Album Review: Beyoncé - Lemonade.

Hey everyone, sorry I haven't posted much but I have been super busy with final year assignments. I am finishing university in a month which is crazy so I'm working hard but I just had to review Beyoncé's new album that dropped yesterday (or was it today? I can't get my head around the time zones, sorry!)

So let's get into it!

So Beyoncé has finally blessed us with a new album after three years. 

The album, titled Lemonade, came a surprise. It was released onto Tidal right after the airing of her new HBO film of the same name. The film was an hour long and served as a visual companion to the album, telling us the story of a woman's heartbreak over a romantic betrayal with Queen B narrating throughout.

Throughout the film, there were clips of Beyoncé performing the new songs with themes of rage, heartbreak and forgiveness. Each stage of the betrayal was shown throughout, labelled: intuition, denial, anger, apathy, loss, reformation, forgiveness, resurrection, hope and redemption.

Lemonade has 12 songs, including the empowering Formation which Beyoncé debuted at the Super Bowel halftime show with Coldplay and Bruno Mars.

The tracklist:

1. Pray You Catch Me

2. Hold Up

3. Don't Hurt Yourself (feat. Jack White)

4. Sorry

5. 6 Inch (feat. The Weeknd)

6. Daddy Lessons

7. Love Drought

8. Sandcastles

9. Forward (feat. James Blake)

10. Freedom (feat. Kendrick Lamar)

11. All Night

12. Formation

This album is definitely one of her best and it came as a shock to me that it seems like Jay-Z cheated on Beyoncé, if not a few times? I mean, man, you have Beyoncé, what more could you want!? I was surprised to learn that she forgave him considering she's made a song similar to this experience.. Irreplaceable, anyone??? 

Anyway, Sorry and Sandcastles are definitely my favourites so far. Sorry is a great unapologetic I-don't-need-you anthem and the beat is just fantastic and it also had Serena Williams featuring in it, twerking and showing what she's got! Sandcastles is stunning because it is completely stripped of all the technology and beats. It's just Beyoncé and a piano, her voice is just unbelievable and blows me away every time.

The film itself was a work of art. However, I'll be honest and say that some parts were better than others. I didn't enjoy every song, perhaps I need to listen to them more for me to like them. Some parts I did not understand at all but overall the concept of the film was clear to me and was beautifully done. 

At one point, Beyoncé spoke/sang about the troubles black women have and what black people go through in general. The mothers of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Eric Garner also starred in the film, holding up photos of their beloved sons whose lives were taken away so unnecessarily. That part definitely broke my heart for sure. Other well known faces pop up throughout the film.. Zendaya, Serena Williams, Jay-Z and little Blue Ivy just to name a few.

This film and album was unique and thought-provoking. It is definitely something new and refreshing from Beyoncé even it is about Jay-Z's infidelity and her heartbreak. I feel like her style of music has definitely changed but she is still way ahead of the game by bringing attention to the problems black people face and being honest that her marriage isn't 100% perfect. She is still showing everyone why she is the Queen and her creativity is just a testament to how hard she works to bring us something new and awe-inspiring.    

I would love to read what you thought of her new album and how you interpreted the film!
Let me know what you thought in the comments below.
Thankyou for reading.
Laura.

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Albums That Changed My Life!

Hello! 

This post is about the albums that have changed my life. I don't mean the ones I just like to listen to but the ones that really mean something to me. I was inspired to do this because of Emma Blackery's video which you can watch here. We have a similar music taste and I realised I've never really sat down and thought about what albums meant something to me. So, let's get into it!

Blink 182 - Blink 182 (self-titled)

Blink 182 was probably the first rock band I got into, thanks to my best friend. My teens just consisted of me listening to rock music and being a moody goth. These guys just seemed so cool and unique compared to everyone else and I loved Tom Delonge's vocals on every song he performed. They are probably the reason why I fancied skater boys (and still do!) so much. My favourite songs on this are: I Miss You, I'm Lost Without You and Feeling This.

