I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season! I’m working on my second California post, where I was wishing you a Merry Christmas/Happy Holiday and New Year, but I’m late per usual…
But I wanted to pop in and ask what you are all listening to. Since I haven’t been at my apartment, which is odd but not odd to consider “home” I haven’t had solid time to listen and discover new music. On the plane I was partly wanting to pass out and partly wanting to look at the sky, so when I was listening to music I wasn’t really listening.
Last night I drove back from my grandma’s and I had this musical craving to listen to a few of Justin Bieber’s songs circa 2009.
I used to have all his albums, but when I moved out of my parents house they sold all my CDs (which is still depressing to talk about). Anyway, I downloaded just a few because I plan on buying the physical copies soon.
The four I bought were ‘Favorite Girl’ and ‘Down to Earth’ from his first album, My World. These two songs put me in my emotions too quickly for my own good. They just took me back to a time when my life was way easier. The other two are ‘Never Let You Go’ and ‘Up’ from My World 2.0. Which also took me back. I’m sitting here trying to give you a better explanation of how I feel, but I can’t. It’s weird that songs can take you back in time. And that you can remember certain things that were happening, people you were close to and what you cared about.
Another thing that strikes my emotions is the fact that more than half my friends do not like Justin, whatsoever. I think the phrase used in place of his name is “douche,” and it is really annoying. One of the reasons I want to work in the music business and with young artists in particular is so I can watch them grow. We watch musicians, actors, anyone in the public eye grow up and everyone handles things differently and it just really upsets me that because people in the media pick on him like he’s…well I don’t know, an easy target or something, blow up ridiculous stories and feed it to a gullible public–AND THEY FREAKING BELIEVE IT.
C’mon you guys.
Another thing is that it makes me thing of his first movie, which I absolutely love to this day. I want to watch it but it’s at my apartment in LBK. 😦 I feel like I’m even more ready to go home now, so that I can watch it, haha. If you haven’t seen his movie, I’d definitely recommend it. It really shows who he is, or was, however you want to put it. (For the record, I think it is “who he is.”)
So this is me sticking up for Justin Bieber like I actually know him. Which I feel like I do at least a little, but hey, it’s fine.
But yes! So since I haven’t been home/in a setting that allows me to sit down and listen and learn some new music, I really need to know what I should be checking out! That way, when the day comes I’ll have a whole list of bands/artists to drown myself in.
*Note: I started writing this a few days ago, but I didn’t have the chance to post. Sorry for the incorrect tense. Also, read my last blog post to understand the struggle of getting here.
Today marks the third day that I’ve been in Southern California, and even though I’ve been here before–I already don’t want to leave in 11 days.
The vibe of this part of the country just appeals to me in a way that I’ve never experienced anywhere else. It feels like home even though I didn’t grow up here. It feels like I’ve been here all my life, even though I haven’t spent enough time to equal a year here. It feels like everything I’ve ever wanted.
How sappy can I get you guys? Hahah.
Seriously though, have you ever been somewhere that instantly felt like you belonged there? Just me? I know it can’t be.
Every time I come to this captivating city, I wonder how in the hell my parents settled where they did. I know by now that everyone is different and everyone has different preferences, but I still don’t understand why there are people who wouldn’t want to live here.
I guess it’s one of those things that you love so much you don’t understand those that don’t. Whatever, it’s fine.
ANYWAY!
So if you read my last post you know that I almost didn’t make it to CA, but I’m here. Yay!
Day 1
The first day I was here (Sunday)… Is it horrible that I already can’t remember what I did?! Omg! ………………………………….. OH! Okay, so my cousin, also named Ashley, picked me up after a nap and we went to eat at my other cousin, Sarah’s, job. Blaze Pizza. I’ve never heard of it, and I don’t know if it’s just a California thing, but if you are near one and you haven’t been–GO! Soooooooo good. Blaze is in a mall, so after we finished eating we just walked around until Sarah got off work. I went to H&M, MAC, Forever 21 and a few other stores. When Sarah got off….WHAT DID WE DO!????? Oh, we just went to the mall again.
Day 2
THIS WAS MY FAVORITE DAY SO FAR! Sarah and I went to the gym at 7 a.m. and then she took me to Herbalife, which we have in TX I have just never been, and oh my word. It was so good, I need to look up where the one in LBK is located. Then we went back to her house, rested for a while then got ready to go to THE GRAMMY MUSEUM CAN YOU HEAR MY EXCITEMENT THROUGH THESE TYPED CHARACTERS?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!
