The Evolution of...

 RIHANNA

I remember being in High School still (I believe) when TRL was still on and watching MTV after school to see this new girl. She was dressed not unlike Jasmine from Aladdin and was singing a sort of reggae dance song that was pretty good. Then I came to discover that this girl was named Rihanna. The song "Pon De Replay" was pretty amazing and I couldn't stop listening to it for some time. But for me, Rihanna then fell away for a while. It wasn't until after her sophomore album was out that I purchased Music Of The Sun and discovered an fantastic remix of her second single "If It's Lovin' That You Want"! She kept quiet for a bit...

... until she made an amazing reprise with her single "S.O.S." was released and I was hooked. The song was amazing. The video was spectacular. I to this day do not know of anyone who rocked a green top and golden skin like Rihanna in that video. This single was followed up by "Unfaithful", which I believe was the song that marked Rihanna's staying power in the world of Pop/Hip-Hop music. I watched her perform the single on TRL and she nailed it and I believe that nailing a ballad live is a way to proclaim you are here to stay! The following singles from A Girl Like Me were "We Ride" and "Break It Of (Feat. Sean Paul)" which were amazing songs but didn't end up charting as highly as her previous singles.

Then when it wasn't possible in my mind for Rihanna to exceed any of what she had presently been doing she released "Umbrella", one of the catchiest songs of her entire career. Good Girl Gone Bad was full of hits and she released many songs off of the album like "Shut Up and Drive", "Hate That I Love You", "Don't Stop The Music" and even songs that weren't singles like "Breakin' Dishes" charted and became very popular! The album was also Re-Released as Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded with additional singles "Disturbia" and "Take A Bow" which both were hits for Rihanna!

After this album and all of the success that Rihanna had achieved including 2 Grammy's, she had her fall-out with Chris Brown, which resulted in a much edgier sound from her. The Album Rated-R which didn't do as well commercially as the predecessor was still an album with great songs and earned some hits including "Russian Roulette" "Hard" and "Rude Boy"!

 Rihanna has just recently released her 5th studio album Loud which debuted at number one and is continuing to rule the charts with it's solid hit "Only Girl (In The World)" and the second single "What's My Name?"! She is now in the process of co-releasing both "S&M" and "Raining Men (Feat. Nicki Minaj)" which are sure to be more hits for this great entertainer who has grown so much from the 16 year old that danced onto the music scene 6 years ago! There is sure to be more to come from this girl. Look out!

Collaborations that Rihanna has been involved in include...

 

Willow Smith "21st Century Girl" Preview

Willow Smith amazed us with her first single "Whip My Hair"! The video and the performances that I have seen are pretty awesome and I cannot wait to see what's next from this little firecracker! So for now there has been a preview of her next single "21st Century Girl" released and I want to share it with you! I think it's great and can't wait to hear the whole thing! Listen away!

My Favorite Music Videos!

Since there isn't too much to report on in the music world I thought that i'd take some time to share with you a few of my favorite music videos so that you can re-live the amazing times or you can discover a hidden treasure! Here it goes!

Rihanna - "Only Girl (In The World)"
This video is pure magic! The cinematography in this video is spectacular, especially the scenes involving the ladder in the water, the parts on the swing, and the dancing at the end with the fireworks! The colors and the playing with speed and the gorgeous Rihanna and her red hair! It's too amazing!

Katy Perry - "Firework"
This is one of the best videos that I have seen in a long time. The first few times I watched it, it got me a bit emotional! Katy looks flawless in the video, and the concept is just right for the song. Nothing better!

Miley Cyrus - "Can't Be Tamed"
I fell in love with this song the second I heard it, and listened to it on repeat for about a week straight. I saw screen caps from the video where she was wearing the peacock dress and was fizzing with excitement for the video, and was not let down. This is clearly a big step for Miley in becoming a more adult artist with a sexier vibe. The choreography and the costuming is amazing!

