After interviewing Shangela for CelebMix, yesterday, I just had to review one of her music videos. Little did I know how incredible the song and the visual will be; call me impressed, as I did not expect this at all! Halleloo! The song certainly reminds me of RuPaul's "Supermodel (You Better Work)", but has Shangela's stamp all over it; it's basically her personality in song form and it totally works. I cannot get enough of this song. Watch Shangela Laquifa Wadley dance, sing, and audition, whilst claiming that she came to work and that she is a pro in this music video for "Werqin' Girl (Professional)".
Shangela Laquifa Wadley, real name D.J. Pierce, made a name for herself by being the first contestant of RuPaul's Drag Race to compete in two seasons. She first appeared in season two, where she was the first to leave; yet, she returned for season three where she popped out of a box and came fifth overall. She has since toured all over the world, co-starred in Hurricane Bianca, and has released a few singles and music videos. She exclusively told CelebMix that she will be in new film A Star Is Born which also stars Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga; she also revealed that new music will be on the way too. The future is looking bright for Shangela, and she continues to bring it when needed. This song was written by D.J "Shangela" Pierce and C.J. Emmons.
Directed by Camrin William, this music video is a pure performance piece that really puts Shangela in the spotlight. She nails all the choreography and the scenes. It also stars Jennifer Lewis, Abby Lee Miller, Yara Sofia, Jason J. Carter, Josue de la Vega, Vincent Harris, Tony Moore, Jonathan Silva, Francisco Thurston, Samantha Starr, and Mia Fierce.
The opening scene sees Shangela and her girls sitting on a couch as a commercial featuring Abbie Lee Miller comes on asking if you have what it takes for the Abbie Lee Dance Company, suggesting that you should get down to auditions. This is where Shangela calls the number and starts her opening lyrics.
Then Shangela turns it out for the rest of the music video, being fierce at the camera, and dancing like that is what she was born to do. She totally brings it for the music video, adding comedy and showing off her performance skills.
There are various clips such as the scene where Abbie Lee Miller saying no to D.J. Pierce - who isn't dressed in drag. She can also be seen singing along to the lyrics at one point. There's also the dance-off scene which is on point in every way. And, we can't forget about the scene where the dancers leave and Shangela talks about going down the elevator.
Jennifer Lewis appears towards the end, saying that she taught Shangela all that. Also, at the very end is the words "In Loving Memory of Our 'Sista' Sahara Davenport" with Shangela and Yara Sofia holding up a large photo of the drag queen; she died of heart failure in 2012 at age 27. She was a contestant on the second series, alongside Shangela.
Overall, this music video is well thought out and completely fierce. Shangela brings it, she states that she "came to work" and that is exactly what she does. It is low-budget and there are a few scenes that I wish had been done better; however, this is a killer song with a killer music video! Halleloo!
We've all been missing The Saturdays and their music but, luckily, Mollie King's brand new song and video are giving us all sorts of girl group vibes. The song itself reminds me of Girls Aloud's "Sexy! No No No...", while she impresses with her vocal range. It's something new and different for her considering she released her debut single, "Back To You", which was more of a pop-ballad. The release of this song coincides with the fifteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing, which launches next week; where Mollie King has been confirmed as a contestant. Watch Mollie King dance with her girls, flipping her hair and bringing it completely for this music video for "Hair Down".
Mollie King is best known for being one-fifth of British girl group The Saturdays, who are currently on hiatus with no plans to reunite - will they ever get back together? (We shall keep dreaming of the day that they do). She is setting her sights on a solo music career, but "Back To You" totally underperformed when it was released last year; it also has a killer music video that I'll never forget. Now, she's got this new song which I can't help but love, and with her being a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing next week, this could actually become a hit single for her; I sure hope it does. This song was written by Mollie King, Ben Taylor, Brian Higgins, Carla Marie Williams, Florrie Arnold, Georgia Morgan, Keir MacCulloch, Kris Ryeland, Kyle Mackenzie, Lauren Morgan, Sarah Thompson, and Timothy Deal.
Directed by Kyle Lewis, the music video was filmed in South Africa. The song and the visual certainly has a Kylie Minogue vibe to it as well as Girls Aloud; the latter of which isn't a surprise since the song is a collaboration with Girls Aloud producers Xenomania.
There is a lot of bright colours going on and edited slow motion, both of which relate to the song perfectly. There is great dance choreography that Mollie King perfects with her backing dancers. The visual is on fire from start to finish.
There's a lot of style and fashion going on in the clip, with Mollie King totally showing herself off as a professional artist; one who is determined to make it in this industry. She easily connects with the audience, as the dance moves are something any of us could nail if we put our mind to it.
Overall, this basic music video has got me gripped. Mollie King proves that this is exactly what she should be doing. She brings performance vibes and energy that just makes this track even better. I so hope that this slowly rises on the charts as she competes in Strictly Come Dancing.
Thursday Revisit time, and I was extremely interested in listening to some of J Balvin's early hits, so I chose this one since it did well in some international countries. The song is catchy, to an extent, and J Balvin is looking well stylish and hot, whereas now he has his own unique style that only he can pull off; in contrast, he's slick and stylish here. This track is certainly one of his defining releases and just listening to the song, you realise why that is. Watch J Balvin leave a woman in a hotel room all by herself as he drives away in this music video for "Yo Te Lo Dije" - which is Spanish for "I Told You".