If you aren’t quite sure why I was/am so excited about this:
1. I love music with all my heart
2. The museum has a Taylor Swift exhibit
3. I love Taylor Swift like she is my best friend
4. I love The Grammy’s
5. I love music with all my heart … Yup.
Basically, this was the highlight of my trip thus far.
Day 3
We planned to go to South Coast Mall, which Ashley told me had Topshop and Zara and a lot of the major designer stores. Sarah and I were going to go to the beach while Ashley was at work, but we didn’t end up going because she got off super early and we had to rush to get ready.
Ashley picked us up and we ran over to Goodwill to look for mason jars, her apartment so she could get unratchet (hahaha), went to a mall that kind of sucked I’m not going to lie, went to a two story Target where I picked up the physical copy (obviously) of LiveSOS. And you know what’s weird about that? A few seconds after I picked it up, my phone lit up with this notification:
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you hear my excitement, again? I thought it was completely insane because earlier the band tweeted this:
And I sort of just brushed it off because usually they DM people who they follow and they are not following me, so I was SOOOOO confused. I texted/called a few friends to see if they got it and they didn’t so I literally feel so special.
I hid in the magazine isle of Target and watched the video that was linked to the message and got emotional, there I said it.
After Target we went to get A’s car an oil change, walked to Quick & Easy? Fast & Easy? Some health food store, Starbucks, then back to the oil change place.
Then we went to pick up my nephew, Andre, then we went to Southcoast Mall where all the fancy shmancy people go.
I went to Zara and picked up two shirts, which I am completely excited and obsessed about.
THENNNNNN, Ashley suggested we go to this place on Sunset Boulevard called Bossa Nova, which. Omg. Can we just take a moment.
Best salad I’ve ever had in my life and I’m not even lying. I want to lift the restaurant from the ground and place it right next to my apartment complex in LBK.
After we drove down Hollywood Boulevard on the way home. Now I’m writing this on the couch with blurry contacts. Hahahah. Okay well now I’m going to go to sleep. I feel oddly awake so I don’t know how that is going to work out. It might be because of the two–TWO–Venti quad nonfat iced vanilla lattes I had today. Whoops.
Day 4
Today is the end of Day 4 and I’m sitting in bed listening to Sam Hunt’s “Break Up In A Small Town” and it’s crazy how different this song feels in Los Angeles. I feel like if I walked outside and asked 19 people if they knew this song, maybe one would say yes.
Isn’t it weird thinking that?
Today was pretty chill in the event category. Sarah, Ashley and I went to a few stores to Christmas shop. I was introduced to dd’s which is like the west coast version of Ross Dress For Less, even though they also have Ross’ here. It’s more of a hunt, but I love it. Later we went to Ashley’s to eat pizza and watch the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, which I surprisingly liked and laughed a lot at.
Day 5
So today I just kind of chilled. My cousin Sarah and I went to Blaze to eat, went to yet another mall and then back to her house.
What’s funny and a little weird is that she had to work at 7 p.m. and kept saying we should go back because traffic. So yeah, we went back tot he house at about 3 p.m. and then she left shortly after. I said weird, because dude. If you want to go see your boyfriend or friends, then go. I don’t like feeling like people think I need them by my side every second of every moment. I’m a big girl. I just said “LOL” in my head and almost just typed it, and now I’m telling you, so.
But yeah. Then when Nena (my aunt) came home she asked if I wanted to go to a boat parade. Daniel, Sarah’s brother, drove and I sat in front with him and it felt normal.
I just had this feeling like I was used to spontaneously deciding to go to a boat show.
Longview has balloon glows and Newport Beach has boat shows. If you’re wondering which one I like better, it’s the boats.
Traffic on the way there was a tad bit crazy, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle if I had been driving.
Traffic and parking was insane once we got closer to the boat show. We drove around for maybe half an hour, which included stopping at two parking lots one of which was for ‘members only’ the other was full, a liquor store to use a bathroom they didn’t have, continued driving around and finally we went back to the liquor store just to park and then scour the various little places behind it to find a bathroom. Which we finally found. While searching for the bathrooms we ended up seeing a ton of boats, so the whole trip wasn’t wasted. Back at the car we tried a little longer to find parking, then after a few full lots we just decided to call it and go eat somewhere.