Pussycat Dolls - "Buttons"
This music video was the first video that I had seen (since Britney Spears) to incorporate an amazing dance break and an extremely sexy vibe. I love the PCD and have seen them live! They were fantastic and I love a group that focuses highly on dancing, which is key to being a pop star/group! P.S. I melt when they start dancing in the fire. It has to be the best addition to a video possible!

Lady GaGa - "Bad Romance"
This music video claimed GaGa and pop icon as she displays her eccentric ways and great music. I love all of her videos, but this one, especially the scene with the falling gems and the crawling on the floor make the video spectacular!

Destiny's Child - "Lose My Breath"
This has to be the bets Destiny's Child music video ever made. The dancing, the outfits, the opportunity for Kelly to step out and do her things. The dance break is amazing!

Britney Spears - ... umm... most of them! (Not just being biased)
As many know, Britney Spears is one of the most well known pop stars of our lifetime and she has been making great music videos since the 90s. Although she has had a few videos that weren't the greatest.. there are quite a few that are more than tantalizing!  Here are a few!

Apologies to non-Britney lovers but I believe it's all amazing and definitely worth a watch... or 8!

There are many more videos I feel deserve to be recognized but i will leave it up to you to watch or comment over them, and I will take them into consideration for a later post! Enjoy these videos! I know I do! Peace!

Comments!

Please feel free to leave comments! I posted a poll towards the bottom right about what people would like to see more of. I'm not sure if people who don't have a gmail account can take the poll so PLEASE leave comments and let me know what you like and dislike and I will do my best to gear my posts towards what you like! Options are: remixes, music videos, discographies, pictures, biographies, the singles that never were, live preformances.. ect. Just jot down something short so that I have an idea of what to do :D I'm trying my best to make this a more daily ritual and I can't do it without your help! So let me know! Thanks! Peace!

Remix!

I'm not sure how much of you are remix fans but anyone who knows me knows that I have about 20 versions of the same song on my iPod at all times. Therefore... I feel that I should share some of these mixes with you so that you have an opportunity to see the amazing songs that can be remade into different amazing songs! Hopefully you enjoy or at least try a different type of music that you wouldn't normally listen to (and like it!)

Britney Spears - "Hold It Against Me (Rafael Lelis Remix)"
What I love in this mix is that someone finally got ahold of an acapella track for the song so people are finally able to mix the song without the original song blaring in the background. I also love how they change up the song toward the end with "Tonight, I want more" stuff! Really awesome. Pretty cool video for it too!

Rihanna - "What's My Name (Klip Klap Mix)"

I really like this mix of the song because it speeds it up a bit and I feel that every song does well with a good hand clap added in! Just slightly different from the original but makes it much more dance floor friendly which is always enjoyable! 

To See More Click Read More!

Katy Perry "Part Of Me"

Fan-made Single Cover

Sometimes I hear unreleased songs by artists and believe with my heart that it was best that they were not released because the quality was terrible or maybe the song was better executed by another artist (ala Avril Lavigne's "I Will Be" sung by Leona Lewis), but in the case of "Part of Me" by Katy Perry I am in awe of the fact that it wasn't included on her sophomore release Teenage Dream. This song from the first handclap is an instant hit. It has a good beat and a great message that is usually eaten up by teenagers which was a goal of the album itself, wasn't it? I believe that it should have been placed on the album and released as a single. Hopefully the label re-releases the album with that as the lead single. Necessary? I think so.



Listen for yourself and let me know what you think!
Katy Perry - Part of Me (Youtube)

P.S. Katy's single "Firework" has done amazingly well and has quite a few legit remixes going around including the freemason's mix! Also, her next single has been confirmed to be "E.T." which is a great choice seeing as how it was an early release single for the album and will be very radio/club friendly!

