Hello and welcome to another blogpost. Today i will be reviewing my time at Bruno Mars' concert earlier this month which was probably one of the best concerts I have ever been to (excluding Beyonce of course). One slight problem for this post was at this concert I decided to not take as many photos in order to enjoy the concert more which means some of the photos in this post may not be mine. With that being said, lets carry on with the post!
Just like many other concerts that I have reviewed on this blog, the event was at The O2 which you all know I love. The venue has such an amazing atmosphere and no matter where you sit (even near the very top which was where I was sat), if you're listening to good music, you can't possibly not enjoy a gig there! The stage was also unlike any other that I had seen before, transforming throughout Bruno's electrifying set meaning I simply cannot show you some photos, even if they weren't taken by me.
Next up, we have the support act : Anderson Paak. For the first time in what seems like forever, I actually knew who the support act was and I enjoyed his music (as you would've been able to tell if you have been reading since my "7 Songs You Should Listen To" series that he was featured him); if I am being honest, he certainly did not disappoint! He got the crowd jumping along and he performed some of my personal favourite's of his such as "Put Me Thru" and "Come Down". Here are some pictures to show just how great the performer was.
After taking in the beautiful stage and enjoying Anderson Paak's rapping, it was time for the main event which I was so thoroughly excited for as I had actually never seen Bruno Mars before. The second he came on stage, I was immediately filled with happiness! Bruno and his band were such incredible entertainers throughout the whole show, getting everyone dancing and singing along whilst they were on stage. I don't think anyone in the entire arena was not having fun which was the exact reason why I put my camera away, to take in all of this unbelievable atmosphere. However, I did manage to take one photo which I thought was worthy of my blog (to your right).
Bruno Mars sang the perfect ratio of new and old songs on his tour, performing the majority of his "24k Magic" album (which is the second most-viewed post on my blog by the way) as well as several old favourites such as "Grenade" and "Runaway Baby". My favourite of his performances though has to be "Marry You" as not only is it one of my favourite songs of his, this song, if I had to choose one out of all of the songs, was the one that really got everyone dancing along. The track is also such a happy one so when Bruno performed it, everyone's moods were suddenly lifted!
Overall, the concert was so incredible that I was left speechless! If you had to ask me to rank all of the concerts that I have been to in the past, I would probably rank this one in the top five as everything about it was just extraordinary. If you are ever lucky enough to get the chance to see Bruno Mars or attend a concert at The O2, you should definitely do so as everything about both of them is so unique and individual.
Song Of The Week :
This week's "Song Of The Week" is one that I have only listened to a few times as it came out yesterday but I fell in love with the track as soon as I heard it; that song is "Young And Menace" by Fall Out Boy. Although I do not listen to a lot of other artists like Fall Out Boy, I have been a fan of them for quite a while now and I love how this song is so diverse in comparison to their other material, and in fact, anything I have ever heard before! This track is so moody yet energetic and I really feel you guys need to listen to it as soon as possible.
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this post regarding my time seeing Bruno Mars live. Next week I will be doing a rather different post about my GCSE's and how i'm going to conquer them in the hope that it will help one of you guys.
Hello and welcome to a post similar to my "Album Review" posts, yet today I will be reviewing two EP's in one big blogpost for you all. First of all, I will being reviewing Sonny's debut release "Hopeless Romance" which came out about a month ago. A soon as I heard Sonny, I fell in love with him and his soulful voice as if I was an artist, I think I would release music just like his! Anyways, lets start with the review.
Track 1 = Princess
"Princess" was the first song that Sonny ever released and as soon as I heard it, I knew I had to mention it on this blog (featuring it as one of my "Songs Of The Week"). I just love how smooth his vocals are throughout the entire track; the lyrics are also ones that will get stuck in your head for days. Whenever I listen, this song always manages to put me in a good mood and I honestly cannot praise it enough! This utterly incredible track could even be my favourite of 2017!
