Happy Birthday to singer and songwriter Prince. He would have been 60 years old today. I wish that he was here to celebrate his birthday with his fans and party like it's 1999. After I had finished my "Prince: A Music Legend Gone Too Soon" blog post, I went to YouTube and listened to some of Prince's music. And I watched a video of him perform Purple Rain from the movie of the same name. I was like, "Wow! I love this song." Now, I see why some people would say always that Purple Rain is their favorite song. Purple Rain peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and was considered a signature song for Prince. To me, when I watched this video, I felt like I wanted to take the light off of my cell phone (if I ever get one) and just waved it up in the air while Prince was singing this song. And the way he played that guitar at the end was just amazing. I was like the guitar was doing all of the singing for him. Listen, I know that you're all sad that Prince is gone. Believe me, I feel the same way. But, we all should be happy and remember Prince's life by listening or dancing to his music like there's no tomorrow. Speaking of music, I saw an article on USA Today that a new album by Prince is going to be released on September 21. The album is titled Piano & A Microphone: 1983. It will feature nine unreleased tracks of Prince playing the piano in his home recording studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota, recorded in 1983. It will also have early versions of Purple Rain, 17 Days and Strange Relationship and a cover of Joni Mitchell's A Case Of You. The cover art is a rare photo of Prince backstage during the 1999 tour. It was taken by the singer's former photographer, Allen Beaulieu. You can read the article by clicking on the link below:
Prince, I miss you so much. You will never be forgotten. Whether you're singing to your hit songs at concerts for your fans or changing your name to an unrecognizable symbol (which he later confirmed to be the love symbol), you will always be the same Prince that we have come to know and love since the release of your debut album titled For You on April 7, 1978. So, happy birthday, Purple One. May you rest in peace.
Shawn Mendes is the self-titled third studio album by Canadian singer and songwriter Shawn Mendes released on May 25, 2018 through Island Records. If you don't know who Shawn Mendes is or you have been a fan of him since one day, then you should definitely go and give his new album a listen.
In My Blood serves as the opening track for Shawn Mendes. This song is described as a "rock ballad" while also sticking to Shawn's acoustic roots as he sings about struggling with anxiety with lyrics like, "Laying on my bathroom floor, feeling nothing/ I'm overwhelmed and insecure, give me something/ I could take to ease my mind slowly", and, "Help me, it's like the walls are caving in/ Sometimes I feel like giving up/ No medicine is strong enough/ Someone help me/ I'm crawling in my skin/ Sometimes I feel like giving up/ But I just can't", before singing on the chorus with, "It isn't in my blood/ It isn't in my blood".
Also, watch the music video for "In My Blood" either on here down below or on YouTube.
Nervous is a pop song that talks about having butterflies when it comes to being around your crush. He begins with, "I saw you on a Sunday in the café/ And all you did was look my way/ And my heart started to race/ And my hands started to shake, yeah/ I heard you asked about me through a friend/ My adrenaline kicked in/ 'Cause I've been askin' bout you too/ And now we're out here in this room", and continues into the chorus with, "I get a little bit nervous around you/ Get a little bit stressed out when I think about you/ Get a little bit excited/ Baby, when I think about you, yeah/ Talk a little too much around you/ Get a little self-conscious when I think about you/ Get a little bit excited/ Baby, when I think about you, yeah/ Yeah, when I think about you, babe". Fun Fact: Nervous was co-written by "Issues" singer and songwriter Julia Michaels.
Lost In Japan is a R&B song with heavy-beats as the singer expressing his commitment to his lover by showing his desire by going into the other side of the world. On the first verse, he sings, "All it'd take is one flight/ We'd be in the same time zone/ Looking through your timeline/ Seeing all the rainbows, I/ I got an idea/ And I know that it sounds crazy/ I just wanna see ya/ Oh, I gotta ask", and then continues with, "Do you got plans tonight?/ I'm a couple hundred miles from Japan, and I/ I was thinking I could flying to your hotel tonight/ 'Cause I-I-I can't get you off my mind/ Can't get you off my mind/ Can't get you off my mind (oh)".
