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!

Musical Songs You Should Listen To

Hello and welcome to another blogpost. Today I am sharing with you six songs from musicals that I am obsessed with. These songs can be from film or tv adaptations but they have all derived from musical theatre (disclaimer : I shall not be including previous "Song Of The Week"'s meaning that "Step One" from "Kinky Boots" and "Take Me Or Leave Me" from "Rent" shall not be included). I shall also try and include performances of each song as I write about it in order to make the post more 'immersive'. I hope you enjoy!

Listen from Dreamgirls
We are kicking off today's post with what is potentially one of my favourite songs of all time and (as you know) my favourite Beyonce song. Whether it is from the movie or the several theatre versions, anytime I have heard "Listen" live it has just amazed me with its desirable vocals and catchy lyrics. Fairly recently, I saw "Dreamgirls" in the West End and Amber Riley (commonly known as Mercedes from Glee) was utterly incredible and her voice is one of a kind. Anyways, please listen to this track as I just cannot get enough of it!

Revolting Children from Matilda
This next song is probably the newest on this post but that certainly does not mean it is the worst! The song is easily the catchiest on this blogpost as whenever I listen, the song gets stuck in my head for days! Back in July in my school show, this song was involved in it and you could tell it was easily the cast's favourite song to perform. The song is fun, light-hearted and just what you need in a song really. I really hope to see "Matilda The Musical" in the future as I bet it would be amazing; I would suggest you really try and do the same.

Run And Tell That from Hairspray
After "Dreamgirls", "Hairspray" is probably one of my favourite musicals as it covers such controversial topics and makes them seem like they're not a big deal. In particular, "Run And Tell That" is a great song (especially the film version) as the vocals are truly unbelievable, especially for me as a soul singer. If you somehow have never seen "Hairspray" before, you are seriously missing out as the show is so touching and fun throughout. I cannot wait for it to be my school's show next year as I know for sure that everyone will love it.

You'll See from Rent
"Rent" is an absolute musical classic and it has spawned tons of remakes of it's songs. One song that I think is severely underrated from the musical and hasn't been recreated a lot is "You'll See". If you ask me, the song features some great male vocals and I feel like it is constantly overshadowed by songs like "Seasons Of Love". If you ever watch "Rent" in the future (which you should do by the way because its amazing), please really appreciate this song as it is great and extremely unique in my opinion.

Love You I Do from Dreamgirls
Just like "You'll See" in "Rent", "Love You I Do" is so amazing but is constantly overshadowed by songs like "Listen" and "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" but I personally believe that, after "Listen", it is the best "Dreamgirls" song. In particular, I can't get enough of Jennifer Hudson's version from the film as it is so catchy and upbeat and her voice just suits it perfectly (To be honest, what song does Jennifer Hudson's voice not suit?)! Yet again, if you have never seen "Dreamgirls" before, first of all, I would seriously judge you and second of all, I would seriously recommend it as you really need to watch it!

You Can't Win from The Wiz
Last but not least we have a song that I have not been able to get enough of this year since I discovered it. "The Wiz Live" (not "The Wiz" movie which is pretty terrible to be honest) is now one of my favourite musical movies as every song is incredible and it features some great people : Elijah Kelley, Uzo Aduba, Amber Riley and Ne-Yo to name a few. In particular, "You Can't Win" is an unbelievable song that showcases some great vocals and lyrics. I would certainly say you should watch "The Wiz Live" online; I wish I could've seen the show to capture a glimpse of how good it would've been.

Song Of The Week :
This week's "Song Of The Week" is once again by Sam Smith, he is unstoppable at the moment! This week's song is "Baby, You Make Me Crazy" and the song is so fun, upbeat and happy, making a change compared to Sam Smith's usual material. In particular, I love the chorus' falsetto vocals as they are so desirable to any male vocalist. If you have any spare time upon your hands, this is a song that you really need to listen to!

Whilst on the topic of Sam Smith, next week I shall be reviewing his phenomenal new album "The Thrill Of It All" so I hope you are all as excited as I am for it.

Artist Showcase : Tokio Myers

Hello and welcome to another blogpost. Today I shall be uploading another "Artist Showcase" and today it's on an artist I love. He was last week's "Song Of The Week" and I still cannot get enough of him; his name is Tokio Myers and he is incredible!

Torville Jones, better known by his stage name Tokio Myers is a pianist and music producer born in London. He recently won Britain's Got Talent with his unique act, combining amazing piano-playing with pop hits, producing the masterpieces all by himself. In the past he has supported illustrious artists such as Kanye West and Amy Winehouse but now he is starting to shine through on his own, hinting at future collaborations with the likes of Ed Sheeran and Kendrick Lamar.

