New Release: Foxes - Amazing



I have kind of cheated with this. Like seriously, who releases a song on Christmas Day? No one, clearly. So, after a lot of searching, I've found out that a remix of Foxes' Amazing is released on Christmas Day which is a Cahill Club Mix, which can be bought here. Since I cannot find any other songs for my new release, I have chosen this music video. Foxes is probably one of the most underrated singers I know. She is getting ready to release her second studio album, and this is the third single from that album. Foxes goes on a road trip and has an amazing time with her friends in this video, showing that all you need is your best friends in your life.

Foxes, real name Louisa Allen, is one of those singers who are totally unique, usually at first listen her songs aren't instant hits, but they're always one of those songs that gain momentum because they become ever so catchy after hearing them a few times. As previously stated, she is definitely underrated. I think she's quirky in a good way, and I will always support her music because she's vocally talented and means every word she sings. This song is written by Louisa Rose Allen, Martin Brammer, Jonny Lattimer and James Newman. Personal and emotional in a perfect pop song, that should've been a hit. The video isn't as great.

Directed by Johny Mourgue, the music video shows Foxes and two of her friends going on a road trip. As per usual, the normal hassles appear, such as getting lost, the map not being any help at all, and the car breaking down, well in this case a minivan.

Foxes cuts her lusciously long hair into a bob in this video, it's a new her, a new style and new direction for her music, but it's still her, and after a while I started to like her hair, just like I started to like this song.

I love the idea behind this, and the old style clips from the home video, shows that she is having a great time and doesn't need a man beside her, even though she is doing the typical things to get over a break-up, eating both ice cream and cake is a sure winner in my books.

The ending is interesting, and also relates to where she is, many people believe she should be charting and her singles are definitely worth better chart placements than what they are getting, however the ending suggests that this album is all about releasing music for her fans, giving them something, almost like a present, to say thank you for being with her. The ending replicates that perfectly, Foxes is just having a great time at the moment, and she'll chart when she needs to, because that amazing voice isn't going to disappear.
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The Lewisham And Greenwich NHS Choir - A Bridge Over You



Quite the battle for Christmas number one this year. It was this choir vs. Justin Bieber. In one of the closest battles for Christmas number one, The Lewisham And Greenwich NHS Choir beat Justin Bieber to the top spot, thanks to a performance on TV, as well as a tweet from Justin Bieber in support of the NHS choir, which can be seen below. This single was released for charity in 2013, however it wasn't until 2015, it achieved its bid for Christmas number one. The video is a typical charity music video, showing what they are representing through clips as well as a performance piece.



This choir first appeared on Gareth Malone's BBC Two spin off show The Choir: Sing While You Work. They placed second in the competition. This single is a mashup of Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and Coldplay's "Fix You". The former is one of my favourite songs, when sung perfectly, effortlessly and by someone who is vocally talented. The latter is a song I avoid, when possible, it's no secret that I don't like Coldplay, I personally think they're overrated, however I applaud them for how far they have come and how popular the band is. The song isn't something I would listen to myself. I'm not into choirs all that much, but I have to congratulate them on reaching number one in the UK, and gaining money for their charities.

As I previously stated, this is a typical charity music video. Exactly what we all expect: A performance piece, various clips of what charities they are supporting intercut throughout, and a piano.

This isn't really a Christmas song, or a video at all. This has happened often, the Christmas number one is rarely a Christmas song nowadays, and when possible, it's a charity song. This is because during this time of the year, music sales rise higher than any other time of the year.

The video doesn't make me want to watch it again. The video fails to make me want to buy the single, it's not something I would listen to, although the NHS has helped me out a lot, with my asthma, my coeliac disease and my kidney problems, as well as all the other times I've ended in hospital. However I'd rather give money to charity myself rather than spend it on a charity single, unless I actually like the charity single.

