, even become Craig David's highest-charting song in 13 years! I myself am a big fan of the song as I feel like Craig David and Dan from Bastille's voices compliment each other so well, forming a unique and insanely-good partnership. The song is also very catchy and if you event heard it yet, you should do so.

Track 9 = Live In The Moment (feat. GoldLink)

Track nine of the album is another one of my favourites as it gives me 'old-school Nile Rodgers vibes' which may sound very bizarre but if you listen, you'll definitely get what I mean. I love Craig's voce in the catchy chorus and GoldLink's rap verse as it flows so well. This album seems to spawn hit after hit!

Track 10 = Love Will Come Around

Taking a more chilled and laid-back approach, we have "Love Will Come Around" which I love as the lyrics and the beats are still so catchy and a track that I cannot get enough of, despite having a slower tempo than the other tracks on the album. I also love how there are a limited amount of words in the chorus as it seems to work very well with the song which isn't always the case.

Track 11 = Somebody Like Me (feat. AJ Tracey)
Penultimately, "Somebody Like Me" is an infectious that gives me both something fresh and something old-school which is bizarre to come across. I am a big fan of the rising artist AJ Tracey's verse as it fits the song so well and although Craig David's vocals may not be the best I've seen on this album before, they fit the song so perfectly so you don't need to really worry about it.

Track 12 = Focus
Lastly, we have "Focus" which I am a big fan of as it takes me back to the times when I was in love with House music a couple of years ago. Although it may not be what I would traditionally listen to nowadays, I can appreciate the track and how it makes you want to just get up and dance or sing. This is a great, upbeat and energetic end to an album.

So overall, "The Time Is Now" is certainly a fair title for the album as the album is exactly what is needed right now as it is so upbeat and happy in a world where there is so much bad news around us. Each song on the record is diverse yet also similar and I am so glad that Craig David has stuck to his roots as it is what I love. With this in mind, lets look at out rankings (also featuring Childish Gambino's "EP")...

1. Camila Cabello - Camila

2. Sam Smith - The Thrill Of It All

3. Demi Lovato - Tell Me You Love Me

4. Childish Gambino - EP

5. Calvin Harris - Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1
6. Craig David - The Time Is Now

Song Of The Week :

Recently, a song called "Vain" by KIRBY came up on my Discover Weekly playlist on Spotify, something that I check frequently and I instantly fell in love. The song is so jazzy and soulful and I cannot get enough of when the gospel choir join in on the chorus. KIRBY's vocals are also so smooth and silky, a quality that I absolutely adore in a voice; the song as a whole is an experience and my favourite style of music. Please check out the song and give KIRBY the recognition the recognition she needs. So I hope you enjoyed this blogpost. Next week I shall be posting another instalment of "My Favourite Little Mix Songs" so I hope you are excited!

Album Review : Camila by Camila Cabello

Hello and welcome to another blogpost! Today I am bringing you the first "Album Review" of 2018 where I shall be reviewing Camila Cabello's debut album. If you read my blog frequently last year, you should know that I am a big Camila Cabello fan so this blog should be a fun one!

Track 1 = Never Be The Same

We start of today's blogpost with a song that was very close to being my "Song Of The Week" lat week. "Never Be The Same" was released a couple of weeks back and ever since it has grown on me massively with it now being one of my favourite Camila Cabello songs. I have grown to love the falsetto in the chorus and also its music video (which if you look close enough, you can spot me in for a split second). Anyways, this is an incredible track and an incredible start to an album if you ask me.

Track 2 = All These Years

"All These Years" may only be the second track on the album, but you can already tell that each track with contrast quite a bit. What I love about this song is the acoustic guitar riff played throughout and the repetitive and catchy chorus, something which Camila seems to be really good at creating. Also, towards the end of the song, there are some vocal runs performed by Camila which I absolutely adore, making me fall in love with the song even more! This is a great track guys.

Track 3 = She Loves Control

Next we jump to one of my favourite songs on the album. "She Loves Control" and it's latin vibes just makes me want to dance along and even behind the beat and catchy lyrics, the song has an immensely empowering message. The song says that 'women should have control over their own lives' which I 100% agree with and to put a message like that into a song as catchy and fun as "She Loves Control" is quite an achievement!