J Balvin, full name José Balvin, is one of the biggest male artists in Latin music at the moment. He's had plenty of phenomenal career moves that has launched him to the top. He's now a highly successful international star, even bringing Latin music to countries that haven't given this genre a chance - I am totally talking about the UK here. Not only that, he has sung with some of the biggest stars in the world, including my queen, Inna - on "Cola Song". So, I have been aware of him for a few years, and I'm glad he's getting the global credibility he deserves. His latest single, "Mi Gente", in collaboration with Willy William, is a complete international success; and, is the reason I'm reviewing this song for my Thursday Revisit. "Yo Te Lo Dije" charted at number one in Columbia and number four in Romania, as well as various US Latin charts. It was written by José Balvin.
The song is about a one night stand and the agreement that they wouldn't call each other the next day and that they will go their separate ways. Well, that didn't happen, because J Balvin sticks to his plans and drives away to Las Vegas, whereas the woman he was with, wakes up and calls him.
If the song is anything to go by, she's hoping she can convince him to come back to her. He ends up pulling over and speaking to her in Spanish, basically telling her that this is what they agreed and that he was clear from the start.
Throughout the rest of the video, we watch J Balvin perform his song, and he is bringing pure Latin vibes. This song is really groovy and it's no surprise it was a hit in a few countries. It shows how much of a brilliant performer he is, and how he deserves to be on stages all across the world - which he sure will be now! He's one artist I wouldn't want to miss at a festival! I also bet he enjoyed filming this music video with that Lamborghini.
We have a new song from Antonia, well sort of, as she features on Micke's debut single as Global Records launches into a Latin subsidiary label. I wrote this for CelebMix earlier today, and I just had to include it on my blog because I am addicted to this track and both Micke and Antonia's vocals work perfectly together. Watch Micke act as a mechanic as he checks out girls and dances with them whilst Antonia performs at a distance with her own girls in this music video for "El Amor".
Micke, full name Micke Moreno, has been in front of the camera since he was young. He's been on various TV shows, commercials, advertisements, and much more; most recently he appeared as a contestant on La Banda and The X Factor US. Now, he finally gets to release his debut single, and it features the incredible Antonia. Full name Antonia Iacobescu, she is an ex-model who has had a successful career in music, hitting international markets with the Tom Boxer single "Morena" and having a few top hits all on her own. This was a perfect team up that works completely on the track itself. It was written by Sebastian Barac, Marcel Botezan, and Micke Moreno.
Directed by Ionut Trandafir, the music video is a pure performance piece that has a slight narrative going on. It takes place in a caravan park, where Micke plays a mechanic, fixing up a car. All the while, Antonia and a bunch of girls are just hanging out, and dancing to the track.
There is a massive degree of separation between Antonia and Micke, it's almost as if she didn't want to be a part of the video, and was only drafted in because they wanted a big name to feature on the track. She stuns us from the opening and refuses to fade into the background as the video continues; bringing her usual performance vibes, ones I hope I get to experience one day. I need to see Antonia live in concert.
As for Micke, he really gets involved. It's clear he is loving every minute of this music video. Yet, he practically ignores Antonia, and although the distance is something we get used to with every play, it still looks completely awkward. Regardless, he brings so much passion to this video, that he's full of energy.
The song is totally amazing, and one I can't stop playing. Regardless of the awkwardness, the music video comes across well, with Micke and Antonia performing perfectly. The background dancers and actors play their roles well, bringing their own fun narrative to the table too. Overall, it's one video we don't mind playing again and again.
YouTube Recommendations have come through once again and it suggested me to watch this music video, which has an epic storyline that will keep me addicted as each new video drops, I'm sure. At 21 he entered the porn industry, thanks to a persistent Grindr member, which he revealed in his exclusive interview with Midlands Zone - which is where I've heard his name from since I read that magazine from time to time. He's coming out of porn to focus on his music career, he also has two books published as well. He's clearly got a lot going for him. Watch Mickey Taylor loved up with Gabriel Phoenix which has a twist at the end and is part of a seven-part story in this music video for "All Day" which features ØMC.
Mickey Taylor first came to my attention when he graced the cover of Midlands Zone (who I wish would employ me - a guy can dream). I didn't even link this video to the cover of the magazine until I checked out his Facebook page - I knew I'd heard the name before, but had no idea why, and now I do. He can also be seen in Jordan Gray's music video for "Platinum". He's building his career and he has quite a nice voice if this song is anything to go with. I came across this music video through YouTube Recommendations after reviewing Brandon Stansell's "Spare Change", and now I'm definitely interested in seeing where Mickey Taylor takes his musical career next, plus I need to watch the other six parts of this story. The track features ØMC, real name John Neff, who is a Chicago producer who has worked with the likes of PJ Brennan, Lana Lubany, and Ryoko Miza. This is a great song that sure is catchy, that definitely makes me interested in listening to the rest of Mickey Taylor's songs, which includes two albums and plenty of singles. "All Day" was written by ØMC.
The music video was directed by Ashton Bradley & Mickey Taylor. It was filmed in Brighton and also stars Gabriel Phoenix and Theo Ford.
There's a lot of cute things going on, mainly Mickey Taylor and Gabriel Phoenix walking along Brighton beach. We also see them do various cute things together, including a fun ice cream scene, and a full-on arcade scene that sees them play on the dance machine, the claw crane, and the air hockey machine.
The final scene sees them in a bar, and Mickey Taylor asks a guy in the bar - who is played by Theo Ford - to take a picture of him and Gabriel Phoenix on the window ledge; he then goes and grabs a drink for Theo Ford to thank him. As he returns from the bar, he's shocked when he sees Gabriel Phoenix's hand on Theo Ford's leg - this has a lot of drama going on, especially when the audience watches the swap of numbers behind Mickey Taylor's back.