Track 2 = Wage A War
Another track that I cannot praise enough is "Wage A War"! This song shows off the insane vocals that the artist can convey and is yet again undeniably catchy. This song may be a little slower but it still manages to get me listening and singing to it on repeat and some of the high notes that are reached are notes that any male singer would desire! In addition to "Princess", "Wage A War" is a song that I have been loving this year and a song that I hope you will love too.
Track 3 = Two To Tango
The third song on this extended-play is a lot more upbeat than the others but once again, I absolutely love it. What makes this song unique is the fusion of rock and soul music which I have never really heard before. Also, if you didn't know, Sonny plays the guitar and in this track, it is honestly incredible and rather distinctive. I love this song and I bet as soon as you hear it, you will too!
Track 4 = Since We've Begun
The penultimate song on the EP is certainly the most 'stripped-back' song on the EP but I can promise you it is still very catchy! Out of all of the songs, "Since We've Begun" is definitely the song that shows the vocals that Sonny is capable of, reaching some crazy high notes and featuring some soothing ad-libs. After three fairly upbeat songs, its lovely to have a slower song to 'chill out' to which I feel only adds to how great it is. You need to give this a listen!
Track 5 = Jodie
Lastly, "Jodie" is yet another great track. If I had to pick one, this would probably be my least favourite though, not because its bad, just because I love the other four songs so much. Anyways, the track is so soulful which contributes to why I love it so much and also, it features some great falsetto which I don't feel you get to hear in any other song on the extended-play. After listening to all of the other songs, still give this song a listen as it is definitely a great song!
Overall, I cannot praise this EP enough as it is so soulful, so catchy and utterly amazing! Its not often that you come across a (fairly unknown) artist that you love so much and aspire to be like; Sonny is that person for me. Even though I may not have been able to attach the songs for this EP (which I will be able to do for Sarah Close's "Caught Up EP"), you can trust me when I say it is one of the best EP's I have listened to for a long time so please check it out whenever you can!
Anyways, next up is Sarah Close who I have been subscribed to on YouTube since she had 3000 subscribers. She now has over 750,000 subscribers and she has just released her "Caught Up EP" which is the first ever original music that she has released. Lets proceed with the review...
Track 1 = Call Me Out
Just like Sonny's "Princess", I fell in love with "Call Me Out" as soon as I heard it so I had to mention it as my "Song Of The Week" a few weeks ago. The chorus is so catchy and every time I listen to it, I can't not sing or hum along to it. My favourite section of the song has to be either the bridge or the middle 8 though as it features some absolutely unbelievable notes that I wish i'd be able to hit. "Call Me Out" is a song that I thoroughly recommend you listen to as it is bound to get you singing and dancing along; it's lyrics are so infectious that I have been singing them on repeat for weeks.
Track 2 = Caught Up
The next track on the EP is my favourite of the four as, even though it might not be the most vocally ambitious song, it is so catchy and I cannot stop singing along! The song bizarrely reminds me of Lily Allen as I feel like Sarah's vocals are similar to her's in this track. In addition, I also love how Sarah has converted a pretty serious situation into what seems like a fun one buy making her lyrics so funny and relatable. "Caught Up" is yet another song that I feel could be my favourite song of 2017 so please give it the respect it deserves and listen to it below...
Track 3 = Perfect After All
This next song is different to any other song that I have ever heard in my entire life! Sarah has purposely used loads of autotune to create a sound unlike any other and even though it may be only just over a minute long, you cannot deny that this is an innovative song. I know this is the type of song that will have mixed opinions but personally, I like the song as it is so different! Listen to the song below and tell me what you think about it.
Track 4 = Maestro
The last song on the EP is one that I feel really tells a story. When Sarah was asked about the song, she said she simply wrote it looking at random people but loved it so much she had to put it on the EP! Once again, I love how different this song is to anything else I've heard before as even though it's chorus may have been replaced, it still manages to be extremely catchy. You really need to give this song a listen as it features some great vocals and is just so different to anything else I have heard!
