Times are a Changin'

Because I’m going through a transition time in my life, I’ve decided to discontinue this blog.  I hope to start blogging again soon but possibly on a different platform that will allow me to express who I am more easily! Keep you posted. Thanks for everything guys!

Sam Smith Live at The Liacouras Center!

Sam Smith Opening Act at The Liacouras Center in Philly

Believe it or not, I have never been to a live concert, that is, until yesterday when I saw Sam Smith live at The Liacouras Center in Philadelphia. 

When you experience Sam Smith you are experiencing what it feels like to transcend into a higher state of consciousness. Not only was the perfection of his voice magnified but as an audience member I had the opportunity to experience the beautiful person behind the music!  Sam Smith is the type of person I would like to have as a friend, I would have him sing me to sleep every night.

Sam Smith Program and Poster

The moments when he talked to the audience, were my favorite. He told us the stories from his own life that  inspired many of his songs.  For example "Good Thing" was based on his experience of letting go of someone he was deeply in love with that didn't love him back, "Money On My Mind" was written to express his anger with someone in the music industry and "Make it to Me" is a love letter to his soul mate that he has yet to meet. 

In the middle of the concert he jokingly assured the audience that although many of his songs sounded depressing, that he wasn't some dark, sad, always frowning guy. He said his next album will definitely have a brighter tone because he doubts anyone would want to buy The Lonely Hour...Part 2 (haha!). I'm looking forward to it because this means he will be able to smile more, which is very exciting because as I discovered at his concert, he has the most adorable smile! 

Throughout the concert he had me, my friends and the whole  stadium up on their feet. In one moment we were two stepping, in another we were making the place light up like a galaxy and a few times I just kind of sat in total aw and tried to absorb the perfection of the moment. Thank you Sam Smith!

Feminist Music Revival

2014 has been a great year for women in the music industry. We've seen new artists like Meghan Trainor redefine body image and rappers like Iggy Azaela break stereotypes. Women in music are finally pushing beyond what is expected of them. Today they are reflecting the beautiful, flawless, bad-ass, queens and hard working bosses out there  that are much more than any single word (or song for that matter) can define. Here's an empowering playlist showcasing the many faces of women by feminist music revivalists. 

Feminist Music Revival Playlist

Mid-Summer Playlist

Summer is half way through, as well a the year of 2014 for that matter! My first half was busy and exciting. I just returned to the states from my Nigerian journey and now I'm flipping the page and going on to the next chapter of this life. 

Wherever you are, whatever your doing, wherever you want to be, make sure you are enjoying yourself and make the rest of this summer and 2014 worthwhile...

Summer is for love, freedom, and change...here is a playlist inspired by this season. it's a touch of old and new, a little flavor of Nigeria, and lots of Summer! Cheers!

Meet Chimmy!

Recently here in Naija, I teamed up with a talented and fun girl named Chimmy to produce YouTube covers of some of our favorite songs. 

Chimmy is a new YouTuber; her videos include music videos by Nigerian, British and American artists. She also dances like no other and plays the piano like a beast. 

Although, she's just beginning she already has a mass IG following of 3660 and soon her YouTube will explode as well! 

Chimmy invited me to work with her after we were messing around with the piano to  John Legends "All of Me". We posted the video and the rest was history. 

Next, we will be covering Beyoncé's song "Ego", so keep your eyes open...it's coming soon. 

Subscribe to Chimmy's YouTube Channel at:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8PmOXqKprvI2t_-qtUGDfA

Follower her on IG: @callme_chimmy

Beyoncé and Chimamanda: Tell’em Ladies!

While all of us were writing our new years resolutions Beyoncé and Chimamanda Adichie were already checking 10 things off of their lists. Beyonce dropped her visual album Beyoncé that has exploded into outer space since it’s release this month.  One of the songs featured striking words for women all over the world.  by author Chimamanda Adichie!

I'm sure you already know a few of Betonce's new songs such as “Pretty Hurts” and “Drunk in Love” ft. husband Jay-Z. But listening  to the whole album (which I have done multitudinously), what I’m liking the messages of empowerment  many of the songs have. As you know  I have become a die hard feminists over the past few months so I highly approve!

***Check out my documentary Women in the World of Media , results of competition coming soon!***

Anyways, back to the facts.  As  provocative  and risqué  as some may say  Beyoncé's new album is, I think she did an inspiring job at speaking her truth about feminism and sending an empowering message to women. One of these powerful songs is  “***Flawless” which will have you saying "BOW DOWN BITCHES" Here's a preview...

YES!!!! "Flawless" features rousing words about feminism by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Nigerian author of Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah! REPRSENTING NAIJA! Here are her words...

“We teach girls to shrink themselves,
to make themselves smaller.
We say to girls,
‘You can have ambition,
but not too much.
You should aim to be successful,
but not too successful.
Otherwise you will threaten the man.’
Because I am female,
I am expected to aspire to marriage.
I am expected to make my life choices
always keeping in mind that
marriage is the most important.
Now marriage can be a source of
joy and love and mutual support.
But why do we teach to aspire to marriage
and we don’t teach boys the same?
We raise girls to see each other as competitors –
not for jobs or for accomplishments,
which I think can be a good thing,
but for the attention of men.
We teach girls that they cannot be sexual beings
in the way that boys are.
Feminist: the person who believes in the social,
political and economic equality of the sexes.”

Click Here to view Adichies's talk titled “We should all be feminists.”  .

WE FLAWLESS, LADIES TELL’EM!

Tugged, Drowned, and Resurrected by Banks

Sometime you hear a song and you just know that it’s going to be a hit. Something about it tugs you into the depths of the sea, drowns you in its melodies, and then resurrects you in a nebulous but pleasant state of mind. Do you know that feeling?
 