Avril Lavigne - Let Go

I loved Avril so much! She seemed like such a cool girl and made me feel like girls can be rockstars as well. My brother got me into her and we'd spend hours singing our hearts out to her album in his room. Sk8er Boi was the first song I heard from her and I instantly loved it and it still gets me dancing like a crazy person in my room to this day. My favourite songs on this are: Complicated, Things I'll Never Say and of course, Sk8er Boi.

Paramore - Riot!

Again, I have my best friend to thank for getting me into this band. I was obsessed with Paramore for a long time and longed to look like Hayley Williams every single day of my teens. Like Avril, she taught me that girls can be badass and cool too. My favourites on this are: Misery Business, crushcrushcrush and That's What You Get.

P!nk - I'm Not Dead

This lady has always been my favourite female singer. I loved her earlier albums but this album was just incredible. She was just a completely different artist compared to everyone else and she was kickass! She can rock out and also perform beautiful ballads. My favourites on this are: Stupid Girls, Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely), Who Knew and Dear Mr President. 

 The Script - Science & Faith

The Script are my all time band and I have seen them live three times so far! Although I did love their first album, their second album changed my life for sure. I love every single song on it and it has my favourite song by them on it; Science and Faith. They make me feel all of the emotions and find the right words for my feelings when I can't. They've done alot for me and they are severely underrated. My favourites on this are: Science and Faith, If You Ever Come Back, Nothing and For The First Time.

Beyoncé - 4

Of course, the Queen would make it onto this list. Beyoncé is one of my favourite singers of all time, she is just an incredible artist. She is a stunning woman and is the perfect person to listen to when you feel like a badass diva. My favourites on this are: Countdown, Run The World (Girls) and Love On Top. 

Twenty One Pilots - Vessel & Blurryface

Twenty one pilots came into my life sometime last year and I am so glad I got into them. I did a post dedicated to them a while ago. I haven't been this obsessed with an album (or two, in this case) in years until now. Tyler Joseph is an incredible singer and uses his insecurities and depression to help others through his songs. The lyrics are incredible and if you've experienced depression in your life before, they'll mean everything. My favourites on Vessel are: Holding Onto You and Guns For Hands. My favourites on Blurryface are: Ride, Stressed Out, Tear In My Heart, Lane Boy and Doubt.

So there you go, those are the albums that changed my life!

Hope you liked this, it's a bit different to what I normally post.

Do you like any of these albums? Let me know!

Thankyou for reading.

Laura.

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Music Monday: Music I've Been Loving #6.

Good afternoon, everyone! This is my first Music Monday of 2016! I haven't done one since about December which is just mad. But I have a whole load of new music I've been loving. So let's get into it!

I have been loving Sia's new album which came out in January I think, I'm not too sure. This song is so good, it has such a good beat to it and the chorus is a little unusual. I think she has brought out a new video for it now and it has Sean Paul featuring on it now as well. Well worth a listen!

I have always loved Kelly Clarkson, I may not have listened to much of her recent stuff because I've gone on to listen to different stuff. I've listened to her since her Breakaway album back in 2004 which me and my brother listened to over and over again. Recently, she performed an acoustic version of this song on American Idol which blew everyone away because of the pure heartwrenching emotion she was displaying. So much so that she couldn't even finish the song due to her tears and she even had some of the judges crying. So I YouTubed the original version and although it has more of a dancey-ish beat to it, I still love it. It is heartbreaking but very empowering towards the end. If you're gonna listen to this one, keep a few tissues handy because you'll need them!

This one is not a new song, I think it's actually a couple years old now. But I had never heard of it before until I saw it on my telly the other day and I instantly fell in love with it. Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake's vocals go together so well. It is such a feel good song and has you dancing around in your room. But it also makes me sad because Michael is not here with us anymore and we can't hear any more great hits like this.

I am loving The 1975's new album! This is possibly my favourite song out of all of them. Matty Healy just looks so good and the song has you singing into a hairbrush at all hours in the morning! Well worth a listen.

I would never have thought Beyonce and Coldplay could sound good together until now! Coldplay have been bringing out some good songs lately and this is one of them. It took a while for me to get into it and there was alot of controversy about the video because some people thought they were using Indian stereotypes and they were using cultural appropriation, particuarly with how Beyonce is dressed throughout the video. But I find it celebrates the wonders and beauty of India but each to their own. It is such a good song, it is such an anthem that has you stamping your feet and clapping along.

