Tove Lo - Cool Girl



Didn't particularly choose this, just another YouTube suggestion, and a good one at that. I've always been out of sorts with Tove Lo, some songs I like and "Talking Body" is still one of my all-time favourites, and then sometimes I just don't like her songs. This is one that fits in both categories, it's all right for now, but if radio overplays it then I'll totally go off it. Tove Lo knows sex sells, and so does shaving your head, combining the two and with a crazy dance, she proves she is a "Cool Girl".

Tove Lo is one of a few hottest female singers coming out of Sweden at the moment, and the way they are going, especially dominating in the Eurovision Song Contest, it will not surprise me if more follow. Real name Ebba Nilsson, Tove Lo has really made a name for herself, and have worked with the biggest stars, from Coldplay to Nick Jonas. There's no stopping Tove Lo, she is already a global hit. This song is the first cut from her second studio album entitled "Lady Wood" which will be out late October. It was written by Tove Lo, Jakob Jerlström and Ludvig Söderberg.

Directed by Tim Erem and Steve Annis, this weird video clip includes Tove Lo shaving off her hair, in a shocking unexpected visual that's left us all wondering if she really has no hair now. If Jessie J and Sinéad O'Connor can pull it off, so can Tove Lo.

Choreography on point throughout, it seems inspiration has come from Sia with this dance style. Chaotic and erotic and yet flawlessly pulled off without one single misstep, this is a high-end production with a weird contemporary feel.

A little shocking, this video is saucy and definitely up there, a stand out performance-based video that just makes me want to see what she's like live. Over the top, but in a relatable good way. Watch out for Tove Lo.
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Rudimental Featuring Anne-Marie & Will Heard - Rumour Mill



Anne-Marie has been announced for Birmingham Pride 2016. She's one of the new stars of 2016, one of the ones we need to keep an eye on. She's going to be one of those stars that people will know her songs but not her name. She has yet to have a massive hit, regardless of the fact that many of her songs are chart-worthy. I am hoping this song is sung as it's catchy and it's a killer of a song, but without Will Heard to assist with the vocals, it seems unlikely. Rudimental are collaborating two new artists on this track, Will Heard and Anne-Marie create perfect harmonies in this fun song all set in a car.

WHO'S READY FOR ANOTHER?!We're delighted to announce the amazing Anne-Marie - best known as a vocalist for dance...
Posted by Birmingham Pride on Thursday, 17 March 2016
Rudimental consists of Amir Amor, Piers Agget, Kesi Dryden and Leon Rolle. They have two number ones under their belt, and with some of the biggest names collaborating with them, I'm expecting another number one soon, both albums have hit the top of the charts in the UK, this is one group who will release hit song after hit song and will be around for a very long time. Anne-Marie is a star in the making, she has a great voice that sounds amazing on the tracks she has already released, she has her own style and unique music that is slowly starting to set the charts alight. As for Will Heard, he has been trying for a while, but has had limited success. Rudimental could've chosen bigger names for this song, and yet it works perfectly with these two! The song was written by Rudimental, Uzo Emenike, Will Heard and Jess Glynne. A star-studded song writing team, all an artist in their own right.

Directed by I Owe Youth, it's a simple visual set in a car park, with a stationary car which the two featuring artists vacate.

It's in black and white with no reason whatsoever other than to make it drab and work with the setting, yet it doesn't help the song or the video at all, I wanted colour.

There isn't much going on, a few tips and camera tricks, such as zooming in enough so that we don't see the car convert and lose the roof into the boot of the car. This happens again at the end where Will Heard appears on the back of the car next to Anne-Marie.

The dancing isn't choreographed, it's nice to see how their freestyle is. It is a clubby song, one that you would tap your foot to in the car, one you'd nod your head to at the bar, but not one you would go all out dancing on the dancefloor.

A simple tune, the video makes it seem like it's some sort of jam or acoustic set, like it randomly happened and they randomly videoed it. It fails to bring anything interesting to the viewers, although Will Heard cheekily pushes Anne-Marie off the boot of the car, and then she attempts to push him off which fails because he slides her off with him, as she does a funny little scream. Relaxed, cool and calm, this video fails to keep us interested and fails to relate to the song at all. The car is a BMW E30.
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New Release: Sneakbo Featuring MoStack & J Spades - Right Now



As soon as I saw the thumbnail for this video, I did my very best to find another new release music video, however I couldn't find one, and so had to resort to this. First time watching this video, and first time I have heard this song, and this is quite the tune, which I was not expecting. Sneakbo, MoStack and J Spades release a great song that even has me liking this rap, the video takes place on a car park.

