Diva's Phases

 

I usually keep away from media because none of it is sincere, also, nowadays I find pop music irritating. Who needs pop when you can get lost with Joanna Newsom? Anyhow I havn't looked up recent music in a while, it just hasn't tickled my fancy ever since grade 9. But I do remember my childhood favourite singer Shakira as a huge inspiration to me, I remember wanting to be just like her and singing her songs, haha! Remembering how much I used to be into her, I decided to look her up and see how she's doing. Turns out.. I didn't like what I found...

WHAAATT??????

You see.. the Shakira I grew up listening to could be groovy and sensational while still being meaningful as dignified woman. I pictured her as a diva you could respect. Her music from her old albums (including her spanish music) do have really good lyrics compared to many usual pop songs. I was fascinated that you could have a song with the beats of "Whenever Wherever" and still have lyrics that say "lucky that my lips not only mumble, they spill kisses like a fountain". You do have to look and listen deeper beyond the singles to see her more intricate lyrics, especially in her spanish songwriting. She could wear belly tops and leather pants and still be very smart in her views and values and activism.

Now I look her up and the lady is singing songs with electronic beats and more common lyrics. She remains very artistic in her videos and dance, but she's all new, hardly the old Shakira I knew. It bothers me so much how now if you turn on the radio most music consists of electronic beats and DJ sounds. Some songs are meant to be that way.. say european techno songs or house music meant for raves, but I think that's as far as it needs to go. Nowadays electronic sounds are everywhere! Tell my why on earth would anyone choose electronic sounds over the purity and earthiness of a real instrument played with the sweat and tears of a musician!! It's beyond me...

My Shakira is now using those sounds, and to me, she doesn't sound as smart anymore. I mean, she has a band who she tours around with, and they provided all the musicianship she needed, how could she replace them with electronica? On top of that she's wearing clothes similar to the styles of Beyonce and Lady Gaga, I don't see the point. I find all these pop styles and bodysuits are ridiculous when they're overdone with no subtleness or simplicity; it's all just BAM IN YOUR FACE!

See like this... have you not seen this repeated and regurgitated recently by all the divas?

Note to self: no need to get fiesty or angry. But Oh man I sure am so very very irritated! My childhood inspiration is not the same no more :(. It's also true that people go on and change and transform all the time, it's happened hundreds of times with pop singers, I just didn't see it coming that my original Shakira would completely change her direction. I respect her still, I just wont find myself agreeing to her music anymore.

We've both grown out of something. I've grown out of popular music, while Shakira is moving into it's newness. I've grown out of all that thankfully. You see I go to a school of the arts for it's vocal music program and there I've learned to appreciate music like classical music and jazz. I've gotten lost in a world of music more complex than pop where I find nothing is dull. Now I can see how important music education is, and how much the classic world has to offer. Nevertheless..we can't help but be chameleons and transform to get to experience everything that comes our way.

But oh how I miss the old her...

 

Alice in Wonderland 2010

Last Friday I went to watch Alice in Wonderland at theatre with Javier, who's now my ex. It's sad to let him go but we're still wonderful friends, we love each other's soul very much.

The movie couldn't have been more lovely, but it felt kinda short to me; everything happened so fast and it was quite predictable, but I guess that's what one would expect with a remake of a movie or story.

Despite it, t'was wonderful. There was all this magical greenery and whimsical mushrooms and creatures. Alice got to change between dresses multiple times in her adventure, she has beautiful golden hair. And she's so ever pale!

But the best dressed character to me was the Mad Hatter, I adore his outfit and his unforgettable top hat. I love Johnny Depp when he is the craziest of characters, he's so enjoyable. He made a great Hatter, and he made him seem so vivid.

Oh it was so very well made! And it was incredibly funny! Especially the Queen, she was evil but loose and hilarious. I think she was perfect, with the huge head and tiny crown and all. The cheshire cat was exquisitely creepy and had a majestic set of teeth as well as an attractive accent.

I just wish the film would have been a little longer. I was so lost in that world. I wanted to see more and more of the Mad Hatter, he was so very irresistible. Now I know for sure that I must purchase a pale blue dress and loose my self through the woods behind my back yard. I have this tradition that I must reenact movies I see. How lovely. Please don't miss out on watching this film! Tis so trippy, you'll love it.

 

 

 

 

A fairy among us

I've never shared any music with anyone that didn't dig the music I showed them by the end of the day; that is until I discovered Joanna Newsom. I remember playing my brother "Peach Plum Pair" as he made the most distasteful face, like a lime had just been squashed in his face.

There's no doubt I was too alarmed when first hearing Joanna Newsom's voice; it differs from everything else I'd ever heard before. Child-like and chirpy it stings you with a ping while it floats over a glorious tangle of harp sounds. Although it's incredibly hard to note at first, I recognized her rather unrefined voice is indeed wonderful, and I also realized singers spend too much time polishing their voices during a melody, the shiny voices takes away from the meaning of the words. I find Joanna Newsom's melodies aren't overpowered, they're perfect, only just enough sweetness is all that's necessary. And my my... that harp. I cannot explain what it does to me and the states of delight it puts me in, it embroiders intricate pictures of stories in my heart and mind.

Perhaps the reason I'm so enchanted by her is because I hadn't been exposed to folk music before, and of course she opened to me a portal to many more artists.

Nowadays I play some Joanna Newsom when I want to be lifted by magic, and when I'm tired of hearing simple boring overrated sounds.

To top it off she writes the most intricate lyrics! They're whimsical and oh so very intertaing to read, most of it is incomprehensible at first. How I love that. If only artists nowadays would make their music more ornate. I'm in love, been in love with her sound for quite a while now, t'was time I wrote a post about her.

She also wears vintage-y clothes and her very features make her seem like fairy in them; sometimes the way she talks makes her sound like a fairy too because her vocabulary is so very diverse and antique. I think she is outstandingly pretty.

She must be a fairy.

 

It's a complete enchantment listening to her.

I wish her much peace and happinesswithin her art.