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funknrolll · 4 years

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FOCUSING ON JANET JACKSON: THE STORY OF THE ICONIC LEGEND, THE HIGHLIGHTS OF HER SUCCESSFUL CAREER, THE FIERCE AND INSIPIRING MESSAGE DELIVERED THROUGH HER TIMELESS ART

Hi music lovers, today I’m focusing on Janet Jackson, I tried to cover as much as I could with this article. Just know that I will write other articles about her, therefore if you do not find some particulars in this essay, just know that they will be in another future article!! I hope you enjoy this article💜

For 54 years the music icon “Miss Jackson” has and still is paving the path for many artists and inspiring us all with her legacy, talent, grace, and beauty, being the role model everyone should look up to. Today I am focusing on the highlights of Janet Jacksons extraordinary career.

Born Janet Damita Jo Jackson on May 16, 1966, in Gary, Indiana, the artist, was the youngest of ten children, but undoubtedly not the least talented. Indeed, at the young age of 10, she got the part of Penny Gordon on the tv show Good Times and her acting skills were already showing. The young child prodigy also made a few memorable appearances on the tv show Diff’rent Strokes as Charlene Dupree and soon got her role on the renown show Fame as Cleo Hewitt. Though the show business was not all flowers and roses for young Janet, who, even at the age of 10, was already showing her iron will to achieve the very much desired success. Indeed, as the artist recalled, “‘I would set my alarm clock for 5.30am, get myself dressed, and get myself out of the door for work five days a week,’ she says. ‘And for a 10-year-old to have that kind of discipline – there’s a lot to be said for that.’.

Then Janet decided to pursue the music career in the 80s, establishing herself as a singing star of the first order. At the age of 16, she dropped her first self-titled album. The pop, funk-influenced, fresh, and danceable record was the beginning of a glorious and remarkable career. Young Love even reached number six on Billboard’s R&B chart. The following year the artist issued Dream Street. The exquisitely pop album was entirely in the fashion of good 80s tunes. Not to mention the surprise guest artist who lent his signature voice in Don’t Stand Another Chance and All My Love To You.

However, in 1986 came Janet’s commercial, and most importantly, creative breakthrough. The artist teamed up with none other than Minneapolis-based producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis to create Control, the game-changing, legendary R&B-pop masterpiece that paved the way for the new emerging sounds of the late 80s. Through the empowering lyrics, the artist declared her independence with passion and grace as she affirmed in the title track, “this time, I’m gonna do it my way,” and she really did it. Moreover, the pure brilliance of this work lies in the extremely self-assured vocals and sleek slamming beat combo that presented Janet as a confident tough-minded artist who is in charge of her life and her choices. In support of her brand-new persona, Jam and Lewis crafted a set of gleamy, computerized hip-hop-nuanced funk and urban R&B backing tracks. The album eventually sold over 5 million copies, establishing Janet as a new influential pop star and role model. With this album, the artist was already showing her immense talent.

In 1989 the artist teamed up again with producers Jam and Lewis and released the hotly anticipated follow-up concept album: Rhythm Nation 1814. With this work, the artist became more overtly political, exploring socially conscious themes and issues, which were the whole fulcrum of the album. The singer took some risks with this Rhythm Nation as protest songs were quite uncommon in R&B, but making those risks paid off as the masterpiece not only assured Janet an even higher artist plateau, but it also had wildly successful results. As the artist sang in the title track “Join voices in protest to social injustice” or “A generation full of courage, come forth with me,” in this work, Janet explores themes such as racism, sexism, and feminism and flourishing as a person and artist in an environment ruled by both issues. However, some nonpolitical songs could not miss, ranging from smooth and silky ballads such as Someday Is Tonight, Alone and Come Back to Me to the pop rock influenced Black Cat, to the funk-influenced Miss You Much and Alright to the bright and romantically-themed Love Will Never Do (Without You) and Escapade. The album was a triumph and was accepted enthusiastically by the audience. In support of this masterpiece, Janet undertook her first tour, and it was a smashing success.

