1 Year On...

Hello and welcome to another post. Today is going to be 'one of those' posts where I just pour my heart out but I hope you enjoy it because I just need to let some of my emotions out.

Some of you may know that one year ago today, my dad passed away due to oesophagus cancer and if I am being honest with you, this past year has been the hardest of my life! Learning to live without someone you love is the hardest thing anyone could ever go through but someone has to and I guess I was one of those people.

My dad was such a noble person and someone that anyone could look up to because he had been through so much and has had so many stories to tell throughout his lifetime. Without him, I would definitely not be the person I am today as he has taught me so many valuable lessons in life such as expressing myself more and being my own spokesperson, not letting people speak for me. Thanks to him I got back into singing, something which used to be (and now is) my favourite thing to do; he has also heavily influenced my music taste, making me the artist I am today. I have so many things to thank him for.

One thing that I have started to do this year is write songs which I would describe as my therapy. If I am having bad thoughts, mainly about separation and loss, I write them down and convert them into lyrics, eventually turning them into songs that are soulful and also songs that I'm proud of. I'm not the most confident person when it comes to expressing my emotions but when I write, all of these words flow out of me and I feel so rejuvenated as a person, thanks for igniting this spark dad!

Although this year has been the saddest and slowest I have ever experienced, the only way to somehow cope amongst these tears is to distract yourself and try to move on. It has been hard and there has been a lot of tears (even when I'm writing this) as I can never forget him, I feel proud of my accomplishments though! Sure, I may be low at times but I have certainly come out of my shell this year and I have tried my hardest in whatever I am passionate in, something which my dad has always wanted me to do. Grief is a very hard thing and you can never really understand it until it happens to you but grief has not seen the best of me yet; like I say in one of my original songs "I am a soldier" and I will fight this battle, however long it may be...

Dear Dad, 
I may not believe in many things but I do certainly believe that you are up there looking down at me. Everything I ever do and ever will do is for you as all I have ever wanted to do is make you proud as thats all you have ever done to me. Music has helped me through all of this and I only have you to thank for that. I chose Music GCSE because you loved my singing, I listen to Motown music because you loved it and I appreciate such a wider range of music all thanks to you. 
One of the best days of my entire life was not filled with anything extraordinary but I love it so much as it was one of the only times I felt so care-free and I was just with you. It was when we went to Devil's Dyke after I just got my first camera and we were snapping away for the whole day. That day will forever hold a place in my heart, alongside you as we were just so happy and loving our lives.
I love you dad, I hope you are reading this and are proud of me

Artist Showcase : Mura Masa

Hello and welcome to a post that has been extremely long-awaited. It feels like forever since my last "Artist Showcase" post but today I am back with this series and I am back with another great artist! Today's artist is rather different in comparison to my other artists as he actually does not sing; his name is Mura Masa and he is one of my favourite DJ's at the moment.

Alex Crossan (known by his stage name Mura Masa) is a Guernsey-born DJ, producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has only emerged as an artist within the past few years but his music keeps advancing and advancing! The artist actually studied at the University Of Sussex in Brighton (my hometown) and is currently preparing for the release of his debut album next month. At the age of 17, the artist uploaded a few tracks to Soundcloud which were luckily picked up by Radio 1 and now, four years on, he is performing as several iconic festivals across the world such as Glastonbury and Coachella, showing just how rapid his rise to fame is!

The reason why I am such a big fan of Mura Masa is because his beats always make me want to dance, an effect which no other DJ really has, at least with very single one of his songs. In particular, the song "What If I Go?", which has been mentioned on this blog numerous times, is one of my favourite songs of possibly even this decade! Ever since it's release last year, I have not been able to stop listening to it as it is just so catchy and infectious. Proof of this comes from one of my blogposts from last December where is showed you that the song was the fifth most listened-to song on my Spotify for that year, baring in mind that other people listen to my Spotify as well. Please listen to this Live Lounge version of the incredible track below (even though I would recommend you listen to the original as i cannot attach it to this post); I hope you fall in love with it just like I have!

Alongside "What If I Go?", Mura Masa has also released other tracks that I cannot get enough of and other tracks that have been featured in my posts before. Some of these tracks that I love are "Lovesick (Feat. Asap Rocky)", "Firefly (Feat. Nao)" and "1 Night" with Charli XCX, a song that was actually my "Song Of The Week" not so long ago. I love both of these artists so as soon as I found out that they were collaborating, I knew it would be a hit and I was not wrong. Like I said when it was my "Song Of The Week", the song is incredibly catchy and is bound to get you singing along so why don't you listen to the track below; I love it!

Even though Mura Masa has had success to a certain extent, his talent is definitely not as appreciated as it should be! I, personally, think he is the best DJ around nowadays and I hope you think the same. If you agree with me, please follow him on Spotify and social media in order to discover more of his music. This guy is so underrated!