Track 4 = Havana (feat. Young Thug)

Next we have the song that you all should know and love! I put "Havana" and my "Song Of The Week" way back in August and since then it has gone on to spend five weeks at number one on the UK singles chart as well as win numerous awards all across the world. Even though the song may be slightly overplayed now, there is no denying that it is a brilliant song that everyone cannot get out of their heads as well as an unbelievable breakout hit for Camila.

Track 5 = Inside Out

"Inside Out" is yet another of my favourite tracks on the album as the chorus is amazing! In addition to the chorus though, the song features some great vocals from Camila and the catchy beat behind the lyrics gives off real Rihanna vibes to me which is a big, big compliment considering she is only 20 years old. This is once again, another immense track from Camila and her debut album which you all really needn't listen to.

Track 6 = Consequences

Track 6 of the album takes a much slower approach to the songs before it but i think it is just as good, if not better than the others. Considering it is a real ballad, "Consequences" is so delicate and catchy and I can't believe I am saying this but it even reminds me of Beyonce's "Sandcastles" which you all know is one of my favourite songs from "Lemonade". "Consequences" is a unique but classic ballad that you all really need to give a listen!

Track 7 = Real Friends

Now we jump to a song that was my "Song Of The Week" just a few weeks ago! "Real Friends" is so unique and catchy with not only its lyrics but also its acoustic guitar instrumental. I have loved this track ever since it came out and even to this day I can still not get enough of the track! If you have still not heard this song before, please give it a listen as I assure you that it'll soon be a classic of yours, as it is one of mine.

Track 8 = Something's Gotta Give

Next is the track that I would probably deem as my least favourite of the album, although that does not mean that I do not love track as I genuinely do! Another ballad, "Something's Gotta Give" really shows of Camila's vulnerable side unlike any other track on this album really does. Personally, the only reason as to why this song does not appeal to me like the other songs do is because I just feel like I am waiting for something to happen in the song and it never really does; maybe if you listened to the track, you would get what I mean.

Track 9 = In The Dark

This next song is probably the one that I would say is the most unique on the album. First of all, the sudden beat that is brought in during the second verse really pulls the listener in before the incredibly catchy chorus that I bet will get stuck in your head for days upon end. I think the song is really intriguing with its lyrics as it suggests that people are not the same at times or 'in the dark' which I totally believe and agree with.

Track 10 = Into It

Lastly, we end the review on arguably my favourite song of the album and the song that was last week's "Song Of The Week". What I love particularly about this song is the chorus, which may be sound repetitive but it actually is not if you listen carefully. With this whole album, I feel like Camila has been very clever in terms of lyrics, especially with this song which I said in my last blogpost sounds like Camila Cabello mixed with Kehlani.

So overall, "Camila" is a truly phenomenal album that is certainly putting Camila Cabello in the perfect career direction for her future. When you think that this her very first solo album, it's quite hard to comprehend how amazing this album is and it seems like the rest of the world agree with the album going to number one in over 90 countries on iTunes. Each track is so unique and different and I just cannot get enough! With this in mind, lets look at our rankings which, for 2018, have been updated and only feature the top three from last year and, of course, "Camila"...

1. Camila Cabello - Camila

2. Sam Smith - The Thrill Of It All

3. Demi Lovato - Tell Me You Love Me

4. Calvin Harris - Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1

Song Of The Week :

Dua Lipa is quickly becoming one of my favourite artists in the industry and this week's "Song Of The Week" ("IDGAF") is rapidly speeding up that process. The track, which was also written by MNEK, is so catchy and confident that I just cannot get enough! Also, the music video is easily my favourite music video that I have seen in a long, long while, possibly even since Beyonce's "Lemonade". Anyways, if you haven't heard this unbelievable track yet, please give it a listen as I know you will not regret listening to it! So I hope you enjoyed this album review of an album which I clearly have fallen in love with. Next week I shall be uploading the next instalment of "My Favourite Little Mix Songs" so I hope you are excited.

Artist Showcase : Mahalia

Hello and welcome to another blogpost. Today I am going to be doing another "Artist Showcase". It seems like forever since I last did one of these but now we are back with one on Mahalia who is an artist I have loved for ages and one who has been featured on this blog multiple times so without further ado, lets get into it.