Overall this narrative is well thought out, yet not as dramatic as I was hoping it would be - to be fair, considering I've been watching web series The Horizon, this music video seems completely tame in comparison. Mickey Taylor has a segmented performance piece throughout, where he really shows he has connected with the song perfectly.
Finally, J Balvin gets a top ten hit in the UK, it's just a shame it wasn't "Cola Song" which is Inna's song that he features on. Every time I read his name, I say it the way he does in that song. Anyhow, this has launched up the chart with the help of Snapchat filters, since this song was played when a certain face filter was chosen. This music video gets reviewed for my Chart Mondays' review since Dua Lipa has made it a second week at number one on the UK Chart with the awesome tune "New Rules". This is also Willy William's first global hit too! Watch J Balvin and Willy William bring it in this extremely burst of colour that pulsates throughout in this music video for "Mi Gente".
J Balvin, full name José Balvin, is a Columbian reggaeton singer who has collaborated with a whole host of big names and has been focusing on his career for many years; and, finally, he's getting the recognition he deserves all around the world. It's been the perfect time for him to capitalise on his career as Latin music is ever-so-popular right now. This track is in collaboration with Willy William, who is a French artist whose previous biggest hit was 2015's "Ego". It'll be interesting what steps he takes next and whether he can keep a hold of this international fame because we sure know J Balvin will continue to release big hits around the world. The song has topped many international charts, as well as gained top ten's in much more. The song was written by José Osorio, Willy William, Adam Ashadally, Andrés David Restrepo, and Mohombi Nzasi Moupondo.
Directed by Juan Pablo Valencia as part of 36 Grados, this music video is a pure performance piece with a burst of nonstop colour throughout. The beat kicks in straight away and it's completely addicting as we watch a reflected city and completely colourful backgrounds in front of J Balvin and Willy William and the dancers.
There's a lot of head bopping during the opening scenes, showcasing the rhythmic grooves and the bright colours. Then the dancers come out, bringing freelance interspersed with some choreography. They're in time to the beat throughout, showcasing the song even more.
The performance piece of J Balvin and Willy William is on fire. They show their energy and what they would be like on stage. Just imagine seeing them live! They perform on a bus and in a club, and J Balvin even does some choreographed foot work. There's also a lot of fire and smoke when night draws in, with a football and a bicycle both on fire.
As the end comes closer, we watch similar visuals from the opening, but in reverse. Either there's a burst of colour, editing that removes colour, and splitting the visuals of the dancers in half - which they don't even try to make look real.
Overall the song totally makes this video, and it's that beat that has got us all addicted. The visual itself isn't anything special; although, it's good to see J Balvin and Willy William performing the track, showing exactly how they do it on stage. They're definitely people we wouldn't want to miss at a festival. The burst of colour is refreshing too and sure will brighten up the music channels.
Here's a new music video from Brandon Stansell, and I fully love it! He deserves to reach his goal on Kickstarter so that he can release his debut album because I cannot wait to see what other tracks he has in store. So if you haven't backed his project yet, I highly suggest you do so right now! The song is one of my favourites from Brandon Stansell, and I hope there are a few more tracks like this one on his new album - if it ever gets released; since the Kickstarter campaign is all-or-nothing. So support this gay country singer by backing his project. In this music video, Brandon Stansell makes a statement and a visual impact as he shows that culture plays a big part in America for this song "Spare Change".
Directed by Trent Atkinson, this music video has both a narrative and a performance piece. The latter showcases Brandon Stansell as a brilliant singer and performer, whilst the former makes a perfect cultural impact.
The opening scene sees a backpacker walking across a field, towards a city - which we presume is Los Angeles. He hops on to a metro train, where he spots a woman, who he smiles at as she dons a headscarf. When the train stops at their station, they meet up, and she takes him around Los Angeles, showing off her culture.
Throughout, the visual is segmented by a performance scene from Brandon Stansell. He releases energetic vibes that are full of emotion; it's clear this song means a lot to him whilst giving it this jovial spin that brings on a great positive meaning; effortlessly relating to the song throughout.
The ending makes a massive statement, not just in America but all over the world. Our characters come across five red posters that say "America is full go home". The male character shreds the posters up as the female character takes offence to the poster's words. We later see various people shredding the posters up before Brandon Stansell remakes the poster to say "America is home".
Overall, this music video is well thought out, makes the perfect statement, and relates to the song easily. This visual is something I'll never forget, and it's so heartwarming to watch. Culture and beliefs shouldn't separate, it should bring people closer together. Thank you, Brandon Stansell, for this music video; it deserves to be seen by a lot more people.
It's been two months since Relley C dropped her debut single "Unruly", which I wrote up for CelebMix and Outlet Magazine. Last night, she dropped the music video for this song and it is completely awesome. Again, I wrote it up for CelebMix and Outlet Magazine; and I am so happy there's a music video so I can now review it on my blog. It's high-quality, brilliantly edited and even features a mini-me in the visual. It was so worth the wait. Watch Relley C be "Unruly" reflecting back on her past and her childhood in her debut music video.
Relley C, real name Sherelle Clarke, is a home girl; she hails from my home city of Birmingham! Not only that, but she is an incredible singer/songwriter, who I have followed since her first audition on The X Factor series 10. She got as far as the Judges' Houses before being eliminated. Luckily, she returned for series 13 and I got to support her once again. This time around she made it to the live shows and placed 10th overall - although she totally deserved to get much further. "Unruly" was written by Relley C, Lei Jennings, and The 1990 Club.
Directed by Olvr G, filmed and edited by 'eyekandyvisuals', and co-shot by FF Creative, this music video is a pure performance visual set within a slight narrative. Relley C is accompanied by a child version of herself who is played by Portia.