We went to Spectrum Irvine, which is like an outside mall. It was reallyy nice and had a ferris wheel, carousel and a ton of stores I wish we had in LBK.
I didn’t really want to eat at a restaurant we have in Texas, but settled on The Cheesecake Factory because Daniel seemed really excited about it. Hahahah. Oh goodness.
I ate Chicken Belagio and it was delish. As always.
As we were making our way back to the car I spotted Brandy Melville and NEEDED to stop and look. I bought this very cute ring and wanted to buy the rest of the store, but I already spent most of my LA money. Sad day.
Last Tuesday (Nov. 25) The Veronicas released their self-titled album ‘The Veronicas’ and my entire existence has changed forever.
Now, the title of this post isn’t me being prissy, it’s the title of Track 2. But to answer their rhetorical question–YES! I missed twin sisters Jessica and Lisa Origliasso with my whole heart.
I definitely was a fan of The Veronicas when they put out their first album ‘The Secret Life Of…’ (4ever is still my jam, like every day) and their second album ‘Hook Me Up,’ and a few weeks ago I began listening to them nonstop. This was before their single “You Ruin Me” was even announced, so you can imagine my ecstatic excitement when the single was released.
Honestly, I can’t remember if along with the single, news of a new album was announced, but whether it was or was not–Ashley Morales was the happiest person on the planet.
Singles usually mean a new album, or testing the waters to see where the artist are more popular.
As you may or may not know,
The road to getting this album was not the smoothest. The last new music we got from Jess and Lisa was “Lolita” which was released through Sire and Warner Bros., along with their previous two albums. But after several delays in the release of their third album and label conflict, The Veronicas broke their contract with them.
In 2014, the heavens rang and they signed a new major record deal with Sony Music Entertainment to release and promote the album. It happened pretty quickly! I don’t know the exact date they signed with SME, but to release a well written and produced album in the 11th month, is pretty outstanding. To me anyway.
I did two videos that show my reaction to the album and a few comments along the way.
Part 1
Part 2
If you like the videos, please give them a thumbs up and you could also subscribe to my newbie channel if you’d like! 🙂
Some things I learned after listening to the album more are:
Lisa and Jess co-wrote the entire album. There are times throughout my videos where I’m assume the girls wrote certain songs, but I’m unsure because there are no physical copies anywhere in Lubbock (if you watch you will hear about my absolute struggle to find one!) and the digital copy from iTunes did not consist of a digital booklet. Sad day. Through research I found multiple articles stating the writers of all the songs and Lisa and Jess were listed on every one.
The emotion is on a whole other level. When I was assuming in my videos that Jess and Lisa wrote certain songs, and after finding out they co-wrote the whole album, I was out of my mind. Not because I didn’t think they could, but because then I knew that all the emotion in every song came from them. Every song they poured their souls into.
This album is exactly what I needed. As I said before, I was revisiting my love for The Veronicas before the single and album were announced, but why? Because these women make music that is absolutely 100 percent relatable. This sounds rubbish and common, I know, but think about it… Or rather let me tell you what I think from hours upon hours of thinking about it. Personally, I listen to every genre of music. (I know I have only posted a few artists from somewhat similar genres, but I’m working on it!) My iTunes library ranges from “Girls & Boys” from Good Charlotte to “Party Up In Here” by DMX to “Beautiful” by P.O.D. to “Jesus Take The Wheel” by Carrie Underwood. Seriously you guys, I listen to everything. And something I think we fail to recognize when reading articles praising artists is that the word “relatable” is not overused. Every genre in its entirety has its own complex that differentiates it from all the rest. Nowadays, yes, we have artists who are a mashup of several genres or who have created their own in a certain way, but they have different audiences who live different lives. Basically what I’m saying is that every artist/genre has a different audience and the way they write and present their music somehow relates to their audience.
You can always make a come back. The Veronicas haven’t released a new album since 2007 and they blew me away with this album. The album hasn’t done particularly well in the U.S. (I don’t see it on the Top Albums of iTunes and haven’t heard anything from Billboard about it), but it has done well in Australia, their home country as well as a few other countries. I think (and I’m just me, so) that it’s not all about how well you do in the first week, or whatever. It’s the content of the music. If there isn’t a large population in the U.S. that are fans of The Veronicas, then okay it’s not going to do well, but what I’m worried about is the tour. I pray every day (not joking) that The Veronicas will come to America, at a time where I can travel to see them perform live. It’s an honest tick on my bucket list.
