Diana Vickers came fourth on The X Factor, a show that is probably dominating my blog since it started, and I reckon it won't stop being present since the artists are very popular and seem to do well in the charts. Diana Vickers came fourth in the fifth series of the show. She has had a break from music, but is now back with this amazingly catchy song, and an album to follow later on in the year. But where are her competitors from that series? Alexandra Burke (winner) working on her third studio album and has a U.S. record deal; JLS (second) due to break-up and go their separate ways; Eoghan Quigg (third) released a single called "28,000 Friends" and an album back in 2009 but nothing new since; Ruth Lorenzo (fifth) just released "The Night" and is gearing up for her first album release; Rachel Hylton (sixth) getting ready for her first release; Daniel Evans (seventh) released an album that failed to chart and no more new news from him; Laura White (eighth) released a single and now working under the stage name Martha. The others are either disbanded, haven't released anything or are planning to release soon.
"Cinderella" was written by Diana Vickers, Miranda Cooper, Simen Eriksrud and Simone Larson. The song is about being in love and wanting to be with that person no matter what is going on around you and not caring about anything else. The song is catchy and it is something I can't stop listening to, however radio play hasn't really picked it up and although it definitely will be charting this Sunday, it might not be as high as I hope it will be. It deserves a top 20 position but I think it'll be lucky to chart in the top 40 to be honest. More people need to download this now!
The music video works with the whole song, the fact that it is Cinderella-ish, works entirely, although I wouldn't think Cinderella wears what Diana Vickers is wearing, even a modern day version wouldn't be wearing what she is.
I like how they run together away from the ball and the party, to go and have fun and to be together. They clearly wasn't having such a great time there anyway. One of the lyrics in the song just fits this perfectly which is 'If Cinderella was here tonight, she wouldn’t walk out the door leaving you behind'.
The ending is good with the pool and the guards finding her shoe on the stairs. It's a nice little spin of a twist.
Overall a song I fully love and hope will chart high this Sunday as it definitely deserves it, however I doubt that it will, due to not enough radio play. The music video fits wholly with the song and I can't think of a single bad bit to this video. The teasing, the fun, and the sneaking away is just exactly what I wanted and more. So here's my rating.
Basshunter, real name Jonas Altberg, is still awaiting a release of a new album which will be called 'Calling Time', so far three UK singles have been released from the album "Northern Lights", "Dream On The Dancefloor" & "Crash & Burn", and one Swedish single from the album called "Fest I Hela Huset" which is apparently also on the new album. Basshunter has had a few changes recently, from being the most successful act on the Hard2beat / Dance Nation record label, to not charting with on All Around The World Records with "Northern Light" & "Dream On The Dancefloor", he has now released "Crash & Burn" under Rush Hour records, is this a new record deal? I'm not sure. All I hope is that Basshunter releases a song and promotes it so it will get him to become the worldwide star we all used to know him as.
"Every Morning" was written by Basshunter. It's catchy and definitely was a good first single off his second UK album 'Bass Generation', giving us an insight into his new album which wasn't quite as popular as the first album. I think this is one of his better singles, having good emotion in his voice when he sings the song, and I can't help but sing-a-long too.
The music video continues the Jonas Altberg & Aylar Lie relationship. This video is definitely my favourite of them all, as it is funny as you watch it and then at the end the cliff-hanger is scarily amazing, so much so I'm sure I was upset the first time I saw it, it was that shocking to me.
So let's start off with a RECAP! "Now You're Gone" gave us Aylar Lie and Lucas Thorheim breaking up by text yet they both go clubbing with their respected friends and end up in the same club and get back together. "All I Ever Wanted" shows them on holiday in Spain, they have fun and go clubbing, but Lucas finds a 'mate's cousin', is it the end for them? "Angel In The Night" broke Aylar & Lucas up via text again, and Aylar finds Jonas Altberg (Basshunter) and after impressing her with his street racing and singing, they kiss... "I Miss You / Jingle Bells" brings Christmas in Norway, there's snow, presents and a dip in the hot tub, as well as Jonas having to fend off a guy from coming on to Aylar. "Walk On Water" breaks the story as we're shown the touring life of Basshunter (I've made it link, but it is the smallest link ever).
Jonas, in this video, wants to make the next move and propose to Aylar. She obviously makes him so happy, and the bedroom bit at the start is extremely sexy, what with her getting ready for the big day ahead. It looks like they are enjoying being together.