Mahalia Burkmar, better known by the name Mahalia, is an English singer, songwriter and actress who is based in Birmingham. She is from Leicestershire and got signed to her first record label at the tender age of thirteen. Throughout her career as a musician, Mahalia has released multiple EP's and one album titled "Diary Of Me", which was released back in 2016. To add to her stellar achievements, she has featured on Rudimental's "We The Generation" album and acted in the film "Brotherhood", just showing she is a jack of all trades.

One song of Mahalia's that I am particularly fond of is "Sober" which was released last year and has surprisingly never been featured on this blog before. To me, the song just seems very different not only to Mahalia's other stuff but to anything in the music industry nowadays. The best way of describing the song would be R&B meets neo-soul and the vocals and instrumental are so smooth and desirable. The son is honestly insane so please I've it the recognition it deserves by not only listening to it below but streaming it as much as you can.

Although I do love "Sober", the song that made me fall in love with Mahalia and the song that's my favourite of Mahalia's is "Rollercoaster". The song got suggested to me on Spotify's "Discover Weekly" playlist and before I had heard it, I had never heard of Mahalia before; now I cannot get enough of her, hence why I am doing an "Artist Showcase" on her. In this track, I think her voice is so delicate, innocent and yet again like no other voice I have heard. The song is so catchy and I would appreciate it so much if you just went and gave it a listen down below...

Even though I may have told you many times before, please give Mahalia all of your support buy listening to and streaming her material. This girl keeps getting better and better and I would not be surprised if she broke into the top 40 in the future but for the time being, she really needs your support. With another album expected late this year, you need to start listening to this girl because she is truly something else.

Song Of The Week :

This week's "Song Of The Week" may be one that you have heard a long, long time ago but it has recently been re-released and remixed and is better than ever. Bruno Mars has teamed up with Cardi B on a remix of his track "Finesse" which was reviewed in my album review of his back in 2016. The remix is absolutely incredible and Bruno and Cardi work brilliantly together! The video also gives me complete 90's vibes and I am living for it! This is a song you really need to listen to. So I hoped you enjoyed this "Artist Showcase" on Mahalia. Next week I shall be uploading yet another edition of "My Favourite Little Mix Songs" so I hope you are excited. for that.

My Top Songs Of 2017

Hello and welcome to my last post of the year! 2017 has been a whirlwind of emotions and I feel honoured to have been able to have shared it with you. For this last post of 2017, I shall be repeating what I did last year with "My Top Songs Of 2017". However, instead of 10 songs, I shall be showing you twenty songs, all from my Spotify (excluding those which I have frequently listened to for education purposes or those who have been listened to other people). I shall be simply listing 20 - 11 before going into more detail in 10 - 6 and adding videos for 5 - 1. I shall also be finishing off the post with a list of my top 10 albums of this year (excluding EP's) in the place of my "Song Of The Week". I hope you enjoy!

My Top 20 Songs Of 2017 :
20. Sarah Close - Call Me Out
19. Descendants Cast - Ways To Be Wicked
18. Demi Lovato - Sorry Not Sorry
17. Rag'n'Bone Man - Human
16. Kehlani - Distraction
15. Sam Smith - Pray
14. Camila Cabello - Crying In The Club
13. Louisa Johnson - Best Behaviour
12. Kehlani - CRZY
11. Shawn Mendes - Bad Reputation

10. Demi Lovato - Tell Me You Love Me
Starting off the top ten, we have Demi Lovato who I have been absolutely in love with this year. I am not surprised at all that she has two songs in the top 20 as her "Tell Me You Love Me" album has honestly been on repeat since the day it was released (more from that later). In particular, "Tell Me You Love Me" is such an empowering track that shows all of the soul and passion that Demi can express through her voice, making me fall in absolute love with it!

9. Frank Ocean - Ivy
If I am being honest, I don't think there is one bad thing I can say about Frank Ocean except from the fact that he does not release music frequently enough. His voice is phenomenal, his songs are phenomenal, his albums as a whole are phenomenal, there is not much that he can't do! One song that stuck out in particular to me was "Ivy" as the song is so raw and emotional, especially when he sang it back in July when I saw him live (still the best concert I have been to after Beyonce). If you haven't yet, get listening to Frank Ocean and his fantasticalness!