In 1992 the artist, along with rapper Tupac Shakur starred in John Singleton’s all-time classic, Poetic Justice. Janet gave proof one more time of her extraordinary acting skills taking up the role of Justice, a hairdresser, grieving over her boyfriend’s death, who writes poems to get through the sorrow of her bereavement.

Subsequently, 1993 saw the artist fully embracing her sexuality, which was crowned with her breakthrough homonymous album: Janet. The new image was trumpeted with a strikingly iconic Rolling Stone cover picture: an uncropped photo with the artist topless covered by two hands. The picture was then used as the album cover. One more time, Janet teamed up with the iconic duo Jam-Lewis and the outcome churned out did not leave the audience disappointed at all. The powerful trio left the synthesized funk in favor of warm, gently, inviting undulating grooves. The 28 tracked album is the product of the artist’s groundbreaking eclecticism. This masterpiece is a perfect mix of whooping cuts sprawling a sonic extravaganza where only 12 were proper songs, and the rest short interludes. The new quirky sounds were aligned perfectly with the brand-new public persona the artist created. The album shifts from the old school shuffle-beat-pop of Whoops Now to the New Jack Swing of You Want This. The leading guitar of What’ll I Do is a 60s flavored old school-rock hit with a bit of Janet’s signature sound. The danceable grooves of Funky Big Band are spiced up with old-jazz samples, while the erotic moans in Throb are a clear nod to Donna Summer’s Love to love you, baby, with some electro-trance influences I must say. A major sociopolitical hit could not miss on this masterpiece. The pop song New Agenda featuring a noteworthy cameo from rap Public Enemy’s head MC. Chuck D is indeed touching some relevant themes such as gendered racism and sexism, which issues were and still are much present in today’s society. The album is also featuring some enjoyable ballads such as the major hit and R&B Again, which appeared at the end of the movie mentioned Poetic Justice. With The Body that Loves you, Janet shifts to some jazzier, smooth, and silky sounds, while the slow R&B-nuanced Any Time Any Place is a groovy erotic jam. The angry This Time is a successful experiment in mixing rocky inflections with lyrical singing. The centerpiece was the album’s first single, the groovy alluring infectious ballad That’s The Way Love Goes. Not only is the collection a groundbreaking masterpiece sprinkled with revolutionary sounds, but what is striking most about this work is the intention with which it was produced. Indeed, Janet is a clear statement and frank celebration of female sexual liberation, which was and still is considered a taboo topic. Through this album, Janet explores black sexuality and lust, which is something black women have always been stereotyped about. Hence, with the explicit lyrics, the mellow and groovy sounds, the artist unveils these relevant topics making a monument to black lust, ultimately taking the power of her own sexuality back, which is portrayed as a beautiful, liberating act. With this masterpiece, Janet was baptized as one of the first real trailblazers and role models who paved the path for multiple African American female artists in addressing and embracing their sexuality fully. Additionally, the video of If was praised for being a beautiful, uplifting celebration and portrait of interracial lust.

Furthermore, how can we forget when Janet introduced her legendary brother Michael at the 35th Grammy Legend Awards on February 24, 1993? The artist wearing a gorgeous total white look and matching high heels matched Michael’s nestled pearls jacket. Not to mention her iconic, memorable hairstyle: beautiful box braids slicked-back into a high ponytail topped off with a had-band turned ponytail-holder matching the whole outfit. The jewelry was also in harmony with the outfit, as the artist opted for silver medium hoops (which went gorgeously with the hairstyle), a classy silver chained necklace, and of course, a couple of silver rings. Janet stepped on stage with the biggest, brightest, and most gorgeous smile to introduce her brother with one of the most touching speeches ever, beginning with “Before he won 12 Grammy Awards before he dazzled millions of fans around the world with his amazing talent as a performer. Before, he impacted millions of lives with his ongoing humanitarian efforts. Before all of that, he was one other thing, he was my brother”. Then she presented the audience an enlightening book of the instructions on how to become a legend choosing Michael as a guide. But the best part was yet to come. Indeed, Janet expressed her love and gratitude for her brother, and honestly, she had us crying the ugliest tears ever and Michael too “I just want to say one thing, seriously. I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you and how much you’ve inspired me and how proud I am to be your sister. And how much I love you, I do”. It was lovely seeing Janet and Michael sharing a beautiful moment on stage and joking with each other. It was indeed a beautiful, heartwarming moment to witness.