Overall, what I love most about the EP is the fact that it has so much variety between four songs and is different to anything else I've heard. Also, the four songs may sound completely different but I love all of them so much! Sarah has really outdone herself with this EP as it compliments her voice and her personality. My musical taste is so varied as both Sarah's and Sonny's EP's are so incredible and I cannot stop singing along to either of them. With that being said, let's look at where they rank in comparison to all of the other albums that I have reviewed...
1. Kehlani - SweetSexySavage
2. Bruno Mars - 24k Magic
3. Sonny - Hopeless Romantic EP
4. Sarah Close - Caught Up EP
5. Ed Sheeran - Divide
6. John Legend - Love & Darkness
7. Childish Gambino - Awaken My Love
Song Of The Week :
This week's "Song Of The Week" is a song that I cannot stop singing along to; that song is "Lions And Tigers And Bears" by Amber Riley. The song is from Todrick Hall's "Straight Outta Oz" album and Amber's vocals are literally flawless! I have been a massive fan of her's for a long time so as soon as I heard that she would release new music, I already knew that I would fall in love with it. The track has such a strong message embedded within its lyrics which I feel like everyone can relate to so overall, I just think that this is an unbelievable track. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this fairly long post reviewing two EP's that I have not been able to stop listening to recently. Next week I will be reviewing my time at Bruno Mars' "24k Magic World Tour" which I hope you all are excited for!
Hello and welcome to yet another blogpost. Today I am going to be talking about some of the most unique concerts that I have ever been to; this can be due to the venue, the arrangement or etc. Lets get on with it!
Us The Duo's "Just Love" Tour @ Bush Hall
To start off this blogpost, I thought I would mention the most recent concert that I went to and the most recent review on my blog; there were many reasons as to why it was so unique! Firstly, the venue was absolutely beautiful with massive glass chandeliers scattered across the ceilings and love decor encrusted into all of the walls but what was also unique, was the show in general. Us The Duo are such a unique band and they didn't feature any backing tracks throughout the entirety of their set, making incredible songs out of just their voices and their instruments. The couple are a duo which I would recommend everyone should consider seeing live.
Capital FM's Summertime Ball @ Wembley Stadium
Summertime Ball is a concert that I been to several times (and I plan to go to again this year) and one of the reasons for that is because it is so unique. Its not often that there is a concert where you can see (approximately) 20 massive artists all on one stage, in one day and in one of the most iconic venues of all time. Sure, it may be a little pricey, costing around £60 - £85, but if you ask me, it is certainly worth it! Last year's ball included artists such as Ariana Grande, Little Mix and Craig David which you would pay at least £40 to go and see on their own, for double that price you can see them and a load more artists! This is yet another concert that I think everybody should experience.
Capital FM's Jingle Bell Ball @ The O2
The Jingle Bell Ball is basically a smaller version of Summertime Ball which Capital FM created yet again. One of the only differences between the two is the fact that the event is spread over two days, letting guests decide what day the would like to go to. I have been to Jingle Bell Ball for the past free years and it is honestly such a lovely show with around 9 acts on each night, singing your favourite song. Just like Summertime Ball, the event is quite pricey but it is certainly worth it. If I had to pick one, I'd say attend the Summertime Ball but Jingle Bell Ball is a concert that is truly unique and a concert that I think you all should attend.
Ella Eyre's "Feline" Tour @ Roundhouse
The penultimate gig of this post is yet another concert that was so unique because of its venue. Roundhouse was originally a railway engine shed before WWII (which was when it closed down) and in 2004 it was redeveloped into an incredible venue. When a venue as unique as this is accompanied by a voice as unique as Ella Eyre's, it created such an incredible atmosphere that I will never forget! If you even get the chance, I would highly suggest you see Ella Eyre live and/or attend a concert at the roundhouse.