8. Sonny - Princess
If you have read this blog at any point during 2017, you should know that I have not stopped raving about Sonny and in particular "Princess". I am genuinely flabbergasted at how this is not higher up as I have not been able to stop listening to it this year! Considering he is only 17 (two years older than me), his voice is so soulful, incredible and unlike anything else that I have heard this year. If you somehow haven't listened to Sonny yet after hearing my continuous begging throughout the year for you to do so, please just give in and give this amazing artist a listen.

7. Sam Smith - Too Good At Goodbyes
In number seven we have Sam Smith who could possibly be my favourite artist to have released music this year, I cannot get enough of him (I cannot wait to see him at The O2 in April). To be completely honest, I think the only reason that "Too Good At Goodbyes" and the rest of "The Thrill Of It All" are not higher up in the chart is the fact that they were released so late into the year; if it was released any earlier than October, I think it could have easily been in the top three. "Too Good At Goodbyes" is so incredible and I just love the fact that Sam Smith is back and better than ever!

6. Sarah Close - Caught Up
Just missing out on the top five we have Sarah Close who I haven't gotten enough of this year. I have been a fan of hers for years now and the "Caught Up EP" (her first original offering) has been the soundtrack to my year. If I didn't have other people listening to my Spotify, I even think this song could've taken the top spot. "Caught Up" has been mentioned on my blog multiple times and when I met Sarah at her gig in September, my love for the song grew even stronger! If you have still never heard Sarah Close, please go over to her YouTube channel and listen to some of her stuff.

5. Anderson .Paak - Come Down
"Come Down" was featured in a "7 Songs You Should Listen To" post way back in February and I have loved the song ever since. When I saw Anderson Paak at Bruno Mars' concert back in April, he was phenomenal, especially for a support act. Anyways, the song is so upbeat and empowering and makes me want to dance whenever I listen to it just like the rest of his "Malibu" album, you should really give this song a listen and see whether you agree with me. The video is down below...

4. 5 After Midnight - Up In Here

In fourth place we have last year's X Factor exports 5 After Midnight with their debut single "Up In Here". The three boys were my favourite act throughout the entirety of last year's series and I am so happy they have released some amazing music (including a great EP which you should check out by the way). "Up In Here" is such an infectious song that just makes me want to sing and dance along whenever I listen and I really hope it gives off the same vibe to you when you hear it; you can do so by listening below; you will not regret it!

3. Camila Cabello Ft. Young Thug - Havana

With no surprise to be whatsoever, in bronze position we have Camila Cabello with the infectious "Havana". Ever since this song was released, I have not stopped listening to it, and neither has the rest of the UK by the looks of the song's five week reign at number one. The song is so catchy and was absolutely incredible live at the Radio 1 Teen Awards (home to Gemma Collins' amazing fall) where she headlined. If you have somehow not heard this song, listen to it below as I can guarantee you that you will thoroughly enjoy it.

2. Shawn Mendes - No Promises

In second place we have Shawn Mendes whose career has absolutely blossomed this year, winning awards all across the globe. I saw him live back in June and one of his best performances has to have been "No Promises"! The track is so upbeat and features not only great vocals but great guitar and piano playing from Shawn Mendes, making him differ from all of the other musicians this year. If you want a new album to listen to, I would highly recommend "Illuminate" as it features a range of different songs that tell a great story together. Please listen to "No Promises" below for a little taste of the album and all of its greatness.

1. Kehlani - In My Feelings

So in number one we have Kehlani with "In My Feelings" which, I am not going to lie, I am a little surprised to see in number one but then I think, the album containing the song ("SweetSexySavage") was released way back in January, meaning I had pretty much the whole year to listen to the track, and the rest of the album in fact. In particular, "In My Feelings" is a great song with some great vocals and easily one of my favourites from the album. If you feel like listening to something very different to the majority of mainstream music these days, listen to this song (down below) and the rest of Kehlani's "SweetSexySavage" album!