Little Mix have really become a girl band that I actually like! They always have great songs to dance to and sing along with. This one is a little different, a bit slower and it features Jason Derulo. I'm not a huge fan of Derulo and I think the song would've worked even better without him but it still slays because of the girls' vocals. Their voices have grown and gotten so much stronger, especially Perrie. Unbelievable, definitely listen to this.

Ellie Goulding is just so beautiful and a fantastic human being. I saw her a couple of weeks ago in the Echo Arena for the second time and she was incredible as ever. Dancing, singing and shimmying across the stage as well as playing guitar and the drums. She sounds exactly like she does on her albums. Her new album is so good and well worth a listen! These two songs are a good place to start.

So, those are my favourite songs of this month!

Do you like any of them? Do you have any recommendations for me?

Thankyou for reading.

Laura.

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Grammys 2015: Red Carpet Review.

The 57th Grammys were hosted by LL Cool J in Los Angeles last night and the stars turned out beautifully as usual. Although there were some disastrous outfits (I'm looking at you Madonna, Rihanna and Charli XCX), there were some stunning gowns and suits that caught my eye. So here's my favourite looks from the night:

First up is Sia and the dancer that stars in her videos, Maddie Ziegler both wearing black and white custom Armani Prive. Ziegler went with George Esquivel brogues to complete her look. I love Sia's massive wig, she's always one to make a statement.

Taylor Swift was definitely one of the best dressed for me personally. She is wearing a gorgeous custom Elie Saab paired with pink Giuseppe Zanotti sandals. She also wore lovely jewellery by Lorraine Schwartz and Ofira. 

Although I'm not a fan of how Iggy Azalea had her hair, she looks stunning in this figure hugging cobalt blue Armani Prive gown. I just don't think the braided crown fitted in with the whole look.

Queen Beyonce went with the floor length gown theme as well by going for a simple modest black beaded gown with a deep v by Proenza Schouler. Accompanying the look, she wore Balenciaga shoes and Lorraine Schwartz jewellery. Wearing her hair down, she heated up the red carpet with this simple yet sophisticated look.

Another one of my favourites from the night, Katy Perry looks incredible in this Zuhair Murad crystal embellished dress that was fresh off the Paris Couture runway. I am absolutely in love with her purple hair and I think it complemented the entire look perfectly.

Unlike previous years, Lady Gaga went for the elegant ladylike look with a silver floor length Brandon Maxwell dress. Her jewellery that sat in her bosom was from Lorraine Schwartz.

Anna Kendrick looks absolutely fantastic in this Band of Outsiders pantsuit with Jimmy Choo shoes, Venyx World jewellery, Jacquie Aiche and Uma K rings and a Ferragamo clutch. 

Let's also hear it for the lads:

Sam Smith

John Mayer

Ed Sheeran

Jesse McCartney

Photos: source | source | source | source

So those were my favourite looks from the night. 

What were your favourites?

Did you enjoy the show?

Thanks for reading.

Laura.

Music Monday: Music I've Been Loving #1.

Hey everyone, so I thought I'd do a post on what music I've been really getting into recently and becoming obsessed with. Some of the artists you'll probably know and some you may not know so it's my job to explain to you who they are and what songs I think you should check out.

So let's get into it:

George Ezra

  George Ezra is an English singer-songwriter and he's released two EPs Did You Hear The Rain? in 2013 and Cassy O' in 2014 before bringing out his debut studio album, Wanted On Voyage, mid-2014 which reached number one in the UK. 

Favourite songs: Listen To The Man (which has the wondeful Ian Mckellen in its video!) and Blind Man In Amsterdam.

Sam Smith

 

 

Sam Smith is an English singer and songwriter and he appeared on a number of hit singles before his own debut album like Disclosure's Latch and Naughty Boy's La La La. He released his incredible In The Lonely Hour album in 2014 and it had many major hits. He has since been nominated for SIX Grammy Awards.

Favourite songs: Restart, Stay With Me and I've Told You Now.