This music video was filmed in Majorca. After leaving the hotel, Aylar and Jonas part ways, Aylar doesn't understand why, but I guess it is to get the engagement ring. She goes onto a boat to party.
Later on Jonas catches up with her on a jet ski. And as he gets prepared to propose he is wrestled down by his mates. Later on they are at a beach and he is prepared to propose, when once again he is thwarted by his mates.
Aylar and her friends go swimming, only her friends return saying that Aylar is lost at sea. Such a dramatic ending, definitely the biggest cliff hanger from all of Basshunter's music videos, yet I'm catching up to his most recent single, and the story hasn't progressed that much.
Overall a song that gets stuck in my head over and over again, and a music video that kept me entertained and left me hanging on the edge until "I Promise You" got released two months later. This is definitely my favourite video from Basshunter, and I hope he manages to top it with the future videos, I also hope Aylar returns to continue the storyline.
Before I even start this, I have to say I'm sorry for not reviewing this video earlier, however I have just found out it has been released, although it's been on YouTube for a month now and there isn't that many hits to be honest. I am quite annoyed with the team behind this girl, it feels like they knew she was going to win and therefore decided to do a winning music video, similar to The X Factor UK's winner's single music video. It just is pretty out of place, and they've left fans waiting... Is this another winner who will disappear from the UK and Europe, only to release in her own country, Denmark?
Emmelie de Forest became the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2013, therefore bringing next year's contest to Denmark. She was the bookies favourite to win, and that is exactly what she did. This single and an album was released before the contest. Afterwards her album managed to hit the UK charts at 148, meaning she made a big impact, but will her second single "Hunter & Prey" get a worldwide release? And if so will she still maintain her fans, or will people just not realise it's been released, and therefore making her another winner who fails to keep in the limelight, guess time will tell.
"Only Teardrops" was written by Lise Cabble, Julia Fabrin Jakobsen and Thomas Stengaard. The song is extremely catchy, I have to admit that, but I feel that the performance at Eurovision was a little bit over the top, so much so that it looked like it had already won, on the other hand, that is exactly what happened and so I guess it worked for them. I just feel the whole team behind Emmelie de Forest were cocky and arrogant, and I'm sure that they weren't, but not posting a music video until afterwards puts this in the arrogant category. So it would've been interesting what this video would've been like if it hadn't have won.
Denmark came 1st easily. Emmelie de Forest gained 281 points. France gave 12 points, Lithuania gave 2 points, Moldova gave 6 points, Finland gave 7 points, Spain gave 8 points, Belgium gave 10 points, Estonia gave 8 points, Belarus gave 1 point, Malta gave 6 points, Russia gave 4 points, Germany gave 10 points, Armenia gave 4 points, the Netherlands gave 10 points, Romania gave 6 points, the UK gave 12 points, Sweden gave 10 points, Hungary also gave 10 points, Iceland gave 12 points, Azerbaijan gave 5 points, Greece gave 7 points, the Ukraine gave 5 points, Italy gave 12 points, Norway gave 7 points, Georgia also gave 7 points, Ireland gave 12 points, Austria gave 5 points, Slovenia gave 12 points, Croatia gave 10 points, Montenegro also gave 10 points, Cyprus gave 7 points, Serbia gave 12 points, Latvia gave 6 points, Macedonia gave 12 points, Bulgaria gave 2 points, Israel gave 8 points, Albania gave 1 point and Switzerland gave 3 points. San Marino were the only country not to give any points to Denmark.
This music video is similar to The X Factor UK's winner's single music video, with highlights of her win from Eurovision. This fails to interest me. I have watched this video once, and I shall not be watching it a second time. There's just nothing concrete that makes this amazing.
The song leeks so much potential for a video, I could imagine a perfect video in my head right now, as the song contains a lot of imagery. And when it started I had to admit that I thought a theatrical music video displaying most of the imagery in the song would be shown to us, yet we are left with Emmelie de Forest performing her song in a forest and lying down in the grass.
This is imagery to an extent but not at all what I expected. And then we had clips in black and white (I really don't like black & white all that much, so bad move on their part) showing her time at Eurovision, as well as winning. But it all makes it look like a fan video, something someone had pieced together to celebrate her winning. Failing to connect with the song and make something amazing.
The song has a lot of potential, and managed to get to number 15 on the UK chart. The accompanying music video could have been perfection at it's greatest, however it's a memoir music video, failing to capture me and keep me entertained. I hope her new single "Hunter & Prey" has a much better video, or she will go from a worldwide star to a Denmark star.