What made my first fall in love with the musician was his first audition on Britain's Got Talent. He stepped on the stage looking like a some kind of rapper from the streets and then he stepped up to the piano and I was suddenly amazed. The track, which has been released as his first single, is a performance of Debussy's "Clair De Lune" which fuses into Ed Sheeran's "Bloodstream", causing the audience (including myself) to go crazy over it! This performance, although it may not feature any emotional lyrics, is so captivating that I almost found myself in tears when first seeing it. You must check out this performance below...

Another performance of his that I found flabbergasting was his final performance which gave him the Britain's Got Talent crown. In this performance he fused Hans Zimmer's "Interstellar" theme soundtrack together with Rag'n'Bone Man's "Human" and the outcome was phenomenal. Like I said before, this performance earned him the votes to win the show and not only earn £250,000 but a recording contract as well. This piece is to incredible to describe!

Although Tokyo Myers may already be immensely popular to those who watched Britain's Got Talent, his appeal to those who haven't watched the show is very limited so I would thoroughly recommend you check him out and listen to his debut album "Our Generation" when it gets released in the next few weeks. Join me in supporting this amazing artist as I know you will not regret it!

Song Of The Week :

This week's "Song Of The Week" is one that has already been reviewed on this blog before, "Daddy Issues" by Demi Lovato. Since my album review two weeks ago I have been listening to this track non-stop and I cannot get enough of it. I especially love her vocals in the track when they are accompanied by that infectious beat in the hook in the song. I really think you should listen to this song.

I hope you enjoyed today's post. Next week I shall be uploading a post on my time at the Radio 1 Teen Awards so I hope you are all excited.

Lorde's Melodrama World Tour ~ 30/9/17

Hello and welcome to another blogpost. Today I am sharing with you guys a review of my time at Lorde's "Melodrama" world tour. The Brighton Centre may have not allowed me to use my camera but that did not matter in the slightest as the concert was possibly the best I have ever been to at the venue.

So back on the 30th September, I arrived in the (very cold and windy) queue at around quarter-to six and unlike my previous Sarah Close gig, the queue was massive but thankfully I wasn't too far back. After more than an hour of waiting it was finally time to enter the venue which I was so grateful for as I was freezing at the time. I have been to the Brighton Centre several times now so I knew what to expect but I pushed my way near to the front of the standing and I could not be more excited!

Before Lorde, there was Khalid who I was a massive fan of already, something that is very rare with support acts. He sang the majority of his debut album and it's safe to say he was phenomenal! He had his own innovative set and he commanded the stage immensely well; I fell in love with him so much more after the gig. When Khalid was on, the stage was full of these pillars of light which changed colour and I can tell you now that they were so aesthetically pleasing to everyone in the crowd.

As he sang the majority of his "American Teen" album, Khalid sang some great songs that certainly had me singing and dancing along. In particular, I loved "Young, Dumb & Broke" which may be pretty mainstream but I think it is my favourite track of his; at the end of the day, it's the only track of his to feature as my "Song Of The Week". I also wanted to mention "8TEEN" as it was incredible and it got me dancing along to it, making me add it to my playlist post-concert.


About half-an-hour after Khalid's set ended, it was time for the main event, Lorde! She was unbelievably good! She sang so many songs that everyone loved and knew and she got every single person in the arena on their feet. What amazed me the most about this concert was this unique and energetic persona that Lorde brought to the stage as I have never seen anything like it before. The changing backdrop was incredible and her voice is so raw and special, making it feel like a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Even though there were so many great performances to chose from, the best performance of Lorde's had to be "Green Light" as you could tell that absolutely everyone (Lorde, her band, the audience, even the security) was sharing this unique moment and loving and cherishing it. In addition to this, her vocals were amazing in the song and there was confetti in the air, showering down on me and the rest of the audience. It is a moment in my life that I will certainly never forget!


Overall, the gig left me speechless and I can honestly say that it is 'up there' with some of the best concerts I have ever been to; it definitely was the best one I have ever been to in the Brighton Centre. I was honestly not expecting it to be nearly as good as it was so I would really recommend you see Lorde (or Khalid) whenever you possibly can as it is a show you will not forget!

Song Of The Week :

This week's "Song Of The Week" is a little different to any other song featured here because it doesn't have any lyrics. The song is "Bloodstream" by Tokio Myers who I am a massive fan of after seeing him triumph on "Britain's Got Talent". Tokio is so unique as an artist as he mashes up old classical pieces with modern day hits, this time mashing up Debussy's "Clair De Lune" and Ed Sheeran's "Bloodstream" in a way that is so perfect. I cannot wait for his debut album to be released later this year.

