#aka the lead singer of Tool

[the-writing-mobster]

What's Mobby been listening to for the last few weeks straight? You didn't ask, but I'm gonna show you anyway —

Anyway, that's it. Just thought I'd share. 🤭 Just know that the author of your favorite fics (just go with it) is a die hard goth.

[ashxketchum]

More self indulgent posting for Beyblade because why not- LET'S TALK ABOUT CAMP HALF BLOOD AU!!!

Picrew credit

First up my beloveeeed Tyson, aka son of Zeus. Being the son of the King of Gods of course he's blessed with a lot of abilities, but his control over the winds and lightning is the most powerful tool under his belt. He loses his mother when he's about 9 to mysterious circumstances which aren't clarified to him until much later. His stepfather at the time doesn't care for him much and sends him to a military school for problematic kids where he spends two years avoiding monsters until finally he runs away and makes it to Camp Half-Blood. It takes a few months for Zeus to claim him, till then he spends time at Cabin 11 (Hermes) where he makes fast friends with Charlie (OC). After he is claimed and assigned his first quest, he discovers during the quest that his mother just didn't die a mysterious natural death, but was murdered because of a plot instilled by Hera and then swears that he'll never answer to the goddess' call or prophecy (which proves almost fatal to him in the future as well). His sword-fighting skills are topnotch, thanks to his maternal grandfather a kendo specialist, who comes looking for him after he finishes a year at Camp Half-Blood and takes him in during the school year since then.

Hilary is the daughter of Athena and has been around at the camp the longest as her father her dropped her there when she turned 5 and didn't try to reconnect with her until she was much older. Despite many other kids being older than her, she's still the most sought-after for advice regarding quests because her strategic thinking is almost unparalleled within Cabin 6, however, she isn't allowed to join her first quest until Tyson rolls into the camp. She's sceptical of his presence because a child of the Big Three never not comes with problems but warms up to him eventually after they successfully complete a quest together. She understands his dislike towards Hera but tries to maintain a good relationship with the goddess herself, which eventually leads to them being dragged into a quest at the behest of Hera. This creates a big divide between her and Tyson, after the quest is over and the two go back for the school year, they don't keep in touch at all and don't speak to each other until the next summer. She's good with any kind of weapon, being the daughter of Athena, but prefers a bow and arrow.

Kai is the oldest camper and is the son of Ares. He's mostly quiet and barely noticeable around the camp until a battle comes by where you might hear his infamous scream that stops everyone in their tracks for a full minute helping him gain full control of the battlefield. He has very faint pyrokinetic abilities as well, but they only activate during stressful situations. Ares is also very open about claiming Kai as his favourite kid. His preferred weapon is a sword, and he's in charge of conducting the sword fighting lessons at the camp.He prefers to take solo quests despite Chiron's many attempts to team him up with other kids, and his first quest as a team is with Tyson (Tyson's 3rd Quest) when they're prepping to infiltrate a monster army base led by the Titans, but the two often butt heads and end up half failing the mission, leading a handful of monsters back to the camp which turns the whole camp into a warzone when they're not prepared for it. The only thing the two agree on is their dislike for Hera and the need to smash monsters into dust.

Now I thought a lot about Max but finally decided to make him a son of Apollo instead of Poseidon because he matches up so well with Will Solace in terms of personality and because with the stupidity/rashness levels of Tyson & Kai, they need a healer in the group. Apart from being one of the strongest Healers from Cabin 7, Max is also a talented archer and singer, and the most popular boy in Camp Half-Blood. Apollo is very openly proud of him and gifts him a magical quiver that never runs out of arrows after he completes his first-ever quest with Tyson and Hilary.

Charlie (OC) is the daughter of Hermes and usually prefers to sit out quests. She claims she's more interested in helping around at the Camp rather than monster fighting, but the truth is that after losing her sister (from her mortal parent) while making her way to Camp Half-Blood, she's just afraid that she's not strong enough to protect anyone else. The Oracle however picks her as the lead for a quest that requires stealing back important magical items from the Titan's monster army and through that quest Charlie is finally able to get over her fear of questing. She's friends with almost every Cabin and is usually the mastermind behind every major prank that happens at the Camp. She's a Capture the Flag expert and every year she makes other Cabins bid for Cabin 11's support using camp chores as leverage.

Rei arrives at the camp very late, and although his mother, Nemesis claims him instantly, since there is no cabin at the time for minor gods, he bunks at Cabin 11. He prefers not to divulge any information about his life outside of Camp Half-Blood which makes everyone at the camp naturally more curious towards him. He has his mother's blessing of perpetual good luck which makes him the most sought out companion for quests. Despite his cool demeanour and usually balanced outlook on life, Tyson notices that Rei doesn't really enjoy being bunkmates with Cabin 11 and at first, Tyson's protests for getting a Cabin in Nemesis's name aren't heard so he invites Rei to sleep at Cabin 1 which is obviously empty apart from Tyson. This doesn't sit well with anyone, but especially not with Hilary since it's breaking a major rule and tradition, and only sours things further between her and Tyson. Rei is grateful however for having more space for himself and he mentions this to Nemesis during one of his offerings, which ends up making the Goddess fond of Tyson as well so she always tries to make sure good luck is on his side. His preferred choice of a weapon is a dagger, though he does well with a sword as well.

[I don't think I need to spell out the ships since they're obvious but uh TyHil, KaixOc and ReiMax are endgame though there is a bit of drama involved with Mao and Mathilda (Aphrodite's daughters) in the middle.]

[sugar-petals]

Can you teach me about music pls? I feel so dumb after reading your review on butter?

here go some essentials on what you can most definitely use looking at your favorite group/ biases, 

voice types. 

advanced music theory is insightful, but complex bordering abstract, and only talks about notes on paper rather than the singers we love. knowing about voices is a game changer and 100% worthwhile to talk about in the fandom. 

vocal types are classified by “tessitura” aka the comfortable range of the singer, resulting in three categories that most of you have likely heard about. 

1. tenor/soprano (highest)

2. baritone/mezzo-soprano (midrange)

3. bass/contralto (lowest)

DISCLAIMERS. 

- specification. this isn’t the whole story. there are dozens of subcategories to detail how exactly the person sounds (light, full, agile, rich, dark, versatile, powerful, or dramatic). each having their own even more distinct range and strengths. so, there’s a lot of individualism and variety to it still. we maintain the overview keeping it simple with three main categories, but seeming outliers find their home and songs to sing as well. even confusing voices are settled somewhere. e.g. nct’s taeyong being a light baritone.

- voices in between. especially because there are also intermediate voice types! like the bass-baritone or baritenor. the french also use the dugazon and falcon like aretha franklin who are hybrids of mezzo and soprano, being dark-colored female voices of a higher range: one brighter (=called the soubrette, like britney spears), the other more dramatic. but you’ll have your most important tools by knowing the three categories already. 

- outdated types. some older systems originating in baroque opera with its castrated singers (...yeah) even include the so-called countertenor as an even higher male voice. it is actually just a use of falsetto (more about registers and techniques below) rather than a voice you’re born with. jimin is often called a countertenor, whereas he is simply a tenor with well-executed upper registers and a light tone.

NOW SOME HISTORICAL CONTEXT:

analyzing weight, color, and range, voice types organized as a ‘fach’ (= compartment) came from the opera, italy and germany most notably, hence all the foreign terms. they were not just used to give singers the part where their voice resonates the most, but also to typecast. so, transferring these terms to modern pop doesn’t always work: since a fach is often connected to a theatric role.

sopranos and tenors were often teens, young royals, heroes, or protagonists. hence it’s where the attention, credit and money goes. the deeper voices could be mentoring figures, authority of all kind e.g. older kings and queens, fantasy figures, or antagonists. example, all the leads in mozart’s magic flute classic are high voices. so, very determined by associations of good VS bad and young VS old, on top of protagonists VS supporting cast.

VOICE TYPES THESE DAYS:

it seems like that protagonist trend carried on to pop music since the 1970s. the higher voices still dominate the mainstream headed by ariana grande, sopranos like rosalía or billie eilish and tenors like the weeknd continue to burst into the spotlight. tenors and sopranos are very sought-out in k-pop, too. sometimes, that bias goes as far as equating high notes with good skill solely.

the deeper voices are often more niche (e.g. florence welch, mezzo) and in specific genres unless beyoncé or lady gaga are concerned. your mezzo or baritone has to be highly skilled and coloratura (=flexible) to keep up in pop. then again, many midrange vocal types are crazy versatile, while altos and basses are shockers in their voice quality and rarity, like stray kids’ felix. 

and yes, gladly: there’s a very recent surge in more mezzos as well headed by dua lipa. and, those who sing aptly can build great careers like p!nk, miley, and xtina. in fact, since midrangers have to train more while at the same time being less prone to vocal damage, they often stick around. the same goes for baritones whose depth garners a lot of attention, too, even if it’s just for their speech rather than singing. yoongi is a notorious example, i’ve talked about his immense potential in the lower range.

regardless, all the big groups have a tenor/soprano vocal line, exo being the most-named example (chen, baekhyun, kyungsoo, suho) as well as mamamoo (hwasa, solar, wheein). it’s rare to see mezzos and baritones head any group, harry styles is a more known exception, a baritone with light timbre. higher voices are heard more easily, pop requires that kind of range. meanwhile, lady gaga could easily pull off jazz. 

mezzos, soubrettes and baritones often rap like namjoon, lisa, or moonbyul — believing they could not sing. but in reality, the pitch is just too high for their tessitura. as rihanna being a mezzo did, most lower voice types give up music from strain since they train to sound like tenors and sopranos rather than carving out their own genre. someone like johnny cash as a famous bass singer successfully did despite being very unique (or actually because of it) — so, it is very possible, and fantastic on the ear anyway.

you can see where each vocal type is the most easily expressed here looking at the piano. you don’t need to know the notes, the illustration can be undertstood without. the ranges span over three octaves (octa = eight notes) usually.

but: keep in mind the average person covers usually one octave and a bit more untrained. k-pop/pop singers might govern two. the experts and divas/divos go beyond 3 (axl rose, mariah, prince, xtina etc, ranked here). these graphics simply show how far the 6 voices generally can be trained without pushing them. you could hit the note in some way, and it’d be audible.

since i talked about belting and chest voice, it’s best to give you an intro for the registers of the voice and show you where the three types have their strengths. there’s a whole lot of explanations about what your vocal chords to to produce sounds XYZ, but to keep the registers VERY simple:

...and as the extremes you can extend it lower with a rasp that’s called vocal fry, and higher to extend the chest/modal voice into belts, falsetto OR to get whistle notes that ariana grande and mariah carey are known for. the mixed voice brings chest and head voice together and connects the registers evenly.

tenors sound clear and do both head voice and falsetto well. skilled singers like jungkook and chen can eclipse all upper registers except whistles (which i think jin might be capable of though). a tenor’s weakness: possible nasal quality, screechiness, or inaudible lower registers unless they are a baritenor. if they sing off pitch, it’s noticed instantly, hence musicality is something they do best with working on as beginners. baekhyun had that problem early in his career, but keeps on approaching the pitch and can raise his voice astronomically high. EXAMPLES: onew, taemin, seokjin, ten, haechan, taeil, j-hope

baritones project well, great chesty tone, very rich. dark and deep, soothing to the ear. easy time with vocal fry. being in midrange the voice is quite flexible, though never as resounding and accurate in the heights. stretching the chest voice upward is the hardest for them, baritones often try to yell rather than exercise control — learning to mix and strengthening the head voice is key. most common voice along men. EXAMPLES: yoongi, key, taehyung, jaehyun, lucas, minho, chanyeol

basses are booming and do all the low registers well while struggling with falsetto and making their head voice resonant, or connecting with it in the first place. they are most comfortable as a foundation for an ensemble like avi kaplan as a former part of the pentatonix. extremely full, extremely powerful timbre. rarest voice among guys, sadly not much repertoire for it. EXAMPLES: felix, bang yongguk, leedo, mingi

sopranos have the widest range and can reach whistle notes the easiest, sounding bright and ringing, sometimes even operatic. yes, like tenors, here is the high note factory. ellie goulding’s head voice, need i say more. their weakness: not being able to project in the middle voice, plus strain and suffering vocal damage. they don’t carry heaviness and power with the ease of contraltos unless they are spinto sopranos (which can be mistaken for mezzos). the lower range is extremely hard to reach, their fullness is in the upper octaves where they usually have great support and volume, especially with classic training. sopranos are the most common female voice by far. EXAMPLES: taeyeon, boa, iu, jessica, wendy, ailee, jennie, rosé

mezzos are smoky and can go a little lower and a little higher. they have the midrange bonus — a strong, flexible middle voice. where they struggle is often control and projecting the head voice as much. another problem is attempting soprano octaves which can make their joice crack or shriek. only coloratura mezzos like beyoncé can reach that range without huge efforts. those mezzos can do melisma well, moving the tone with runs. they aren’t too audible in lower ranges either unless they are dramatic mezzos with heavy tones which borders the contralto. the healthy middle works best and sounds the richest, especially for lyric mezzos who are neither at the high or low mezzo range. EXAMPLES: jessi, CL, lee hi, cheetah, jisoo, yiyeon, yuqi, dami

contraltos have imposing, powerful, deep chest voices. their large tone is unique and not often found, see cher. like basses, reaching the head voice and coloratura (agility) can be rather difficult for them. they can belt, but need to stay away from too many high notes — they will be thinner and raspy, and the middle voice stark and metallic. rather, their best pick is a velvety, smooth song, often slower. they can easily sing in a tenor’s range and drown out a whole orchestra. EXAMPLES: none found in k-pop yet. sade, amy winehouse, tracy chapman, grace jones, and annie lennox are often named.

so, that’s the overview folks! it goes much more into detail than that, even more, but this will equip you well for the start with terminology and an idea. love discussion of vocal types, hope you also found it enlightening. i can’t categorize all idols but the examples can get you into how the 3 main types sound like, and you can likely understand your biases’ musical journey and vocal strengths/qualities a lot more. if you wanna correct or add or ask something, i’ll see you in the replies 👋

[stuckinapatriarchalbullshitland]

PR stunt relationships - ɟ

🎶🎶 Guess who’s back, back, back? Back again, gain, gain 🎶🎶

Heeello, my babies! 🥰 How are you? I hope you’re all fine and that you’re staying strong since, as we knew and expected, they’re literally attacking us every day with these PRs. And today’s topic is precisely about this. PR-stunt relationships.