Where Were You In The Morning is where Mendes talks about a one night stand that may be based on his real life experiences singing, "You said, "I wanna get to know ya"/ Why you gotta get your hopes up?/ You said that you were staying over/ But then I woke up to the cold air", before singing on the chorus with, "Where were you in the morning, baby?/ You didn't leave your number for me/ Left me without a warning, baby/ Where were you in the morning, baby?", and then sings on the post-chorus with the lyrics, "How do you, how do you just walk away?/ How do you, how do you just walk away?"
Like To Be You featuring Julia Michaels is where the two singers begin talk to each other back and forth using the song's lyrics throughout the track. Shawn starts off the first verse with, "Don't cry" - do, whatever makes you comfortable/ I'm tired too, there's nothin' left to say/ Let's call a truce, 'cause I don't really wanna go to/ Bed like this", and then Julia comes in on the second verse singing, "Can I kiss you or not? 'Cause I'm not really sure right now of/ What you want, are you still mad at me?/ I'm hopin' not, 'cause maybe we could go to the movies/ I know that always cheers us up, hey". Finally, Shawn and Julia come together on the chorus with the lyrics, "I don't know what it's like to be you/ I don't know what it's like but I'm dying to/ If I could put myself in your shoes/ Then I'd know what it's like to be you".
Fallin' All In You is a pop ballad song that was written with the help of singer Ed Sheeran. Shawn belts out on the chorus with, "You are bringing out a different kind of me/ There's no safety net that's underneath/ I'm free/ Falling all in you/ Fell for men who weren't how they appear/ Trapped up on a tightrope now we're here/ We're free/ Falling all in you".
On "Particular Taste", Shawn sings about a girl who seems to be very 'particular' when it comes to certain things. He sings on the first verse with, "She don't listen to a thing, 'less it feels right/ Only dances when it's Kanye/ She could take you one-on-one if she feels like/ You'll be begging her for mercy, mercy", and then continues with the chorus lyrics like, "She's got particular taste, yeah/ She's so obsessed with the chase, yeah/ She don't waste time on conversations, no/ She just goes right for the face, oh/ She's so particular". On the second verse, this girl is still acting like things in her life have to be perfect singing, "Never pickin' up her phone ' less it rings twice/ Only answers with a question, "Mhm?"/ If I try to play it cool, it never goes right/ Got me drowin', drowin', uh".
On "Why", Mendes sings about an undeniable attraction between him and a girl with the lyrics, "I know a girl, she's like a curse/ We want each other, no one will break first/ So many nights, trying to find someone new/ They don't mean nothing compared to her, and I know", and, "When people ask about us, now, we just brush it off/ I don't know why we act like it means nothing at all/ I wish that I could tell you that you're all that I want, yeah". Then Shawn begins to question their relationship singing on the chorus, "Why do we put each other through hell?/ Why can't we just get over ourselves?/ And you say "hi" like/ You just met me/ Why do we put each other through hell?/ Why can't we just get over ourselves?/ Why can't we just get over ourselves?"
Because I Had You talks about a guy who sees a girl moving on with another guy that he thought wasn't right for her even after he'd broken her heart. On the first verse, Shawn tells the girl, "I think it's time that I be honest/ Should've told you not to go/ Thought I knew just what I wanted/ I didn't know myself at all", and continues with, "You're with somebody I can't be, yeah/ But I can tell that you're happy". Shawn is finally starting to realize that he has a second chance with this girl singing on the chorus, "It's time for me to finally meet somebody new/ Take her to all the places that I took us to/ And she might help me forget/ But loving her is something I could never do/ Because I had, because I had you".
Queen is about when someone acts stuck-up and believes in their mind that they have more power over everyone else. Shawn sings on the first verse with, "It's hard to believe that you don't remember me at all/ Am I hard to recognize?/ You say, "nice to meet you" every time/ Yeah and I made me laugh/ I still remember what you said/ Guess I shouldn't be surprised/ You say, "nice to meet you" every time", and then continues with, "I know that we got a lot of mutual friends/ Don't say my name, don't come up in your conversations/ Yeah". Then the singer asks this girl who made her the "queen" on the chorus, "Who crowned you queen of/ You think that you're too cool?/ Making beautiful look ugly/ The way you put yourself above me/You treat me like I got nothing on you/ Making beautiful look ugly/ You ain't the ruler of my country/ Who made you the queen?"