Beyonce's "Formation" World Tour @ Wembley Stadium
Last but not least we have what was possibly the best concert I have ever been to see! Prior to the gig, I had seen Beyonce twice but both of those times were at The O2 meaning that this concert (Beyonce's first at Wembley Stadium) would be next-level and I was definitely not disappointed! No one else I know can manage to have two giant rotating screens, a conveyor belt and a swimming pool on stage and make it work so well. In addition to this, you cannot deny that Beyonce's vocals are unbelievably unique and amazing so this was 100% the most unique concert that I have attended! Even though her ticket prices may be £100+, I can guarantee you that a Beyonce concert will be one that you will never forget.
Song Of The Week :
This week's "Song Of The Week" is one that I was really not expecting to love but I literally cannot stop listening to; that song is "Sign Of The Times" by none other than Harry Styles! In my opinion, the track sounds very Bowie-esque and Harry Styles' vocals are actually great. I have not been able to stop singing the song and its catchy hook over this past week so if you can, please give this song a listen and see whether you're as shocked as I was!
So I hoped you enjoyed this 'unique' post to my blog. Next week I will be doing "EP Reviews" reviewing two EP's by two artists that I love (Sarah Close and Sonny) so I hop you are as excited as I am.
Hello and welcome to this month's "Artist Showcase". Today I am going to be showcasing one of my favourite bands who are so diverse when in comparison to all other bands; their name is Pentatonix.
Scott, Mitch, Avi, Kevin & Kirtsie all make up Pentatonix, an extremely good acapella group who rose to fame through YouTube after appearing on the American TV show "The Sing-Off". They currently sit on nearly 13 million subscribers and have since gone on to release several albums and EP's featuring covers as well as originals which are just as good! I have been a big fan of theirs for many years now so I thought it was about time that I shared my love for them with you all on this post.
What originally made me fall in love with the five-piece was their "Evolution" videos. These include "The Evolution Of Beyonce", "The Evolution Of Miley Cyrus" and my personal favourite, "The Evolution Of Music". These videos were on another level compared to anything I had ever seen before and I cannot believe how on earth they created all of them. "The Evolution Of Music" was a mashup of all of the hit songs through time, starting in the 11th century and venturing all the way through to what was then present time (2012). Everything flowed so well in the song, including when one song transitioned into another; I just think it was so clever and something you guys need to see!
Alongside all of their "Evolution" covers on YouTube, Pentatonix also also did covers that weren't mashups. These were all unique in their own way but there were certainly a few that stood out. These include "No" by Meghan Trainor (which was featured in my last blogpost), "Problem" by Ariana Grande and finally, "Cheerleader" by OMI which is what I'll be talking about in today's post. The reason why I am such a big fan of their "Cheerleader" cover is because at the time, "Cheerleader" was one of the 'hottest' songs around which meant Pentatonix had to do quite something to top it; they did do that something! The song and acapella instrumental are so incredibly catchy that when the original song died down, this version didn't and I still love it to this day!
Even though they are mainly loved for their covers, the five-piece's original songs are also brilliant. In 2015, the band released their debut, self-titled album which featured the first ever originals that they released. My favourite of these originals is their song titled "Sing" as its lyrics are so honest and true yet so catchy. I also love how all of the band's are so significantly different in this video with Mitch showing his falsetto, Scott showing a rocky side to himself, Kirstie providing some incredible harmonies, Avi providing what is an amazing instrumental and Kevin showing everyone that he can rap (my personal favourite out of the five). This is an undeniably great song considering the only instrument it features are vocals, you should check it out!
Pentatonix may be popular in the YouTube world and they may have won one or two GRAMMY's but I honestly think that hardly anyone knows about" them. I want Pentatonix to become a household name as what they are doing right now is nothing like we have ever seen before in the music world. If you enjoy their music, spread the word by telling everyone you know about them as all five of them really deserve it!