Well, when I first heard the artist Banks single “Warm Water” that’s what happened. I was like “who is this person, where did she come from, is she an alien?”
 
Banks is relatively new to the scene, she first released her music early this year, her first EP  titled “London” was released in September. Make no mistake she’s an upcoming artist that’s blowing up - but quietly. Watch carefully because one day you’ll just see her name *appear* on the charts.
 
She’s been compared to Lana Del Rey, but along with being an alternative artist her music has a very clear but ambient sound, with touches of electronic and soul  creating a sound that is new, fresh, and addicting.
Check out her 2013 EP "London”, make sure to listen to the track that's getting all the hype called "Warm Water", and don't forget get her first single “Fall Over” which I love.





BE TUGGED, DROWNED, AND RESURRECTED BY BANKS! - Remember her. Got it? Good. You will thank me. ;)

Janelle Monae's Album Release: The Electric Lady

The Electric Lady by savainfinite on Polyvore

I am a huge fan of Janelle Monàe so I was more than ecstatic to find out that she would be releasing her second full-length  album on  September 10th titled The Electric Lady. Janelle likes to give a good surprise, so she's keeping information about this release hush-hush, but  a single was released called " Q.U.E.E.N." featuring  Erika Badu - another artist that I love! I also listened to a bit of the song "Dance Apocalyptic" from the album. Just the title of that song alone is enough for me to love it, but it's also has that very funky, fantasy, electric sound which Janelle is known for. 

If your a fan like me, you should know that she is a starting a national tour Sept. 13th. I'm going to  be looking at tickets (super hype)! I'm sure more information will be revealed leading up to the release, until then we'll be excitedly waiting.

One more thing, don't forget to check back soon I'll be doing a post on this fall's music line up. 

Hip-Hop Turns 40

Hip-hop has left a legacy that seems to be growing with time. Throughout this month people have been celebrating Hip-Hop’s 40th birthday.

 

Grandmaster Flash

Everyone knows the names of the most well known Hip-Hop artists of today: Jay-Z, Kanye, Lil Wayne, Eminem, Drake and Niki Minaj, just to name a few. But to truly celebrate I wanted to have a full understanding of what Hip-Hop was before the money, glamour, bitches and pimps . So I went back to the days when Hip Hop was born.

“Let’s take it back (to the beginning). The August 11, 1973 rec room party in the Bronx is undeniably one of the  most famous parties in Hip-Hop’s history. Thrown by a father of Hip-Hop, DJ Kool Herc, it was here that Herc experimented with “the breaks” in records, elongating portions of them after noticing that dancers would choose certain points in a record to flock to the floor.” – pbs.org

But before that night, parties were bumping with the funky sounds of Motown. James Brown’s music used what would become an influential sound called “break beat”, a new dance style of “popping and locking” was being introduced and artists were using spoken word in their songs.”
 
Around the time of DJ Kool Hurc’s party in 73’, young Kurtis Blow, DJ Afrika Bambaata, and Grandmaster Flash spread the Hip-Hops sound of breaking and scratching throughout the streets. By the late 80’s Hip-Hop was no longer just a music style, it was an innovative life style.
 

The original flyer for what became the birth of hip-hop. - Upnorthrips

One by one, boundaries were being broken. Kurtis Blow becomes the first rapper signed to a major record label deal , The Sugar Hill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” is one of the first Hip-Hop singles to land on the Top 40 Charts, Salt n’ Pepa becomes the first well known female rap group, mainstream media gets its first taste of hip- hop on "Yo! MTV Raps.", and in 88’ DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince win the first ever Rap Grammy Award.

 

40-years later you, me and the world are celebrating the artists, the innovation, the sensation and the music that is, Hip-Hop.

 
References: pbs.org, about.com, npr.org

Temi DollFace

Temi DollFace is a singer, songwriter, visionary, and a Naija girl with serious talent! I discovered Temi DollFace a few weeks ago, when I watched the music video for her debut single “Pata Pata”, which can be loosely translated to mean “The relationship is over…completely”.

Her music is a mix of pop, soul, and afro-beat, it’s Like a Beyoncé’, Stevie Wonder, and Fela Kuti concoction, which she calls “Drama Soul” …and I love it. Not to mention the music video itself, that went full out with the whole vintage, retro, 1950’s American TV style, with a touch of West African culture and dance. It really is the cutest thing, but seriously, watch it for yourself! http://youtu.be/7EinxcEiDNU

TemiDollface is a Nigerian singer and songwriter based between London and Nigeria. For more on her, find her on: Twitter & Instagram: @Temidollface  Site: www.temimusic.com

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Ear Food!!!

When I hear good music, I know it's good music, and who am I not to share? My EARS ARE currently being fed by – Lorde!

Lorde is 16-yr.-old singer, songwriter, youngin’ like me. She's from New Zealand, and SHE IS TALENTED. It is so good to be hearing a young female artist out there who's sound doesn't seam like it's been tampered with by some synthesizers or song generators.
Her music can fit into the styles of indie, pop, and electronics but what I love most is that her music so raw and minimal. When I heard she wrote her songs...I died (but was revived so I could listen to more of her music).
But of course there's more to find out and more to love...
So, check out her 2013 EP "The Love Club" and make sure to listen to the track that's getting all the rave (which I love) called "Royals" featuring amazing lyrics and some hot vocal harmonies. 

LET LORDE FEED YOUR EARS!- Remember her. Got it? Good. You will thank me. ;)

Click here for Lorde's website >>> http://www.lorde.co.nz/