Being a long term Directioner definitely makes me more critical whenever One Direction release anything new. I was skeptical and unsure about 'Made In The A.M.' right from the beginning, struggling to imagine a 1D record without Zayn, as he was without a doubt the strongest vocally in the group. I've had this CD for a about a week now and have been re-listening day after day, each time my opinion differing slightly. I don't hate it, but I'm not sure if I love it either.
It's my favourite time of year once again - new album season. New music has been dropping left, right and centre and I'm overwhelmed with music to write about! I've admittedly sidelined the latest releases from Reece Mastin, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato and Little Mix, with media attention focusing on 5 Seconds Of Summer's 'Sounds Good, Feels Good' (review here) and the stand-off between Justin Bieber and One Direction, both releasing new albums on Friday. That being said, I've written a 'Fast 4 Album Reviews' mass post to summarize which of these CDs contain great, substantial music and are worth a listen, and which are worth passing on.
Until a few months ago, I really didn't know anything about Halsey other than her name and hair colour. I noticed her name appearing over social media increasingly, and the hype for her first CD release 'Badlands' building daily. Upon a quick view of her Instagram and Twitter accounts, it was easy to see she has a far more extensive fanbase than I realised and the main reason why; she is a leader. Badlands is definitive proof that Halsey is extending the boundaries of pop music with her own unique branding and sound, leading a new era almost. Katy Perry may as well hand over her crown now - Halsey is ready to be inducted as pop royalty. Badlands has me very excited, and here's three reasons why:
Stack is officially back. My favourite Australian trio have just released their first album since their reformation in April 2014, one I've been waiting on for a long time. Their EP release 'Dance With Me' from early this year suggested their sound was mellowing which had me prepared for a tamer Short Stack than I remembered, but Homecoming has left me happily surprised. I caught up with the lads the night before their album release and can't stress enough how lovely they're continually to their fans. If there's a band that Australians should be backing, it's them.
MKTO are back! Malcolm and Tony returned to Australia last week to promote their new single and EP of the same name, 'Bad Girls'. They embarked on an Australia-wide tour early 2014 after the release of their self-titled debut album, but had been silent until now, and I for one am happy they've made a comeback. After several days in Sydney, the boys unexpectedly tweeted their plans to visit Melbourne. Coincidentally, I flew in a few hours before they landed and luckily managed to meet them as they arrived, not knowing myself and travelling companion Emma would be the only two to meet them during their short stay*.
After meeting Olly at the airport, Emma and I were so happy with the experience we didn't make any immediate plans to find him again. Instead, the following day, we did a bit of shopping and sight-seeing. It wasn't until the opportunity presented itself that we thought we'd give it another shot. We were outside Melbourne CBD at my favourite patisserie when we found which hotel Olly was staying at. We were within 10 minutes from said hotel so we decided to swing by.
Olly Murs is legitimately one of my favourite artists, celebrities, and just people in general. Aside from his obvious talent and charm, he's very down to earth and always smiling. He's genuinely appreciative of his fans and is very aware that he wouldn't be able to tour Australia without their presence. As a fan, to have a celebrity appreciate you the way you appreciate them is a rare occurrence, and having that mutual respect and love from Olly was something really special. I can genuinely say the week we spent on tour with him has been one of the most rewarding trips I've done, and has made me so, sincerely happy. If there's anyone out there I'd want to be more like, it's him. They tell you not to meet your idols (which, trust me, I agree with to a certain extent) but Olly has always surpassed any expectation I had.
It’s been a hectic 24 hours for the One Direction fandom. If Zayn’s engagement call-off from long time partner Perrie Edwards wasn’t enough, Louis has finally confirmed the rumours that he is going to be a father after weeks of speculation - and directioners are a mixture of somewhat happy and hysterical.
I for one am just concerned. 2015 has not been a fantastic year for 1D. Ever since the shock of Zayn leaving the band mid tour happened things seem to be slowly creeping downhill. The mini Twitter feud between Louis and Zayn didn't do anyone any favours, and you can't tell me that 1D dropping their new song 'Drag Me Down' was anything but a distraction attempt at Zayn signing a solo contract. The whole single drop with no promo at all seemed unorganised and clearly last minute. I unfortunately love the song despite the heavy auto-tuning, but am still offended that it was only released to rain on Zayn's parade.
As for Louis, I'm unsure if he legitimately wanted us to be kept in the dark about the pregnancy truth or was just waiting for the right place to drop it. Coming from the Bieber fandom who had to deal with the whole 'Mariah Yeater pregnancy' thing back in 2011 (that ended up having no truth to it whatsoever) I was adamant on not believing a word until Louis said something himself. He left it a solid few weeks before commenting, which I'm not sure was deliberate or not, but I'm unconvinced by the delivery of his news that he's as 'excited' as he claims to be... And neither do the other boys. I don't think it'd bother me so much if he was having a child with a long-term partner, but from the outside looking in, it seems like this child is the result of too much alcohol and a broken condom.
Speaking as a long-time directioner, this announcement seems like the beginning of the end for 1D. Will Louis actually prioritise touring and the band commitments over fatherhood? Personally, I don't think so. What do you guys think?
After almost a year away, one of my favourite Aussie artists Cody Simpson is finally home! Cody was last on our shores for Nickelodeon’s slimefest in September last year, supporting Justin Bieber on his Believe tour the year before. In his time away, Cody has made a lot of significant changes to his career; not only by changing record labels, but striving to define himself as an artist. He’s returned to promote his new independent record ‘Free’, released on iTunes late June, performing invite-only gigs in Brisbane and Sydney. Young fans were left confused after Cody tweeted he will only be performing songs from his new album at said gigs, which I found unsurprising after a conversation I had with him back in 2013.
Honestly, I should be the spokes person for how hard it is to stay motivated to exercise. It probably doesn't help that Australia is currently experiencing one of the coldest winters on record, because who wouldn't rather stay at home in an oversized hoodie with a bowl of carbs than go outside in the rain and get sweaty? But one thing that keeps me getting to the gym on some of the coldest mornings is an awesome playlist. Having a kick-ass playlist that will literally kick your ass will not only get you moving off the couch but also moving some of that winter weight, and who doesn't want that?
Every good gym playlist should have good balance of slow, medium and fast tracks. All of them are important for different parts of the workout. I'm going to share one of my most recent cardio playlists and break it down to explain what's on there and why it works.