My Top 10 Albums Of 2017 :

10. American Teen by Khalid

9. Harry Styles by Harry Styles

8. Dua Lipa by Dua Lipa

7. Human by Rag'n'Bone Man

6. Mura Masa by Mura Masa

5. Melodrama by Lorde

4. SweetSexySavage by Kehlani

3. Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1 by Calvin Harris

2. Tell Me You Love Me by Demi Lovato

1. The Thrill Of It All by Sam Smith

So I hoped you enjoyed this year on this blog! Check back next year (aka the biggest year of my life) for bigger and better posts than you have ever seen before on this blog!

Little Mix's Glory Days Tour ~ 25/11/17

Hello and welcome to another blogpost! Today I shall be reviewing my time at Little Mix's latest tour which (spoiler alert) was incredible so I hope you enjoy!

On the 25th of November, I travelled down to The O2 in London to go and see Little Mix at their sold-out gig. As I was seated, there was luckily no queue meaning there was no rushing or chaos, creating a bizarre and tranquil experience. Even though I may have been seated on Level 4 (the highest tier at the arena), my seat was very good as I was directly opposite the stage and got a beautiful view of the entire arena and it's flashing lights.

After an hour or two of average support acts and waiting, it was finally time for Little Mix to come on to the stage and they were not disappointing at all. I brought the tickets to the concert a long time ago and the wait was unbearable but that did not bother me in the slightest as the four girls put on such a show that not only amazed me but the rest of the 20,000 people sharing the experience with me. All of their hour-and-a-half set was phenomenal and I just wish I could go back now.

Like I previously said, as I brought the tickets so long ago, I had hardly heard much of their "Glory Days" album live meaning I was chuffed to finally experience it live. In particular, I loved their opening song "Power" (which you all should know), "F.U." and "Reggaeton Lento" as they are all so different for the girls and really show how diverse they are trying to make their music. I can't really say any of the songs were unsettling though as each of their voices are so amazing and professional nowadays if you think back to when they were on X Factor.

One thing that was particularly special about the concert was the outfits that Little Mix donned throughout the gig. The concert started off with the four girls in black leather outfits of all kinds, showing their slim figures whilst leaving them not overheated on the stage which can get extremely hot. The girls then came on in some truly extraordinary colourful outfits (to your right) which you can only describe as a western/angelic crossover. This was easily my favourite outfit set of the night. After this, for their final outfits, the girls came out in some hauntingly beautiful skull-inspired outfits. These outfits even had bandanas covering their mouths, giving them a eery yet beautiful feel.

Furthermore, another great thing about the concert was how I managed to get some brilliant photos (as you have already seen), however, the picture to your right in particular is my favourite as I love how fierce the girls are in front of the almost-symmetrical fire, giving me empowering vibes; the picture is also my current lock screen on my phone. Referring back to the earlier paragraph, another great thing about the many outfit changes was that I got to capture several different great photos of the girls looking completely different to before, making me fall in love with the gig even more!

So overall, the concert was incredible and possibly the best of Little Mix's tours I have ever been to (and I have been to every single one). Even though I may have been high up in the arena, it kind of ended up giving me a more atmospheric feel as I could take in all of the sights. If you ever have the chance, please go and see Little Mix on their upcoming tour as I promise you will have the time of your life and will certainly not regret it, I have not once regretted seeing Little Mix and I don't think I will ever do so in the future.

Song Of The Week :
Today my "Song Of The Week" is by an artist who I have been loving for a long time now: her name is Jorja Smith and the song is "Teenage Fantasy". Jorja recently won 2018's BRITs Critics Choice Award and she is honestly so deserving of it, her smooth jazzy vocals are so desirable and the fact that every one of her songs is incredibly catchy is a real achievement. Please go and check her out as soon as you can alongside this song.
So I hope you enjoyed this blogpost, check back tomorrow where I shall be uploading a post consisting of all of my best songs of 2017, I hope you will enjoy that post too!

7 Songs You Should Listen To : The Return

Hello and welcome to a very exciting blogpost. This month I shall be uploading the 'best' of my blog (excluding "Artist Showcase") and to start it off, we are returning with arguably the best ex-series of this blog's : "7 Songs You Should Listen To". Today I will be showing you seven songs that I cannot get enough of recently in the hope that you will enjoy them (this means there is no "Song Of The Week") so I hope you enjoy!