Youth featuring Khalid was inspired by the tragic events of the Manchester bombing. Shawn and Khalid sing together on the first verse with, "Here I am, stuck on this couch/ Scrolling through my notes/ Heart was broken, still not growing, nah/ Waking up to headlines, filled with devastation again/ My heart is broken/ But I keep going", and then they say on the chorus, "You can't take my youth away/ This soul of mine will never break/ As long as I wake up today/ You can't take my youth away/ You can't take my youth away/ This soul of mine will never break/ As long as I wake up today/ You can't take my youth away/ You can't take my youth away".
Mutual is a guitar and drum based track with a simple message: If you don't love back, leaving may be the only option. Shawn opens up on the first verses with, "I want you close to me/ I want you close, I want you closer/ But when you're here with me/ It's hard to tell just what you're after", and then he continues with, "I need to know/ If this is mutual/ Before I go/ And get way too involved/ I want you bad/ Can you reciprocate?/ No, I don't want to have to leave/ But half of you's not enough for me".
Perfectly Wrong describes an ill-fated relationship from Shawn's perspective. This song also takes inspiration from William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet with the lyrics, "Taste the poison from your lips/ Lately, we're as good as gone". Then Mendes continues on to the chorus singing, "You're perfectly wrong for me/ And that's why it's so hard to leave/ Yeah, you're perfectly wrong for me/ You're perfectly wrong for me/ All the stars in the sky could see/ Why, you're perfectly wrong for me".
When You're Ready is the final song on Shawn Mendes. It talks about how this girl is not ready to be committed in a relationship with Shawn, but whenever she's ready, he will still be waiting for her when the time is right. He sings on the chorus, "Baby, tell me when you're ready/ I'm waiting/ Baby, any time you're ready/ I'm waiting/ Even ten years from now/ If you haven't found somebody/ I promise, I'll be around/ Tell me when you're ready/ I'm waiting".
I love Shawn Mendes' album. He is a very talented artist. His music is very good, but also different. And the lyrics on some of his songs are so relatable to his own personal experiences with life. I give the Shawn Mendes album a 5/5. So, make sure that you go and support this artist by purchasing the Shawn Mendes album on Amazon Music, Spotify, ITunes and Google Play. Here are the links for it:
H.E.R. Vol. 2 EP was released on June 16, 2017 by R&B singer H.E.R. Also, while you're at it, check out my review on Vol. 1 by clicking on the link you see below:
Every Kind Of Way serves as the opener to Vol. 2. This song is where the singer touches on themes like love and emotion to a guy that she has been having a crush on singing, "Baby, the sound of you/ Better than a harmony/ I want you off my mind/ And on me/ Holding me closer than we've ever been before/ This ain't a dream/ You're here with me/ Boy, it don't get no better than you/ For you, I wanna take my time/ All night", and then describes her undying love for this person with the chorus, "I wanna love you in every kind of way/ I wanna please you no matter how long it takes/ If the world should end tomorrow and we only have today/I'm gonna love you in every kind of way."
Say It Again is where the listeners get a chance to hear a different side of H.E.R. as she describes a feeling that she gets when it comes to being with her man with lyrics like, "Show tonight/ I hit all the notes that I know you like/ You know that I'm a pro when I'm on the mic/ We're already here, so turn the lights off, yeah", and "You had a lot to say/ No more talking/ You can use the mouth in other ways/ 'Cause I want it now/ I want it now/ Now". On the chorus, she sings to her love interest, "And I won't say it again/ Oh, you know I don't get naughty for anybody/ I won't say it again/ Even though this ain't the first time/ I tell you one time/ I ain't gon' say it again/ Time to turn/ What you've been asking/ Into actions/ I won't say it again/ I won't say it again".