Overall, well done to this choir on reaching the top spot on the UK singles chart. However the video is a typical charity music video, just different scenes we're not used to. I have to admit, I do love the connection to wedding vows. This is honest, pure and typical, but something that will get people backing the NHS workers. But as a music video, there isn't a lot to comment on.
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Boney M. - Mary's Boy Child / Oh My Lord



Every year I hear this song around Christmas time. My Mother used to be obsessed with this group when she was younger, and every year this is played on the music channels, she sings it. I actually can't believe this was released in 1978, and it's still included on Christmas albums. It's one of the UK's biggest selling Christmas singles, yet it doesn't continue to chart every year like other Christmas songs. Boney M. have donned Eskimo coats in front of a white screen for this festive Christmas music video.

Boney M., for those of you who don't know, were a group formed in Germany consisting of, at the time, Liz Mitchell, Marcia Barrett, Maizie Williams and Bobby Farrell. The latter's vocals was rarely used in the groups songs, and instead, producer, Frank Farian's voice was used, with Bobby Farrell lip-syncing in performances. They were an international hit, charting well in Germany, Sweden and the UK. They didn't do too well in the US, but that is one market many fail to break. This song was written by Jester Hairston, Frank Farian, Fred Jay and Lorin. It is a cover version of Harry Belafonte's hit song "Mary's Boy Child", only with a new melody, hence the mashup with Oh My Lord, which was a song written for Boney M. It hit number one in the UK, and stayed there for four weeks.

The music video isn't all that interesting, and the simple lyrics makes it obvious as to why it charted so high in that year.

The video is a pure performance piece, but if all they are going to do is sway from side to side, who would want to see them live?

It is a ballad type of song, and by the looks of things they didn't have much time to create this music video. On the other hand, there is nothing to this video, I feel that this could be easy to replicate and none of the singers perform as if the song means anything to them. They look like carol singers, or people performing at a karaoke competition. Their vocals are good, but this video doesn't do the song any justice.

Overall I feel nothing for this music video, there's just nothing to it. As for the song, it's simple, but catchy, and their harmonies are perfect. It's not surprising that they became an international hit.
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Steve Grand - All I Want For Christmas Is You



Okay, so I've recently reviewed Fifth Harmony's version of "All I Want For Christmas Is You" this week for my Christmas Special 2015; which is also a cover version of the original also titled "All I Want For Christmas Is You", by Mariah Carey. However this sounds so different that it's possible people won't recognise it for the same song. This one is inspired by Michael Buble's version of the song, which does not have a music video. This has only recently been released, and it took a total of five days, the first of which Steve Grand had some sort of brainwave and decided to just make it happen, out of the blue. An extremely sad narrative with a perfect performance piece, Steve Grand has captured the hearts of the LGBT+ community once again as well as many straight people in the world too, many tears have shred thanks to this video.

Steve Grand is one of my favourite gay singers, there isn't that many of them out in the world, and it's refreshing to see gay music videos doing well. Steve Grand may not be some sort of superstar, yet, but the way he's going recently, he is definitely proving himself as a successful artist. I am hoping that a second album is around the corner, and if it's via Kickstarter once again, I shall back him all the way. With Troye Sivan just hitting out in the music world, it's interesting to see how many more will follow in these two footsteps and make an impact on the charts across the world. The song is available to download on Steve Grand's bandcamp here, I don't know how long it will be available to download, so buy it while you still can.

John Levin directed this sweet loving music video. It's cute, it's refreshing, and a totally different interpretation to this fun-loving song as we know it.

Steve Grand's on screen boyfriend is played by Trevor LaPaglia. They make a perfect couple, and they are clearly on a mountain holiday of some sort, according to the start of the video.

The music video continues with cute little Christmas traditions, such as kissing under mistletoe, decorating the Christmas tree, spending time in bed, cuddling, putting the star on the tree, and Steve Grand's music in the background... Wait! That's not a Christmas tradition? Oh... Okay then... We'll make it a Christmas tradition.