There are a few different scenes, most of which shows Relley C looking out across a very beautiful landscape. It's serene watching her perform outwards. She can also be spotted in a tree, and in a field - where her mini-me is in the background doing back flips.
As expected, Relley C gives it her all for the music video; she's a total natural as if this is exactly the place she's meant to be, showcasing herself as an artist in a music video. I am loving the shots and her confidence and her performance vibes. The whole visual totally excites me for the day I eventually see her live on stage.
Overall, this music video is great, I love some of the transitions between adult Relley C and young Relley C. I already love the song, but it's even better now we have a visual to go along with it. I cannot wait to see what the future brings to this soulful R&B singer/songwriter. Keep your eye on Relley C!
The haunting hungry track we have been waiting for from Fergie is finally here. Fergie dropped this track and video today, along with an instant grat single of "You Already Know" which features Nicki Minaj. As for this track, she teased it back in June 2016, and many believed it would become the third single, instead "Life Goes On" appeared out of nowhere. Watch Fergie showcase her new song "Hungry" with Rick Ross in this black and white, highly edited, music video that is completely fierce!
Fergie - who was born Stacy Ferguson but has now changed her name to Fergie Duhamel after marrying Josh Duhamel - is gearing up for the release of her second studio album, titled Double Duchess. The album has been a long-time coming and fans are completely excited. Fergie has been teasing this song for over a year, so we're all ecstatic to be able to play it in full through our speakers. Not only that, but we also love that she dropped another song from her upcoming album, titled "You Already Know" which features Nicki Minaj. I hope both songs get the success that they deserve because I can't stop listening to them! Fergie is truly back! On this song is Rick Ross, real name William Roberts II, who is one of the biggest American rappers around. His name is iconic, so it's great to see that he's collaborated with the equally iconic Fergie. This song was written by Fergie Duhamel, Lisa Gerrard, and Brendan Perry.
The music video was directed by Bruno Ilogti. It's a full out edited music video using amazing techniques that keep the audience entertained as we have no idea what is going to happen next.
There's so much imagery going on in this music video, it's hard to even catch everything; which is a good thing because, on every replay, you find something new. We love the split screen of Fergie and Rick Ross, creating an even bigger haunting effect, just like the song.
Then there's Fergie cutting her hair off, giving herself a trim; suggesting her music has transformed into something new - and I'm so excited to hear the rest of her album.
Her performance piece is complete fire. She brings it like only Fergie can; Rick Ross also measures up perfectly. This visual works with the song, creating a dark and haunting concept that literally has the chance to go in various directions. It's great promotion for her new album, and I cannot wait for that!
This was the first of many international hits from DJ Antoine so, of course, I was going to review this music video for my Thursday Revisit. There's not a lot to it, and it's a typical video to a club song, that we've seen time and again. As for the song, it's undeniably catchy and totally works in every way. I love this team-up and can truly feel what DJ Antoine has done to the song. Watch DJ Antoine and Timati live their lives to the full in this music video for this club-induced track "Welcome To St. Tropez" featuring Kalenna.
DJ Antoine, full name Antoine Konrad, is one of the top Switzerland DJs in the world. He gained international success upon the release of this song. Since then he has built his name and brand. He has plenty of number ones in his home country, and he's ready to blow up around the world. He's definitely a DJ who will have a global hit in the coming years, so be prepared to say 'I heard him first'. This track was originally a Timati track before DJ Antoine came in and switched it up. Timati, real name Timur Yunusov, is a Russian hip-hop artist who has worked with top names in the music industry. This song is his biggest hit to date. He has collaborated a few times with DJ Antoine over the years, and it's clearly a continued, blossoming friendship between them. Featured on this track is Kalenna, who doesn't appear in the music video; she also wasn't a part of the original song; instead, it featured Russian singer Blue Marine. Kalenna, full name Kalenna Harper, is probably best known for performing in the duo Dirty Money; who collaborated with Sean Coombs (known as P. Diddy, Puff Daddy, Diddy, and Puffy) a few times, creating Diddy - Dirty Money. Collectively they had a range of global hits. It's not a surprise this collaboration did well.
The video is a typical club performance piece that showcases events that DJ Antoine and Timati perform at. The video is set in Saint-Tropez, France.
The opening scenes show a yacht on the water, and the guys driving around in a Ferrari and an Audi. Throughout we see expensive cars including Porsches, a Chevrolet, a Bugatti, an Aston Martin, and much more. Then we see snippets of these two scenes throughout the visuals, cut between a pool party, event and club performances, and celebrity parties.
The scenes continue for the rest of the music video, and it is an overdone visual; however, it continues to relate to the song since clubs is exactly where this song would've been played. Not only that but they are showing that they do have too much money, just like the song suggests; enticing us all to Saint-Tropez. If only we had the money ourselves!
I had totally forgotten all about this banger of a song until I wrote about it for CelebMix, and the original is such a tune; but, DJ Antoine & Dizkodude have given it a very current tropical house mix that just makes this track even better. The music video is engaging from the get go, and I love the various rooms that the two characters walk through. The song itself deserves to be a hit. Many old songs are being refreshed, and this is just another one that is absolutely incredible. It needs to rise up on the charts. Watch DJ Antoine chase his real-life partner Laura Zurbriggen as she teases him into various rooms before he finally catches up with her in this music video for his collaboration with Dizkodude, titled "I Love Your Smile" featuring Sibbyl.