Sneakbo, real name Agassi Odusina, has had a few charting hits in the past. He has had a few legal disputes in the past too, but he's attempting to redeem himself. This song was first uploaded online in September, it has had a make-over with some other artists providing a verse each, and Sneakbo starts the new year with a song that is deserving of a charting hit! The song features MoStack, who is up and coming, he nails this verse in this song, making me want to listen to more of his songs. As for J Spades, I am not so sure, I lost interest when he started rapping, eager to hear the chorus again. A great song, that I hope charts somewhere in the UK chart, however I don't see that happening, and this might just be one of those great rap songs that never becomes popular although it definitely deserves to be.

The music video was directed by Jay Vertex. Set in a car park, there isn't a lot to comment on.

The rapping is on point, and the performance piece of the video is very relaxed. Nothing too over the top, but nothing to wow us. It felt like we were taken back to the streets, where rapping was done in a group, and rap battles was common in music videos. This worked well, although I don't understand the women behind. It would've worked better without them as they don't add anything to the video.

The various other scenes to do with the car park are interesting. The bikers / cyclists riding around makes this feel more real and goes with the relaxing vibes we are given from the performance piece. What helps the most is the car scene. The Ferrari looks stylish and with the guy sitting on the bonnet while it's moving just looks natural. Come on, we have to admit that we want to do that one day.

The ending is surreal. It's out of context, doesn't make sense and yet brings our attention right back around. Sneakbo turns into a cat. Like seriously... When did that happen? And how? No links, but cats are relaxing creatures. And relaxing is all what this video is about.

Overall, an amazing rap song that should so chart on Friday, although I don't see it happening, especially with a Monday release date. The music video is not amazing, by any standards, but it doesn't disappoint, that's for sure. I'm not too keen on the ghostly tone used throughout the video, it distracts from the entire visual.
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Lauren Alaina - Next Boyfriend



More country music on my blog. This one came from a tweet from Cassadee Pope, the tweet in question can be found below. I wouldn't have come across this video, if it wasn't for Cassadee Pope. As for Lauren Alaina, I've had a love / hate relationship with her songs, some are brilliant, some are not that great, and most of them are meh! However, a few plays of this and it's already a track I like. Lauren Alaina eyes up a guy, claiming that he looks a lot like her next boyfriend, she teases and tempts him into her arms.


Lauren Alaina, real name Lauren Suddeth, first came to my attention when I bought American Heartland compilation album, where her single "Like My Mother Does" appears next to other great American country songs. She rose to fame by coming second in the tenth season of American Idol, losing out to Scotty McCreery. She has had mild success in the US, and little to none here in the UK, which is to be expected since country music isn't that big over here. This song is the first single off her second album and was written by Lauren Alaina, Emily Weisband and Matt McVaney. It is catchy after hearing it a few times, and if this is the direction Lauren Alaina's new album will be going, I'll definitely be listening to her more. She has transformed her style, image and music, bringing something new to country. She is starting a new path that may just work well. I can't wait to hear more new songs from her, if this is anything to go by, she has a good chance of having a hit somewhere in the near future.

Directed by TK McKamy, Lauren Alaina attempts to pull off miss flirtatious and sexy, and as well as miss available, which made me laugh when I first heard it in the lyrics. And she does a good job of it.

The guy in the video is Lauren Alaina's guy Alexander Hopkins, this explains the chemistry between the two. She is clearly a right tease. It reminds me of the scene in Footloose (2011 film) where the dance battle happens in the car park.

My problem with this video is the camera angles. They could've so made Lauren Alaina look more sexy, and it's not even what she is wearing, as she does look hot in the clothes, but there's just something completely missing, maybe she's uncomfortable acting sexy, or it is just the camera angles, because, at times, she looks perfect and sultry, but most of the time it completely falls flat.