Royal Blood

 This rock band is composed of bassist/singer Mike Kerr and drummer Ben Thatcher and they only formed very recently in 2013. They caught my eye after putting on an incredible performance for the 2014 EMA's. They are yet to release a full album but they are set to be a supporting act for the Foo Fighters on their 2015 tour and they said they're to start writing their album while on tour, I can't wait!

Favourite song: Figure It Out.

Beyoncé

 Queen B doesn't need any introduction, everyone knows her and how amazing she is. I am obsessed with this single recently and can't stop playing it. It's very different to anything Beyoncé's ever done before but I love how pretty she looks with minimal, if any, make-up on and the simplicity of the video which was all filmed on an iPhone. Looks like a pyjama party with B would be so much fun!

Favourite song: 7/11. 

What are some of your favourite songs at the moment?
Are there any albums you're looking forward to listening to?

If you have any comments or recommendations for me, please let me know!

Thankyou for reading.
Laura.

Perfume Review/Favourites: Next, Beyoncé and Marc Jacobs.

Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't been posting much, it's exam season so I've been revising and working hard for these upcoming exams for uni. I'm stressed out so I need a bit of time to chill and just mooch about around my favourite blogs. Also I have a review of my all time favourite perfumes for you today.

 

 From left to right we have: Next - Femme Eau De Parfum, Beyoncé - Heat and Marc Jacobs - Daisy. 

I have been lucky to receive all of these as presents for my birthdays and Christmas and I literally cannot get enough of them. These all my all time favourites and I can't recommend these enough. 

Next - Femme Eau De Parfum

 

I received this one from my brother for Christmas and I have absolutely fallen in love with it! It's a 75ml  bottle and you definitely don't need a lot for it to work. I think too much can certainly overpower you and whoever else can smell it. The shop Next say that it is "an elegant oriental fragrance with dazzling fruits offet by golden amber" and it sounds amazing when they put it like that! The packaging is simple and cute and as purple is my favourite colour it looks so pretty on my table.

Every time I've worn this since Christmas, I have had nothing but compliments from everyone who could smell it. I absolutely love the smell of it, it's gorgeous and light with hints of fruit. When I've worn it on a night out, I've had compliments left right and centre from strangers and even one person asked me where I got it from so she could buy it too. Definitely a new favourite of mine.

75ml for £14 from Next.

Beyoncé - Heat

This one is just incredible, I cannot even emphasis how much I love this fragrance. For the past few years I've always asked for this for my birthday and being the blessed girl I am, I've always received it because everyone literally knows how much I love it. This bottle is a 100ml from Queen B herself. It is no secret how much I adore Beyoncé and it is also no secret how much I love her perfumes. I love the design because I feel like Beyoncé made it look curvy on purpose to emphasise the fact it's for a woman and for a woman to smell and feel sexy.

It is described as a "modern, feminine scent with floral, fruity and woody notes". My friends literally say this is my signature scent as I always wear this on nights out and I'm always complimented on it. It has such an exotic and musky smell. At first I thought it'd be quite a mature smell for my age but I don't think it matters what age you are, I think it works for everyone. I never thought I'd say this about a perfume but it smells... well, sexy and full of passion. You only need a couple of sprays of this otherwise it's too overwhelming. You can also get smaller versions of the bottle which are handy to carry round with you on a night out to top up.

100ml for £20 from Superdrug. 

Marc Jacobs - Daisy

 

This is my all time favourite perfume out of the three. This is a 50ml bottle and I always ask for this as well for my birthdays because it is my ultimate perfume. I've always loved Marc Jacobs' perfumes, they're always light and lovely to wear for daytime or for an important event. The packaging is absolutely stunning, the flowery lid is so pretty and girly and although there isn't much more to the bottle but the simple imprinting of the designer's name is just very sophisticated and cool to me. 

The scent is so fresh, flowery and feminine. It is so light and pretty to wear. Again I'm always complimented on it every time I wear it. I don't tend to wear this one as much for nights out because it isn't as mature as the others so I save it for days out somewhere just because it's so light. It's perfect and just stunning to have on my table, I love it.

50ml for £52 from Debenhams.

So those are my favourite perfumes, have you tried any of them?
What are some of your favourites one?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Thankyou for reading.