DJ Antoine, full name Antoine Konrad, is a Swiss DJ and is probably best known for various hit songs, but mainly "Welcome To St. Tropez" which verses Timati and featured Kalenna, as well as "Ma Chérie" which featured The Beat Shakers, and "Bella Vita". He's one of the biggest DJs from Switzerland and has had many number one albums and singles in his home country. He's also grazed charts around the world with his most popular songs. He continues to prove that he's a DJ to watch. For this song, he teamed up with Dizkodude, real name Bart Vanhoyland, who is a DJ from Belgium. He has been going for many years and has continued to build up his career. This song has already become his most streamed song on Spotify, I can't wait to see what the future brings for him. Featured on this track is Sibbyl, real name Loren Geerts, who is completely new to the music scene. This is her first release and she has contributed by singing the lyrics of the song. It is quite the honour to be singing a refresh cover of Shanice's "I Love Your Smile", which was originally an international success, managing to chart within the top ten in various countries in 1991 and 1992. It's about time a DJ came along and mixed this into an unstoppable club track, and now we have one. I just wish this launched up charts around the world and would get more recognition. It was written by Jarvis La Rue Baker, Sylvester Jackson, Narada Walden, and Shanice Wilson.
The music video was directed by Haris Dubica. It stars DJ Antoine as he follows a woman around a hotel through a long line of rooms that show different scenarios. His on-screen love interest is played by actress and model Laura Zurbriggen, who is actually his real-life partner.
The opening scene sees Laura Zurbriggen smelling a rose, she then drops it on the table in front of DJ Antoine - teasing him. She climbs the stairs and he follows her up into a room. This is where the first of many scenes appear.
We watch them go through various rooms. In the first one, we see a drag queen working the camera as rose petals fall - a great link back to the rose Laura dropped in front of Antoine. Then as the drop kicks in the song, we see a raver room where we expect DJ Antoine and Dizkodude feel right at home in - I also want his denim jacket in this scene!
Next up is a masquerade ball scene, which brings a Marie Antoinette feel to it, as DJ Antoine gets down on one knee and kisses Laura Zurbriggen's hand. Then we go into a futuristic space cake decoration room - after they have left the room, we see two children reenacting the scene. Then comes the popcorn room.
The very next scene is beyond iconic. We watch DJ Antoine as a drawing, he walks into a room where Elvis Presley, David Bowie, Michael Jackson, and Bob Marley, are sitting around a table creating a song - imagine the outcome of that songwriting session. Then he walks into a room where a groom and a bride are together lovingly, but she makes a grab for DJ Antoine whilst Laura Zurbriggen fights for her man. Then comes the bowling scene, where he becomes distracted; and then there's the powerful money gang who has someone tied up. DJ Antoine then loses Laura Zurbriggen and mistakenly walks into the women's bathroom.
He back tracks through all the rooms, stumbling across his mini-me in the cake room, and coming across an enticing room where three reincarnations of himself are playing cards - now that's my idea of heaven but we'd be doing something totally different than playing cards. In the final scene, DJ Antoine finds Laura Zurbriggen in the seat he once occupied, in the hotel lobby, holding the rose, smiling.
This music video has it all! It works completely with a brilliant narrative that entices the audience from start to finish. The song is beyond catchy and they've managed to capture the whole meaning of the song in the various rooms and the narrative. I can't stop watching this, and a lot of effort has certainly gone into this visual, especially since their outfits and their style completely change in each room. This will forever remain a treasure of mine and will be getting this extremely rare rating because it more than deserves it. I just wish the song would appear on charts around the world so that music channels everywhere would be able to show this visual often.
I struggled today finding a music video I wanted to review, mainly because I have had quite the down day (apart from one little surprise). I decided to review a Saara Aalto song because she inspires me. She's been attempting a career in music for many years and she has built it up and never gave up - and she was absolutely incredible at Birmingham Pride 2017. There are not many music videos from her to choose from, now that I've reviewed "Blessed With Love" and "You Had My Heart". This one is a very sweet ballad from her, that she totally nails, which I totally expected. Watch Saara Aalto pine after her lover who has gone away but she plans on finding him in this sweet music video for "Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind".
Saara Aalto is a singer/songwriter from Finland. She came second on the 13th series of The X Factor and also came second, twice, in Finland's national selection to Eurovision in 2011 and 2016; the former was called Euroviisut 2011, and the latter was called Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu. Not only that but in 2012 she competed in The Voice of Finland during season one, where she also came second. She will be a judge on The X Factor Suomi which returns for its second season in 2018. This song is a part of her debut album along with title track "Blessed With Love". It was written by Saara Aalto herself.
This music video was directed by Sakari Mäkelä. It's a pure performance visual with only a few scenes. Saraa Aalto works the camera even when she's not looking towards it; she's totally camera-friendly.
As per usual, Saara Aalto brings it for this sweet ballad. I love how she's missing her love while she's on the bed, holding his photo close to her. She can also be seen in a forested setting and climbing over rocks. She really gets into this character.
Unfortunately, we don't see the guy that she mentions in the song. Yet, budgeting might have been the reason behind this. The video may be low-budget, but Saara Aalto works with it, conveys the narrative along with a fully fleshed out performance visual and gives us a great video in every way.
Where did this one come from? Like, seriously? It's just crept into the top ten of the UK Singles Chart at number eight, which is its highest peak to date. This week's number one is Dua Lipa's "New Rules" which I reviewed last week, therefore opening the top ten today's Chart Mondays review. I'm actually surprised I haven't written about this video yet. My problem with this is that Bebe Rexha is only featured on the track, whereas her involvement makes it much more like a collaboration and so I feel like it should be Louis Tomlinson & Bebe Rexha, especially since they both appear in the music video as much as each other and she even starts the track off. Watch Louis Tomlinson walk around Doncaster showcasing his football skills and Doncaster Rovers Football Club's Keepmoat Stadium whilst Bebe Rexha acts as the sexy girl next door in this music video for "Back To You" featuring Digital Farm Animals.