The ending nearly made me cry. I didn't understand it at first, I was so shocked, I had to just watch it all over again. It's so sad, why does Steve Grand do this to us? First it was "All American Boy", then he made us sad in "Time", now it's this Christmas song. Can we have another fun music video like "Stay", please Steve Grand, we all need to know it's not all heartbreak in the gay world.

Overall, this is more than perfect, and I just cannot comment on this any more. Although the ending isn't as bad as we all think. That is one less person I have to battle it out with to capture Steve Grand's heart.

Nice job guys, shot in just one day, and released in five, the first day being the day the idea came into Steve Grand's head. I cannot fault this video one bit, well apart from that white onesie; just no.
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Destiny's Child - 8 Days Of Christmas



I had forgotten about this song, until I heard it today. Destiny's Child is probably one of the biggest American girl bands ever. So naturally, we expected a Christmas single or album, I pretty much can't name a big artist that hasn't released a Christmas song of a sort. This video, Destiny's Child are looking sexy as they sing about the presents their lovers have given them on each day of Christmas, who knew there was only eight days of Christmas?

Destiny's Child, consisted of, at the time, Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, this is the most recent line-up. The girl group disbanded in 2006, with all three girls venturing for a solo career. Beyoncé has become one of the most internationally-known superstars, with Kelly Rowland jumping on the bandwagon, not so far behind. The other girls and the past members have not done so well internationally, and it'll be interesting to see if they ever will. This song was inspired by the 12 days of Christmas song and instead references Hanukkah, which is a Jewish Holiday, and was written by E. McCalla Jr., Kelly Rowland and Beyoncé Knowles.

Directed by Sanaa Hamri, the video shows all three girls dressed in sexy Santa outfits. The girls are shopping in a toy store, with product placement of their own dolls on sale.

The video is very unexciting, it's like they made this video on a whim. I don't quite understand why they are singing about what their lover bought them for Christmas whilst they are shopping for presents themselves... Shouldn't they be opening the presents that they so-called got?

At the end children rush into the toy store and the girls show the toys to them, whilst still singing. There is also a carousel which all three members ride, although there is only a snapshot of Michelle Williams and her guy. Throughout the whole video the scenes are cut between Beyoncé Knowles and Kelly Rowland, making Michelle Williams look more like she's in the band for a ride. However she sure as hell proves herself in the more recent music videos.

Overall, there's snow, there's Santa outfits, there's presents and there's toys, what more do we expect for a Christmas music video? Maybe some sort of narrative that relates to the song, maybe some understanding of why there is only 8 days of Christmas, even though we all should know that the eight days of Christmas represents Hanukkah. And maybe something much better than this.
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Fifth Harmony - All I Want For Christmas Is You



This has to be one of my favourite Christmas songs of all time, originally sung by the vocally talented Mariah Carey, "All I Want For Christmas Is You" practically becomes the highest charting Christmas single every year, it is such a national treasure of a song, and really shows how talented Mariah Carey is. Many artists have covered this song, but finding an artist who does it justice, is next to impossible, Fifth Harmony, however, has the vocals and the perfect harmonies to create a just as beautiful cover version of this very much loved Christmas song.

Fifth Harmony formed on The X Factor US, and came third, however they have had international hits and have totally become the overall winners, in theory. They consist of Ally Brooke, Normani Kordei, Lauren Jauregui, Camila Cabello and Dinah Jane Hansen. After a long wait they finally came over to the UK and have done well for themselves over here. I also saw them live in London a few months ago. They are currently working on a second album, which I cannot wait for!

The music video, directed by Nigel Dick, is simple but relatable to the song, various scenes relate to certain lines, and I love the window scene where they are waiting for their guy.

There is a lot to like about the music video, but it's obviously done quickly, and they manage to perform it perfectly, as if they are waiting for a guy. It's what we expect of Fifth Harmony, they are on form in every music video, live performance and even on their social media accounts. They will become the female version of One Direction, and I cannot wait to see where their career is heading.

Their cover is perfection, and although the video doesn't really have either a performance or a narrative side, it's really nice to see the girls interact and it definitely brings the Christmas atmosphere.
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