A great relatable music video, with skaters on skateboards with fire extinguishers that release different colours as well as an extremely large piece of material that acts like a wave for the skaters, this is a great unique idea, although I'm not happy they've shown a clip where a guy falls off the skateboard in the background, that was a bad error. The video is meh, like many of her songs, but this song is probably my favourite by her so far. Keep fighting Lauren Alaina and you'll get the chart hits you deserve!
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Shawn Mendes - Stitches



Saw this for the first time today on the music channels, I hadn't even heard this song before today and yet I just had to review this video. Just an invisible ex beating him up, a ghosty ex, or him beating himself up where the relationship went wrong? Either way Shawn Mendes shines through wishing I was the one healing Shawn Mendes.

Shawn Mendes first came to light on Vine, singing covers of songs. He soon became popular and got a record deal. He released an EP, and an album that has done well, and this song is his biggest hit. Most recently he has released a collaboration with Camila Cabello, one fifth of Fifth Harmony, called "I Know What You Did Last Summer". This guy, with this voice, will definitely be in the music charts for some time. Personally he looks a little like Nick Robinson, definitely a dead ringer for him.

Music video was directed by Jay Martin, it's simple. That is the only word to describe it.

Shawn Mendes sings the song in an abandoned car park, and gets beaten up by some unseen person. Figuratively speaking he could be beating himself up after a relationship gone bad, or a ghost has come to get their revenge. Either way it works easily, and definitely stands out; shockingly so.

I do have a slight problem, there is no wall behind him when he gets hit and flies through the air. At first I thought he fell through the car park floor, but I was definitely mistaken by that. So, other than invisible ex's, we also get walls appearing from thin air. The bathroom scene is a little dodgy, where did the bathroom come from? Yet he could've walked to the bathroom, who knows what the car park is attached to, some offices or corporation maybe? They would definitely have bathrooms.

Overall, great music video that definitely stands out on the music channels. An amazing song to go with it too. Dropped one star because of bad continuity edits, there was no wall behind him, just saying.
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Miley Cyrus - Fly On The Wall

Miley Cyrus, real name Destiny Cyrus, has appeared on my blog quite a few times. This time my iTunes decided to get it stuck in my head, and it sure managed to do that. This song is probably one of my favourite songs from Miley Cyrus, and I'm interested in what she has in store for us in the future, clearly it's going to be big, but can she get higher up the UK Chart?

"Fly On The Wall" was written by Miley Cyrus, Antonina Armato, Tim James and Devrim Karaoglu. Many different interpretations of the song has been made, from sympathy to the boyfriend, to the boyfriend wanting to know everything. Miley Cyrus soon enough cleared it all up, saying it was about the paparazzi... And the music video empathises that perfectly.

This music video shocked me over and over again, from the start to near to the end, and then the completely surprising ending. This video really reflects what it is like to be followed by the paparazzi. Britney Spears has been portraying her concerns for ages now in the videos for "Everytime", "Piece Of Me", "If U Seek Amy", "Hold It Against Me" and "I Wanna Go", I'm sure there's probably more. Other music videos include: Stone Sour's "Through Glass", Kelly Clarkson's "Mr. Know It All" and Cher Lloyd's "Swagger Jagger".

And although this song came out it hasn't stopped anything, and it's only getting worse, only a few months ago, Miley Cyrus posted a video of her walking her dogs while one of the paparazzi parked in a handicapped place and ran in front of her taking pictures (video can be found on the right).

Once again we have a narrative and a performance piece. First off we think her boyfriend is going to turn into a werewolf with the full moon being out and stuff. Instead he turns into one of the paparazzi. She then ends up in the car park and is being chased everywhere she goes.

The best bit has to be when the paparazzi start to dance, I can't help but laugh as I'll always remember the first time I saw this and I really wasn't expecting it, and it still manages to draw me into that surprise every time. And then we get the more shocking ending, where her boyfriend sells her story about the paparazzi. That's just wrong on so many levels.

There's a bit of a performance side in the car park, which she lets lose and has a little bit of fun. I reckon she really enjoyed filming this music video, and in doing so, it's just as fun to watch.

Overall a great song that only managed to get to number 16 on the UK chart, it clearly deserves a higher position. The music video is pure brilliance, and definitely one of my favourites. It has a close theme to Michael Jackson's "Thriller". So you can all guess what my rating is going to be...