Louis Tomlinson is best known for being one-fifth/one-fourth of One Direction, who are on hiatus as they all focus on their solo music careers. All the members have gone in completely different genres of music, yet they are all performing well when it comes to the charts. This is Louis Tomlinson's second single to date and it's done moderately well on charts around the world - it's certainly a grower of a song. He's also made his mark in the football world, having played for Doncaster on non-contract terms; he has also played in charity football matches. Featured on this track is Bebe Rexha, real name Bleta Rexha; she's an American singer who has been building up her career for a few years. She's definitely one who likes to impress and will continue to build her name and reputation. She's had quite a few hits to date in collaborations, but it's about time she had a solo hit. Also featured is Digital Farm Animals, real name Nicholas Gale, who is a British DJ. He has worked with a lot of big names so far; yet, this song is his biggest hit to date. I expect we'll be hearing more of him in the future. The song was written by Louis Tomlinson, Nicholas James Gale, Pablo Bowman, Richard Boardman, and Sarah Blanchard.
Directed by Craig Moore, this music video is a pure performance visual that doesn't add anything to the song - in my opinion. I feel that the video doesn't go anywhere and doesn't attract the audience in pressing that replay button.
Kicking the song and the video off is Bebe Rexha, she's in Doncaster with Louis Tomlinson, but they don't meet up until much later in the video. As for Louis, he's walking around the streets of Doncaster, showcasing the back alleys and the streets. He comes across a kid, they play football together and Louis kicks the ball into the goal - poor kid.
The video continues with some cute shots of these two singers together. From Keepmoat Stadium to them performing on a couch in an alley. There's also a café shot which is where Louis Tomlinson starts to sing; as well as a pool club venue, where you can see both singers with cues.
Overall, this video goes nowhere, it doesn't keep the audience interested and Bebe Rexha practically pulls Louis Tomlinson through this performance. He seems really down, which doesn't sit right considering the song is supposed to be a light-hearted track. There is down bits about the song but there's also nice bits too, and I just feel Louis Tomlinson fails to bring the emotion across for the song in the visual. It's slightly relatable though, and it showcases his love for football.
This is the party song that I love hearing when I'm in the club. My friends and I have perfected our dance moves to the chorus of this song; it's definitely extremely catchy, although we're not as good as Demi Lovato and her backing dancers in this video. This hasn't charted that well globally, and I expect it to climb up in some countries the more we hear it and fall in love with it. "Instruction" definitely goes off when we're in a club. Watch Demi Lovato show off her dancing skills and sexy looks to the camera in this music video for Jax Jones' "Instruction" as Stefflon Don raps whilst riding a horse.
Jax Jones, real name Timucin Aluo, first came on to the scene after meeting Duke Dumont and collaborating with him on "I Got U". His biggest single to date is "You Don't Know Me" which features RAYE. We expect to see a lot more music coming our way from this DJ very soon, especially since he's collaborated with this highly successful singer, Demi Lovato. She came from the Disney channel, and continues to prove she is on her game; she delivers highly catchy songs with on-point vocals throughout. She's a total star. As for Stefflon Don, real name Stephanie Allen, she's a fairly new British rapper who is definitely putting her stamp on the music industry - she totally brings it with this song and video. I expect to see more top hits from her in the future. This song was written by Uzoechi Emenike (MNEK), Stephanie Allen, Demi Lovato, and Timucin Aluo.
Directed by Ozzie Pullin, the music video was filmed in Los Angeles, California. It's a full-on dance music video - which is to be expected since that chorus contains dance move instructions, that my friend and I kill on the dance floor.
We start off with Jax Jones playing the drums linking this to its extremely tropical sound of the song. Demi Lovato is snapshotted throughout the intro, clearly making the statement that she's on this track and completely ready to bring it in every way.
The chorus has a specific set of dance moves and Demi Lovato nails these completely, along with her backing dancers. The choreography is totally lit and it's something that we all want to learn so we can pull it off in time with this video. However, the chorus does get on my nerves slightly, as Demi Lovato missteps in the song and the word "Left" sounds kind of hesitant, which annoys me a lot!
The verses bring more sexy face shots for the camera. It's not the best at profiling, but when it comes to Stefflon Don, she fully brings it whilst being on a horse - now that is talent. Still, the editing and the camera work doesn't allow the audience to fully connect with everything going on.
It's a great party song that I absolutely love, but the music video definitely falls short. We needed something amazing and this is just plain, with a great dance choreography segment for the chorus; although, it's not something we can easily learn and Demi Lovato comes off a little like she's out with her girls training in trackies, rather than performing in a music video.
I'm literally running out of Little Mix music videos to review, I've almost done them all. Luckily, there's a few of them left for me to cover, and today is a massively important day since today marks their sixth year anniversary. I have just written up an article about their best album tracks that should've been official singles for CelebMix. I highly suggest you check it out! This song is one of my favourites from this group and definitely club-worthy! However, the music video is difficult to keep up, with too many intercutting scenes; comparing this to the recent "Touch" really shows this up as a hard-to follow music video. Watch Little Mix dance their way through this song with backing dancers and on point choreography in this music video for "Move".