Taylor Swift Releases "Back To December" Music Video

Taylor Swift released her official music video for her newest single "Back To December" today. I love the video. The parts where the snow begins to fall around her inside her room is amazing. This song is one of the best Taylor Swift songs I've heard and I have no doubt that this song will do well. The part breakdown in the middle of the song with the lyrics "I'd go back in time and change it but I can't, so if the chain is on your door I understand" gives me goosebumps everytime. I am not scared to admit this song is very emotional and hits me hard but in a good way. Props to T Swift and best of luck with her newest single and album Speak Now!

Country Strong!

For some reason I was really wanting to see this movie. I'm assuming it's because the cast is decent and I have always had a liking for country music. I waited to buy any of the music until I saw the movie because I didn't want to choose bad songs and be mad I spent the money, so I watched it and enjoyed the movie! There were quite a few songs that I enjoyed and was shocked at the track listing of the official soundtrack. There were key songs for marketing the soundtrack that are only available on the "More Music From Country Strong" album on iTunes.

Standout Tracks:

•  "Coming Home" - Gwyneth Paltrow
•  "Give In To Me" - Garrett Hedlund & Leighton Meester
•  "Summer Girl" - Leighton Meester
•  "Words I Couldn't Say" - Leighton Meester

Also, check out Gwyneth's version of Cee-Lo Green's "Forget You" from Glee. It's pretty great!

Gwyneth Paltrow "Forget You (Glee Cast Version)"

Britney's New Album!

Word from Sony is that Britney's  album will be released...

HOLD IT AGAINST ME RELEASED!

Britney Spears' new single "Hold It Against Me" was released early as she released on her twitter at about 11am today!


After first hearing the song I was kind of confused and shocked because it was partly what I expected but in ways was nothing that I could have ever guessed. The song starts off a lot like the demo does despite what Britney tweeted herself last week about the song being nothing like the demo. But as the song progresses you hear the parts where Britney takes liberty with the song and makes it her own. Moments that stick out are the new electronic vibe-like breakdown moment where you would have never thought it was a Britney Spears song. I have heard the song twice and will probably listen about a billion times more so I may be able to give a more accurate opinion after then! LISTEN!

Britney Spears "Hold It Against Me" (Youtube.com Link)

The single will still (I assume) not be posted onto iTunes until midnight as it had been stated in a press release by jive last friday! ENJOY :D

"Hold It Against Me" Single Cover Released!

Britney Spears released her new single cover for "Hold It Against Me" today through her twitter account and also confirmed that a demo verison of her song has been released. I think it's gorgeous! The demo sounds like Ke$ha to me, and I am thinking that parts of the song are going to be changed for Britney since it doesn't sound ready for radio. Get Excited!?!

"Hold It Against Me" (Early Demo)

Long Time No Post

As always I get wrapped up i the nothing-ness which is my life and neglect this blog, but again.... I am trying to be better about posting! It's important to me and more importantly, sharing the music is important!

So as of now the music scene is not as exciting as it usually is due to all of the holidays and what not, but there are a few albums to look at.

Rihanna - Loud

This album is no doubt a defining moment in Rihanna's career as it could probably release any song onto the airwaves and receive nothing but great reviews. Although Rihanna didn't write any of the music on this album, you can tell that every song was picked with the utmost importance and they all mesh well to meet the ideas that she had in mind with this new more adult album. "Only Girl (In The World)" is probably the best single in her career and an obvious first choice for the album. "What's My Name" was released as the second song from the album, which I love and was Rihanna's choice for the first single. The song is very catchy and light, making it an instant classic in the Rihanna catalog. She is now doing somewhat of a Beyonce move and releasing one song on the Pop Charts ("S&M") and one on the R&B Charts ("Raining Men" featuring Nicki Minaj). "S&M" was the song from the album that i felt was the greatest portrayal of her new choice of image. The video will no doubt be spectacular and I cannot wait for the tour that will accompany this album and will hopefully get to attend! Other notable songs on the album include "Fading" which samples Enya and is a great 'moving on' anthem, "Cheers (Drink To That" which samples Avril Lavigne's "I'm With You". "California King Bed" and "Complicated" are some of the standout ballads on the album, but to be honest the whole album is worth every penny and I actually received the Deluxe Couture Signed Edition of the album as a Christmas present. Eternally grateful!