Song Of The Week : This week's "Song Of The Week" is by an artist who has already been featured in my "Song Of The Week" segment, his name is Sonny and the song is the brilliant "Wage A War". If you've been reading my blog recently, you will know that I previously mentioned his song "Princess" and I must say, I have nearly fallen in love with this song as much as I did with the older single. Anyways, the song is taken from Sonny's "Hopeless Romance EP" (which I will be reviewing in about a fortnight) and I love how raw and soulful the track is. Whenever you have time, listen to this song as I know you won't regret it!
So I hope you enjoyed this instalment of my "Artist Showcase". Next week I will show you some of the most unique concerts I have been to so I hope you enjoy it!
Hello and welcome to another post on this blog. Today I will be sharing with you six covers which I think are incredible and need to be listened to. These covers may be ones that have already been featured on this blog, been performed by a hugely populated artist or maybe some of them are covers you have never even recognised before. Lets proceed!
Pentatonix - No (originally by Meghan Trainor) First up we have a band that I have loved for an unbelievably long time but for some bizarre reason have never appeared on this blog (that will change very soon though). The reason why I love Pentatonix is because they are an a capella group, meaning that all of their covers or originals have no instruments excluding vocals. There are loads of songs that I could've picked from but the reason why I chose "No" was because I cannot stand the original in the slightest! However, when Pentatonix released this version, I fell in love as it is so different compared to the Meghan Trainor version.
Sarah Close - Talking Body (originally by Tove Lo) Next we have one of my favourite artists with a song that was featured in her "Artist Showcase" quite some time ago, Sarah Close! Sarah's covers have captivated me for a long-old time now but this one in particular stands out. The reason for that is the fact that I did not even know the track before hearing the Youtuber's cover; she then made me fall in love with the song. I must say, Sarah Close's vocals in this cover are exceptionally brilliant, especially in the chorus when hitting those notes that are ridiculously high. This is a cover that you need to listen to (if you haven't done so before).
MNEK - A Thousand Miles (originally by Vanessa Carlton)
Next up is yet another song that has been featured on this blog before by the wonderful MNEK. I cannot even deal with how amazing and different this cover is! MNEK switches up the whole track by pretty much turning it into a club track; he does this by adding a seriously catchy beat and sampling the song "Love Shack" throughout. Even if you have heard the original before and you listen to this version, you will probably think it is a completely different track. MNEK is literally a musical genius and this song shows what he is capable of!
Avery Wilson - Jealous (originally by Labrinth)
This next song is certainly the most emotional cover on this post as it almost makes my eyes water every time I listen to it. Avery Wilson possibly has one of the best voices around nowadays and this song compliments his voice perfectly. If I could have another voice, I would certainly have his as his falsetto is undeniably brilliant! He manages to put his emotion across so well in this song with his variation of high and low notes; he even films it in his room with a webcam, showing that it means a lot and he had to record it as soon as possible. I just love it!
Ella Eyre - We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off (originally by Jermaine Stewart)
The penultimate track on this post is certainly my favourite! Ella Eyre does a beautiful job in turning this upbeat, pop song into a slow and moody song. The song also shows off the incredible vocals that she is capable of (something which I feel you don't get to hear often in her upbeat numbers). I am also a massive fan of the original track which must surely influence how much I love this cover. Anyways, check it out; i bet you'll be blown away!
Little Mix - Dance With Somebody (originally by Whitney Houston)
Last but not least we have my favourite for girls which is a strong contender with Ella Eyre for my all-time favourite cover. In the cover, the girls mashup the Whitney Houston song with Jason Derulo's "Want To Want Me" and although you think it wouldn't, it honestly sounds incredible. Another thing which makes me love this song is the gospel choir that feature alongside Little Mix as I think it just makes the track fall into so many genres, making so many people love it! This is a cover that you seriously need to have a look at.
Song Of The Week :
This blog's sixth "Song Of The Week" is a track by two artists that I am massively fond of who have collaborated to make what I think is one of the catchiest songs around nowadays; those two artists are Mura Masa & Charli XCX and this song is titled "1 Night"! Like I previously mentioned, this song is extremely catchy and will always get you singing along. These catchy lyrics are then accompanied by an incredible instrumental to form a brilliant track. Mura Masa is potentially my favourite DJ around and this song is some of his finest material!