Still Down is about the singer questioning the change in her romance with lyrics like, "When you need the time, I won't have it/ I'll try not to make it a habit/ But I can't promise that/ Wish I could do that/ Cause you deserve/ Actions and not words/ And you know that I'm worth/ Waiting for/ While I'm out on tour", and then continues on the chorus,"Tell me right now/ Are you still down?/ Are you still down?/Tell me right now/ Are you still down? (Are you?)/ Are you still down?"
Avenue is about a man deserting his feelings for the singer while also flipping the script on her. H.E.R. begins with, "I liked you better on the first date/ I shoulda said what's wrong in the first place/ I don't 'cause you always takin' it the wrong way/ You won't listen you're too busy playin' 2K", and moves on the chorus singing, "I just turned, just turned down your avenue/ I had to you, but I'm mad at you/ You always say that I got a attitude/ But that's you, you was actin' rude/ I had to ask you if you had a few/ Because you always say that I got a attitude".
You can also watch the music video for "Avenue" down below or on YouTube.
Gone Away breaks down the downfall of a relationship singing, "Say, why I'm lookin' at way/ You ain't do nothin' wrong/ I'm wildin'/ It's five, I waited up last night/ Said you got too high/ I'm tired", on the chorus, she admits that she's tired of her lover not being honest saying, "You don't feel a way/ You're gone away/ You don't listen/ You promised you wouldn't change/ It'd stay the same/ But it's different/ We were much happier when/ It was always happy endings".
On I Won't, H.E.R. talks about her unrequited love for a guy that she has no feelings for singing, "You can't make me love you if I don't/ You can't make me love you if I won't/ You can't change my heart, you're tryin' too hard/ You can't make me love you no I won't, I won't". This song also contains a sample of "I Can't Make You Love Me" by singer Tank.
Changes is about telling the story of what all girls can relate to in the mind, body and soul when it comes to someone that they like. H.E.R. can also relate to something like this as she sings, "Lately, I been going through some changes/ Been running out of maybes/ Boy, I know you're losing patience/ Losing patience/ Losing patience on me". She also shows that she is tired of playing these same games with this guy singing, "Sometimes I get fed up with all the games/ Sometimes you all just act the same/ Maybe I'm the one to blame/ That's just how the game goes/ When you're feeling alone/ Everybody got somebody that they mess with on the low/ Now I just want you to save me/ I just want you to save me, ohhhh".
Lights On is the final song on H.E.R. Vol. 2. This song where H.E.R. once again shows off her sensual side for her man singing, "It's dark outside/ I'm feeling right with you, oh, you/ Don't turn off the lights/ Can we try something new, oh, new?", and moves on to the chorus with the lyrics, "Leave the lights on/ Leave the, leave the lights on/ Leave 'em lights on/ Leave 'em, leave 'em lights on, on/ Do it side on/ Switch and let me ride on/ Got all night long/ Leave 'em, leave 'em lights on, on, on, on".
I give H.E.R. Vol. 2 a 10/10 because I like how H.E.R. tells this story about the down sides of being in a relationship like finding help to accept losing someone that you love, gaining trust, and also moving on from things that are hard to let go. If you've listened to Vol.1, then you definitely should listen to Vol. 2 guaranteed.
You can go and listen to SoundCloud and Spotify. Here are the links for it below:
On May 20, 2016, singer Ariana Grande released her third studio album Dangerous Woman. 2 years later to this very day, the album has since spawned hit singles like the Dangerous Woman, Into You and Side to Side featuring Nicki Minaj, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart, and was supported with a world tour in 2017 titled The Dangerous Woman Tour. As we prepare for her upcoming fourth studio album titled Sweetener, here are some facts about that you didn't know.
The song Moonlight was about her then boyfriend at the time Ricky Alvarez. Ariana's friend and songwriter Victoria Monet confirmed that this song was about him saying, "Moonlight. That's what Ricky called her one night. I think it was after their first kiss. He waited to kiss her for a long time, and she was really impressed. He's such a gentleman, and the song is a great little bookmark of the start of their relationship". Here is the link arianagrande.wikia.com for more information about Moonlight: http://arianagrande.wikia.com/wiki/Moonlight
On March 12. 2016, Ariana was the host and musical guest on Saturday Night Live. She acted in some sketches, did musical impressions of Britney Spears, Whitney Houston, and Rihanna, and also performed of her songs "Dangerous Woman" and "Be Alright". You can watch some of her SNL videos along with her performances below.