What do I know about- What do I know about love? Nothing. And that’s why it’s everything. Sorry, I had to 😅🤣. Shout-out to ‘What Do I Know About Love?’ by CC. No but, seriously tho. What do I know about a PR stunt relationship? Again, I’m not an expert on the subject. I know as much as you do, plus, maybe a little bit more due to my research over the years.

🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁

PR stunt relationship, also known as PRomance, showmance, fauxmance (👈🏽 cover for celebrities who are both queer), and also as 🤫😂 ‘extremely camera-ready relationship’. I can personally define a PR as a work of persuasion. Picture PR people as shapers, as narrators, as storytellers, because that’s what they do. Whether it’s for protection, or to build or rebuild an image, or simply for promotion, they analyze the situation in order to create the best publicity/narrative/farce that benefits their client. They each have their own vision. Each of them has a plan that they sometimes tend to repeat with other clients because it works. Take as an example our friend Scooby Doo Sc**ter (Br**n), who is making it increasingly normal and common for his clients to use engagement rings as narratives.

A PR stunt relationship is nothing more than a PUBLICITY STUNT, as the word itself implies, aimed to get people and media attention. Publicists and celebrity management managers set up a fake public relationship to make fans and the general public believe it’s true. To give the couple more credibility, also friends, family, and artists friends of the couple get involved many times. To give you a practical example, let’s take PRen Tyren. They were at least 80% involved in each other’s lives.

Think about their birthdays and all the friends and families involved. Think about when Tymber even went to Graciela’s birthday, L’s great grandmother. Think about Tyres and brother Jauregui (who even made a song out of it with him). Think about L and Angel Gold (his sister). Think about L and Jailynn (his daughter). Think about The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, aka Tyren and, I think they were called Galsey? (Halsey and G-Eazy). Think even about Dinah who was part of the PR. I mean, you got it, right?

This type of business, whether involves the music industry, the film industry, the sports industry, etc., works this way for EVERYONE. They get at the same goal but with different tactics for each individual person, and they give a damn if in the meantime the person, their client, is bullied, or hated, or if they receive death threats, or if they start having anxiety problems, panic attacks, mental or physical health problems, etc. They don’t give a shit about their well-being in general. It’s just business to them. They’re just money with two legs. Can you picture a rolled-up dollar with two legs, can’t you? Good, because that’s what they are. Products. Products to sell.

There’s a very strict contract that both parties have to mutually agree on, and this contract is called a relationship contract. A relationship contract is a legally binding document for the duration of at least one year. It’s very VERY own custom-made because they write down what do they want to happen, then the duration (which can be extended) and the termination, and all the other things that each of them wants to include. The duration of a contract obviously varies from person to person and can depend on many things. But the main thing is that, it depends on the type of goal they want to achieve thanks to it.

For example, if the purpose is purely publicizing, such as the promotion of an album, or a movie, or whatever else, the relationship will last only for the necessary time that it takes to increase the interest of the public and indeed, to publicize the project. Another example could be when they want to hide the sexuality of one of the two people in the couple or both. Here, the duration of the contract could reach up to years, and could even lead to fake marriages.

We have examples of people who have done this to promote movies/sagas/franchises: Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens. We have examples of people who have done this to promote TV series: Blake Lively and Penn Badgley, Lili Reinhart and Cole Sprouse, Chad Michael Murray and Sophia Bush. We have examples of people who have done this to hide their true sexuality: Ricky Martin & Rebecca De Alba (for 17 motherfucking years), TS and.. and-and-and EVERYONE. We have examples of people who have done this to increase their notoriety, but then fell in love for real despite being super toxic for each other: Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez. We even have examples of real couples who have been asked to go public to boost ratings and publicize their show more than it already was per se: Lea Michele and Cory Monteith. [Yes, my friends, even real couples do PR stuff for publicity purposes]

Celebs fake relationships for profits. Profits such as more fame, more fans, more acquaintances, whether they were made together or thanks to or of the ‘partner’ themselves based also on the industry fields to which they are part, more freedom in other aspects of their life, both work and private, etc., and of course, money. The money profit received varies. It varies according to the duration (especially if they’re many years), to what they’re supposed to do, such as how many times they’re forced to kiss (yes, guys, that also counts), to the amount of time they have to spend together, aka being seen together, etc. It also and above all vary, based on how famous they are, or if one of them is not famous at all, or if one of them is more famous than the other. It’s obvious that the more famous the person is, the more money they receive. Both parties benefit from it, but the person who ACCEPTED to do the PR is obviously paid more also based on the notoriety they have as I told you. Here we start with a minimum of $5,000 received per month. The figure can also reach disproportionate numbers with five/six zeros per year.

It’s enough to think that 75/80% of all famous couples are fake. They gain more attention and ultimately, more money, and at the same time, fans and GP can witness an exciting ‘love story’ filled with drama, gossip, rumors, mysteries, and if they decide to end their story on a negative note, even with the possible and eventual shade-throwing which in turn leads to more attention, more gossip, etc., etc. Exactly how the teams on both sides wanted. You have to keep in mind that teams have the power in this case. It’s the PR teams who hold the power over the media to control the narrative, and not the other way around.

There are also many factors involved to keep in mind. People involved. We have friends, parents, paparazzi, and all those other people the celeb team involves to make the story look as believable as possible. For example, you know when the media say it was a source who gave them the news? Well, that’s the truth. Think about it. Those sources and those insiders are really insiders because they’re part of the team. They are those people who work for them and who release information, whether true or fake, to follow the narrative decided for the plan. Speaking instead of another topic that I’ve noticed in many asks. Paparazzi.

I don’t know if you know how paparazzi usually work, but especially the old-fashioned stalker type ones, are not known to hold back, in fact, on the contrary, they go way too far beyond the limits. Some of them know where the celebrities might be based on how popular the location is (clubs, restaurants, etc., where celebs often go), or other times, they’re called by waiters, valets, drivers, etc., etc. It’s a pretty aggressive and competitive industry, and paparazzi do everything they can to get images of famous people to sell to a newspaper or a magazine or on Instagram. There are differences between those in the US, those in Europe, etc. Many are also easy to control since eight times out of ten, it’s an organized thing.

As we well know, most of the time, the paparazzi are told where to be and when, probably by the celebrity’s PR agency itself. It’s ALL for publicity. Publicity of any kind. To promote a movie if it’s an actor, to promote an album if it’s a singer, to be noticed if that person’s project was a flop, for fake relationships or to ‘cover’ the real ones if one of the two is in a relationship that is not seen in a good light and therefore doesn’t suit the public eye, or if one of the two or both of them are queer. Seriously, for everything. And so they have paparazzi following them around so it looks like they’re more popular than they actually are, and the celebrities who make me laugh the most are those who, after calling them, act like the paparazzi were following them everywhere, some even getting angry and taking it out on them.

But it must also be said that celebrities who really don’t want the paparazzi’s attention, make sure that this doesn’t happen. Unlike the ones who want them and even have them called. There are many celebrities who want their pictures taken because, as we also know, any publicity is good publicity. These celebrities know how it works and not only accept that the paparazzi are part of the business, but use them as a tool for their publicity. It’s just business for them and a new opportunity to look good in magazines. They want to be in control of their image and in this way, they have it.

Also, some brands pay celebs to wear their clothing or accessories while out and about, and those staged shots that look like candid of a celebrity leaving a restaurant or a store, actually have multiple purposes, namely: celebrity endorsement of the product, big check for the celebrity for wearing the item, collaboration between the celebrity and paparazzi to get nice shots that look natural and random from which the celebrity then selects the ones they prefers, and image sales for the paparazzi agency. Everyone gets paid and everyone is happy.

Another thing to take into consideration? Depending on the celebrity’s profession, even their own contracts. In the sense that most of their contracts involve fake relationships. It also depends on the image that the celeb has and whether they’re trying to hide their sexuality. From this, their contracts can include a minimum of two PRs, or five, or eight, or even one that lasts for many years. They can also state that the same person with whom the celebrity has already had a PR in the past, may be again in the future. I’ll give you a practical example.

Imagine yourselves and a friend as a celebrity, okay? You guys are singers and your friend is an actor. You’ve just signed a 3-album deal lasting 5 years (meaning you have 5 years to complete and release 3 albums), and your friend an 8-year movie saga contract (let’s imagine 3 movies). Now let’s imagine that there are clauses in both your contracts that also include fake relationships. Your contract has two, and your friend’s contract has five, including one with one of their co-stars. Both of you must, ABSOLUTELY, have the number of PRs chosen for you over the course of those years, otherwise, you’re gonna be forced not only to fight a lawsuit that you will lose because you haven’t respected the contract, but also to pay a penalty that can reach up to six figures.

Doesn’t this ring a bell? Now do you also understand why Ca*ren, and most of the other celebrities, are forced to have PR stunt relationships? Because they have to! Because it’s part of their contracts if they want to keep doing what they do. Many of them have a say. They can decide whether or not to accept the person chosen for them, they can choose a person themselves, they can negotiate something in return if they accept a person they didn’t want, etc., etc. But many have no say in it.

And speaking of our Camr*n, more specifically, our L, and Kris. Guys… All the comments I’ve read around… *help* 🤦🏻🤦🏻🤦🏻

L didn’t invite Kris there because he’s her boyfriend. And it certainly wasn’t her the one who asked her dad to delete the post because she didn’t want her fans to start attacking her new boyfriend or because she wanted to protect her relationship. IT WAS ALL DONE ON PURPOSE. Mi*e posted the picture and then deleted it ON PURPOSE! Why? Because (L and Kris’ teams) wanted the fans to see the picture to speculate! They wanted the fans to start attacking him! They want people to talk about it!! Is that really that hard to understand or to believe? Welcome to Tyren 2.0, my friends. That’s how it started with Taco Delivery Symbol, or did you forget that too? Go read the timelines if you really don’t remember.

I’ve lost count of how many times they’ve put off releasing L’s album over the years. They’d finally decided, and then it was postponed AGAIN, but because of COVID. EVERYONE had to postpone their programs actually, but L’s album was supposed to be released 100% this year (in September, in my opinion). Her PR should have started earlier. This is the only reason we have only had hints of Crispy McBacon (I’ve already found so many nicknames for his transphobic ass, sorry but I just can’t help myself) over time. Because they have postponed several times! *And also because, in my opinion, they were still looking for an alternative. The choice had to be between a guy (him) and a girl.*

But hey, at least they have an excuse to make this PR more real, you know? I’m already picturing what she’ll say because we all know the script by now: “Kris and I’ve been dating for a while now. I’m a private person. My personal life is my personal life and I want to protect my shit, you know? I don’t like it when people judge my life choices and that’s why I’ve never talked about it before. And I’d like it to stay that way”. Picture me shouting a “SURE, JAN!” when that happens, also because we will then slowly have more and more of their content. Aww, I’m already picturing them playing fake lovebirds and talking to each other in Spanish IN FRONT of a camera, in a live or an Insta-story maybe? 🤮🤮🤮

And speaking of postponed programs…

This is my version of how things could’ve turned out for our oh so beloved IwanttobeknownMila. Keep these dates in mind. Shon Mentos: The Tour, started on March 7, 2019, and ended on December 21, 2019. The Romance Tour, was supposed to start on May 26, 2020, and end on September 26, 2020.

They could’ve released Shirt’s documentary around the beginning of the Romance Tour. They could’ve made them break up almost at the end of the Romance Tour. He would’ve completed the album now, to then releasing it in January or February almost simultaneously with Cinderella’s release.

Why all this? Simple, cross-publicity or cross-promotion or whatever you want to call it. Choke recently said that they’d initially finished filming at the end of his tour and that they had to cut out a lot of parts. And what does all this mean? That the original documentary was another one.

In my opinion, the original was supposed to about his life on tour and only a small part, sneak peeks about the creation of Wonder. Instead, thanks to COVID, they changed direction and made it all about his album. The reason why they had to cut a lot of parts, was to make room for the last few months and therefore to the completion of the album. Which is why I think they finished filming in September/October (if anyone of u knows more, please feel free to let me know).

Without COVID they could’ve released his original documentary more or less around the beginning of the Romance Tour. News, tabloids, and people would’ve talked about them, both for the documentary and for the tour of our Mila= cross-promotion. They could’ve made them break up almost at the end of the Romance Tour. The distance, the misunderstandings, and why not, even the pathetic excuse that Toilet Brush used now when ‘they were in crisis/on a break’, that is, that he hadn’t been opened and vulnerable with her. People would’ve talked about them, Shitmila fans would’ve rebelled and cry their eyes out, news and tabloids would’ve gone crazy for who would tell the story better= cross-promotion. He would’ve completed the album now, with half of the songs he already had (from 3 years) and that he’s using on this album, and a half with songs that would’ve been about his broken heart, to then releasing it in January or February almost simultaneously with Cinderella’s release. Do I need to say this? You can imagine what would’ve happened, right? And what would that have led to? Oh yeah. Cross-promotion!