Laura.

VMAS 2014: Red Carpet Review.

 

I'm not normally one to review fashion on the red carpet or anywhere else for that matter but I saw so many beautiful dresses and outfits from this year's VMAS that I just had to review my favourites. This time around there seemed to be a simple theme of red and silver going on and A LOT of skin showing. You go, girls!

To start off with:

 

Can we just talk about how good Jennifer Lopez looks at 45, please? She totally rocks this stunning Charbel Zoe, cut-out gown which comes with a bold high slit with shows off her toned figure.  She finishes off the look with Jimmy Choo shoes, a matching Thalé Blanc silver clutch and Normal Silverman rings and earrings proving that no matter what age you are, if you've got it.. flaunt it.

Cutest couple award definitely has to go to Jordin Sparks and Jason Derulo. Jordin is so beautiful in a plunging white dress while Jason wears a matching white suit with Gentleman Collection by David Thomas and Jason of Beverly Hills jewellery. Jason was also nominated twice for Best Pop Video and Best Choreography for his hit song Talk Dirty. 

 

LGBT icon and Orange Is The New Black star Laverne Cox wore a show stopping dress from her friend Marc Bouwer which gave the actress the perfect opportunity to show off her figure.

 

 

Katy Perry always comes up with new, mad ways to throw everyone off their game. The singer showed up with rapper, Riff Raff, both in matching patchwork denim custom-made Versace outfits in homage to that unforgettable moment when Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake wore a denim-on-denim ensemble back in 2001. Hilarious but she pulled it off so well. 

 

The rapper Iggy Azalea down the cut-out route by wearing a silver Versace dress with her hair slicked back perfectly. She also performed her new single Black Widow with Rita Ora.

 

Speaking of Rita Ora, the singer pulled an Angelina Jolie in a sexy thigh high slitted Donna Karan Atelier negligee-inspired dress as she flaunted her curves. Channelling a Jessica Rabbit-esque (sans the red hair) look, she catwalked the red carpet in this silk charmeuse outfit topped off with a diamond encrusted Lorraine Schwartz choker and strapless heels.

 

Sporting an adorable baby bump, Kelly Rowland looked amazing and kept it simple in this elegant Kaufman Franco gown paired with Jimmy Choo shoes. Her Lorraine Schwartz jewellery shone in the sun, setting off her whole look.

 

Solange Knowles looked badass in an sparkly, oversized jacket and tuxedo pants from the H&M Studio Collection. Bare underneath, Solange's jacket scooped low enough to expose a little of her cleavage. With big, Diana Ross style hair and black heeled sandals, Solange looked just fabulous in a glamorous, rocker chic way.

 

All eyes were on Queen B as she walked the red carpet in a black, lacy, Nicolas Jebran dress with dazzling, statement earrings by Lorraine Schwartz. She strategically hid parts of her body but the risqué cut outs and gemometric lines bared enough to show off her body and the fact she clearly had no underwear on. But this isn't the only look she had for the night..

 

It literally became the Beyoncé show as she performed her 15 minute medley of songs from her self-titled album in a bejewelled, mosasic Tom Ford bodysuit. It clung to her body and showed off all her assets.. quite literally. She had the whole room in her hands as she danced and sung her heart out, hitting every note perfectly despite the heavily choreographed dances.

 

Queen B just doesn't stop slaying! After her epic show and receiving the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award from her husband Jay Z and daughter Blue Ivy, she appeared backstage in a silky, maroon, Zuhair Murad dress which had a daring side panel which reveal the singer went commando again! The dress hugged her curves and made her look unbelievable as she stood in front the photographers in the pressroom, smiling with her trophies. Alongside the Video Vanguard Award, she also received awards from the Best Cinematography, Best Video With a Social Message and Best Collaboration categories.

To quote Lady Gaga: boys, boys, boys, we love them!
Here are my favourite looks from the men this year:

Sam Smith

 

Ed Sheeran


Darren Criss

And Youtuber, Tyler Oakley who also live tweeted his interviews with various icons.

 Those were my favourite looks from the 2014 VMAS.

Who were your favourites of the night? Did you enjoy the show?

Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Thankyou for reading.
Laura.