In 1995 Janet’s came in support of her brother Michael in Scream, the lead single contained on the album HIStory. The duet between the younger sister and Michael finds the pair spitting out tightly wound lines railing against tabloids. The industrial beats and clattering percussions encased an incredible one of the most mind-blowing vocal performances ever. The sense of frustration and rage makes it one of the most vivid and enduring songs. Not to mention the iconic video directed by Mark Romanek housing the siblings in their own hyper-modern spaceship complete with an indoor zen garden, remote-controlled art gallery, and futuristic squash court. The iconic video came in black and white, with the spacecraft flying over the earth and Michael standing in his distress capsule. Then the tv screen flickers and Janet closes her eyes in the distress capsule. A deafening noise reverberates through their headphones, and the siblings scream in pain. An anime comes on tv, and Michael breaks the glass of the capsule. With this intro, the legendary duo begins a mesmerizing and extremely arduous choreography in unbelievable perfect sync with each other. Not to mention the iconic outfits consisting of black and silver PVC pants, silver bikini for Janet, and black or grey spiked shibori crop-tops styled by David Bradshaw.

In 1997 came Janet’s follow-up album, The Velvet Rope, representing the product of her artistic revolution. With this album, the artist is summarizing the essence of the three previous works: the self-empowering messages from Control, the skin-deep social consciousness of Rhythm Nation, and the sexual liberation of Janet. Through the mature and experimental new sounds, the artist takes the listeners on a journey through the exploration of her psyche and sexuality: the outcome leads us to a darker path than the previous works released. Indeed, the singer sought to combine the sensuality of the last record to some more socially conscious parts such as domestic abuse, AIDS, and homophobia. Indeed, Vanessa-Mae’s prog-rock violin solo on the title track is setting the tone for profoundly spiritual work. The bass-heavy house track Together Again was an elegy for AIDS victims, which showcased a poignant vocal and lyric. Furthermore, from the raw and extremely vivid words of What About “What about the times you hit my face?../What about the times you said you didn’t fuck her; she only gave you head?” it is quite clear what the song is dealing with. And the anti-homophobia song par-excellence Free Xone shifts the moods and tempos segueing from a Prince’s Love Symbol (if you know what album I am talking about) like jam to an intriguing masterful sample from Archie Bell and the Drells’: Tighten Up. Extremely popular on the radio was Got ‘Til It’s Gone featuring the rapper Q-Tip and a reggae-crafted beat of Joni Mitchell’s Big Yellow Taxi. I Get Lonely featuring Blackstreet was another tremendous hit that traversed the dark side of desire. Then Every Time is a melancholic piano-based touching ballad (not going to lie this song had me crying ugly tears!!). The edgy rhythms and he drum-and-and-bass lite in Empty are enhanced by Janet’s delivery racing in a staccato. Then the smooth groovy slippery Go Deep is worthy of some of the best Michael Jackson’s jams (can you notice the resemblance with some of Michael’s songs?). Special is another fabulous piano-based ballad drenched in meaningful lyrics, a true anthem of self-worth-discovery delivering an essential lesson “You see? You can’t run away from your pain. Because wherever you’ll run, there you will be. You have to learn to water your spiritual garden. Then you will be free.”. The idyllic song is abruptly stopped halfway by Janet saying “work in progress,” because after all, we are all a work in progress in our journeys through self-discovery and self-love, right? In the second part of the song, the hidden track “Can’t Be Stopped” is a monumental celebration of being Black where the artist is encouraging other African-Americans to have the same pride “You were born with blood of Kings and Queens and can’t be stopped.” Furthermore, through interludes such as Sad and Memory, the artist explores her deepest emotions and grief. For instance with the few words of the album opener Twisted Elegance “It is my belief that we have the need to feel special/And its this need that can bring out the best in us/Yet the worst in us/This need created the velvet rope” Janet is putting into a small number of words the whole purpose and meaning of this monumental masterpiece. The Velvet Rope is, in fact, a metaphor for a place deep inside. We all strive to protect where all our feelings and thoughts lay. Janet, with this album, is courageously unveiling her Velvet Rope, letting herself firstly and the listener beyond it directly into her sacred “spiritual garden.” Indeed, it is not a mystery that the singer chose the symbol of the Sankofa ( which is also the symbol of the Adinkra tribe in West Africa) to represent the album. Indeed, its paraphrase means “You must learn from your past to move forward,” and this is again the whole concept of The Velvet Rope.