So I hope you enjoyed what was a fun blogpost to write. Next week I will be uploading the next instalment of my 'much-loved' "Artist Showcase" series which will be showcasing Pentatonix and all of their incredible work.
Hello and welcome to another blogpost. Today I will be sharing with you my top ten songs from movies or tv shows. This is going to be a very long blogpost but I really hope you enjoy!
10. Purple Rain from Purple Rain
"Purple Rain" from the film of the same name is a truly iconic song! This song features some incredible vocals that are extremely hard to replicate due to the immensity of Prince's uniqueness. I must admit, the film is not one of my favourites but this song will forever have a place in my heart. Anyways, if you have been living under a rock and have somehow never heard this before, you seriously need to listen to it as soon as you can!
9. The Bare Necessities from The Jungle Book
The Jungle Book is one of my all-time favourite films as I love Disney movies and you cannot deny that this song is an absolute classic! Every time I listen to this song I just have to sing along and I would be surprised if you do not do the same. The song is so catchy and infectious which is probably why I love it so much. This has all of the contents of an amazing song so even if you have listened to it before, please do it again as this song needs to be appreciated.
8. How Far I'll Go from Moana The next song is the most recent one on this countdown but I cannot express how much I love it and how much I have been singing it! Both versions (Aul'i Cravalho & Alessia Cara) are phenomenal and they reflect the story of the movie so well. The track is incredibly catchy with vocals that any singer would love to perform. If you are one of the many people that have not given Moana the time of day and watched it, I cannot tell you how good it is; it is a 'must-see'!
7. And I'm Telling You from Dreamgirls The first of two Dreamgirls songs on this post, "And I'm Telling You" is a musical masterpiece with truly unbelievable vocals within it. Jennifer Hudson is such an underrated singer/actress and this song really shows what the American Idol contestant is capable of. If you have never seen Dreamgirls, which is one of my favourite films (not just because it has Beyonce in it though), you honestly need to watch it as soon as you can; you will not regret it!
6. Don't Let Go (Love) from Set It Off Although the movie "Set It Off" is certainly not the best, I must say that this song is one of my favourite songs by a girlband of all time! En Vogue were such an amazing girlband back in the 1990's and this song shows just how successful they were, charting in the top 5 all around the world. Also, if you have already listened to this song and love it, I would recommend listening to Little Mix's cover from back when they were on X Factor in 2011. Anyways, this song is simply incredible!
5. I Wanna Be Like You from The Jungle Book Worming its way into the top 5, we have the second Jungle Book song in this countdown, showing just how much I love the film. Whenever this song comes on, you just cannot help but sing or dance along as it is so catchy. Even whilst writing this blogpost, the lyrics are just spinning around in my mind with me singing along to them in my head. If you have somehow never heard this song before, firstly, what have you been doing with your life and secondly, you better go and give it a listen.
4. Independent Women, Part 1 from Charlie's Angels In fourth place and the first of two Beyonce songs on this countdown, we have the incredible "Independent Women, Part 1" from Destiny's Child who are probably my favourite girlband of all time! The song is incredibly catchy from the very first line to the very last line and every time I listen to the track, I just have to sing along! I am also a fan of the Charlie's Angels film which probably leads me to like this song even more; if you haven't listened to this song or watched the film before, I suggest you do so.
3. The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air Theme Song
In the bronze position we have the only TV show song in this chart, but it is from my favourite TV show of all time! The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air is amazing and so it the theme song to accompany it. With catchy and unforgettable lyrics, something which is quite hard to do in rap music, you cannot argue with the fact that this is a great theme song. Will Smith really managed to bring fun into the rap world back when he was a rapper and this song is a fine example of it, making anyone who listens to it happy. You honestly need to watch The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air whenever you can as it is amazing!