Focus was intended to be the lead single for Dangerous Woman.
Focus was released on October 30, 2015 through Republic Records. The song did peak at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, but Ariana decided to switch from "Focus" to "Dangerous Woman" as the lead single for the album. However, Focus was made available as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of Dangerous Woman to her fans in Japan. You can also check it out the music video for Focus below.
Dangerous Woman is Ariana's first album to have a Parental Advisory warning label.
When the track list for Dangerous Woman was released on ITunes, there were 4 explicit songs on the standard version of the album and only 6 songs on the deluxe edition making it the first time that Ariana has ever cussed on any of her songs on this album. Luckily, there is a clean/edited version of Dangerous Woman if you're person like me that doesn't like a lot of profanity.
Dangerous Woman was streamed 1 billions times on Spotify.
On February 2017, Ariana became the first female artist to have two of her albums hit the 1 billion mark on Spotify with My Everything (2014) and Dangerous Woman (2016). After that, both My Everything and Dangerous Woman went on to surpass 2 billion streams on Spotify.
The first song that was recorded was "Let Me Love You" and the last song for the album was "I Don't Care".
So, now that you know everything about Ariana and this album, I strongly recommend that you go and purchase Dangerous Woman on Amazon Music, ITunes, Spotify and Google Play.
Today, I'm going to show you guys 6 DIY projects that you can try starting right now. I'm a huge fan of DIY ideas. I have been going to Pinterest and YouTube for some fun DIY projects that you can do at home. I can't to post more blogs pertaining DIY. So, here is the list of DIY ideas to consider:
1. DIY Bath Bombs
I didn't know that you can make your own bath bombs at home just like the ones that you see in a beauty store or online. Pinterest has a ton of different pins of how to make homemade bath bombs if you're interested. You can make them in different ways with essential oils, Epsom salt, without critic acid, lush and so on. Here's a link to a website called goingevergreen.org on how to make 5 easy bath bombs recipes:
Now you can make your very own candles at the comforts of your home. There are lot of different candles that you can create. You can try making ice candles, a candle using crayons, scented candles, mason jar candles, water candles, etc. So, if you like to make candles for yourself or you're a beginner at this, then this is the project for you, my friend.
3. DIY Homemade Soaps
There are thousands of melt and pour soap recipes that you can try by searching on either Google, Pinterest, or even YouTube. Also, check out this website called topinspired.com. They have the top 10 DIY Homemade Soap Recipes. Here's the link for it:
How many of you used to love making slime when you were a kid? Well, now you can feel like a kid again making your own DIY slime. Check out Karina Garcia's slime videos. They are amazing and the best part is that when she makes her slime for her viewers, she uses no borax when she makes it. So, you can make this either by yourself or with your kids. She also has a book called "Karina Garcia's DIY Smile". In her book, there are 15 different slime projects that you can do.