One of my first posts was about The Veronicas, and I decided to make this video because they were on tour with the 5SOS boys for their last three shows of the year and their album is dropping in A WEEK (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) so yes. That was my reason for this.
Plus I love them a lot.
Have a watch:
P.S. If you have a fave song from The Veronicas or anything let me know!
Do I even need to tell you how much I love the music video for “Blank Space” or did you already guess that?
Below are some of my absolute favorite stills (that I screen shot from Vevo) and yes. Just so much yes. The whole production is grand. The costumes, setting, props (even little Olivia!), everything is so detailed and I lalalove details!!
When Taylor is walking down the staircase in the opening, I felt like I was watching a rebellious princess or something.
The photo of Tay and the male interest with dogs in tow, That is just a power couple. Power. Glamour. Couple.
Her red Loub soles on the green grass: love at first site.
In some of her videos, Taylor does this really dramatic slow motion run in a gorgeous dress, and I’m so glad we got to see that in this video. I will never get tired of those shots.
Here comes “crazy” Taylor! Love her long time.
I honestly don’t even know how else to describe this video in words… Well that’s a lie because I made a YouTube video about it. Check it out here:
In my video I explain the process I had to go through before listening to this song, and it doesn’t sound as dramatic as I felt going through it, but it was. I promise.
One of the things I love about this song is the fact that Niall sings the first verse, and he sounds so different. He sounds more grown up, and don’t think his voice has changed, but it’s just the type of music their singing now makes them seem more…mature? Not sure if that’s the exact word I’m looking for, but it definitely fits in my head for now.
All the songs they have released just–make my heart insanely happy and I can’t wait for the album. I don’t know how I’m supposed to wait until Sunday night.
Just know I’m dancing around in my room to this song and will be for the next 10 hours.
Hola amigas/amigos!
This past Sunday, the One Direction boys did a live stream with Google Hangout and reminisced the old days and talked about future ones.
One Direction at their Google Hangout Live Stream on Nov. 9, 2014.
Niall brought up how they used to do videos on the staircase, and my heart completely shattered. Do y’all remember “from the bottom of the staircase, to the top of the world” because I do and I could cry every time I have one of these moments.
The boys also talked about their new album ‘Four’ which drops Nov. 14!
I am sososoooooo excited for the album!
Anyway, here is the video where I talk about the live stream some more!
Today amidst all the One Direction and 5SOS being on Ellen hype, I somehow missed (but not really, because I downloaded it at 10 a.m.) Selena Gomez’s new single from her new album–which I knew nothing about beforehand, so someone please let me know if she had been promoting or teasing new music!
The song isn’t a pop-y/formulated/general song that we are almost used to seeing Selena release, but it’s actually her.
In the video I did to go along with this post, I said something along the lines of how I felt Selena’s previous albums were tests of trying to find who she is as an artist. I definitely think that’s true, but I also need to add that several artists have done this.
My reasoning for artists doing this is because (most) record label don’t make time for artist development. They just want their musicians to pump out album after album without really experiencing life and gathering inspiration to create a work of art that represents them as a person and musician.
I love Sel, don’t get me wrong, but I think this album is going to blow the last few up, up and away.
She’s just so raw in this video, I feel like if she sat down next to me we could have a conversation like we had been friends for 5+ years.
I saw an article where Selena said when she showed Taylor Swift (they’re BFFs if you didn’t know) the video, Taylor just sat there and looked at her then watched it three more times.
That is the exact reaction I would have had/I sort of had.
Watching something for the first time is like walking down the street, but looking at your phone and not your surroundings. You miss so much! Things you see the first time have more meaning the second time, then oh! Did you see that?! I didn’t see that the first time it played!
It’s like an on-going lesson.
When I watched the full video for the first time, I just sat there and stared at the blank screen for a second (partly because I was all by myself and had no one to talk to about it, but mostly because I was in awe). It just wasn’t what I was expecting. I hate to say it, but I was expecting the same thing we’ve been seeing from Selena for the past few years, and it just wasn’t.
It was grown up, mature, emotional, raw, transparent and beautiful.
Something I’ve always noticed in successful artists, is that they all create their work from personal experiences. Whether they felt it themselves or they knew someone who did or they were the outsider looking in on a situation. In any case, they create their work from experiences they have seen/been through first hand.
Selena’s last album, Stars Dance, was stepping in the right direction toward this goal, but it just wasn’t there yet. She’s definitely there now, and I cannot wait to hear more from the album, For You.