2. Listen from Dreamgirls
Just missing out on the top spot, we have the second Beyonce song and the second Dreamgirls song. Out of all of her songs, I must say that "Listen" is one of my all-time favourites, which is quite something considering how much I love the artist. Beyonce's vocals in the track are literally unbelievable and the tone in her voice is a tone any artist would want. The song also highlights such a key moment in the movie which is another factor contributing to why the song is so great. You really have to 'listen' (please excuse the pun) to this as soon as possible!
1. Stand By Me from Stand By Me
Last but not least, we have what must be one of my favourite songs of all time! "Stand By Me" is one of those songs that you just cannot stop singing whenever it gets into your head as it's lyrics are so undeniably catchy. Ben E King has an incredibly soulful voice that I would do anything to have and this song compliments his voice perfectly. Also, the instrumental is just iconic as it is one of the catchiest ones I have ever heard, so catchy that it has later been sampled in many songs (including Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girls"). The film is an old one but certainly a good one so whenever you can, make sure you watch the film and listen to this utterly amazing song!
Song Of The Week: This week's "Song Of The Week" is one that I have been absolutely loving for a while now and it features an artist that you all know I love and an artist that I was originally not a fan of (but this song has changed my opinions of him). I can reveal that the song is the fabulous "Cigarettes And Cush" by Stormzy and Kehlani. The reason why I am such a fan of this song is because it is so 'chilled out' and slow but also so catchy; the song also shows that Stormzy, someone who is predominantly known for his grime rapping, can actually sing. I am pleasantly surprised by the rapper's new album and i would seriously recommend you listen to it, after listening to this amazing song first of course!
So I hope you enjoyed this extra long post. Next week I will be uploading a post showcasing five incredible covers that you need to hear!
Welcome to another post on my blog and today's post is going to be an immense one. Last week, I was lucky enough to see Us The Duo's Just Love Tour when it stopped off in London and it was honestly incredible so I obviously had to do a review on it just like all of the other concerts I go to.
First of all, I thought I would take some time to appreciate the venue which was very aesthetically pleasing. The gig was an intimate one which meant that the venue was tiny but it honestly had one of the nicest interiors of any of the venues I have been to. All of the walls has delicate details bulging out of them and what I loved most about the venue was the fact that there were several beautiful chandeliers scattered across the ceiling, something which I never thought I would see in a venue. I would seriously recommend attending a concert in Bush Hall to anyone as it felt like I was in some sort of posh ballroom, except I was attending an incredible concert!
After admiring the decor of the venue, it was not long before Us The Duo came on as there was no support act at this concert; as soon as they came on, I was in complete awe of them! They started off by singing their 2014 mashup which was the first ever video they uploaded to youtube. This was great as I got to hear their version of great songs like John Legend's "All Of Me" and Clean Bandit & Jess Glynne's "Rather Be" live! They immediately got all of the crowd singing and dancing along which is quite an achievement considering it was their first ever headline gig in London, something that any artist would be proud of! They are also my literal relationship goals, singing and writing together on the road whilst ever so in love with each other - I'm surprised not everyone wants to be like them.
One thing that I loved about the duo's concert is that they did the perfect ratio of covers to original songs, with me not being bored of either of the two topics. Firstly, lets talk about heir originals! Us The Duo sung quite a few of their originals which I am a big fan of; this includes "Fighting For You", "Follow Me", "Stop (Just Love)" and my personal favourite "I'm Me"! I have been a massive fan of the song "I'm Me" and its positive message ever since their "Public Record" EP came out so to hear it live was electrifying. It honestly sounded ten times better live and I am a big fan of the song normally. Although I am not able to attach a video of mine, I would thoroughly recommend you follow my snapchat (billy.carr) as I will be posting snippets from every concert I go to on there.