Little Mix are still the only group to have won The X Factor. They were put together on the eighth series of the show in 2011, and are celebrating their sixth year anniversary today. The group consists of Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwall, Jesy Nelson, and Leigh-Anne Pinnock. They have had a whole range of hit songs and continue to dominate as one of the biggest girl groups in the world. "Move" acted as their first single from their second studio album - the album that spawned the least amount of singles; but there were plenty of amazing ones they could've chosen. This song managed to chart in many countries, even gaining number three in the UK and number five in Ireland. The song was written by Maegan Cottone, Nathan Duvall, Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Jade Thirlwall.
Directed by Carly Cussen, the music video is a performance-based piece that showcases the girls' ability to dance whilst also looking down-to-earth. They easily connect with the audience.
There's not a lot to this. There's a lot of bright backing colour going on, helping the girls to pop in the visuals. The spotlights are on them from start to finish, apart from the very start where they are silhouettes.
The dance choreography is complex and intricate to a certain extent. It's clear that Little Mix worked really hard on nailing the moves and in the entire clip they fully bring it in every way. They're totally in-sync and they have so much energy.
The problem is, we're switching between way too many scenes. The editing of this makes it very difficult to watch however it's full of great vibes that keep us until the end. The profile shots of Little Mix helps the audience identify with each and every one of the four girls.
There have been so many incredible releases today, it was so difficult to choose a music video for my New Release this week. However, Miley Cyrus has been solid lately and has made her new album available to pre-order with this incredible song being the title single! This song is catchy to no-end, and its music video seriously has some cool but old vibes going on, looking into the past and bringing it into the future. Watch Miley Cyrus showcase her performance vibes with this Elvis-inspired music video that has us enthralled from start to finish and hoping that we'll have a Miley Cyrus musical one day in this visual for "Younger Now".
Miley Cyrus, real name Destiny Cyrus, has been teasing new music recently with the release of "Malibu" and "Inspired", so I'm ecstatic that she has released a new one that's ever so catchy and motivating in every way. It's a whole new era for Miley Cyrus, and I feel like this song looks back on her past as she states that people do change as they find their way. I am loving this new sound, and "Younger Now" is something that deserves to be a hit, and we're sure it will be! This came with the announcement of her album, with the same title, which will be released on 29 September 2017 - I cannot wait! This song was written by Miley Cyrus and Oren Yoel.
The music video was directed by Diane Martel. It is very Elvis-inspired with a great message throughout. She has even used old people to be her backing dancers and to join her in the visuals, which is a great tribute to how the song came to her - since her mother started the ball rolling with the lyrics by telling her that "you're younger now at 24 than you were at 4!" which totally explains where the song came from.
I love this pure performance visual. There are some iconic scenes throughout, including some Elvis-inspired looks. I am obsessed with her red outfit - she looks super hot in that scene; as well as the blue jumpsuit.
She continues her ode to Elvis with the puppet scene. This directly links in with Elvis' music video for "Wooden Heart". Today marks the 40th anniversary of his death, so Miley Cyrus has picked the perfect time to release this video.
My favourite scene has to be the ending, that looks like a scene from the future Miley Cyrus musical theatre show - surely this is something that will happen at some point; her iconic songs would easily be able to come together to make a hit musical. The old dancers fully bring it as if they are young, and it's incredible to see Miley Cyrus enjoying her life in every way and enjoying her time on this set.
Overall this music video is a brilliant tribute and completely relates to the song. I love her biker chick outfit which makes her look a bit like Fergie; I also like the float because it's a float. I do feel that this could've been a little more engaging, and I feel that after the first watch she'll lose some viewers as it's not something you would definitely watch again and again. Regardless it is polished and has got me excited for 29 September when the new album drops!
Today is Thursday, which means I throw it back for a revisit, and it was obvious I was going to do another Alexis Jordan song because I may not get another chance; plus this song is another banger from her! This, along with "Happiness", may be extremely catchy, but they also become tiresome if you listen too often, this one especially - which might explain the moderate chart placements of this song compared to "Happiness". We won't talk about her follow-ups that just didn't do well at all. Watch Alexis Jordan be fierce in this choreographed dance performance music video of her second single "Good Girl", knocking out the dance sequences perfectly.
Alexis Jordan started off in America's Got Talent in the very first season. She made it to the semi-finals before being eliminated - she was just 14 years old. She then started uploading covers on YouTube, which caught the attention of Stargate and Jay-Z, and therefore kick-started her career in the music industry. However, in 2014, she was dropped from her label and her second studio album never surfaced; although, rumours state that she is set to make a return in the near-future, which I am certainly excited about. This song charted at number six in the UK, we practically loved her over here. It was written by Autumn Rowe, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Petr Brdičko, Sandy Wilhelm, Espen Lind, and Amund Björklund.
Directed by Erik White, the music video is mainly a performance piece with full-on dance choreography throughout. Some scenes look like there was a planned narrative, which may have got cut; instead, leaving us with snapshots of various scenes that doesn't relate all that much.
The dance sequences are on point throughout. There's a couple of main ones, mainly Alexis Jordan performing with her backup dancers. She's in-sync throughout, being confident and sassy whilst maintaining her "Good Girl" charm. There's also another scene where she's dancing with her on-screen love interest who is dancer Hefa Leone Tuita; they show the clear chemistry between them as they nail every dance step.
There are a few different characters that she portrays, from the everyday street woman to the high school geek, from professional dancer to the good girl princess. There's a lot going on but they've made it a good performance piece, it's just difficult to keep up with what's going on at times.
Today's been a day of catching up with my music video reviews on this blog, so it's always a welcomed treat when something new slides into my email. This one was suggested by someone who noticed my previous review on Dua Lipa's "New Rules" - which is incredible in every way. One listen to this song, and it was stuck in my head, and I knew I had to review it on my blog! So here is Ashley J with her fourth single "Trapped", and after listening to all her other songs, this is definitely her best to date. This one just has that contemporary-pop spin that suits her in every way; plus it's beyond catchy. I think I've found another new female singer that I love! Watch Ashley J be confident and expressive in this music video for her fourths single "Trapped" which showcases her fierce energy.