But anyway, guys, it didn’t happen. Just as we didn’t get L’s album as we hoped. But try to remember one thing, okay? Tyren’s contract started because L needed a new male PR and then they flipped the cards around and continued for him AS AGREED initially. Shakerstoremila’s one, on the other hand, is only and exclusively for HIM. It’s centered on him and will continue to be on him until the end. There’s no point in asking yourselves why Paruparo does this and why Paruparo does that, okay? She HAS TO do it. It’s in her contract and she cannot legally break it if she doesn’t want to face the consequences HER HERSELF has accepted. The sooner you understand this, the sooner you accept it, the sooner you can wait for the end more calmly. It sucks, I know. But that’s the way it is.

I’ve never liked Shon that much in the past. I discovered his existence only and exclusively thanks to Paruparo (IKWYDLS). I’ve always seen him as too fake and with a huge ego. I first became aware of his giant ego during the interview they did in 2015 at The Late Late Show with James Corden. Indeed, I’ve always wondered how someone like Mila could be friends with such an egocentric person. But you know how it is, I just brushed it off because I simply didn’t care about him, and also because at the time (2016 when I officially entered the fandom) the IKWYDLS era was already over for a while. BUT, my first impression of him became very true years later when they started this ridiculous charade.

Not only is he self-centered and with a huge ego, he’s also one of the most fake people I’ve ever seen. Why am I saying this? Because although I don’t know him and consequently, I don’t know if he was already like that before he became famous, Shon is the typical empty celebrity without a personality that has become the role he was set to be in the beginning. The perfect product. They wanted to sell the good guy. The sensitive and different from the others (and that’s where the bullshit of being a ‘singer-songwriter’ came from). And since this idea in itself only partially worked, they made him work on his body so they could sell that too. To sell the unreachable good guy. Superman, as he defines himself 😂. The problem of Shawn and his team, is with people who have not stopped to just look at the fake goody to shoes image that they wanted and want to continue selling.

The way I see him, Shoe’s just a selfish kid. Everything always revolves around him. Everything is and must be about him. He lives to be loved. He lives for the attention. He lives for the approval of others. Everyone must necessarily like him. There’s no one else besides him. Do you know what he reminds me of? He reminds me of a child who asks his mom for attention. ‘Mommy, how did I do? You liked it, didn’t you? Was I good? I can do better if you want, I know I can do better’. I don’t even think he realizes he’s like that because he’s so full of himself and so clouded by himself. Oh and, you know what I’ve been realizing lately? Many of his fans really believe he grew his hair out because Paruparo asked him to (I’d never have believed this bullshit even under torture), but now more than ever I’m convinced that he did it to copy one of his obsessions for years, that is, Matthew McConaughey. My personal problem with this look of his is the fact that he’s now starting to look more and more like Jon Snow (any Game of Thrones fans like me here?), aka one of the characters I can’t stand the most of that amazing TV series. And this, is making me dislike him even more.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that I hate him and that I consider him the devil. In fact, I think there’s a lot but A LOT worse than him out there. I really, REALLY, dislike him, but I don’t hate him. Do I follow him on social media? Yes, but only on IG. Did I listen to his music? Yes, but illegally, and I liked some of his songs because as usual, I distinguish the art from the artist. I’ve never bought his music, I’ve never streamed it, I’ve never gone to one of his concerts, and the only views I’ve ever given him are only for music videos (not even all of them) on YouTube and only because other channels can’t violate copyrights by taking and posting them on their own. Indeed, you know how I’m gonna listen to his album? Thanks to the YouTube channels of his fans who will post his songs.

But anyway. I’ve dwelt too much on #pleasenoticeme #pleaseloveme, I’d say that’s enough. I’m gonna conclude with my final thoughts on the main topic of my post, that is, the fake PR relationships. I wanna explain to u guys why a fake relationship like Shazam’s and our Mila’s is so obvious as PR.

A PR relationship MUST create doubt in people’s heads and MUST NOT look perfect at all. Why? Because otherwise people WOULD NOT TALK ABOUT IT. If it looked like a basic relationship, a common relationship, people wouldn’t talk about it because they wouldn’t find anything strange about it. They wouldn’t speculate, they wouldn’t look for clues, they wouldn’t watch every move. They wouldn’t be thirsty. They’d just get bored. Yes, there would be the initial boom of the ‘new couple’, but then everything would end and people would move on to look for something else to entertain them. The main point of a PR relationship is to make people speculate, and if people don’t constantly talk about it, then it would be all pointless because it would make no sense to create a fake relationship in the first place.

Way to stop this act or any other act? Stop giving them fucking attention! You want to talk about it, speculate, look for evidence, and make theories amongst you friends? Do it! That’s great actually. I do it myself. But fucking tagging them?? 🤨😒🙄

If all the fans who know the real TRUTH stop talking about it by tagging them, tweeting them, etc. their ‘story’ would end. Sure, their teams would try to create something to attract attention again, like a kiss or a scoop, but if ignored even then, everything would end immediately. Why? Precisely because they were unable to complete their task. And in that case, the two celebs would ‘break up’ with a big scandal that would still bring attention back to them, although in this case, the attention would FINALLY be on both celebrities in a singular way and no longer as a couple. The next goal would be for fans and media to find out ‘what happened’ and ‘why’, while for managers it would be to create a scoop on those questions that keep them talking about them, and if all goes well, maybe even get them ‘back together’, and so on, until they have a better idea. But, if they fail even then, even though they’ve not reached the date scheduled in the contract, they would ‘break up’ without any more surprises.

And that’s all for now, my fellows CS. Remember to hold on and to not lose hope. Be patient. And above all, try not to freak out and get very angry as soon as you listen to the album. We already know it’s all bullshit.

I’m sending you a virtual hug 🤗🤗 Always with love, F ❤️

[scnnyfm-old]

chicago’s very own sunshine ‘sunny’ carmichael has been spotted on madison avenue driving a bmw 3 series , welcome ! your resemblance to dua lipa is unreal . according to tmz , you just had your twenty-third birthday bash . your chance of surviving new york is uncertain because you’re sensitive , but being altrustic might help you . i think being a cancer explains that . 3 things that would paint a better picture of you would be the scent of bubblegum, an abundance of house plants, and freshly baked cookies . ( cis female + she/her ) 

helloooooo ghouls, goblins, and everything in between. it’s ya girl aneesa or whatever fun nickname you wanna call me, and this is my child sunny! you can reach me via ims or catch me on discord at 𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐬𝐚 🦋☀#5408

* && 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐬

full name — sunshine carhmichael

nicknames — sunny (preferred name actually)

birthday — july 15

height  — 5′ 8″

age  — twenty-three (23)

pronouns — she/her/hers

occupation(s) — singer, record executive, fashion/cosmetics brand ceo, fashion designer, reality show star, & model

languages spoken — english (barely)

orientation — bisexual

* && 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎ 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑺𝑻𝑶𝑹𝒀 𝑺𝑶 𝑭𝑨𝑹...

sunshine hawthorne grew up in the foster care system, according to the letter her mother left her, she was just a teenager with strict religious parents who threw her out the minute they learned of her pregnancy, and sunshine’s father was nowhere to be seen, and giving sunshine up was easier than living on the streets trying to fend for herself and a child

SEXUAL & PSYCHICAL ABUSE TW growing up in the foster care system was a lot, she bounced from family to family, and the things that happened were unspeakable. sometimes the abuse was physical, emotional, or sexual and it just caused a lot of deep personal trauma for herself that was never resolved

this caused her to become reserved, stuck up for the underdog even if it was at her own expense, just intrinsically unselfish, has always been the mom friend to a fault

she was 10 when she got adopted into an extremely wealthy family, like i’m talking top ten wealthiest families in the states, and suddenly sunny hawthorne became sunny carmichael 

so let’s take a minute to talk about the carmichael’s 

they originate from old money, i’m talking so far back it’s unclear whether or not the money they have was obtained legally or not, this caused her parents to be a little reckless w their spending

her father: sebastian carmichael is the one who inherited the wealth from his father, who inherited it from his father, and the cycle continues, he was addicted to gambling add that to the fact that he was a serial cheater and you have an extremely poor father figure

ALCOHOL & DRUGS TW her mother: davina carmichael was a drug dependent alcoholic who spent all of husband’s money to makeup for the fact that he was cheating on her, started her own billion dollar company from scratch, plans on ‘giving it’ to sunny

the carmichaels were very problematic and all of their scandals were extremely public, in fact the only reason they adopted sunny in the first place was so that they could appear more well-rounded then they were

after that would come give siblings, and it fell upon sunny to take care of all of them, so from a young age she acted extremely mature, learned to fend for herself, and still managed to have a soul flourishing with tender spots

sunny was a gifted kid, not academically, she struggled A LOT, she had trouble paying attention, couldn’t read as well as the other kids. she got teased a lot for being ‘dumb’ and honestly hated it, it’s one of her biggest insecurities to this day. but what she lacked academically she made up for artistically, she was musically inclined, and it was clear that she loved to draw (apparent from all the doodles in the margins of her notebooks)

her family capitalized on this as if she were some sideshow attraction, come see our daughter! look how good she is at painting and doodling! pay us money! and although it made her feel like some trophy the could polish and show off, and this messed up sunshine even more because she knew deep down they didn’t love her

in high school she was the bubbly ditzy popular girl, chewed on enough bubblegum to finance a new mercedes, and just was that stereotypical girl ripped straight out of an early 00′s movie

was on the cheerleading team because again i tell you she was just living her best teen life! having an amazing time! vibing!

although her parents could give her anything they wanted and were decent enough to pay the bills for her and her siblings, she wanted to provide for herself, not have to depend on her parents for anything

she got into modeling! and although t took her a while to find her footing eventually she did, and it was a great time! but eventually parents got jealous and made her quit modeling altogether, because god forbid that she get more attention than they did

eventually (and to everyone’s surprise lmao) she went to college, and somehow got accepted into an ivy league....for art! not as surprising, but her family lied and said she went to business school bc of course they did

she went to harvard and majored in visual arts, she got her degree, and got her her happy ass out of there, mostly stayed focused on her studies, occasional party here and there

she was extremely worried about her siblings and she immediately went back home to them, surprisingly they were in one piece, not surprisingly they were being raised by nannies

she applied her visual arts degree and started designing clothes, then modeling said clothes, because although her parents had enough money to get her company off the ground, she wanted to do it by herself

and she did! finally bringing a decent name to the carmichael family!

was a guest judge on a bunch of modeling/runway shows, occasionally starred in her family’s reality tv show against her will, and was so dynamic she would be offered her own, and of course she jumped at the opportunity! 

her mother tried handing off the company to her, and she declined! instead she opened up her own company selling her designs and was very hands on in learned to make cosmetics, and her company has been doing extremely well so far, it’s set to surpass her family’s company in a couple of years

as if she didn’t have enough on her plate she wanted to pursue her singing career, ended up having a whirlwind romance w a singer that she collaborated with, they were pretty serious and talked about being engaged, but eventually things fizzled out

said romance inspired a lot of her music, and encouraged her to keep going with her music career, she even worked her way up to the title of executive of their label, she’s on top of the world

she’s come a long way from the shy girl from foster care who afraid of her own shadow, but she’s lost none of her softness!

still extremely charitable and even started multiple charities all ranging from helping fund the foster care system to providing more funding for no kill shelters (she’s a vegan!) all of her charities are nation wide and oh boy does she have a lot on her plate

has....literally no time for anything else....still tries to prove to herself that she’s definitely not stressed and has so much free time! sdflksj tries to party and have fun, but mostly craves staying inside and takes baths with scented candles and just watches the same romcom over and over again 

* && 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭

....okay so maybe it’s not completely believable that she got into an ivy league with her own merit, after all she’s not the sharpest tool in the shed and spoiler alert she didn’t

her parents bribed an admissions counselor to let their daughter in their visual arts program, they even donated enough money to renovate the art museum 

all of this happened without sunny’s knowledge and she continues to live in blissful ignorance about the whole thing

* && 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲

zodiac — cancer rising, cancer sun, & scorpio moon

alignment — lawful good

mbti — infp-t

enneagram — type 2 ( the helper )

temperament — phlegmatic

house — hufflepuff

positive traits — ( + ) altruistic , committed , conceptual , curious , courteous , determined , generous , humble , inventive , imaginative , loyal , loving , organized , passionate , playful , reliable , selfless , supportive , thoughtful , and trustworthy

negative traits — ( - ) anxious , cautious , compulsive , critical , disorganized , dogmatic ,, hyperactive , indifferent , insecure , impulsive , logical , oblivious , pedantic , protective , and resilient

* && 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

please don’t feel limited by this list because i have a brain the size of a walnut and this is all i can think of these are almost all ripped off ryker’s intro bc i’m not creative

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎ 𝑭𝑨𝑴𝑰𝑳𝑰𝑨𝑳....

family friends  maternal or paternal cousins

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎ 𝑹𝑶𝑴𝑨𝑵𝑻𝑰𝑪...

past crush  current crush  flirtationship except she prolly doesn’t realize bc head empty  unrequited love ( on either side )  fwbs  will they? won’t they?  someone her friends are trying to set her up with  forbidden love of some kind idk maybe not  exes on good terms  exes on bad terms  first love high school or college romances  summer romance  childhood crush friends to lovers  pr relationship somebody who leads her on 

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎ 𝑷𝑳𝑨𝑻𝑶𝑵𝑰𝑪...

BEST FRIEND / ROOMMATE PLOT BASED ON NEW GIRL OR FRIENDS PLS I WILL GIVE YOU MY EVERYTHING  best friends  confidants  ride or die sibling like friends  close friends  neighbors??  enemies to friends  reunited childhood friends drunk / party friends  someone she’s a good influence on  bad influence  unlikely friends  secret friends, aka friends who do not hang around in the public eye as their family or friends may not get along  #married....just they argue and love each other like a married couple

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎ 𝑵𝑬𝑮𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑽𝑬...

enemies  former best friends  frenemies

[wackygoofball]

Gwenspiration: The Wacky Version Vol. 3 - The Moodboards

So, here I go again parading myself and tooting like there is no tomorrow.