In 2000 the artist appeared in Eddie Murphy’s comedy The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps as professor Denise Gaines.

The next year, on March 12, 2001, the artist was honored with the MTV Icon Award, where the glittery talent roster included Beyonce and Destiny’s Child, Stevie Wonder, Aaliyah, ‘Nsync and Macy Gray, to pay their tribute to the legendary icon. To keep the hype of her new upcoming album release, Janet performed All For You the title track of her next album due on April 24, 2001. The singer ascended the stage in a gorgeous stylish all-white outfit and blew the audience away with her enchanting voice and impeccable choreography. After the performance was over, the artist thanked her dancers and her fans, saying, “It’s such a special night in my Life. An amazing night. Thank you so much. Because of you guys, I’m here. Thank you. I love you.”. Needless to say that we love our beautiful, humble queen more.

Moreover, after the super-personal and provocative Velvet Rope, Janet teamed up again with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis to produce the sparkling danceable 70s/80s-influenced All For You. Come On Get Up (one of my favorite tracks in the album) breaks into a frenzy dance upbeat tempo and synth followed by some joyous and impeccable vocals. When We Oooo is an R&B downtempo percussive-based groovy alluring ballad that takes us to another dimension. The R&B ballad China Love is characterized by an extremely neat yet unique instrumental. The sounds of traditional Oriental chimes delve into the past love connections and other new age ambiguities. The glossy, silky slow ballad Love Scene is a sensual jam, perhaps one of Janet’s sexiest song in the album. Trust A Try is the product of a collaboration with hip-hop producer Rockwilder. The monumentally theatrical vocals are accompanied by a reinvention of the opera-genre rearranged into the rock key with electric guitars and cinematic strings. You Ain’t Right is a brutal attack on a gossipy friend characterized by a groovy upbeat tempo and some prominent vocals. The optimistic and hopeful ballad Better Days is entirely in harmony with the whole theme of the album (such an uplifting gem). The complete instrumentation with the guitar solo and striking strings are having us daydreaming of beautiful and distant places. The album is featuring singer Carly Simon in Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You), which is mashed-up with Carly Simon’s song You’re So Vain. Another track containing a sample from America’s Ventura Highway is the upbeat synth-based ballad Someone to Call My Lover, such a well-crafted reinvention of the original song. The extra-slow groovy Truth is a typical Janet’s ballad in the fashion of Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get it On. Feels So Right is another sparkling glossy R&B lo-fi track characterized by a prominent beat and some almost whispered sensual, charming vocals. Lastly, the title track, All For You, is a clear nod to the most memorable 70s funk masterpieces. The alluring upbeat and funk-influenced sound is having the listener daydreaming of the dancefloor at the Studio 54.