Song Of The Week :

From one DJ to another, today's "Song Of The Week" is a song by Sigala and one of my favourite artists, Ella Eyre! It feels like it has been so long since Ella released some music so I am so happy she is putting more material out there. Her comeback single with Sigala did not disappoint as it has both catchy lyrics and a catchy beat as well as some vocals which are not to shabby if I may say so myself.  Give this song a listen as you will honestly not regret it!

Next week will be a very emotional post but I don't really want to give too much away, please tune in when the post is released though as I would really appreciate it.

My Favourite Beyonce Songs (30 - 21)

Hello and welcome to another post on this blog of mine. Today we are back with the third instalment of my mini-series where I countdown my top 50 Beyonce songs. Today we are counting down from 30 to 21 so without further ado, lets get into the post!

No. 30 = Flawless
We are kicking off today's post with a song that is bound to get you dancing along! Flawless is one of those catchy songs that you just cannot help but love; every time it ever comes on, I am always singing along (as I do with most Beyonce songs to be honest). The only reason as to why this tune isn't higher is the fact that it doesn't feature any vocals that I would call 'ambitious' for Beyonce which I know she is capable of. I must also mention the remix of this song featuring Nicki Minaj as well as it is just as good as this one; go and give it a listen!

No. 29 = Ring The Alarm
This next song is such an aggressive one which is probably why I am such a fan of it considering you rarely witness Beyonce's aggressiveness. "Ring The Alarm" is also so catchy and gets me singing or dancing along every time. Similarly to the previous track though, the reasons to why this song is not higher up in my rankings is because it does not have many unbelievable vocals in comparison to some if Beyonce's over songs. This song is an absolute anthem though so you should really listen to it; trust me, you won't be disappointed!


No. 28 = Blow
"Blow", in my opinion, is such a unique Beyonce song as it sounds more like disco than any other genre, sounding like no other Queen Bey song! If you ask me, the song is not talked about enough which is actually why it may be so low, no one really gave it the recognition it deserves, maybe even because it is so different to the rest of Beyonce's material! Anyways, the song, like many others, is a very catchy one that always gets me bopping along so why don't you give it a try and listen? This song is amazing!

No. 27 = Halo
Next up we have a song that I expect you all would have heard before, which is actually why it is so low. "Halo" has all of the features of what I think is a 'perfect' song: catchiness, unbelievable vocals and a whole load of ad-libs; sadly the song is only at number 27 though as it has been massively overplayed since it's release in 2009, one thing which really makes me start to dislike a song. I still do love this song though and I would certainly say you should listen to it if you somehow have never done so.

No. 26 = Blue
"Blue" is yet another song from Beyonce's self-titled album and I cannot express how much I love it! Sure, it may not have crazy vocals within it (which is possibly why it isn't higher) but this song is so emotional and I bet it is so sentimental to Queen Bey. The song is addressed to her daughter Blue Ivy (it even features her two-year-old voice at the end); the video may possibly be my all-time favourite Beyonce video! The song is also quite a catchy one so be prepared to sing-along when you listen to it and please do listen!

No. 25 = Me, Myself & I
The next song in this post is one that I just have to sing-along to whenever I listen! "Me, Myself & I" is honestly such an underrated song and I honestly think that if it was released later (rather than her first album "Dangerously In Love"), the song would've had so much more success as it has so many features of a great song such as immense catchiness and some nice vocals; it is certainly one of my favourites from my queen's debut solo release! I bet this is a sing that you haven't listened to and if you haven't, make sure you do please.

No. 24 = Broken-Hearted Girl
Even though this song is from my least favourite Beyonce album (I Am Sasha Fierce), I cannot help but love it and its 'pop ballad' vibes. There are a few amazing things that I can say about this song; first of all, the vocals in it are absolutely breathtaking. Second of all, the song is so catchy and lastly, the song reminds me of the first time I saw Beyonce live as I've seen her live three times and the first time was the only time she performed this song. That is probably the reason to why I love it so much but it is still a great song that you need to listen to if you haven't already.

No. 23 = Freedom
When Beyonce collaborates with Kendrick Lamar, You already know its going to be a great song and this song certainly proves that. Despite only being released last year, I already practically know all of the works in this song as it lyrics (including the rap) are so infectious. Beyonce's vocals are also amazing which you don't really hear in many of her upbeat songs (they're more typically heard in her ballads), making a lovely change. One last thing which I love about this song is the aggression that is let out by both of the artists as it lets you know that they mean every single word of the empowering song.

No. 22 = Dance For You
The penultimate song in this post is definitely one of Bey's saucier numbers but it is her sultry voice that really sells this song and puts it so high on this chart. The song may be catchy and it may have some good vocals within it but throughout the song, Beyonce uses this other voice that I have never heard in her songs before, making me fall in love with it's diversity. I would seriously suggest giving this a listen as you may not have ever listened to it before, plus, its a song that you can always sing or dance along to.