As people still brave enough to follow me on Tumblr will know, I do a lot of moodboards, or at least I call them such. Others call them collages or storyboards or pictures with random text. Either way, for me, moodboards became a neat tool to somehow capture story ideas not yet anywhere near a level that I could write fic about them - or serve as inspirations for fics I am actually writing.

And it gives me opportunity to hoard unhealthy amounts of Gwen and Nik pics, in the name of moodboards. And science. And stuff. Whoozah!

So yeah, in this post, I want to share some of my personal favorites. A lot of them actually, because I can’t decide, really.

I will start off with a group of moodboards which took inspiration from the Marvel universe, since the Marvel universe was my gateway into the more active parts of fandom.

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An all-time fave is the Iron Man AU... I mean, what not to love about a JB AU with Jaime as sassy Tony Stark and Brienne as the not-taking any shit from you army doctor, am I right? But yeah, seriously, Jaime *is* the Tony Stark of the GOT universe, and I can’t be convinced otherwise. And neither should be you.

Also, the Iron Man suits just totally fit the color scheme for both, which made creating the moodboards all the better for me. Jaime and Brienne were made for armor, now in medieval or modern times, let’s not kid ourselves.

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Another Marvel fave has got to be Captain Westeros. Because if there is a female GOT Version of Steve Rogers, it’s gotta be Brienne of fuckin’ Tarth. This one is really close to my heart because it gave me a lot of feels coming up with plot bunnies for it, and the tragedy of those two people missing each other in time over and over again, always trying to protect one another, only to end up on opposite sides because of the machinations of others... *sigh*

And I mean, one guy loses an arm. The other is blond and strong... I don’t make the rules but this delivers me enough material to re-imagine this as a JB AU... so yeah, I do kinda make the rules after all. Anyway.

Since I realized that this post’s gonna get even looooonger, I decided to make a cut here and put the rest below, so not to have you scrolling for five hours.

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Although it’s not the most popular moodboard amongst my followers (you brave people, I can’t parade you enough for staying through the madness lol), I really, really love that Fantastic Four moodboard and the concept behind it. And I just know a lot of effort went into making Valyrian Steel Brienne, which took all of my three computer editing skillz brain cells. But yeah, here again, I liked to play with the idea of them not admitting to their love until shit hits the fan and then they hide behind that because... drama, angst, feels, pining, yadda.

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And we go from Marvel to DC little quick. Because Brienne is, most certainly, a Wonder Woman. Nuf said.

Now, let’s move on to other big movie franchises that give me all the JB feels:

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Jurassic Park (aka Valyrian Park) evidently holds a special place in my heart because JB fighting dinosaur-dragon hybrids and kicking ass while being disbelieving about what was bred out in Valyria thanks to some certain someones to rescue Brienne’s adoptive daughter Arya is just... a thing? For me anyway.

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More down memory lane, I don’t know how often I watched the LOTR movies, suffice to say it was a lot a lot. We had the extended versions DVDs of the first two and basically it was the one thing to watch when nothing was on (which was the case a lot). Either way. JB in MIddle Earth long after the days of Frodo et al. - why? Because I just loved the idea (and aesthetic) of Jaime as a ranger and Brienne as a knight of Gondor working in disguise. And Hobbipod. I mean, Pod as a Hobbit. Come the fuck on. And Tyrion as an asshole wizard. What could possibly go wrong? This moodboard was very time-consuming as I had to do a lot of edits (pointy ears, tiny up people, smudge Brienne’s face on a lot of Boromir and Faramir images, smudge Jaime’s face on a lot of Aragorn images, you name it). So yeah. No matter its popularity... I dig it. Despite not having read the books yet (I know, shocking), I continue to ogle at the idea and go like: Must. Write. But. Must. Resist. Either way. Mood.

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So yeah, I grew up watching these movies a lot, too (I grew up watching a lot of TV, period). And when Gwen was cast as Captain Phasma, I got a lot of JB juices flowing as a result. Mehe. I found it was a fun idea to play with, to basically *kill* Phasma so *Brienne* can come into play and assume her identity. And a rundown Jedi!Jaime who’s lost faith in himself and everything else safe for his partner in crime/resistance is just... I needz. So you gotta cope with it. I still adore this concept a lot even if others may not. :)

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This one’s just... gah. Feels. And I really liked the color scheme lol. And I watched Horse Whisperer A LOT. Because of feels. And horses. And Honor is a horse and he deserved better than be barbecued at Highgarden, dammit.

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The No Reservations AU definitely has to be in this post because I live for this dynamic. Brienne taking care of the girls, not knowing how, though, constantly doubting herself while always trying to be perfect and composed, not just in life but on the job as well. And Jaime being the laid-back guy who’s just a darn good chef but may carry his own baggage of problems that keep him from his happy ending story is just... mah jam.

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This one was a lot of fun to do because you don’t really think about Erin Brockovich when you say Brienne of Tarth in terms of character. But when you scratch away the boob jokes and the differences in where they come from, what you find are two hard-working women who fight for justice, so I found that close enough. And it was excuse enough for me to go down the lane of biker!Jaime because... dayum.

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Music and Lyrics is an all-time guilty pleasure romcom of mine. It’s so light and easy and I kind of love how everyone is basically a bunch of awkward losers. All the more perfect for Jaime as a singer (we need that in our lives after the infamous video Nik was in to sing to us about global warming...) and Brienne as the unexpectedly gifted songwriter. What I like about the moodboard per se is how the color scheme turned out because it’s all warm and bright and... makes me happy.

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Very much in contrast to the former stands this one. I still love the overall mood of it and I dig the story idea because I dug both The Prestige and The Illustionist because they presented something dark yet very different, which made it all the more appealing to put into a moodboard for me. While not the most well-known moodboard of mine, I keep going back to it time and time again to basically lust at all the illusions and magic and drama. And blue butterflies.

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What is there not to love about a Pacific Rim AU for JB, am I right? Right?! JB ain’t just compatible when it comes to the Drift, yo, that’s all I’m gonna say. Reasons why I like the moodboard a lot is that it’s very different, flashy colors, gigantic robots, and I was mostly alright with how the edits turned out. It is tough to get images that fit the angles, yo.

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Jumping back in time once more, I really adore this one even though it’s not one of my popular moodboards. I dug the fusion of elements from Cinderella Man while granting Brienne as the female lead more space to develop as a character and make her a badass sniper nurse who is about to get her doctor’s degree. And Jaime doing anything to make it work because he owes her a debt (and his love) by boxing his way to their shared life is just... nice.

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Another supposedly lesser known moodboard is this one, though I really adore it for its premise and the amount of work I put into it (all the giffing and moodboarding). I also found use for that image of Gwen with what looks like the veil of a nun, which was probably what had me inspired in the first place lol. The plot bunnies revolve less around Se7en and more the novel El ùltimo Catón (2001) because it has a nun solving a mystery revolving around Dante’s works. But Se7en gives us the Seven, which is a delicious parallel too hard to ignore. For me at least. If only I knew how to write crime, dammit.

Now, to  move more into the serial (smooth transition from serial killer to serial TV shows, I know, I know) way of life, here is some moodboards inspired by TV shows (although some have since gotten movies which I also took inspiration from... yadda):

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Childhood memory galore. I spent many weekends watching The A-Team with the whole family. When the movie came out, I was happy about the feels it gave me (and the “you spin my head right round” scene still cracks me up more often than it should). Either way. I found it absolutely necessary for Jaime to be Face, for Tyrion to be Hannibal, for Bronn to be B.A. and cuss at everyone and everything and Brienne giving us the strangest genderbend of a Howling Mad Murdock. It added some angst, which I always need because I am a thirsty hoe for it. In case no one noticed yet. Ha.

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This one is very remotely inspired by The Bletchley Circle and the Imitation Game (because both feature encryption and one features Charles Dance already, yo.) I just really dug the idea of Brienne being so good at this because she is such a straight thinker but being underestimated because “she a woman.” And of course her not being done just encoding messages but getting into action, very much to the dismay of the stupid soldier wanting to defend the bae from harm. What could possibly go wrong? Right. A lot.

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Then. Elementary. Let me count the ways in which I love that show... ALL THE WAYS. And I really dig it as a JB AU. I have so many thoughts and feelings, I can’t even begin to tell you. I especially had my fun basically making Jaime Sherlock without making him really Sherlock because that guy was the one who taught him how to be an investigator before disappearing and fucking up his life for bad. And Brienne as the army doctor turned sober companion turned private investigator turned love interest is just too delicious to ignore.

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Pants down I mean hands down, this may be the actual favorite (currently) amongst them all for the plain reason that I also grew up watching that series and still watch it and keep obsessing about it. Ever since Discovery launched and has since given me both joy and grief, I found myself intrigued by the premise of a JB Star Trek AU where Brienne would be standing *with* the Klingons during the war around the time Discovery takes place, and Captain Jaime Lannister having lost far too much to this war already to truly trust anyone, even less so a woman who ran to the Klingons, for what it seems.

You would not believe how many ideas I have for a fic based on it. You wouldn’t believe that I basically have a sequel to that fic already in mind. And you would definitely believe, knowing me, that I am nowhere near writing that fic. But a fangirl can dream and moodboard, right? The moodboard was such a fun way of going about it, not only for the edits but because I could sneak some secret Klingon messages in there. :)

Now, on to the last part, which are the moodboards not inspired by movies or TV shows primarily but really just spewed out of my wacky, wacky brain:

Link

This has a special place in my heart because it combines military and the traumas it comes with for JB and.... the aesthetic of farming. And both finding a kind of peace they didn’t know they were looking for as they struggle to adjust and find their way back “to normal” after the horrors they have both seen in war. And did I mention the aesthetic? And Jaime in plaid? All dirty and sweaty? Do I have to say more?

Link

Why this one? Because it combines angst and romance and falling in love twice because DESTINY. And paintings. I love me my artist AUs. So that was my go at it, combining it with the “mystery” to be uncovered about what history Jaime and Brienne actually share as he tries to put his memories back together.  Also. This moodboard gave me opportunity to try out new filters and create JB paintings. :)

Link

This one’s gotta be on the list since I also added the Horse Whisperer. Now it’s Dog Whisperer Jaime and Brienne who won’t give up on her dog who’s seen some shit in the warzone (as did she, but Brienne will put it all aside for her doggish best buddy, of course). While it’s not a very popular moodboard of mine, I really enjoy the premise of it and how the dynamics can so easily change between the two of them if you see it in comparison to the Horse Whisperer AU. Also. I just really think Jaime is a total pet person.

Link

Another lesser known moodboard, I’d assume, but I really dug the premise of it (still do), and it was intriguing to do some edits to make Jaime’s hand *truly* golden lol. With people having developed strange mutations which aren’t nearly as much fun as they are in Fantastic Four AUs. What I liked about it was the idea that Brienne would have a kind of mutation/ability that links to the mind, since she is such a physically strong fighter that she may rather rely on that than on her own mind, fearing that she cannot control that with discipline the same way she can train her body with it. What unites the two is their strong wish to protect the people in their care, in a world on the verge of collapse forcing two unexpected allies together (okay, I totally expected it, but they didn’t). Either way. Much love for this one. :)

Link

Aaaand the last one (not of all the ones I made but the ones I picked for Gwenspiration). I really, really, really adore this one because I was so happy with how the aesthetic turned out and how the colors all match. And I dig the premise. Like holy moly do I dig it deep. Jaime and Brienne both serving in military, but on different fronts, and almost accidentally ending up writing each other letters? I mean... the PINING. And Brienne having to decipher Jaime’s chickenscratch. Yeah no, but for real. I just love the idea so much. That they are both committed to the cause while also yearning for a home, for peaceful times, for sweet, sweet love. And them meeting up and acting like stupid teenagers, only for drama to keep hitting because. It’s eh me angsty Wacky.

Either way. I dig the premises of a lot of my moodboards (in fact... basically all of them or else I wouldn’t be making them, I guess). I spared you listing all of them, though I listed a whole damn lot already. Moodboards are an awesome means for me personally to visualize and (re-)imagine. And since quite a few people seem to continue to be onboard with them, I am all the happier to keep making them.

That’s all for today.

Much love! ♥♥♥

*flies away*

[tombolaplayspop]

how i’m feeling now by Charli XCX

Social distancing eh? Some have stepped back to reflect, a few have lost their minds through boredom and a lot have taken to TikTok for their five minutes of fame. Charlotte Aitchison, aka Charli XCX, thought she’d bang out an entire album in just FIVE WEEKS!

This idea came about during a public zoom announcement to her fans which she explained would “use the tools I have at my fingertips to create all music, videos, artwork... everything.” It’s incredibly bold and one hell of a way to pass the time, but how does the artists fourth studio fare up? Rather bland and lifeless.

Yes, it’s an incredible feat and I salute the dedication and talent this singer/songwriter has. But where are the catchy tunes and heart? Charli’s voice sounds more robotic than ever which leads the tracks to blend in to one elongated Will.i.am sounding reject. It’s not until track six, my attention was grabbed. Enemy is an attention grabber from it’s vulnerable start to abrupt crescendo. A spoken track included showcasing the real struggles we are going through during this pandemic. It hits hard.

I struggle to feel gripped by this album upon the first few listens, who knows. maybe more layers will be revealed as time goes by. A part of me aches for her return to that upbeat bubblegum pop sound from her second album which had epic tracks like Boom Clap and Doing It. And the predecessor to this one, album number three, the star studded Charli, which had some incredible moments; the spectacularly enigmatic duet of Gone featuring Christine & The Queens for example. When she kicks off anthems with the lyrics “I’m so bored”, I feel the same way.