Ashley J, full name Ashley Jean, has been working on her music career for the past few years. 2015 was the year she launched on to the scene with "One And One", which is a cover of the popular Robert Miles song of the same name; this managed to chart on Billboard's Top 20 Dance Charts. She followed that up with "Cali" with Ralphi Roasio, which debuted at number one on Billboard's Breakout Chart. Then, last year, saw her release "Dare Ya" which peaked at number three on the Official European Independent Music Charts. It's clear that Ashley J has talent and great songwriting skills on her side. We're sure this song will become much bigger the more that people hear it, and I certainly can't stop listening to it myself. It was written by Ashley J; whilst it was produced by Narada Michael Walden.
The music video is a pure performance visual throughout. The song is about being trapped, being lost or mesmerised by her lover. I don't know about you, but this sultry music video certainly has me trapped from the very start.
This girl not only has the vocals, but she has the sexy visual to go with it. Ashley J starts off subtle, calm, and composed; but, just like the song, she builds and builds before unleashing these performance vibes that really come out of nowhere.
She certainly has that star quality to her as we flip through the various scenes, our favourite being the second scene we get to watch. Most parts are filmed in the same place only with Ashley J wearing something new or there being a different projected visual - each one making it smoky, just like the track itself.
The very last shot just makes the video complete. This works fully, and the corner of the walls brings the visual impact of being trapped, whilst her energetic performance shows the emotion to this song. It relates it draws the audience in, and the song itself is one of my favourite new jams!
I recently reviewed this song and music video for Outlet Magazine. This is what I love about writing for this website because I come across some amazing tracks and videos and this is most-definitely one of them. It later appeared as a snippet in one of Matt Crawford's videos and I knew I had to review the weird-ass music video for my blog because this is one heck of a groovy track that embeds itself in my head effortlessly. It's so catchy and the video is out of this world on the freakiness scale, and yet it's still relatable and totally works. Watch Sofi Tukker totally bring it, in their bizarre music video which shows them as not caring about what people think, for their song "Fuck They" - who's they anyway?
Sofi Tukker are a duo consisting of Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern, who have been making waves with this track as well as their debut; "Drinkee" was the first song they released and it was nominated for a Grammy award in 2017 - talk about launching well on the music scene. They've gone from strength to strength, and this particular song is making waves all around the world and deserves to at least chart somewhere because we all can't get enough of it!
The description of the video describes what the song is about: "'They' is anything that holds you back from being who you are. Whoever 'they' is in your life / in your mind, Fuck They! Who's they anyway?" - I totally back this 100%, stay strong, go forth, and be whoever you want to be.
There is so much going on in this music video, it's hard to keep up with it all. There's Sofi Tukker at the basketball courts, there's them acting as dogs, there's them in a car and on top of the car, there's them on the street talking to each other through a tin can telephone; and, we mustn't forget the awesome graffiti jacket that we all just really want!
The role reversal ending makes it all worth watching in the end. I'm obsessed with this song and its music video, and I really believe Sofi Tukker are a duo we should be keeping our eyes on as they are at the forefront of this musical wave that is quirky and different but will seriously change music for the better. How people aren't jumping on their style, music, and concept - I do not know.
I've nearly reviewed this music video a couple of times since it's been on my YouTube recommendations for weeks; however, I'm not a fan of Dua Lipa and haven't really enjoyed her music she has released previously but OMG this song is pure fire and the music video is a killer in every way. I saw her perform at Birmingham Pride - check out my reviews of the event on Fuzzable, Fox & Squirrel Photography, and Electric Mode. Yet, this video just puts her as an iconic figure in the music industry and I can't wait to see what the future brings for her, especially as this song is rising to the top of the UK Chart, where it deserves to be. At the moment "Feels" by Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry & Big Sean is at the top, knocking off that Spanglish song we all know and love. This one is set to rise but is currently at number five. Watch Dua Lipa in Miami's Confidante Hotel as she tries to make up her mind whether she should give her ex a second chance or not in this brilliant music video for "New Rules".
Dua Lipa first came on the scene through YouTube after she posted covers of her favourite songs - this is usually where talent is spotted nowadays, let's be honest. This female singer has proven her worth as she continues to bring out chart hits and has worked her way up to the top. Her collaboration with Sean Paul on "No Lie" definitely boosted her fame around the world. This song is my favourite from her to date, even if today was the first time I've seen the video - now I can't stop watching. The song was written by Caroline Ailin, Emily Warren, and Ian Kirkpatrick.
Directed by Henry Scholfield, this music video is a pure performance profile visual from start to finish. The inspiration came from a Naomi Campbell photo shoot with Versace, where she's on the back of another woman - it reference women looking out for each other and this music video is exactly that.
From the very start, we see Dua Lipa considering her ex whilst she's in the hotel room, but as the music video continues we see her confidence as the pre-chorus is repeated - which we totally love. The second take she is styled sexily and agrees with her girls whilst singing along, whereas the first take she's ready to take that guy back.
They head to the pool and she is fierce completely because she's told her new rules to herself again and again. As the third pre-chorus comes along, she's telling the exact same advice her friends told her to another friend who is trying to make the same decision she was.
It's a brilliant music video with plenty of stuff going on. Dua Lipa proves that she has everything going for her and that she's meant to be this massive force within the music industry - and boy does she not disappoint. This music video is everything and will be one we will continue to remember years later.