Okay so obviously my world has been rocked by Taylor Swift’s album 1989 (see previous posts to laugh at me have a laugh), BUT WAIT THERE IS MORE!!
Taylor slays me, goodness.
All this week she has done promos on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Good Morning America, Late Show With David Letterman, a Scholastic Web Chat, The View and appeared on The Voice and had an iHeart Secret Session.
My social media accounts have been overflowing with posts/pictures/videos of her on all of these shows and my life has never been more exciting. I love seeing everyone love her so much!
It’s constant. Taylor even started the hashtag #taylurking where she stalks her fans and reposts pictures of them with the album and polaroids that come with the deluxe version.
It’s so fun looking at her tweets of fans just like me who enjoy her music so much. I can’t even imagine getting the notification that she tweeted, opening it and seeing one of my pictures. I would be off the wall with complete elation.
I saw the boys on Sept. 21 while they were supporting One Direction’s Where We Are Tour and they were Ah. Maze. Ing. Even though I’m not seeing them in real life, I’m still so excited that they are going to be back and about the media.
Ellen also has a thing on her website where you can write an entry for a chance to travel to the show on the day 5SOS are performing.
Of course I already did it! I actually came across the post while I was in my Principles of Economics class, hahaha. I was so distracted, I have absolutely no idea what CPI’s are, but I remember seeing those letters on the board. Whoops.
Anyway, I always enter these kind of things, but nothing happens and it’s okay. I get excited just by entering, because it’s like, “Okay… It could happen… Small chance but it could.”
It’s like .000001 percent chance of these things happening to a person, but on the day the boys are on the show I’m going to be so excited sitting in my room and watching them and the lucky winner.
Then a few days later on Nov. 17 their “Good Girls” Ep is hitting iTunes (the same day as One Directions fourth studio album “Four” and I’m guessing 5SOS will be ahead of them on the charts, but we’ll seeeeeeee!) and a new song is on it!!!!
I can’t even describe my excitement. I’m curious as to how the “Good Girls (Single Version)” is different from the one on the album. I listened to it over and over trying to guess what they would take out, but I have no idea. Also very excited for the Live From The iTunes Festival version!! Live versions of anything are my absolute favorite. They’re just so raw and unique.
“Long Way Home (Acoustic)” ummm… I’m not going to be able to breathe really.
THEN THE NEW SONG “Just Saying” I don’t know what I’m going to do when this song comes out. The boys posted a sneak peek on their Instagram and it sounds amazing! As always, why am I surprised.
Before I go (to economics, ew) since it’s Thursday I thought I would post some throwbacks!
Enjoy,
Ash xx
I met these guys in line, and they actually got invited to Club Red! So happy for them!
Awhhhh!!!
Pano of the crowd during Taylor’s B-Stage performance on May 25, 2014 at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas.
Michael Clifford, Luke Hemmings, Calum Hood and Ashton Irwin perform on Sept. 21 at the Alamodome in support of One Direction on the Where We Are Tour.
Made this shirt at 2 a.m. on my bathroom floor, because I needed a shirt to express life after 1989.
Because of my undeniable love of Taylor Swift, naturally, after I stayed up until almost 4 a.m. listening to her unimaginably breathtaking album and making this shirt on my bathroom floor, I woke up at 7 a.m. to make a Target run!
The polaroids on my mirror were included in the 1989 DLX album. Also my tattooed wrist says “Fearless.”
Usually waking up with only three-ish hours of sleep is not an easy thing to do for me, but this bright, crisp Oct. 27 morning was different.
When I awoke to the sound of “Blank Space” playing from my iPhone, I wasn’t blindly slapping around for my phone to snooze my alarm. I was jumping out of bed and dancing to the beat of the song I found love for only a few hours earlier.
In honor of the day, of course I had to wear a Taylor shirt!
The one I wore was available at Walgreens two years ago during the promotion/release of Red. It actually was a gift from a friends mom who surprised me with it, because she knew how much I love Taylor.
Friends’ parents are the best.
Two of my very best friends and I have a group message and a lot of times we send each other videos. We all live across the state of Texas, so doing this makes us feel closer. Here are the videos of my morning adventure to purchase the deluxe version of 1989 that I sent to them.
This is a video of three snapchats I sent to friends and added to my snapstory after listening to the album a few times.
Now You Are In Love (with Taylor Swift), you’re welcome,
Collage Of My Mind 