Again, I applaud her will and creativity during these uncertain times, but it just feels very flat, like most of our hopes right now.

**

[dippedanddripped]

Nearly four million students across the United States have no access to music education, despite its documented positive effects on cognitive function and academic performance. Now, thanks to famous figures like Panic! At the Disco lead vocalist Brendon Urie and non-profit Notes for Notes, children and young adults can explore their musical talents regardless of their financial situation.

Notes for Notes began when then-parking lot valet Philip Gilley convinced the city of Santa Barbara to give him some space where he could set up a music studio. He had been mentoring a youngster through Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and figured music was a fun activity they could share.

"But there was no place to go and do that," he said.

Fellow Big Brother Rod Hare soon partnered with him when he said he realized he had the same idea years earlier.

"I said, 'You know we could do this anywhere'," Hare recalled. "'You could put one of these in any city in America. Would you be willing to make this your life's work?'"

A little over a decade later, Notes for Notes has 25 studios in 16 cities, and has attracted some famous mentors.

"If I had access to this studio at these kids' age, I would have been much more well prepared and well versed for the music industry. When 'Panic' was started, we just head-dived first in," Brendon Urie told CBS News' Michelle Miller. "Not knowing what things to be wary of, what things to jump into. Yeah, definitely would've helped to have some kind of guidance like, this is how you write a song, this is how you produce something."

Urie said he was "floored" by the talent he saw in the children and young adults in the program. "These kids are phenomenal. It blows my mind," he said.

The teens have no trouble relating to Urie either, despite his pop star status.

"He's famous, but at his core, he's a guy who sings," young musician Tae McKinney said. "It's not hard to have a conversation with someone you can relate to."

"I’ll always have Notes for Notes to thank for so many memorable moments throughout my musical journey, including meeting @brendonurie & attending @lollapalooza for the first time ever." - Devon, aka D-Vo. Read his entire interview here! @StateFarm https://bit.ly/2kQ3Gcb

Gilley said that providing access for free is important for the children's development.

"They can get all the instruments, they can get all the resources for free, no barriers to entry of not being able to afford something, or it not being available in school. And then sort of that way you learn would be more about building a bond with someone, as you're focused on learning something together," he said.  

Teens like 15-year-old Demelle Cooley do not take the gift for granted. When asked what importance having access to these facilities meant to him, he replied, "It's power I haven't felt before. But like, with that kind of power I can change what's around me."

Others, like Zuzu Black, said that it was the equipment in the facilities that help her grow as a musician and have made it possible for her to produce her song, "Tide."

"It's not just like walking into your school band room," she said. "It's more like here's what you can get out of all this stuff – express yourself better as an artist and a person."

At the end of the day, Gilley says, "music has the power to change lives."

"That means many different things for some children," he explained. "We give them those tools of confidence, creativity, compassion, and community. That if they know it can exist here, then it can exist wherever they go next, and that transpires in their lives."

[iheartgod175]

A Guide to LOST SONG - Part 1

AKA The anime that made me love Konomi Suzuki

When I stumbled across Lost Song on Netflix, I didn’t know what to expect. The style looked vaguely interesting, and I could tell immediately from the title that it had something to do with music. So I gave it a shot.

And boy howdy, am I glad that I did. This anime is not flawless, but there are so many things I loved about it that it almost outweighs the bad. It exposed me to Konomi Suzuki, who I absolutely love now. And it made me love Yukari Tamura even more, if that was possible. The fandom is small, but it’s passionate in sharing its excitement and knowledge of this anime. And for a while I thought of doing a review, but it hit me to do a guide for the anime to introduce others to it. 

So, let’s get into the bare bones of this anime, shall we?

(I’ll be writing my own synopsis since the one on Wikipedia is terrible)

(NOTE: LIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD!)

The Plot

We have two protagonists, Rin (voiced by Konomi Suzuki in her first acting role) and Silver-Haired Nanoha-I mean Finis (voiced by Yukari Tamura). Rin is a simple country girl who’s adorably ditzy, loves to eat food and most of all loves to sing. Finis is a beautiful but clumsy and airheaded songstress hired by the Capital to use her songs to aid the kingdom’s war effort. Both of our female leads have the ability to sing Spirit Songs, songs that can manipulate the four elements of the world and bring about miracles.  Both of them have problems related to their singing: Rin’s grandfather, Talgia, forbids her from singing for mysterious reasons, and she finds support from her older sister Mel and younger brother Al, the latter of whom wishes to go to the Capital to become a scientist (despite his numerous failed inventions). Finis’ songs, while vital to ending the war, severely shorten her lifespan, and she is seen as nothing more than a tool of war by the Capital’s war effort, namely by the prince, Rudo Bernstein (more on him in a bit). The only people who see her as a person are her servant Corte and Henry Leobolt, a knight assigned to protect her by Prince Rudo.

Certain events--the burning of Rin and Al’s village and the deaths of their sister and grandfather, and Finis and Henry’s forbidden romance amidst the war--set the stage for Rin and Finis to finally meet. Will the last song be one to save the world...or destroy it? 

The Characters

Lost Song has a host of characters, both male and female, that have an important role in the story and all get their own time to shine (although some characters do get the short end of the stick, as I’ll explain in part 2).

I’ll be breaking them down as best as I can, hopefully with as few spoilers as possible!

**NOTE: I’ll be using the Netflix translations for their names until further info is revealed (like how to actually spell them correctly)

Rin

A village girl with a passion for singing

Greatest wish is to travel to the capital to sing at the Star Song Festival

Blessed with an amazing voice, but is banned from singing by her grandfather

Possesses a mysterious power to both control the elements and create “miracles” with her songs

Loves her family and friends dearly

Blames herself for her sister’s and grandfather’s deaths as her song led Bazra to her village

Occasionally ditzy, gluttonous and sometimes hard on herself (due to the aforementioned deaths of her family), but is otherwise a sweet, selfless girl who tries to understand others

Will recklessly throw herself in danger to help those in trouble

Finis

The Capital’s Songstress who is also referred to as a goddess by the capital’s army due to her Power of Songs

Also blessed with an amazing voice (YUKARI TAMURA, DUH)

Her songs are used for war, so she is seen as a weapon by many of the Capital’s elite, namely Prince Rudo

Continued use of her songs shortens her lifespan, a fact known to her servant, Corte

Falls in love with Henry Leobolt, a knight assigned to protect her during the war, due to him treating her like an actual person.

Is eventually forced to kill people with her songs so Rudo won’t kill Henry

Very airheaded and has NO sense of direction, but is otherwise a sweet woman.

Al Hawkray

Rin’s adopted younger brother and Mel’s biological younger brother 

An aspiring inventor and scientist whose inventions sometimes fail at the worst possible time

Constantly points out how things involving songs are scientifically impossible

Travels with Rin to the capital after their village is destroyed and his grandfather and Mel are killed

Despite his bad luck, several of his inventions have proven to be useful as weapons (ie. his Star Bombs)

Greatly admires Dr. Weissen

Often the butt of everyone’s jokes, much to his annoyance

A little salty with his companions, but cares for them nonetheless

Has an unrequited crush on Rin

Pony Goodlight

A former Court Minstrel who travels around the country

Rin and Al’s first companion

Left the Capital and her job for unknown reasons

Is also a pretty good singer (her VA, Chiaki Takahashi, is Azusa from iM@S after all), with a knowledge of many Legendary Songs that she teaches to Rin

Likes to think of herself as mature, but can be somewhat temperamental

DOES NOT like to be called old. Or ugly. 

Also hates bugs

Likes to drink and gamble 

Has the hots for Henry Leobolt (calling him “Hottie” on several occassions)

The Lux Sisters (Monica and Allu)

Allu is the oldest, with short red hair and red eyes

Monica is younger with brown hair that covers one eye, and wears a strange rabbit suit 

They are Rhythmists who were working for the capital to manufacture Echo Devices for the war

They originally went to the capital to become Minstrels in the Court Orchestra, but gave it up to earn money to heal their mother’s blindness

When Rin heals their mother with the Song of Healing, they join Rin, Al and Pony on their journey to the capital

Allu is the braver of the two, but can come off as rude and harsh to those who meet her. Very protective of Monica, and has a habit of randomly drumming on objects at times

Monica is quieter, cowardly (having a habit fo falling asleep when in danger) and speaks very little. Is also a very good singer and can imitate any song perfectly after hearing it just once

Both are good friends with Rin (who healed their mom) and often tease Al (much to his chagrin)

Mel Hawkray

Rin and Al’s older sister

The only one who supports Rin’s singing talents, and is said to spoil Rin a little

Dies in the first episode, but appears a few times (in Rin’s dreams), and is mentioned by both Rin and Al

A sweet, nurturing woman who loves her siblings

THE MOST underused character in this whole show

Corte (pictured on the right)

Finis’ servant, who serves as a mother figure

Is practically glued to Finis’ side, though Finis loves her just as much and can’t function without her

Is always worried for Finis’ safety, but will put her life on the line to protect her

Supports Henry and Finis’ relationship

Dislikes Prince Rudo (then again, who doesn’t like him?) and knows of the danger he poses to Finis and Henry

Talgia Hawkray

Rin’s adoptive grandfather and Mel and Al’s biolgical grandfather

Kind old man, honestly, but is strict, especially with Rin

Bans Rin from singing for unexplained reasons, which causes a strain in their relationship

Also dies in the first episode, but appears later on in some very important scenes detailing Rin’s past

Along with Finis and Rin, he’s a fairly important character (if minor)

Henry Leobolt

A knight from the famous Leobolt family who is Finis’ bodyguard

A strong, brave and caring man who sticks with his ethics

He owns a family sword that is said to never break or rust, and is a master swordsman who can take down a whole army

Is wholly against war, but will not hesitate to defend himself, his men, or those he’s sworn to protect

Falls in love with Finis, and as a result is moved to the frontlines by Rudo as punishment, but manages to survive and command his own team of men

Knows of Finis’ curse and hates to see her suffer for his sake

Dr. Weissen

An eccentric old man who happens to be a renowned physicist, inventor and scientist

Has a croissant on his cane for random snacking (no, really he does)

Crotchety at first, but is actually a kindhearted old man

He originally did research to help people, but was then forced to build weapons of war under Rudo’s rule

Lost his entire lab, his assistants and his inventions to the Capital, which made him lose hope

Takes on Al as his assistant after Rin restores his lab and becomes his mentor

Prince Rudo Bernstein IV

The prince of the Capital

A cold, heartless, ruthless person who will kill those who oppose him in a heartbeat

Is disliked by many of the populace (and for good reason)

Is engaged to Finis (who dislikes him)

Hates Henry Leobolt, especially after he falls in love with Finis, and tried to kill him by putting him in the frontline of the war

Uses Finis as a tool of war, and eventually convinces her to use her songs to kill people by threatening to kill Henry

Bazra Bearmors

The General of the Capital’s army

A ruthless man who uses others for his personal gain

Is rivals with Henry Leobolt and tried to kill him several times throughout the show

Destroyed Weissen’s lab and also killed Rin’s grandfather

A powerful swordsman who can go toe to toe with Henry

The only other characters I can think of are the men that eventually join up with Henry after Rudo puts him on the frontline, but they’re minor, and not even the official site lists them as characters ^^;

Part 2 will kind of go into a bit more details about what to look for in the plot following episode 7, where things REALLY get kind of crazy, as well as my general opinions on the characters, the music and the general tone of the show.

If this mini guide had you interested in the ainime, then that’s great! I’m hoping that more people catch on to watching Lost Song. It really needs more love!

~iheartgod175, out!

[lorenevanderpool-blog]

Merge,Bounce,Bounce To Monitor, Rework(s),Drag To Browser And Export Stems, Export Mixdown.

دانلود برنامه اندروید Mp3 Cutter & Merger Reduce, join, trim, combine, delete elements, cut up audio files. MixPad? is a sound mixing software program for audio and music manufacturing. However utilizing it for cutting and becoming a member of MP3 recordsdata is the better resolution than an MP3 cutter. With MixPad multi-observe recording and mixing software program, you possibly can entry all the facility of professional recording and mixing gear by a single platform that streamlines the method and makes?lower, be part of and mix many audio tracks without any tech expertise and knowledge. The Merger allows you to take multiple audio recordsdata, rearrange them in whatever order you need, then export it as a single mixed audio file. The Cutter allows you to take a single audio file, choose a start and finish time, then export that choice as a separate audio file. Scroll to Subscriptions and faucet it, then faucet Apple Music Membership to see your options. Lower, be part of, trim, combine, delete parts, cut up with AVS Audio Editor Use Timeline for max precision. Use specially designed filters to take away irritating feels like roaring, hissing, crackling, and many others. Ideas: Drag and drop the folder where the MP3 files are to this MP3 Joiner, if you happen to don't want to add recordsdata one after the other. Observe that these MP3 recordsdata are organized in response to the play order. So if you could alternate the location of two MP3 files, just free drag them to your wanted position. Sound Editor Deluxe builds in an audio merger to hitch a great deal of separate audio files right into a single one whereas maintaining the one hundred% of the unique high quality. Now, take pleasure in your favourite music or audiobook with out interruption. The multicore CPU process and cutting-edge codec technology make sure you the environment friendly and steady becoming a member of of a number of recordsdata. 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[fantroll-purgatory]

Name: Vianka Ongaka - Name definition for “Vianka” on Urban Dictionary: The name given to the mysterious individual once every decade who is intrinsically involved in the plot for world domination.  - Ongaka comes from the combination of the Japanese words for music (ongaku) and red (aka) 

Urban Dictionary isn’t exactly a reputable source for name meanings, but I do think it’s…. a hilarious idea to name her that. SO I’ll go with that one, but you have to like, roll with that theme. You gotta make her Involved In A Plot For World Domination. 