Keri Hilson - No Boys Allowed

Keri Hilson really surprised me this album around, because I feel like she actually was able to kick it up a notch from the last album which was pretty good. "Breaking Point" was the Promo single off the album and to be honest with you I don't think I've listened to the song all the way through. It's a slower single and doesn't catch my attention immediately therefore making it not a good first single choice. The second single, was "Pretty Girl Rock" which was not my favorite song, but after receiving the album in full I have come to really enjoy it. The newest single, "The Way You Love Me", is a completely different story. It's a more sensual Keri that is kind of shocking and enjoyable. Parts of the song actually sound like she is screaming the lyrics but after a few listens the song has become addicting and a good departure from the cleaner Keri that we have expected. Other notable songs on the album are "Buyou" which plays with a child-rhyme sounding chorus and an amazing beat. "Gimme What I Want" has to be a single. There is no question. It is one of the best songs on the album, although when listening to it I kind of fit in the lyrics to "Womanizer" by Britney Spears because there are parts that sound very similar (which is probably why I like it). I love that the woman is taking charge! Gotta love it! "Toy Soldier" (Another Britney reference to me) is a great slower song that shows of Keri's talent and successfully is able to hold my attention for more than a few listens. I think this album is definitely worth the purchase and a good stepping stone in what is hopefully a long career for Keri.

Natasha Bedingfield - Strip Me



I hadn't heard anything from Natasha in a while until I heard "Strip Me" in the commercial for the movie Morning Glory which I enjoyed. I wasn't hooked onto the song, but the message was brilliant and I definitely felt the need to purchase it. Anticipating the release if the album I listened to the streaming on her myspace and heard a few standout tracks. "Touch", which was the first single released from the album about 6 months ago, is amazing. I usually keep up with new releases from the artists I listen to but I think that I had been burnt out on Natasha after Pocketful of Sunshine. The album is amazing but I feel as though I had worn out my copy and needed a break. I am now hitting myself on the head for not having heard this song half a year ago, because "Touch" is probably the best song on the entire album. GREAT SONG! Another amazing song from the release is "Weightless". To be honest the song makes me pretty emotional because it hits you in the right place with wanting to feel free and her voice is angelic on the track. "Neon Lights" is another hit song from the album that I am addicted to. The Indian influences on these songs makes me so excited and the messages in them just blows them out of the park. Natasha has taken a more mature approach to music and I hope that she promotes this album well and releases a few successful hits in the U.S. seeing as how she usually does pretty well here.

Along with these great albums, there are a few things that I am looking forward to in the near future.

1. "Hold It Against Me" by Britney Spears. Of course from the second I heard that Britney had new music coming out, I have had trouble sleeping. The fact that they keep changing the release date for the single is making me nervous and I always worry that I am not going to love it, but of course I will. Patience is a virtue (that I don't possess! lol)!

(Not Official Artwork)

2."Born This Way" by Lady Gaga. She has released hit after hit, and I have no doubt that this next single and album will meet and exceed everyone's expectations. So excited!

(Not Official Artwork)

3."What The Hell" by Avril Lavigne. This song, although very simple and not as mature as Avril claimed that it would be, is amazing. Produced by Dr. Luke and written by Lavigne Max Martin, this song is an anthem for doing what you want, which I feel is a better formation of the ideas that she wanted to express from the last album. I'm very interested in hearing the rest of the album Goodbye Lullaby. I'm never really disappointed in Avril (except for "Alice") so it should be a great album (That hopefully won't have to compete with Britney's new release)!

This is just some of the music that has been key to my life at the moment and I will do my best to continue to update as things are released and inspiring me!