Bowie Jane first came to my notice when she stumbled across this blog and started talking to me on my Facebook page. Since then she has gone on to promote her singles anywhere and everywhere here in the UK, as well as turning up at Staffordshire University (my university) for a radio interview, where she left me a signed CD of "Luv Bomb". Since then I have been keeping an eye on her Twitter and Facebook, and found out her third single (the first being "Miss U Hate U") is being released this month. So just for you lot, I have organised an interview with Bowie Jane, and she will become Artist Of The Month for July.
"Bad Boy" was co-written by Bowie Jane and her producer Jason Bond. It's really catchy, and I know I'll be singing it all day today. Especially since I've bought it from iTunes, and I can't stop playing it.
The music video has become one of Bowie Jane's most viewed YouTube videos so far, and those views are only ever going to go up and up and up. It may not be a big budgeted video that well-known artists push out, but as I have proven on this blog over and over again, the simple videos can sometimes be the best, and this is clearly one of them.
It is practically performance based, with Bowie Jane singing in front of a brick wall, but she knows how to perform, and you are engaged right from the start.
Then the slight narrative jumps in with a bunny rabbit, who clearly is the 'Bad Boy'. It is very suggestive and makes this video stand out.
The slight narrative includes various slides which say various things. The first is: "Taylor Swift Admits 'I Knew You Were Trouble' Was A Blast At Harry Styles", and the rabbit just before the words is dressed up as Harry Styles. Next is the rabbit dressed as a golfer with the accompanying headline: "A leopard might change it's spots... but a Tiger doesn't change his stripes", a dig at Tiger Woods obviously. Next is the Hugh Grant and Divine Brown scandal. Afterwards the rabbit has a gas mask on definitely dressed up as Justin Bieber, with "Selena Gomez Throws Gifts Bought By Justin Bieber In The Bin? Bye, bye, bye Bieber....".
Overall a song that is stuck in my head, and one that I will be listening to for years to come. And a music video that makes me laugh, it's enjoyable, it relates to the song, and has everything possible to make it a great video. I can't stop watching, I can't stop listening, this is one song you all need to get now!
Lawson releases this song this week, it's so catchy that it should chart high, I so hope it gets to the top of the UK chart, but with so much competition it seems like it's going to be difficult. Lawson is a four piece band consisting of Adam Pitts, Andy Brown, Joel Peat and Ryan Fletcher. This band has been doing pretty well here in the UK, managing to get all four singles in the top 20 of the UK chart, and this one will manage to do the same. Are they going to be like The Saturdays, always hoping for a number one and yet not getting one until five years down the line... Or will they disappear like so many bands before them? Guess we'll see with time... I bet they will stand the test of time. They have collaborated with B.o.B, real name Bobby Ray Simmons, Jr. He is another amazing singer and rapper, who previously had a number one with "Airplanes" featuring Hayley Williams, from Paramore. Could he be the one to push this song to number one?
"Brokenhearted" was written by Andy Brown, Ki Fitzgerald, Paddy Dalton, Duck Blackwell and Bobby Ray Simmons. The song should be a number one hit, yet with the competition this week, it's going to be quite a battle, however the song is racking up the charts. Even I, who isn't much a fan of Lawson, really like this song, and I can't stop listening to it.
The music video has a performance and a narrative side. This is one music video that reminds me of other videos such as Nickelback's "How You Remind Me" as well as Simple Plan's "When I'm Gone". This is a typical band video having both sides, and it really works in their favour.
The narrative is strong, there is a break-up between Andy Brown and his on-screen girlfriend, yet it is all in the media, and she isn't happy about that at all, because everywhere she looks there is Lawson. And, unknown to here, Andy's ghost-like form is following her around, is it her imagination? Is he dead? Yet again my brilliant idea of him actually being a ghost goes out of the window, and maybe it's the camera's imagination.
The performance piece is energetic, yet lacking somewhat. When B.o.B comes in there are quite a few vibes sent out to the crowd, but Lawson is failing to make me eager to watch them live. Where is their energy? Maybe they are good live, but this video fails to portray this.
Overall a great song that should hit the UK chart hard, but a music video that lacks energy. The narrative is full of amazingness, maybe a little copy-cat, but that is to be expected, and it's something I would watch again and again, yet the performance piece just doesn't match as well as it could.