For the last name, I might pick…. Kaycel, as a reference to KCl- Potassium Chloride. It’s the colorant that gives fireworkers their violety color! It references her love for Fireworks/explosives/bright lightthings obviously. Species: Troll Gender: Transgender Female Age: 7 sweeps Derse or Prospit?: Derse Strife Specibus: megaphonekind 

Does she just Yell to hurt people or whack people with the megaphone? I think you could also go with like boommickind, bc you know. 

Or flaregunkin because it’s kind of like a firework.

Land: The Land of Radiance and Dreams (LoRaD) Title: Witch of Light

Now this is where I think the Plot For World Domination thing can come in, because I kind of want to make her a Rogue of Light instead? So she redistributes the attention, takes all the focus, moves information around subtly while also directing fortune. 

Blood color: Violet

Symbol: Aquapia (Sign of the Eccentric)  Lusus: A gigantic 3-headed serpent 

To make things a little more glowy and watery, how about a giant 3-headed snake-like Praya Dubia. One of those glowy siphonophores. They entrap pray with their lights and I think that’s very fitting.

Trolltag: vibrantShowtime

Vibrant is a nice word but it doesn’t have the… the energetic FEELING I’m imagining here. You need something a lil sillier… maybe dynamitetamicShowstopper. 

dynamitetamic being a dynamite + dynamic mashup and Showstopper indicating something So Incredible it stops the show with audience applause.

Quirk: She uses ‘kaomojis’ or Eastern Alternian emoticons to express herself, as if she’s talking in a speech bubble.  Ex: (☆^O^☆) <(WHO’S READY TO FUCKING ROCK?!?!?!) Personality: This fine troll’s name is Vianka Ongaka, she has an affinity for using fireworks at her shows to ‘enlighten’ the audience.. literally. She really likes saying lyrics to several sweeps old pop songs such as ‘Cull Young’ and ‘Alternia Girls’, for example. She strives to become one of Alternia’s best pop singers so she can finally spread her beliefs through the sheer strength of her sick tunes. Ever since failing to dye her hair and instead bleaching it by pure accident, she strives to try and take down the capital and change the world for the better or worse, Vianka is what most would call a ‘chaotic neutral’ as she would usually be extremely dangerous in her concerts (usually 3-5 casualties a show) as she would literally try to show the world her colors.

I don’t understand why the hair dye would Lead to this striving and I think it should probably be the other way around. She’s a rebel, so she dyes her hair. It is in part to make herself really unique, to draw the eye to her. She wants attention and standing out is a Good way to get it. She could be trying to spread and disperse information (as a rogue would) while also drawing all eyes to her so rebel friends she has behind the scenes can do work without anyone noticing. Spreading her world domination propaganda subtly while some rebellion goes on In The Shadows. After all, a violet is high enough up that she can get away with saying Anything. Literally Anything At All. Privilege is a powerful tool… 

You definitely wanna think about her motive, though, because you haven’t made it clear here. You just say she wants to change it ‘for better or worse’. What is she trying to achieve? Does she want to be the New Leader or does she want to propr others up and doesn’t think about the policy stuff? Is she just here for chaos and doesn’t care how it ends?  Likes: Neon colors, fireworks, straight up murder Dislikes: Cancelled performances, someone else stealing her spotlight,  Voice Headcanon: Pearl from Off the Hook if she spoke English 

Design time:

So, her design was a Little visually busy, so I tried to neaten it up in some ways while retaining the feeling. As I usually do, I did a lot of outline edits on the outfit/shoes itself to make it stand out more. I also changed the highlight in the jewelry to white to make it look shinier. 

Hair/horns: I edited that one dangly hair to get it out of the face because it was a little distracting, if she wants attention and spotlight she should want her face to be visible and unobscured! I also edited her hairband to be a bit more complete. I made both horns go behind it, because the horn just going Through the hairband looks funny. I also made the piercings a more violety purple to fit a color scheme. 

Face: I got rid of the eyebrows because as I said her face was already a lil busy looking.I upped the eyemakeup to make up for it. Her mouth was too much like Vriska’s, so I adjusted the mouth shape. 

Outfit: As I said before, lots of little outline tweaks for better contrast. I also changed the squares to just one light purple color because all the varying colors was a liiittle too much, I definitely got what you were going for but Homestuck sprites like to keep their base outfits relatively simple. 

-CD

[club-pera]

RAqS w/ El Morabba3, El Far3i, Eqtibasat and D3mor

Woensdag 24 november 2021 in Paradiso Noord Zaal open 18:30 tot 00:00, Aanvang 19:00 Tickets & informatie

El Morabba band was formed in Jordan in 2009 and released its first album titled “Al Murabba” in July 2012 and in 2016 the second album titled Tarf Al Khayit, confirming its position as a very popular band in the MENA region. El Morabba3's songs are distinguished by the aesthetic sense of the words that care about poetic and social responsibility at the same time. The music comes in a post-rock style with the clamor of guitar clips and elegance of rhythm. The sound space of the band is complemented by its international Arabic tones, and all these different sounds are enveloped in thin electronic layers to create a feeling that mixes sweetness and pain that embodies the inherited truths of this generation.

The band’s artistic journey witnessed a change in members through the years turning it more into a collective project of musicians and producers currently lead by co-founder, singer songwriter and bassist Muhammad Abdullah. Accompanied by producer Basel Naouri on Keys,Trumpet and Electronic Production.

El Far3i, with multi-fold projects in his music archive, El Far3i is a Palestinian and Jordanian songwriter, rapper, drummer, and producer from Amman, Jordan. Known for his dichotomous solo act El Far3i/ Far3 El Madakhil, he enmeshes Arab acoustic folk and hip-hop and continues to experiment sonically, evolving into the more recent forked axis, El Far3i Flux.

This project encapsulates the essence of both the versatility of styles and the complexity of ideas. It is a space within which a sense of freedom exists, enabling experimentations with different tools, instruments, and writing techniques... A vision rooted in the ideals of independence, yet branches out to reflect the journey. Those concepts race between observation and exaggeration, concealing at sometimes and pushing hard at others.

His songs come from his region’s subconscious, with lyrics that archive the socio-psychological, political and personal subtexts of Arab daily life, extending to the diaspora. Themes of love, borders, spirituality and identity manifest. El Far3i’s ever reflexive raw rapping style contrasts his soulful melodies, creating chantable anthems and craved earworms.

D3M0R, Haroun Ben Hamida aka D3M0R is a Tunisian, Paris based, a multi-genre DJ/Producer, tickles from breakbeat, Jungle to drum and bass. D3mor is also founder of web station Radio Flouka that has relied on the the goodwill of volunteers and a steady stream of Middle Eastern talent for their ultimate goal of redefining how the world sees contemporary music from the region.

Eqtibasat is an audio/visual project reflecting the core glitches and  experiences in the life of Guitarist/ Electronic music producer Hekmat Alkassar. First album under the name “Eqtibasat” means quotes in Arabic, was released in 2019, extending the transformative power of thoughts and emotions. Alkassar released the second music album and illustrations book “91 Portraits” in June 2020 and currently experimenting his works with new textures and electronic music techniques.

About Raqs Raqs is an initiative to empower the Levantine (Ash-shaam) contemporary music scene by a group of artists and organisers rooted in the Levant region. The collective presents alternative experiences of live performances fused in club and concert culture, full of chants, storytelling, culture, full of chants, storytelling, Tarab rhythms and Andalusian classics in ambient and electronic music styles.

This event will be filmed and posted on Raqs Experiences social media accounts. This event is produced by Raqs Experiences and co-produced by Stichting Pera and Paradiso Amsterdam, Funded by AFK.

[shemakesmusic-uk]

This segment features artists who have submitted their tracks/videos to She Makes Music. If you would like to be featured here then please send an e-mail to shemakesmusic@hotmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

Jessie Lee

Jessie Lee is a Canadian based singer-songwriter who’s all about reflections, revelations and romance. Her light, but expressive, vocals comprised of catchy melodies make for easy listening. Although it’s been three years since the release of her solo EP, First Love, she has kept busy songwriting and working with exceptional artists, producers and writers. Her latest single, ‘Body Sings’, is a collaboration with producer, Daniel Espina, and an exciting expression of getting lost in the benefits of true love and real connection. The combination of electro/indie bedroom pop vibes, mixed with Jessie’s angelic vocals, will have you floating and feeling inspired. "When listening to my new single, ��Body Sings,’ I hope that you imagine yourself dancing with the person you love, which for me is my fiance,” says Jessie. “I think about that butterfly feeling you get when the energy is exciting and free. ‘Body Sings’ started off with a groovy bass line from producer Daniel Espina, one of those songs that just flowed because it felt so right! Colourful, and light, it’s meant to emit love and encourage the vibrations we give off in that pure state of love embracing a real connection. Whether that be with someone else or just yourself, I think we all could use a little bit of high vibes right now!" Listen below.

Jessie Lee Faiazza · Body Sings

Jandry Palms

Jandry Palms is the solo music project of Madrid, Spain born artist Alejandra López de la Osa. After several years of composing music alone in her room, especially as a tool for channeling her emotions, in April 2020 when the world went on a lockdown, Alejandra found the courage to contact multi-instrumentalist Manuel Cabezali to get her music produced. The outcome was five songs between dream pop and psychedelic pop with a common thread: love, in all it's different variations. Each song presents a different love phase or situation. After the release of 'Meant to Be' and 'Tonight (I'll Be the One)', Jandry Palm's third single 'Thinking of You' has arrived. With this danceable tune, full of psychedelia, Jandry Palms shows her love for Australian band Tame Impala and others from the genre, like LA band Sports. The story behind this new song is a reflection of a love phase she was in. The mystery of not knowing her lover's true feelings for her and the need to understand if it was mutual or stopping herself if it was just a game. Listen below.

Leahy

Leahy is a Canadian powerhouse of musical siblings who have been playing together their entire lives. Their brand new album, Good Water, reminds us that we are all connected by a need and desire for those things that give and sustain life, like water. ‘Tears’ is a song about the highs and lows of life that teach us about who we are. So often tears are only associated with sorrow, suffering or pain but there are equally powerful tears of joy, love, healing, freedom… In this song tears are not only the real physical expression of emotion – "getting it out," but also a marker of an ongoing process that leads to learning, growing, understanding, empathy, awareness, forgiveness… Leahy draw from a variety of musical styles and influences. Produced by Grammy-award winner David Bottrill, they were open to all possibilities when it came to treating and arranging the music. Good Water expresses the many shades of being human. Their lyrics touch on everything from love, growth, and change to sight, pain, hope, redemption and relationship. Even though life is sometimes messy and difficult, we have to hold on to hope. Listen to ‘Tears’ below.

Leahy · Tears

Lybrah

Swedish independent artist Lybrah is finally releasing her long awaited debut single ‘Female NRG’. Since early childhood, Madeleine Svaneberg Li aka Lybrah has lived and breathed music. She wrote her first song at 5 years of age and has stayed productive since then, writing and producing over hundred songs so far. As a true DIY artist she writes, produces and records all of her songs in her own home, and now we are finally getting to take part of the end-result. ‘Female NRG’ is an electronic R&B track with an ambient flavour, mastered by David Pietras, and the odds are high that the sound will leave you speechless with her angelic-like soprano voice together with the punchy and expressive beat. Listen below.

Slowe

Bristol-based producer and songwriter Slowe creates soul-warming, home-cooked music, blending neo-soul influenced production with introspective lyrics and velvet vocals. Slowe has spent the last few years in self-imposed musical hibernation, developing, learning and writing and is currently working on releasing her self-produced album. Her latest single ‘WYLTK’ is about the unspoken thoughts we have, the ones we sometimes wish we’d say, and the things we don’t say to keep from stirring up confrontation. Listen below.

LiLL

Behind LiLL you´ll find the songwriter and producer Tuva-Lill Elwerdotter who was born and raised in the south of Sweden, now based in Stockholm. She has a background in folk and world music and a master's in music production. LiLL released their first single in 2018 and have since worked with their own music and with other artists such as Bozett, and El.SY. She draws her musical inspiration from musicians such as Susanne Sundfør, Grimes and Banks, but also Selena Gomez and Cardi B. LiLL create a magnificent pop sound where analog synthesizers meet heavy beats mixed with a little Swedish melancholy. LiLL had this to say about her latest single ‘My Only Heart’: “I had to write this song, it poured out of me. I was going through a tough period in my life at the time. I got dumped för the second time in 3 months and had recently moved to a new city. I felt quite heartbroken and alone in the world. And at that time, this song saved me. The work allowed me to express my difficult emotions and shift focus. It's a healing and powerful process, to be able to create your emotions with sound and get an outer perspective.” Listen below.

LiLL · MY ONLY HEART

Jada Naidu

Jada Naidu is a South London singer-songwriter. She tends to write very personal and open lyrics in the hope that her listeners too connect to her music. Growing up her musical inspirations included the soulful performances of Adele and Amy Winehouse, alongside the more pop and punchy works of Ariana Grande and Rihanna. She is also inspired as a songwriter by the lyricism of Taylor Swift. The songwriting process of her latest single ‘in your eyes’ was inspired by personal troubles that her friends were experiencing at the time. “I found that my friends were experiencing such intense emotions, however they were struggling to come to terms with this or even find the words to explain how they were feeling in that moment,” explains Jada. “I think this alternate perspective allowed me to write the song quickly, as I was able to evoke emotions in my lyrics without over complicating the narrative. It also helped create comfort for my friends, as they began to come to terms with their situation. At first I was hesitant to release the song, through my own lack of experience in the songs narrative, however I felt it was important to release the song in the chance that someone listening to it felt comfort or understood in the topics of the song, being heartache and feeling misunderstood in a relationship.” Listen below.