On the other hand, Us The Duo also sung a lot of covers which I really loved, possibly even more than the originals. There were several that I fell in love with, if not all of them but I thought I would highlight a couple. The first of which is their cover of Meghan Trainor and John Legend's "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" which I was originally not a fan of, however, when the couple did the song completely acapella, I fell in love! The track felt like a completely different song and it really showcased both of their incredible voices with her doing half of the lyrics and him doing the other. I really would watch the cover on their channel here if I were you as you will certainly not forget it!
If I had to choose one, my favourite cover would one-hundred percent have to be "Build Me Up Buttercup" originally by The Foundations. The reason why I loved this so much compared to all of the other songs was because I am a massive lover of all Soul music (something which you most likely all know) so their spin on a Soul track is sure to make me singalong, just like it did to the rest of the sold-out crowd! Like I said, everybody was singing along and their acoustic version of the song was incredible, something I wish I could see again.
To conclude, the gig was incredible and I wish I could go right back there! It was so nice to go to such an intimate concert as I literally haven't been so one so intimate in years! I wish everyone would go to an intimate concert every now and again as it is such a different experience than the massive venues such as the O2 Arena and Wembley. I have been a fan of Us The Duo for ages and my love for them has only grown since seeing them!
Song Of The Week : This week's "Song Of The Week" is by an artist who I have honestly fallen in love with over this past month; his name is Sonny and the song is called "Princess"! "Princess" is Sonny's debut single and it is truly incredible with all of its soulful tones and his undeniable great voice. Since the release of "Princess", Sonny has gone on the release another single with his debut EP coming out in the next few weeks. This is gonna be a very bold statement but if I was an artist, which I do want to be in the future, I know I would release music like Sonny's so I think you should really check him out!
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this blogpost, next week I will be a pretty long post showing you my favourite songs from movies or tv shows, get excited!
Just like many other concerts that I have reviewed on this blog, the event was at The O2 which you all know I love. The venue has such an amazing atmosphere and no matter where you sit (even near the very top which was where I was sat), if you're listening to good music, you can't possibly not enjoy a gig there! The stage was also unlike any other that I had seen before, transforming throughout Bruno's electrifying set meaning I simply cannot show you some photos, even if they weren't taken by me.
Next up, we have the support act : Anderson Paak. For the first time in what seems like forever, I actually knew who the support act was and I enjoyed his music (as you would've been able to tell if you have been reading since my "7 Songs You Should Listen To" series that he was featured him); if I am being honest, he certainly did not disappoint! He got the crowd jumping along and he performed some of my personal favourite's of his such as "Put Me Thru" and "Come Down". Here are some pictures to show just how great the performer was.
After taking in the beautiful stage and enjoying Anderson Paak's rapping, it was time for the main event which I was so thoroughly excited for as I had actually never seen Bruno Mars before. The second he came on stage, I was immediately filled with happiness! Bruno and his band were such incredible entertainers throughout the whole show, getting everyone dancing and singing along whilst they were on stage. I don't think anyone in the entire arena was not having fun which was the exact reason why I put my camera away, to take in all of this unbelievable atmosphere. However, I did manage to take one photo which I thought was worthy of my blog (to your right).
Bruno Mars sang the perfect ratio of new and old songs on his tour, performing the majority of his "24k Magic" album (which is the second most-viewed post on my blog by the way) as well as several old favourites such as "Grenade" and "Runaway Baby". My favourite of his performances though has to be "Marry You" as not only is it one of my favourite songs of his, this song, if I had to choose one out of all of the songs, was the one that really got everyone dancing along. The track is also such a happy one so when Bruno performed it, everyone's moods were suddenly lifted!
This week's "Song Of The Week" is one that I have only listened to a few times as it came out yesterday but I fell in love with the track as soon as I heard it; that song is "Young And Menace" by Fall Out Boy. Although I do not listen to a lot of other artists like Fall Out Boy, I have been a fan of them for quite a while now and I love how this song is so diverse in comparison to their other material, and in fact, anything I have ever heard before! This track is so moody yet energetic and I really feel you guys need to listen to it as soon as possible.
