Snailmate have just dropped this awesome single and music video, titled "Trash, Baby" which is genre-defining with hints of pop and rap infused in the hard-rock theme of the song. The LGBTQ+ duo consists of Kalen Lander and Bentley Monet, and they describe Snailmate as a project which fuses synthpop, grindcore pop and nerd rap, and if this song is anything to go by they are masters of music creation. "Trash, Baby" is stuck in my head after just one listen, and the lyrics are pure perfection, this duo sure knows how to write a song! The song was written by Snailmate, while it was produced by Kalen Lander, with Ari Leopold mixing and recording the track; the music video has been directed by Chase Warren with Levi Elizaga acting as director of photography.
Creating art is never an easy task especially when your inner saboteur is attacking you at every step of the way, and this is exactly what Snailmate is showcasing in this song and music video, "Trash, Baby". We watch as Kalen Lander creates and then destroys a beautiful garden, and then later we watch Bentley Monet paint some awesome artistic imagery on canvases which he also destroys. The whole video is a concept in itself as music is an art form, as well as music videos being an art form, and so it comes full circle as we watch the music video be deleted at the end.
On top of the awesome narrative piece, there's an interesting performance visual which sees Snailmate as heads on spikes, linking completely with the opening lyric, with the song's narrator being the person on the spike who has been brought back to life "warning passers-by of the dangers of trying too hard. As the music video illustrates, it’s very easy to go from enamored with something to hating it. Hopefully, we can all overcome the negative thoughts and self-sabotaging to become better artists," Bentley Monet states.
Last weekend I was at Birmingham Pride 2022, where Steps was the headliner for the Sunday event, and it made my childhood dream come true seeing them perform on the main stage, and this song "Stomp" is the one that is stuck in my head. I forgot all about this song until they sang it and I remember playing this on repeat again and again - it's probably my favourite Steps song from their whole discography. They also revealed that they've been together for 25 years now (minus the 10-year split). This song was their second UK number one, following "Heartbeat / Tragedy". It was written by Mark Topham, Karl Twigg and Rita Campbell, with production by Mark Topham, Karl Twigg and Pete Waterman.
This music video has both narrative and performance visuals which coincide well with each other. There's an amazing dance section which is totally in sync and although may have seemed dated 10 years ago if you were looking back at old music videos, with TikTok becoming a viral social network, these dance segments are extremely popular and this would be something that goes viral on the app.
We watch as Lisa and H are given the keys to a penthouse apartment while the owner, Bill (who is played by Dave Legeno - who is no longer with us, having passed away in 2014), is away on business. He tells them to look after the apartment, but Lisa and H decide to invite the rest of Steps round for a huge party, so we see scenes of Claire, Faye, and Lee getting invited to the party and making their way there. In the end, they all help to clean and tidy up, and when Lisa and H think they're in the all-clear, the camera transitions to the painting that's hanging on the wall, where someone has drawn horns, glasses and a moustache on Bill's face.
She has finally done it, after 10 years in the music industry releasing music, Bebe Rexha has scored her first UK number one, that's right, "I'm Good (Blue)" becomes her first UK chart-topper, in collaboration with David Guetta, making this his seventh UK number one. The song was recorded years before it was officially released, with David Guetta first playing it during a set at Ultra Music Festival 2017. It heavily samples Eiffel 65's "Blue (Da Ba Dee)", creating a nostalgia sensation.
Tiktok tends to rule the charts, worldwide, at the moment, with the video-creating social media platform allowing users to use snippets of audio to create sounds in the videos that they make, and this is precisely what happened with this track, going completely viral on the video sharing platform. The original song was catchy back in the day, so it's not a surprise that when a worldwide DJ samples it on a track with an incredible singer, it once again becomes a hit. The track has been written by David Guetta, Kamille, Phil Plested, Bebe Rexha, Massimo Gabutti, Maurizio Lobina, and Gianfranco Randone, whilst it was produced by David Guetta and Timofey Reznikov with additional production by Ahh.
The pure performance music video, directed by KC Locke, doesn't really showcase the song that well with the lyrics suggesting that they're having an epic night out on the dancefloor of a club, and yet we see sexualised visuals from Bebe Rexha showing her amazing body, as well as the glimpse of David Guetta's amazing toned body as he gets changed. The visuals are separated via a split screen, reminding us of Charlie Puths music video for "We Don't Talk Anymore" which features Selena Gomez.
The artists eventually meet up at Ushuaia, Ibiza where David Guetta is performing, with Bebe Rexha singing "I'm Good (Blue)" live on stage. Amazing camera shots and visuals are used that capture Ushuaia in all its glory and we certainly want to attend a David Guetta residency at Ushuaia, for sure.
As expected, Ariana Grande jumped straight to the top spot of the UK Singles Chart with her latest track "positions" and so I am reviewing the music video for my Chart Mondays review. I am not so impressed with the song, she has definitely released better songs in the past, but this is her official seventh UK number one. As usual, her voice is superb, but the song just doesn't hit me unlike some of her previous songs. It is the lead single from her brand new album of the same name which has been released this week and is more than likely going to chart at number one on the UK Albums Chart. The track's lyrical content suggests that Ariana Grande is willing to try new things for the person she loves and her overall dedication to him and willingness to switch positions (from sexual to stereotypical).
The music video has been directed by Dave Meyers and sees Ariana Grande acting as president and fulfilling some of the tasks that the president undertakes whilst also taking on typical female stereotypical roles such as being in a kitchen. It also stars her mother, Joan Grande, as well as frequent collaborators Tayla Parx and Victoria Monét. The release coincides well with the 2020 US Presidential Election. I feel like this could've been iconic and there is substance to it, but it's just missing so much, I also don't like how it transitions between her positions. I truly believe if this was wrapped up in a complete narrative storyline, it would've worked amazingly.
Today we have a brand new single and music video from Karmen in collaboration with BRUJA, titled "Belladonna" and I am addicted! Beyond catchy in every way, Karmen shines vocally and visually. It reminds me of INNA's deep house tracks mixed with the vocal brilliance of Antonia. Romanian female singers are totally on top of their game at the moment and Karmen is up there with the best of them. This collaboration with BRUJA allows her to start a new musical journey that brings a new take to Eastern European pop music and I am excited about this era. BRUJA switches up the track with a brilliant rap that further adds to the unique quality of the song, which has been written by Alexandru Pelin, Krishane Murray, Maria Teodora Mizgoi, Octavian Ioachim Petre, and Vlad Lucan.
The music video has a Halloween feel to it, which isn't a surprise since it is Halloween tomorrow. It also goes well with the song as it does have a creepy spooky vibe in the track itself. It is set in what looks like an asylum, which is giving me Lady Gaga "Marry The Night" vibes. Karmen is one of the nurses and she is fiercely working it in the music video as she rolls a guy who is wearing a straight jacket around in a wheelchair. There are split-second scenes throughout that showcases a different reality where Karmen is dressed in black and is knocking out killer dance choreography with a group of dancers. BRUJA is scarily freaky, acting as another patient in the asylum, which adds to the creepy aesthetic of the video and the song itself. This just works as a complete package and I could so watch it again and again.