No. 21 = Hold Up
Finally, the song that is just missing out on a place in the top 20 is a track that is probably the catchiest in comparison to every other song in this post. I am also a massive admirer of the video and the aggression channeled within it, also, only Beyonce could pull off what she is wearing in it! The only reason why this absolute tune is not higher up in my chart is because the vocals may not be as desirable as some of her there material, although they still are quite something! Please listen to this song as soon as you can as I love it!

Song Of The Week :
Although it seems like I have just been talking about songs forever, I cannot leave out the song of the week and this week it is the wonderful "Perfect Places" by Lorde. I have been falling in love with Lorde recently and this song clearly contributes to that! The song is quite happy and light-hearted (which is different to Lorde's usual music) and is also incredibly catchy like the rest of her "Melodrama" album which came out today, meaning you need to listen to it!

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed today's post. Next week I shall be uploading another "Artist Showcase" post regarding Mura Masa, an artist who I have loved for a while now; get excited!

Shawn Mendes' Illuminate World Tour ~ 1/6/17

Hello and welcome to another blogpost. Today I will be reviewing my time at Shawn Mendes' Illuminate Tour which was absolutely brilliant, even if I may have been severely rushed going up there (there was a lot of kerfuffle as to who would be accompanying me and my friend, leading me to think that I wouldn't be able to go) which also meant that I did not take my camera with me. Anyways, lets carry on with the post!

I got on the train to London at about 17:45 (the latest I have ever been to a concert) because I finally found out the good news that I could attend the gig. Sure, I may have been very rushed and I still needed to have dinner but I can't deny that the spontaneity of it all did give me bit of the thrill. Once we got into the O2 and had some dinner, we arrived just in time; as soon as we got in our seats, Shawn was about to come on! I must also say that the fans at this concert (which was sold-out by the way) were possibly some of the best at any concert I have been too, the screams were deafening and absolutely everyone (including myself) new all the worlds. This made the atmosphere so electrifying yet humbling and I don't think I will ever forget it.

Shawn Mendes started off with just him and his guitar before bursting into his most-current hit "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" which got everyone singing straight away. The Canadian superstar also belted out the rest of his 'hit singles'. These included "Stitches", "Mercy" and "Treat You Better" which was surprisingly my favourite of his hits. The reason as to why this song, which was the last he sang, stood out to me was because he completely switched the track up, starting off performing it with just a piano before evolving into the traditional guitar instrumental that the song has; I loved it!

Throughout this set of (approximately) twenty songs, Shawn sang a real variety of tracks, including ones from his latest album and his first release "Handwritten". First of all, I loved when he mashed-up a few of the songs from the earlier release nearer the beginning as it showed that he was not 'one of those artists' who just performs all of his album at once; the song in this mashup were "I Don't Even Know Your Name", "Aftertaste" and most importantly "Kid In Love" which may even be my favourite song of his. I must also mention "Never Be Alone" which was such an emotional song, leaving the packed-out crowd with their flashlights on and their arms in the air, emphasising this unbelievable crowd that I will never forget - if only you were there to experience it with me!

It is honestly so hard to name what my favourite song was that he performed so I am going to have to name a few. Firstly, "No Promises" was amazing and it is one of my favourites from his "Illuminate" album; it did not disappoint. Also, "Bad Reputation" was mind-blowing as Shawn portrayed so much soul and passion whilst singing the song and it's emotional lyrics and lastly, I'm going to have to mention "Never Be Alone" just simply because of the breathtaking atmosphere that it created (not forgetting how emotional the song is). Overall, the concert was lovely and I was so happy that I attended it after all of the chaos before. I think I loved the concert so much that I would probably rank it second out of all of the concerts I have seen this year (after Bruno Mars). I would certainly recommend you see the teenage sensation live as he is incredible!

Song Of The Week : 
This week's "Song Of The Week" is one by my favourite contestants from X Factor last year. They are called 5 After Midnight and they have just released their debut single "Up In Here", which was also written by MNEK (someone who you all know I absolutely love). The song samples DMX's "Party Up" and even though I am not usually a fan of sampling other songs, I think this song is great. If you ask me, the trio remind me of a modern-day JLS and I tip them for huge success in the future; I think they deserve it. Please give this song as much support as you can as I really do love this track.
So I hope you enjoyed this post reviewing my time at Shawn Mendes' gig. Next week I will be returning with another instalment of my "Favourite Beyonce Songs" series so get excited!

7 TV Shows That You Should Watch

Hello and welcome to today's blogpost. Today I will be swerving away from the usual, music-related content that I post by talking about seven shows that I think you should all be watching. Some of these shows you may know; some you may not but I love all of these and I hope after this post, you will too!