Billy Carr - Soldier
This is very bizarre to say but we are starting today's post with a song of my own. I am a keen songwriter and I tend to control my emotions through my songs. "Soldier" is such a personal song about grief and moving on from grief and it feels so liberating and touching to have my own song out there for anyone to see. The song may not be out on iTunes or Spotify yet (hopefully it will be one day), but it is on Soundcloud so I cannot tell you how humbled and grateful I would be if you checked it out here. The song is completely a capella and I cannot describe how much work I have put into it; please give it a listen!

Mahalia Feat. Buddy - Hold On
Next up we have an artist that has been featured on this blog a number of times. "Hold On" has been out for a while now but I have somehow never mentioned it before even though I have been obsessed with it for so long. The song is so catchy and Mahalia's voice is just so raspy, incredible and unlike any other voice I know. As well as making sure you listen to this song before, please check out Mahalia's other stuff (an "Artist Showcase" on her may be coming soon). So don't forget to listen on spotify/youtube (I cannot attach it below) as this is a song I seriously think you are missing out on.

Jessie J - Queen
By now you should all know that I am a big Jessie J fan as I look up to her so much as an artist, so I was obviously ecstatic when I found out she was returning to the music world with "Queen". It is fair to say that the single did not disappoint as the song's message all about loving yourself is so empowering and Jessie's voice is just undeniably brilliant. I cannot wait for her fourth album "R.O.S.E." to be released next year and I can promise you a review shall be coming! For the meantime, lets just cherish "Queen" in all it's glory as it is a truly phenomenal song; please listen to the track below...

Fall Out Boy - The Last Of The Real Ones

The fourth song is quite vastly different to any other song in this post as it goes down a more rock/alternative route. I think I have mentioned this on this blog before but one thing to know about me is that I am a Fall Out Boy fan, showing my diverse music taste. One of their latest offerings from their upcoming album "Mania", "The Last Of The Real Ones" is such a good track as not only does it have some lovely husky vocals, the instrumentals are amazing, in particular, the guitar riffs. If you are trying to venture into another genre with your musical taste and fancy something different, try listening to Fall Out Boy as they are really great and different. 

Sam Smith - One Last Song

Honestly, I can't really remember the last time I did a blogpost and did not mention Sam Smith; I am just loving him so much lately and his album has been playing on repeat! The song I am sharing with you today is "One Last Song", Sam's second single from the album (which he has just released a music video to) and what attracts me to the song is the gospel-vibes that the song brings me. As we all know, Sam Smith loves writing from heartbreak and this song is a prime example of that as this song is utterly brilliant! Like always, Sam Smith's vocals are on point and the song is so upbeat even though it is about a subject that isn't typically so happy. Heres a video of him singing the track live...

Next Town Down - Man On The Loose

Penultimately, we have Next Town Down, a band which have been featured on this blog a number of times before with there second single "Man On The Loose". I have been loving the band recently and it was honestly so hard to choose between this and their third single "Feeling Myself" as they are both phenomenal, however, I chose this track because the song is so catchy and all of the boys' vocals are crazily good! If you want a new band and a new song to fall in love with, I would certainly recommend Next Town Down as they are fresh, current and so underrated and this song is unlike any other that I've heard recently; you need to hear it.

Little Mix - Is Your Love Enough?

Last but not least we have some of my four favourite girls Little Mix who I recently saw on their "Glory Days Tour" (review post coming next week) and during this tour of their's, they released the 'platinum' edition of the "Glory Days" featuring three new brilliant songs of which I wish were all in here. However, "Is Your Love Enough?" has to troop the others as not only is the song catchy, each of the girl's vocals are some of their best. Even if you may not be a massive Little Mix fan, please give this song a try as it is very different for them yet classic Little Mix. A taster of the song is down below...

So I hoped you enjoyed today's post. Next week, like I previously stated, I shall be uploading a post on my time at Little Mix's "Glory Days" Tour which was a fun time so I hope you are all as excited as I am.