Whilst we are talking about Tokio Myers, next week's post will be a long-awaited "Artist Showcase" on him so I hoped you enjoyed this week's post and are excited for next week's!

Album Review : Tell Me You Love Me by Demi Lovato

Hello and welcome to another blogpost. Today we have another "Album Review", this time reviewing Demi Lovato's latest release "Tell Me You Love Me". If you read my blog a lot, you should know that I am a big Demi Lovato fan and have been for years now so I'm excited to get into today's post!

Track 1 = Sorry Not Sorry

We kickstart today's review with a song that you all know I love; "Sorry Not Sorry". The song is so upbeat and fun and if you ask me, its the perfect introduction to this album of honesty and truth. The song is so catchy and ever since it was my "Song Of The Week" back in July, I have not been able to stop singing it. In addition to this, the music video is one of my favourites so I would certainly recommend the watch; you cant really get a better start to an album!

Track 2 = Tell Me You Love Me

Secondly we have the title track and another track I have been loving since the album was put up for preorder about two months ago, its actually really unlucky that it hasn't been my song of the week as I have not been able to stop singing it. The song shows some brilliant vocals and the empowering chorus shows that Demi is gonna stand up for what she believes in, no matter the consequence, once again proving that this album has such a great story behind it.

Track 3 = Sexy Dirty Love

This next track is very different to the rest of the record but yet again very good. "Sexy Dirty Love" is disco-inspired and just makes you want to dance throughout the entire track. The vocals are also extraordinary making it a great song overall. This catchy dance track is one that I would recommend at a party as it will certainly get people dancing and singing, even if they haven't heard it before.

Track 4 = You Don't Do It For Me Anymore

"You Don't Do It For Me Anymore" is definitely the best song on the album vocally as Demi conveys such soul and passion throughout. In addition to this, the song is a touchy subject as Demi is saying she is 'better than someone else' but it she controls it so well. This is a breakup anthem to listen to whether you are single or not!

Track 5 = Daddy Issues

The fifth track on this album takes more of an EDM route but it also fits into the album perfectly somehow. Even though it may be more EDM-based, it does not mean the vocals are any worse though as in the chorus Demi manages to hit some ridiculously high notes that everyone must envy and when this is accompanied by an infectious beat to dance to, you can't really complain.

Track 6 = Ruin the Friendship

"Ruin The Friendship" shows of the husky part of Demi Lovato's voice which I love and have never really heard before. Also, the song is rumoured to be about Demi's long-time friend and fellow celebrity Nick Jonas and it shows just how honest she is being as confessing to everyone that you want to have feelings for someone who everyone knows is your friend must be hard. It has certainly received some public attention and for that I applaud Demi, this song is top notch!

Track 7 = Only Forever

Track seven on the album takes more of a slower approach in comparison to the other tracks but what I like about the track is how it shows such a sense of calmness and tranquility. In addition, just like the rest of the songs on this album, her vocals are flawless and you can tell she put so much heart and passion into this song. I am once again a massive fan of this song.

Track 8 = Lonely (Feat. Lil Wayne)

Next up we have "Lonely" which I must say is one of my favourite songs on the album as it is so laid-back but you can certainly listen to it. The track is so truthful and Lil Wayne (who I am not usually a big fan of due to the amount of autotune he uses) works perfectly with this song. I bet you that if you listen, you will not be able to stop singing this catchy tune as I have not been able to stop!

Track 9 = Cry Baby

Next is last week's "Song Of The Week" which I have not been able to get enough of! "Cry Baby" is easily my favourite on the album as not only is it catchy and soulful, it features so many vocal techniques and key changes that anyone would want to accomplish. The track is so empowering and it leaves the chorus stuck in your head for days. Demi Lovato shows just how much of a warrior she is in this incredible track; if you haven't listened to it yet, you honestly need to do so as soon as possible!

Track 10 = Games

If you ask me, "Games" sounds very Kehlani-esque which obviously means that I am a big fan of it. The beat is so infectious that I just want to dance along whenever I listen and the vocals in both the verse and chorus are so desirable. I cant help but sing along to this tune so I thoroughly recommend you listen as this track is literally amazing and one that you will not want to miss out on!

Track 11 = Concentrate

Penultimately, "Concentrate" takes a more acoustic route which I feel really shows this album's versatility. This is also another track where Demi is being so honest as well, stating how she just wants to be with this person as she can't concentrate on anyone else; when this has unbelievable vocals on top of it, you cannot really request much more in a song.

Track 12 = Hitchhiker

Last but not least is "Hitchhiker" which may have a bizarre title but the song is not the same. If I could describe this song in three words it would be: chilled, amazing and phenomenal. The song finishes off the album so well as show some lovely high-pitched vocals from Demi which are unlike any other vocals on the album. Some of the ad-libs in this song are some of Demi's best and I could say the same about her falsetto so please make sure you give it a listen.