Orange Is The New Black
The first show in today's post is possibly the most well-known show in the post and theres a reason for that: its amazing! I must admit, it did take me a few episodes to get fully 'hooked' on the show but as soon as I was, I couldn't get enough of it. The show follows a girl called Piper Chapman who is sentenced to prison for a crime committed years ago. When in Litchfield (the prison), she faces many escapades and challenges including seeing her ex who led the crime that she was arrested for. With season 5 being released in the next few weeks (which I cannot wait for), now would be a great time to binge-watch the series before its new season begins; I would thoroughly recommend though...

America's Next Top Model

"America's Next Top Model", alongside my next show, is certainly a show that I would declare as my guilty pleasure, however, I love the show so much to not include it in this post! The show is a talent competition where (usually) around 14 girls will have to compete in several various challenges to see who is "America's Next Top Model". The show is created and produced by supermodel Tyra Banks and has been running since 2003; it's 23rd season finished not so long ago. I have been watching this show since I can remember and I get so excited every year when it is on air. Trust me, this is a show you will like, I love it and I really shouldn't.

RuPaul's Drag Race
Out of all of the shows on today's post, this is the one that I have most-recently started watching but I cannot deny how much I love it, possibly even more than "America's Next Top Model" (it's biggest rival)! The TV Show is very similar to this one but instead of looking for the next 'supermodel', the show looks for the next 'drag superstar' with drag queens on the show instead of models. The season is currently in season 9 (with two "all-stars" seasons in-between) and the reason as to why I am such a big fan of it is because you really get-to-know the queens and their personalities; my personal favourites are Pearl (s7) and Shea Coulee (s9). Anyways, you need to watch this incredible show!

The Get-Down

"The Get-Down" is the second Netflix-original show in this post and what I love about it so much is it's music. The series is set in the Bronx, New York's City and follows the transition from Disco to Hip-Hop through they eyes of several teenagers. Even though the series may have been cancelled after one season, the whole series is beginning from the start and throughout. In addition to this, the soundtrack features some brilliant artists such as Leon Bridges, Zayn, Michael Kiwanuka and Jaden Smith (who is also one of the characters in the show). It is so nice to watch a show that is not only interesting but also informative; I have learnt so much about the origins of hip-hop music whilst watching this show! You guys simply must give this a watch.

Teen Wolf

This next show is a classic case of 'not judging a book by it's cover' as the show looks as if it is going to be one of those typical teenage drama shows but the show is so much better than that! The show follows Scott McCall, a teenage boy who was bitten by werewolf and must cope with how it affects his life and the lives of those who are close to him. He faces several problems unthinkable to man and it is honestly so dramatic that I'm hooked on every episode. I must also thank the main actors and actresses as they convey such real emotion, their names are Tyler Posey (Scott McCall), Dylan O'Brien (Stiles Stilinski) and Holland Roden (Lydia Martin); I am so upset that the show will soon be ending as it is truly fabulous.

Empire

The penultimate show in this post is one that you may have heard before as it's songs have been featured before in my posts. Even though it is very hard to say, I would have to put the show in my op five shows of all time; I cannot get enough of it! The show follows the Lyon family and all of their challenges in life, including Jamal's (Jussie Smollet) coming out story and Cookie's (Taraji P. Henderson) release from prison after covering for her husband Lucious (Terrence Howard). What I love most about the show is the music as it is one of my favourite genres (R&B) and it features loads of original music, including "Black Girl Magic", one of my favourite songs from the series that has been featured on this blog before. If you haven't seen this series before, which a lot of people surprisingly haven't, this is a show that I cannot recommend enough to you.

The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air

To end this post, I just had to mention my favourite TV show of all time. If you haven't seen "The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air" before, what are you doing with your life?! Sure, the show may have ended about 20 years ago after incredible success, I still watch it whenever I can. The show follows Will Smith (before he was as incredibly famous as he is nowadays) as he moves in with his rich cousins in Bel-Air. The show is honestly so funny and I don't think I have ever watched an episode without laughing! I also know every single word to the extended version of the theme tune (which I am pretty proud of to be honest), just showing how much I have watched and how much I love it. If you have been living under some kind of rock for your entire life and have never watched this influential programme, you seriously need to watch it!

Song Of The Week :

This week's "Song Of The Week" is a song by the wonderful Rita Ora, an artist who I have always loved but has been away from music for so long in order to pursue other projects. The song, and it's instrumental, are so unbelievable catchy that I nearly know all of the words, despite the song only having been out for a week. This song also has some great vocals in it and I, personally, feel like the song is much more relaxed than her previous record, something which I feel is a nice twist. This is a song that you all need to listen to and I really hope it achieves as much success as it deserves!
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this different post telling you what TV shows I love. Next week I will be doing a review of Shawn Mendes' "Illuminate" world tour which was an amazing experience; get excited!