Artist Showcase : Amber Riley

Hello and welcome to another blogpost. Today I shall be doing yet another "Artist Showcase" post, this time on the fabulous Amber Riley but before I do, I just want to apologise for the lack of upload last weekend. To make up for this, I shall be doing a brief review of Sam Smith's "The Thrill Of It All" (the album I was meant to review last week) before I proceed with what this post should actually be. Without further ado, I hope you enjoy this fusion of blogpost!

Overall, Sam Smith's second is a true masterpiece and I think everyone should listen to it if they haven't already. The record it so emotional and heart-breaking yet it manages to bring so much joy to my life just like Sam's debut album "In The Lonely Hour" did. In particular, I love the tracks "Pray", "Baby, You Make Me Crazy" and "Burning" which have all been featured as my "Song Of The Week" overtime but I have also fallen in love with songs such as "No Peace" and "Midnight Train". Like I said before, I cannot get enough of the album and with this in mind, lets look at the top ten rankings...

1. Sam Smith - The Thrill Of It All

2. Demi Lovato - Tell Me You Love Me

3. Calvin Harris - Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1

4. Kehlani - SweetSexySavage

5. Bruno Mars - 24k Magic

6. Sonny - Hopeless Romance EP

7. Sarah Close - Caught Up EP

8. John Legend - Love & Darkness

9. Harry Styles - Harry Styles

10. Childish Gambino - Awaken My Love

Now that that part of this rather bizarre blogpost is done, we shall now proceed with what this post was originally intended to be, here is the "Artist Showcase" on the phenomenal Amber Riley!

Amber Patrice Riley is an American actress, singer and author born in Los Angeles, California on February 15th 1986. She is most commonly known for her portrayal of Mercedes Jones in "Glee" (which I must say is my favourite show at the moment) and for her performance is the series, she won a Screen Actors Guild Award and was nominated for three Teen Choice Awards, three NAACP Image Awards and three Grammy Awards. Since the show ended, Amber Riley has gone on to pursue several projects, featuring in "The Wiz Live!", writing a book and most notably, playing Effie White in the West End production of "Dreamgirls" which is my favourite musical of all time; it's safe to say she is the perfect fit for Effie!

What first made me fall in love with Amber Riley was her song "Lions And Tigers And Bears" from Todrick Hall's "Straight Outta Oz". I was already a massive fan of Todrick's which made me watch the film in the first place but hands down, my favourite part of the movie had to be Amber Riley's "Lions And Tigers And Bears" which is equally powerful and vulnerable. The song has been featured as my "Song Of The Week" in the past and even though it may be several months after I featured it, I still can't get enough of the song so please listen to it below. I hope you enjoy it as much as me.

Like I said previously, "Glee" is my favourite show at the moment and now that I am close to finishing it, I now realise just how much I missed on before. Without a doubt, Mercedes (Amber Riley's character) has to be my favourite character as not only is her voice to die for, her character is so nice and unique! Although there are so many great songs of Mercedes' in "Glee", I think my favourite song of hers has to be her cover of "Bust Your Windows" as I love the original, her voice suits it so much and it is just such a spectacle! This may be a very controversial statement but I think I may prefer it to the original. Have a listen below...

Even though she may not predominantly be a singer, Amber Riley is utterly incredible and I seriously think you should watch some of her projects or listen to her songs as she is so greatly underrated and under appreciated. In fact, Amber Riley has recently released an album with other musical greats Beverley Knight and Cassidy Janson singing several musical songs which are all amazing. I seriously think you should check that out as it is really good as well as the rest of Amber Riley's material.

Song Of The Week :

My queen Beyonce is back (alongside Eminem) with "Walk On Water", a track so emotional and captivating that I can't deal with it! The lyrics throughout the song, stating that you can try to do your best and that is all you can do, are so moving that I think anyone can relate to them, including myself! Obviously, I think Beyonce's part is the best (which it is) as her vocals and runs are so smooth and luxurious that any artist is envious of them but when you combine this with Eminem's creative rapping, it creates what I can only describe as a musical masterpiece! You need to listen to this song as soon as possible. So I hoped you enjoyed today's mashup of a blogpost. Next week I shall be bringing back my infamous "7 Songs" series for a 'one-off' so I hope you are as thrilled as I am!