Overal, "Tell Me You Love Me" is too good for words and I seriously think it could be career-defining for Demi Lovato. The whole album tells such a great story about being honest, and leaving the bad things in your life behind. The vocals throughout are brilliant as well so with this in mind, let's look at our rankings (which have been whittled down to a top ten)...

1. Demi Lovato - Tell Me You Love Me

2. Calvin Harris - Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1

3. Kehlani - SweetSexySavage

4. Bruno Mars - 24k Magic

5. Sonny - Hopeless Romance EP

6. Sarah Close - Caught Up EP

7. Harry Styles - Harry Styles

8. John Legend - Love & Darkness

9. Childish Gambino - Awaken My Love

10. Ed Sheeran - Divide

Song Of the Week :

This week my "Song Of The Week" is one that I have not been able to get out of my head since it was released. The song is "Pray" by Sam Smith who is easily one of my favourite artists at the moment and the song is so catchy and has insane vocals. I honestly cannot wait for Sam's second album "The Thrill Of It All" to be released next month and don't worry, a review will be coming shortly afterwards. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed today's blogpost. Next week I shall be reviewing my time at Lorde's "Melodrama" World Tour which I am so excited for as it was one of the best concerts I have been to in a long time so get excited with me!

Sarah Close's Debut Tour ~ 27/9/17

Hello and welcome to another blogpost. Today we have a very exciting post where I review my time at Sarah Close's very first tour at it's stop in Brighton. I may have not had my camera but that really did not matter (as you'll find out later on) so let's get on with it...

So after a long day at school, I got to The Haunt (the venue which Sarah was playing at) at around 5pm and I was amazed to find that I was the third person in the queue, meaning I could literally get as close as I could to one of my favourite artists. I made some friends in the queue and we even played Uno in order to waste the two hour waiting time. Eventually, we made it in and the venue was so intimate that I could tell this was going to be a special concert; it certainly was a special concert!

Before Sarah Close came one, we had the support act who was actually pretty good. His name was Callum Stewart and his voice was very soulful, a feature which followers of this blog will all know I love. For the entirety of his set he sang a variety of original songs and covers including "Tennessee Whiskey" by Chris Stapleton, a song that I have been loving recently. Overall, his set was great and a great warmup for Sarah Close, I even managed to get a great photo of him during his set.

After hours of waiting, it was finally time for Sarah Close and I can tell you now that she did not disappoint. Sarah sang a variety of originals as well as a few of her beloved covers, making a great show. Personally, I think the bit that was incredible to me was how close I was to her as I could physically not get any closer (as you can probably see by the photo to your right). In a addition to this, I must mention her mashup of covers as it was truly amazing. She mashed up Charlie Puth's "We Don't Talk Anymore", Rihanna's "Only Girl (In The World)" and Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream", three completely different songs but of course Sarah made it into some kind of masterpiece!

In terms of my favourite song from the show, it has to be between two. We have "Caught Up" which you all know I love as it was voted "My Favourite Song Of The Week", it was also the first song she performed, making that sudden impact on stage. The other song that was incredible live was "Call Me Out" (Sarah's very first single) as it was Sarah's last song and absolutely everyone knew the words and were singing and dancing along. I must also mention an unreleased song called "Do You Believe" as it was phenomenal and I really hope to hear it again!

After the show finished, one of the most surreal moments in my entire life happened as it was revealed that I could meet Sarah. This was such a big deal for me as I have been watching her for so many years now. About 20 minutes after her set finished, Sarah came into the venue and I met her! She was so lovely and we talked about how long I have been watching her, how her tour is going and how amazing her concert was before grabbing a picture (to your right). It is a moment that I shall never forget!

Overall, the event was incredible and easily the best I've been to in a long time (excluding Frank Ocean of course)! Sarah is one of the nicest people I have ever met and her music is unbelievable. She has such a stage presence and I really hope she has plenty of tours to come. If you have never seen her before, please either listen to her music online or go and watch her youtube channel as I can promise you that you will not regret it in any way, shape or form!

Song Of The Week :
This week's "Song Of The Week" is from Demi Lovato's brand new release "Tell Me You Love Me" and I cannot get enough of it! The song is titled "Cry Baby" and it is so soulful with some truly phenomenal vocals that I think any singer would want. I would honestly and thoroughly recommend you give this song a listen as I bet you won't get enough, just like me!

Whilst we're on the topic of Demi Lovato, next week I shall be doing an album review of "Tell Me You Love Me" which I can tell you now is amazing. So I hoped you enjoyed this week's post and are excited for next week as I certainly am!