Jada · in your eyes

Carolina East

A creation of the maritime elements, Carolina East is a vibrant, bold, songstress from Newfoundland and Labrador. Proudly wearing an eclectic tapestry of musical influences, from soul to country, to pop. Her brand new single, ‘Until You Are Sorry,’ is about a relationship that didn't end well, and the frustration which stemmed from that. “There was a lot of gift-giving and apologizing, but no personable attempt at solving the problem; just band-aid solutions. Problem-solving deserves time and effort, not quick fixes or grand gestures,” says Carolina. "’Until You Are Sorry’ is the second song I wrote and recorded with Rob Wells. The atmosphere was very comfortable, despite the vocals being recorded in a closet! When writing about a personal and difficult time, you have to put yourself back into that frame of mind, which can be a challenge. Every time you perform, you have to tap into those same negative emotions to give the most genuine performance,” she continues. Listen below.

Carolina East · Until You Are Sorry

Faye Fantarrow

Faye Fantarrow is an 18 year old singer-songwriter from Sunderland with an acoustic/indie pop sound. Her new single ‘Boom’ is her second release. "I wrote ‘Boom’ in the first lockdown when quite frankly everything was falling apart,” explains Faye. “It felt like the world was on it’s knees, in a time when we should have all been most unified in facing a pandemic, the globe was polarised. Every day I was turning on the tv to see injustice after injustice after injustice; from socio-economic to racial. I found -probably like most people- that I started to resent the world and I developed this hatred for the outside because I felt like nothing good could come from it. It took a couple days of moping about for me to give myself a shake and think “for christ sake if you’re this upset do something then”. I wanted to feel like I wasn’t completely helpless so I started signing petitions, making an effort to educate myself, trying to help raise awareness and when that still didn’t feel like enough, I wrote ‘Boom’. I’m not going to try and sugarcoat or censor why ‘Boom’ was written because that would undermine the reasons behind the track. ‘Boom’ is a song about being fed up of the backwards way the world tries to work sometimes and using your voice to say no, thats not good enough!" Listen below.

[businessfrontrunners]

Dr. James Dentley & Eric Zuley Will Host The Powerful & Impactful Limitless For Women Summit, Virtually Connecting Thousands Of Globally Leading Women - Dec.11-13, 2020

https://authoritypresswire.com/?p=33556 4th Annual Virtual "Limitless for Women Summit" - December 11-13, from 11 am - 6:30 pm EST. For event information, Early Bird Specials, or VIP Access tickets, go to www.limitlessforwomen.com.This three-day virtual summit will give attendees opportunities to support women business owners, receive inside tips and strategies exclusive to entrepreneurs that will promote business ventures, and enhance the professional lifestyle. This summit will offer self-care tips, health, and wellness activities, along with relationship building. Attendees will leave the event equipped with the tools to build a business, wealth, and long-lasting relationships.“I am honored to co-produce this event for the fourth year. Limitless for Women is designed to empower, impact, and inspire women all around the world. We expect this year’s event to reach a larger audience, and I am thrilled,” said Dr. James Dentley, owner of Inspire2Speak and JD3 Media Entertainment.“I feel honored and privileged to join forces with JD3 Media Entertainment to produce the Limitless for Women Summit. This event is timely, providing inspiration and hope to attendees in the midst of this challenging year. This summit will offer a plan to take 2021 by storm,” said Eric Zuley, CEO/Founder of eZWay Network and eZWay Wall of Fame.Over 20 powerful documented women will come together on one virtual stage, including:Forbes Riley - 2.5 Billion Infomercial QueenSharon Lechter - Co-author Rich Dad Poor DadDr. Kara Scott Dentley - Double Scientist and PhysicistDr. Sonja Stribling - Life & Business Strategist and TV PersonalityKim Marie Branch - CEO Letip InternationalShea Vaughn - Vince Vaughn’s mother, CEO Women on TVMichelle Seiler Tucker - Certified Senior Business AnalystPattie Godfrey-Sadler - CEO of New Life Clarity PublishingLoral Langemeier - The Millionaire MakerDr. Dante Sears - Founder World Prosperity NetworkChairidee Smith - aka Ms. Mogul - Real Estate ProfessionalHanna Horenstein - Founder of VirtuityAngel Tuccy - Media Exposure SpecialistRhona Bennet - Life Coach and Singer with EnVougeFocus James - Relationship CoachDr. Tamela Odom - Licensed Minister and Success CoachDr. Lydie Louis - Corporate Law AttorneyTina D. Lewis - Royalty Coaching LLCMegan Di Martino - Entrepreneur, Best Selling AuthorDr. Stephanie Ardrey - aka Dr. Money - Venture Capital ExpertLuAn Mitchell - President Big Media USA at Big Media USARobbie Mathews - Financial Educator and Empowerment CoachFeatured special guests include Brian Tracy, Les Brown, and Kevin Harrington.Featured panels hosted by Danella Burnett and Jeffrey Levine:Jeffrey Levine- Money Mindset Mastery JLS Panel and Co-hosted by Tony BoldiSharon LechterForbes RileyHanna HorensteinDr. Dante SearsDannella Burnett - Encore Elite Panel includes:Jean JuhnLatasha JimersonAlexandra SitchDr. Lydie LouisAbigail TeifenthalerAttendees will enjoy musical performances by A’Godess and Butta-B-Rocka. There will be a virtual dance contest on Friday, December 11th, and a talent show Saturday, December 12th. Contestants will have an opportunity to showcase their dance skills and other talents to win over $1000 in cash prizes. Contestants can email them a quality three-minute video showcasing their talents to enter by December 9th to JD3Media@gmail.com.VIP guests will receive a free virtual gift bag valued at $1000. Everyone will have an opportunity to receive free products, services, gifts, and more.This is an event for the mind, body, and soul. Attendees can enjoy virtual workout sessions, meditation, and affirmation Saturday and Sunday, 9 am EST.Those attending will enjoy a front-row seat to witness the soft launch of JD3TV powered by eZWay Network. This new and innovative network is designed to offer programming to empower, inspire, educate, and grow its viewers with Real People, Real Voices, One Reel at a Time.There will also be a chance to win a free talk show on the JD3TV Network along with a guest appearance on The James Dentley Show and EZ Talk Live.This event is being sponsored by:Inspire2SpeakJD3 Media EntertainmentJD3 TVeZWay NetworkeZWay PromotionseZWay Wall of FameEncore Elite EventsJL SolutionsChampion MindsetTo register, go to www.limitlessforwomen.com.Early Bird Special includes:Virtual gift bag valued at $10024 sessions20+ Professional SpeakersBody-Mind and Spirit Boot camp Saturday and SundayContests and giveawaysVIP ACCESS (Valued over $1000) includes:3 bonus events in 202120 + Professional SpeakersPlatinum virtual gift bag and 30-minute complimentary coachingContest & Giveaways2 Mind and Body and Spirit Boot campsTo contact them, call 779-333-7120 or email them at info@limitlessforwomen.com.For additional information about eZWay Wall of Fame, visit http://ezwaywalloffame.com.

[gigsoupmusic]

Behind the Artist: An Interview with Chantmagick

Chantmagick, aka Marilyn McNeal, is an independent creative who combines her love of music, film, nature, dance, and Earth into a unique presentation of art for her followers. It's hard to pinpoint only one aspect of her music as the result of her success as it is all intertwined to represent the power of Chantmagick in a soft, subtle way. Read below to dive deeper into this lo-fi indie-folk artist and you'll see what we mean. What inspired the name Chantmagick? What does it mean? When I think of chanting, the first thing that comes to mind is a group of monks cloaked and singing in a circle in some dark abbey during the Middle Ages. Somehow this imagery appeals to me, actually. I'm drawn to the sense of collective physical and spiritual pursuit of something higher than this image calls to mind. The other side of it is that I like the sense that chanting is a simple, very physical intuitive and direct activity. Chanting means allowing your feelings and personal energy to pump through your body and out into the world in the form of energetic, fluid lines of melody.  As for the word "magick," I added the "k" to evoke a Middle Earth fantasy era of witches, warlocks, dragons, hobbits, etc. I remember growing up with Dune, The Hobbit, Star Wars, and being enthralled with the fantasy world these movies provided. Moving beyond our ho-hum day-to-day practical world and into a magical space where we can be our best selves is something I wanted to evoke in the project name. Your platform seems to be more than just about making music.... describe to us in your own words what your art/music stands for. I'm really interested in exploring universal questions around "who are we" as a species. What is our potential? How do we access our potential and how can we cultivate it for personal, community, and planetary good. Music, movement, and video are the means of expression I have at hand to ask these questions. How does your music help people? Reading the comments on my YouTube channel when I post a video has really been heartening and instructive. I'll let my fans speak for themselves: "You sound like the earth. mysterious, vast, magical and wild. thanks for the music." "You are the breath of fresh air and positivity we all need" "Your music is very unique and gives me always a positive feeling" "Your contribution is tremendous, hopeful, serene and leads us to a centered state of joy" “This is therapy for the inner being.” "Thank you for sharing your songs, Your music is so peaceful and uplifting it truly is a Spirit thing." "I feel lighter within seconds. Thank you for what you do by being genuinely you." What ideas are implemented throughout your work? Through dance and music, I show myself in a state of becoming a more connected and sensitive human being. Through my song and dance, I want to elevate the present moment as an authentic source of information. I sing about and show intuitive, non-intellectual movement in nature, the fluidity of time and space, rejection of fear as a source of information, embracing growth, simplicity, and kindness.

What ideas do you hope to inspire in others? I think the main idea behind showing myself in the midst of my growth process is to encourage others to identify, explore, and embrace their own growth process. What is getting in the way of them fulfilling their potential? What would unfettered growth look and feel like? What would one be moving towards? I am hard-wired to see the glass half full and not half empty. I want everyone who experiences my work to come away with an optimistic perspective. Tell us more about the connection between Earth and nature into your creations. How is that translated through music and film? I began creating work from within the Chantmagick project in March 2017. Initially, I used high-quality photos and video clips from Pixabay and paired this with my own music. The music at that time was layers of vocal chanting (meaning no lyrics just melodic vocalization) over mellow, hypnotic an electronic keyboards.  After 60 videos using Pixabay's visual material, I realized that I literally had to put more skin in the game, meaning that I had to move in front of the camera. It was scary, but I felt that by showing myself dancing in the woods of Northern California, I would give additional context to the work allowing me to move the connection to nature piece closer to the center of what I was making. Like everyone else, I'm working on being the best person I can be. Keeping ego in check, being aware and attuned to people around me, showing up for my family, showing up for my students, showing up in my relationship, just showing up in general. It's not easy.  I've lived in my head for decades and I finally emerged about 5 years ago! I really want to be here, in this moment. When I am present, or as I move closer and closer to being present most of the time, I find myself stretching, dancing around and singing ditties, melodies, silly songs. Maybe, it's just nervous energy because being present is so unfamiliar and uncomfortable. I don't know.  But, I figured out that taking my jitterbugging self out of the house and into nature was a good idea! Pulling up into the parking lot of a local park, filling water bottles, moving down the path smelling trees . . . all of it just calms me down and makes that coming to the center, being quiet and being present possible. So it all just worked out. I decided to just let loose outside and have my partner video me losing my mind out of doors. It never occurred to me to lip-sync to my own songs in shopping malls and in cars or in bars. The visual component is a continuation of the music and the music is a continuation of the visual side. Take us through your songwriting process...When writing a song, what typically inspires your lyrics and melodies? Oh, thank you! This is such a good question.  Initially, I began by creating an atmospheric layer of sound in Ableton Live, my recording software and then chanting over this layer multiple times in order to create lush vocal harmony. I've been learning how to record in Ableton Live over the past 10 years, diving into tutorials on the Sampler, Simpler, and Operator as the means to design sounds for music. Typically, I'll get into it for a month or two and then burn out and focus on messing around with what I've picked up. I thought it would be interesting to contrast sounds that I'd made in Ableton that were obviously synthetic with earthy, raw primitive chanting. Chanting also appealed to me because it feels so primal. You can't really rehearse chanting. You feel it and you do it. I worked in one or two continuous flows. I would dig around, throw together sounds and then stop the second I found something that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up! Same with chanting. I rooted around in my spirit, guts, psyche, and body and made a vocal sound that felt like it belonged with the electronic keyboard layer. Once I recorded this, I harmonized to the vocal layer. Sometimes I would create several layers of harmony. I recorded 60 chants like this from March 2017 - September 2017, so for about 6 months. One of my favorites from this time is "A Chant for Whales" (See below). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_SMB7fRZ2U Then, I just moved on. I started singing with lyrics and recording songs with the acoustic guitar. I felt like I was done with the ambient chants and wanted to move on to something that had been brewing in me for a long time . . . bringing together indie-folk influences like Yo La Tengo and Modest Mouse with the raw unvarnished power of American roots singers like The Carter Family and many of the performers on Alan Lomax's Southern Journey series. I tune the guitar to whatever sounds good to me and then play brief repetitive phrases that I sing over. I've tried traditional Western songwriting and find that it doesn't cover the in-between tones, feelings, and thoughts I want to express! I don't have any solid guitar technique so I rely on custom string tunings and very primitive clusters of sound to express song ideas. I often play my own instruments that I make out of cardboard boxes, wire, sticks, and tin cans. All this time, I'd been using my neighbor's Rode NT-1A for my guitar and vocals and used a Presonus AudioBox interface I bought in 2005. Good gear is nice but my whole approach to music is making use of what you have. This goes for time, space, gear, and inspiration. My main thing is to keep my mind clear of distraction and anxiety so that when I have an idea, I can get to my setup and lay something down immediately. I try to nail everything in one or two takes. I'm going for authentic versus pro sounding. My feeling is that it's more important to get and stay in the groove of expressing myself authentically than laboring for hours over the perfect reverb for a kick drum.  My wager is that over time, I will slowly improve. This has been true so far. My editing has improved over time but still has a long way to go! I upgraded to an Audient ID14 interface and an AKG C214 at the beginning of last year. I also have a monthly subscription to Slate Digital's mixing and mastering tools. It's been nice to hear the difference. Your YouTube platform is a huge focus of your art. How do you manage to be both the filmmaker and musician? Curiosity. And the fierce desire to put my work in front of more and more people. From 2010 to 2016, I uploaded all of my songs to SoundCloud. I stopped uploading there because there was no community vibe. When I created my Chantmagick YouTube channel in 2017, I knew I would have to create videos for the songs I posted. This was and is exciting. Being consumed with the desire to make and share work has really propelled me to be open to learning new things. I got a smartphone, learned how to shoot cinematic videos, learned video editing to music, and haven't looked back. Now I teach others how to do the same through a class I teach at UC Berkeley.  The other thing is that tools and platforms for distribution keep changing, growing, morphing into the next thing. I look at everything and ask myself "Will this serve my mission of making great work and sharing it as widely as I can?" If the answer is yes, I learn it. If the answer is no, I keep moving. I just started re-editing my work into 15 - 20 second nuggets for TikTok. I am so excited to have a new platform to work with. I am working on an article for Medium as we speak about my experiences with TikTok so far and why I think it's a godsend for ambitious creatives.  Which do you feel expresses your work better - film or music? Why? Oooh. That's a good one. Video and music have really fused into one entity now so it's hard to separate them. When I think about it, I share my YouTube link more than my Spotify link. A - because I think building a community on YouTube is much more doable, fun, and rewarding than dealing with Spotify and B - because I feel like Spotify doesn't respect musicians. That being said, I am finding myself putting my time into video platforms over just audio platforms because pairing my music with moving images is perfect. I'm so into it, I don't know how much the songs stand up without videos. So videos with music vs just videos and just music. Do you have a favorite song? Which one? Why? "Find Someone You Love" is from Fall 2018. I entered a magical zone and wrote and recorded seven songs in the space of a month. I had my friend Rupert Clerveaux mix and master them and put them up on Spotify and Bandcamp. Somehow I channel the perfect creamy dark acoustic guitar sound that I'd been dreaming of for ages. What kind of legacy do you hope to leave behind with your work? I want to show people that they can express themselves honestly using whatever tools they have at hand. Then they can share their work as an offering to people everywhere who might benefit from it. I'm pretty bored by identity politics, but I have to say that I delight in sharing sounds and moving images of myself as a black woman dancing and connecting to nature to the folk soundtracks I create. It's so much fun and everyone always is blissed out when they see the work. It feels good. Read the full article