5. DIY Mugs
You can make all kinds of different mugs for yourself or friends like Sharpie mugs, funny mugs, Christmas mugs, watercolor mug, glitter mugs, etc. I recommend that you go to this website called underspray.com for more DIY mug ideas. Here's the link:
You can find plenty of DIY pillow videos YouTube. You can make any kind of pillow that you want. From Pop Tart Pillows to emoji pillows, social media pillows, donut pillows, etc. Check out this two websites on some more pillow ideas. Here's the link for the website:
I have one question to ask you all. How many of you suffer from headaches or migraines? Believe me, I know what you're going to through, but don't you just sometimes wish that pain would just go away? Well, I went to Pinterest and I found these different natural remedies for headaches that are guaranteed to work. You don't have to take any medicine or nothing like. Without further ado, here is the list of natural headaches remedies that you need to try:
1. Essential Oils
Did you know that you can use essential oils are really good for treating a headache? I did some research on Google about it and it turns out that essential oils are safe and effective when you go to use them. It gets right to the root of the problem where the headache triggers meaning that doesn't take away the pain temporarily, but permanently. You can use different essential oils like peppermint, lavender, eucalyptus, and rosemary just for a headache. All you do is apply the oil of your choice to your temples, forehead, and wrists to release tension and stress. Here's another thing: Try adding 5-10 drops of essential oil to a warm bath or you can follow this recipe by Dr. Axe for Homemade Healing Bath Salts. Here's the link to the article:
I discovered on Pinterest that you can make bath bombs for cold and sinus, muscle pain, and now, headaches. This recipe is really easy to follow and make and if you do all of the steps correctly, then you should have the perfect bath bomb for yourself for when you have a migraine. So, give this a try and see if you notice the difference. Here's the link to a website called happy-mothering.com:
3. Have you ever heard of lavender lemonade? That's right, I said it. Lavender lemonade is very popular on Pinterest and this website called food-hacks.wonderhowto.com/ has three different recipes on how to make this lavender lemonade. This drink is also good for anxiety as well. So, here's the link to the website so that you can check it out yourself:
You can learn how to make apple cider vinegar water using these simple steps. It's not that hard to do. Just add 1 to 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a warm glass of water. Mix it thoroughly and slowly drink this to get rid of your headache fast. If you don't like the taste of apple cider vinegar, then try adding a little honey and lemon juice to the mixture to improve flavor. You can also do the same time with lemon water.
Squeeze the juice from a half of a lemon into a warm glass of water. Again, drink this slowly while it's still warm. Don't drink it cold or else it won't do you any good. You can try drinking lemon water twice daily for better improvement for a headache. Here's the link to the website along with the recipes:
I found out on Pinterest that grape juice is good for migraines. This is the article that I saw when I looked at it:
But, did you know that you can make your own grape juice out of the comforts of your kitchen? You're going to need about 7-8 pounds of fresh grapes. Wash and pluck the grapes from their stems. Mash up the grapes using a potato masher. Put the grapes in a pot of water and cover them up with a lid. Once the water begins to boil, then let it simmer on the stove for 10-15 minutes. Keep stirring them so that the grapes don't begin to clump up. Pour out the juice through a sieve into a jar or bottle. Remove the sieve and put the juice in the refrigerator. Discard the residue after that. Here is the link to the full recipe down below:
I hope that you give these natural remedies for a headache a try. You shouldn't have to suffer anymore once you have one or all of the different ones that I've just listed. Enjoy the rest of your day and thank you for your time. Also, follow me on Bloglovin' to check out some of my posts. Just click on the link you see below.
I have another H.E.R. review for you guys. This time it's about a remixed version of her song Focus from Vol. 1 featuring DJ Envy and Chris Brown. The Focus (remix) was released on April 30, 2018. H.E.R. and Chris Brown harmonize together on the chorus of the song singing, Me-Can you focus on me?/ Baby, can you focus on me?/ Me-Me/ Can you focus on me?/ Baby, can you focus on me?" Then Brown exchanges his verse with, "What is this a joke?/ You know I get this money/ So, I guess you can't complain (mm)/ You don't have to be alone/You been running through my mind all day/ Baby, I just want you to let up (ohh)/ Maybe I been a little selfish, I should do better (yeah)". H.E.R. then begin to closes out on the outro saying, "Baby, focus/ Can't you see?/ I just wanna love you, baby/ Look me in the eyes". I love the remixed along with the original version of this song. H.E.R. and Chris Brown sound really good together. I was not expecting this collaboration, but now I'm so happy that it did. Y'all know that I am a huge fan of H.E.R. I could get used to her music because it's so relaxing to your ears along with her smooth, sultry voice. You don't know what you're missing. I give this song a 10/10 Make sure that you listen to Focus (remix) on SoundCloud and Google Play.
Here are the links for it: https://soundcloud.com/iamhermusic/focus-feat-chris-brown-dj-envy https://play.google.com/store/music/album/H_E_R_Focus_feat_Chris_Brown_DJ_Envy_Remix?id=Bfuawpshmyuhpv4l6djg3powgye&hl=en_US