[hetmusic]

What it means to be a producer right now | HumanHuman

A little while ago, I was chatting to Luke Hester and Lucy Hill of Dahlia Sleeps for our interview with the ambient-pop pair. We came onto the topic of production, since Hester produces most of their music, and discussed how this previously hidden world is now more open than ever thanks to advances in technology and increased accessibility. Hill stated that “It’s totally the age of the producer at the moment,” because they’ve emerged from the background and the small print credits. This optimistic discussion led me to wonder, is all change in this area positive? What this article aims to do is to trace over the aspects of what it means to be a producer right now.

Let’s start off with a standardized definition that comes from the performing rights organisation BMI: “A producer is to a recording as a director is to a film. When it comes to making a film, the buck essentially stops with the director. [..] In short, a producer provides the experience and necessary perspective to guide a recording from start to finish.” With this in mind, we’re going to explore the ways that this role of a ship-captain/director is changing, bending or indeed being affirmed by the various forms that the modern producer takes.

One of the recurrent ways that this subject comes into conversation here at HumanHuman, is when an artist handles their own production. There’s something quite impressive about this, although some suggest that self-production is now becoming the rule and not the exception. You only need to browse our collection of discoveries in order to come up with a handful of acts with self-producing abilities. Some of the more notable ones are Palmistry, Ben Khan, A.K. Paul (whose credits in single “LANDCRUISIN’” mean there’s no mistaking who produced it), Mura Masa, TÁLÁ, Astronomyy, Morly, William Arcane and the much-praised Holly Herndon.

Why are more artists than ever self-producing? Well, there’s a few ways we can answer that. For starters, it means that musicians can have a greater creative role in the whole process behind making a song, EP or album. This is something that polymathic artist FKA twigs has demonstrated throughout her work so far. Having taken the lead on everything from composition to production to direction of her music videos, Tahliah Barnett explained to Rookie Mag that “I really want to be in charge of everything creatively,” but there also comes a deep seated frustration with not being recognised for one’s own vision.

“It [production and directorial work] hasn’t been covered enough and I think that’s unfortunately partly down to me being a female artist; everyone’s constantly trying to turn you into a pop star. Pop stars don’t write their own music, they don’t produce their own music and they don’t direct their own videos.”— FKA twigs via Clash

Correctly placed recognition is also something Bjork struggled with following the release of her Vulnicura LP, in which it was misreported that Arca produced the full album, but in fact it was a piece of co-production (something which we explored in our International Women’s Day article.) Equally, Grimes who also featured in our ‘Women In Music’ piece, is fatigued by the expectation that musicians need producers otherwise they’ll “flounder” as she calls it. As Stereogum reports, Claire Boucher is “tired of the weird insistence that i need a band or i need to work with outside producers.” In the place of these eternal contributors, Grimes relies on her home studio and a plethora of digital tools, which neatly brings us on our second point for why artists are so keen to self-produce - and that would be the technology.

In an interview with Future Music Magazine (MusicRadar online), Grimes details the digital audio workstations (DAWs) that she used for creating and producing her music, like Logic and Pro Tools, although it was the easy-to-navigate Ableton that took over for her Art Angels LP. The Canadian artist also has favourite plug-ins, like iZoptope Ozone for mastering demos and Waves’ Manny Marroquin Reverb tool, which perhaps are essential for that distinctive Grimes sound.

“You can “hear” the use of Akai, Pro Tools, Logic, and other digital recording and sample-based composition in most pop music written in the last twenty years.”— David Byrne, How Music Works

Morly

One HumanHuman artist who is consistently credited for her sophisticated production is Morly, aka Katy Morley, an electronic artist hailing from Minneapolis. We were first drawn in a year ago thanks to her mysterious images, dreamy soundscapes in tracks like “Seraphese” and “Maelstrom”, and the unabiding attraction of a self-producing artist. The fact is that Morly has been working on this project for six years, but as explained in an interview with Dummy Magazine, she was no child prodigy or a front woman who spent years cutting her teeth in dingy gig venues, but her first act as a musician was to purchase Ableton and Maschine. She also goes some way to answering what is means to be a producer right now: “It’s almost a euphemism for “electronic artist” or even a composer.”

It’s interesting that in a section of the music industry that is male-dominated, with female producers only making up 5% of the profession in 2014, our focus keeps coming back to the women bucking the trend. What Pitchfork suggests is that the access to DAWs has a feminist implication, as Dum Dum Girls front woman Dee Dee states “Garageband [the pre-installed Apple workstation] definitely encouraged a lot of my female friends to explore something that has previously seemed out of reach.” We can even refer to successful bands like Haim, who used a horn sound from Garageband that was set a bassy two octaves down to underpin the epic rhythm of “My Song 5”. Although, they did use a traditional studio process to complete the single.

“So while audiophiles and classic rock enthusiasts might sneer at the software's humorously simple design, digital natives simply see it as making something impenetrable now liberatingly accessible.”— Pitchfork

Astronomyy

However, it’s not only female bands and artists that are transforming what the role of a producer is. As anyone who understands feminism, they will know that it’s a movement of equality and anti-elitism encompassing all genders. Bringing back one of our earlier examples, the British beatmaker Mura Masa, whose own production work is well documented across the Internet. What’s so special about Alex Crossan is that he openly offers tips to budding producers, as seen in his Q&A on Reddit in 2014. On top of that, the Guernsey-born artist has also started collecting and nurturing production protégés like Bonzai and Jadu Heart under his Anchor Point record label. Another notable musician who has used self-production as a platform from which to circumvent the traditional industry routes is Astronomyy, who has used his self-taught technical expertise in order to set up his own Lunar Surf Studios, in which newest single “The Secret” was written and recorded.

Aside from the need for creative control and access to technology, another reason for a many artists, especially the emerging class, choosing to handle their own production is down to financial reasons. Although some commentators argue that we’re in something of an economic upturn within the creative industries; for example, British music contributed a sizeable £4.1 billion to the overall economy in 2015. However, as The Guardian pinpointed revenues from recorded music fell by £3m and 21% of musicians worked for free in that same year of supposed growth. Perhaps in a bid to correct what UK Music Chairman Andy Heath refers to as the “unacceptable balance of negotiating power” between musicians and consumers, these artists have been forced to become self-sustaining.

Where does all this artistic independence leave the traditional music producer? First of all, I should clarify what I mean by a “traditional” producer, and for that I’m turning to The European Sound Director’s Association's definition as “a freelance or independent Music Producer [whose role is] to direct and supervise recording sessions”, which tends to take place in a professional studio. Securing a working relationship with these production experts comes at a cost, that’s a pretty obvious point, but it’s the variation in that financial figure that is less clear-cut. One publication, The DIY Musician, draws upon two wildly different examples to demonstrate this point by comparing the $600 that it cost to record Nirvana’s debut album Bleach and the $13 million spent on Guns N’ Roses latest LP Chinese Democracy. Yet, more numbers are thrown around by singer-songwriter (and here journalist) Michael Corcoran, who implies that “Most industry types would say between $150K and $1Million for an album.” Contrast this to a potential bottom line of nil (excluding the instruments or equipment already in the musician’s possession) for a self-produced piece of music put together on a laptop rather than in an expensive studio, and it’s easy to understand the appeal of the do-it-yourself approach.

“A Music Producer has technical skills and administrative responsibilities, but as with any other artist, it is the creative ends to which those skills are employed that distinguishes a great Music Producer from the rest.”— The European Sound Director’s Association

Despite the growth in DAWs, plug-ins, knowledge exchange and a trend for cutting corners, the music production sector has proved to be resilient in recent years. One place we can see evidence of this is in UK Music’s various reports on the music industry’s contribution to the British economy. Not only does the report highlight a 5% overall growth, but they also show that Music Producers, Recording Studios and Staff went from having a GVA (gross value added) contribution of £80 million in 2012 to £116 million in 2015, outstripping the Music Representatives sector who had previously been more lucrative. Equally, IFPI’s Global Music Report 2016 is positive about the direction that the music industry is going in. One thing that this international statistics hub refers to is the “dynamic album”, illustrated by their case study on Hakuna Matoma, a Norwegian producer whose living digital album is being edited, written and finalised online in order to involved listeners in the process. You’ll also notice that IFPI calls this songwriter/musician a “producer”, and thus further blurring the lines of exactly where this role begins and ends. In reflection of this, I’d like to introduce another term - the “dynamic producer”. This can be applied to anyone from an songwriter who dabbles in production to a producer who picks up an instrument. We explored this idea earlier with self-producing artists, but another area yet to probed is that of the superstar producer.

Felix Snow

Many of these recent examples first came onto our radar here at HumanHuman, such as BOOTS, who was credited with 80% of production behind Beyoncé’s surprise self-titled LP, which arguably propelled Jordan Asher into the limelight. However, our community has also been fascinated with BOOTS’ personal music, like his debut song collection WinterSpringSummerFall featuring the likes of Beyoncé, Son Lux and Kelela. Another producer with star appeal is Felix Snow, a name that has been recurrent among our new music discoveries due to his immediately audible influence over Kiiara’s hit first single “Gold” and more recently on Belgrave’s “Lift Me Up”. Staccato trap, glitchy robotic vocal samples and that rain-drop effect are all hallmarks of Felix Snow’s production work, which he has now brought to the table for collaborative project Terror Jr. Our final example is Diplo, who has been instrumental in helping artists like Justin Bieber, M.I.A. and MØ reach number one. The Floridian DJ also teamed up with superstar producer Skrillex to present us with all the colours of dance-pop under the label Jack Ü. In a return to our earlier point about the impact of technology on the modern producer, Diplo told Spin Magazine that the affordable and user-friendly DAWs are great for the future of production globally. However, he also holds some reservations:

“There are too many gatekeepers holding the keys and they all want to be compensated for being part of the process. The current big-name producers are lucky to be where they are simply because it’s harder for everyone underneath them to reach the same level and it’s going to keep being harder to break through to that top tier.”— Diplo via Spin Magazine

Throughout this discussion we’ve weighed up the factors that go into being a modern producer - creative control, technology, finances, expertise and even reputation - and all come with an equal mix of liberation and limitation. So, what does it mean to be a producer right now? For some this means being the triple threat of songwriter, musician and producer, and this is a breed of artist we’re becoming much more familiar with. We’ve only really scratched the surface with Holly Herndon, FKA twigs, A. K. Paul, Mura Masa, Morly, Astronomyy, TÁLÁ, Felix Snow, BOOTS etc. As technology and accessibility continues to advance, self-production has a good chance of becoming a given rather than an anomaly, and I doubt that even an improved economy will slow that progress down. However, these dynamic producers are a threat to the status quo and they challenge the expectations of a working relationship between artist and producer, which is perhaps why Diplo forewarns us of the “gatekeepers” to the upper echelons of the music industry. For now the term producer does still apply to those directorial experts in their professional studios, but as the universe is expanding, so is the role of a music producer.

https://humanhuman.com/articles/what-it-means-to-be-a-producer-right-now