In 2004 Janet released her 8th album: Damita Jo again produced by the iconic duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The highly anticipated work is another groovy, sensual, erotic, and unapologetic masterpiece, where the artist explores the crucial role of sex in a new relationship. The preponderance to slow-tempo, sensual grooves, sexual imageries, and spoken interludes are now Janet’s trademark. It’s Janet, and she’s unapologetically sexy. The R&B ping-pong rhythms of the title track accompany the sampled bells, the rap inflected scratches, and the mellow vocals perfectly. Sexhibition is alluring the listener with its infectious stuttering beats and the sampled groovy electro R&B chug, along with Janet’s intermittent vocal bubbles. The sensual vocals in Strawberry Bounce are mixed into an effervescent loop over which, if you listen attentively, you can hear elements of Jay-Z’s Can I Get A and Deon Jackson’s Love’s Make the World Go Round. The next track, My Baby, featuring Kanye West, is a regular R&B laidback slow-jam with on-point beats. Spending Time With You is yet another slow R&B groovy jam that sounds exceptionally familiar (of course, if you are familiar with Michael Jackson’s music). Indeed, the prominent beats, the sampled bells, and the mellow and sensual-almost whispered vocals are clearly drawing inspiration from Janet’s older brother Michael. Segueing the slow-tunes mentioned above, All Nite (Don’t Stop) is a pumping electro-funk whose infectious beats allure the listeners to the dancefloor. Yet R&B Junkie keeps the retro 70s funk vibe high with some well-crafted catchy upbeat synths and characteristic inflected vinyl scratching having us daydreaming of the 70s dancefloors. The album shifts into ’60s retro dazzle with I Want You. The squeaky-clean sugary puff sounds in the verve of the best ’60s classics are a clear homage to the glory of Berry Gordy’s Motown Records. With Like You Don’t Love Me, we are taken back to modern R&B, nodding to new soul stylings with its catchy production, the infectious beats, subtle guitars, and keyboard accompanied by the sensual girly crooning. Thinkin’ Bout My Ex is another slow downtempo jam where the artist explores the emotional consequences of heartbreaks. Following Thinkin’ Bout My Ex, the extra-slow Warmth is a swirling erotic jam. Moist is the sequel of Warmth, another down-tempo piano-based track. The next track, Truly, is leaning towards a new soul genre. With its luscious harmonies and silky vocals, the song is such a sublime masterpiece. Slolove is another in-the-verve-of 70s up-tempo jam characterized by meticulous funk beats. Closing the album Just A Little While is an apparent salute to Prince’s Dirty Mind (precisely When You Were Mine) combining effervescent elements of 80s Prince’ inspired guitars and keyboards. The wide variety of music genres and 60’, 70’, and 80s influences on the album are the product of Janet’s revolutionary and eclectic vision showing the artist flexing her musicology muscle.

In 2006 Janet was a 40 years old woman feeling half her age. Her 40th birthday also conveys with her breakthrough as a music icon and legend 1986. Hence, she released her new album, 20 Y.O. The collection is one more time featuring 5 interludes, all of them titled 20. The first interlude is, however, the most relevant one as the singer gives a clear explanation of the purpose and the meaning of this work: “Well, there’s something to... Are you recording?/ There’s something to be said for not saying anything/I’ve talked about racism, spousal abuse, empowering women, children/I’ve talked about a lot of things/What do I talk about this time?/ I’ve covered a lot in my 20 years/, And I’ve uncovered a lot in my 20 years/, But I wanna keep it light/I don’t wanna be serious/I wanna have fun/I know/I don’t know/That’s what I do know”. The first track opening the album boasts a collaboration with rapper Khia. If you listen attentively, you’d also realize that the song is a masterful sample of Rockit by Herbie Hancock. The outcome is an urban R&B synth-based with prominent on-point-beats. The next three songs present some other masterful samples, such as Show Me complemented with Kraftwerk’s Boing Boom Tschak, Get It Out Me with Afrika Bambaataa’s Planet Rock and Do It 2 Me with Brenda Russell’s If Only for One Night. The threads that relate to all these tracks are the playful prominent danceable and sharp beats and grooves. Segueing the steamy rocky-R&B erotic This Body in which the artist adds some sensual vocals that match perfectly the whole theme of the track: the reversal of female objectification. Therefore, the music and the vocals match the intensity of the narrative, and the manic electric guitar replete with steel drum rimshots. After the second interlude, the artist is back again to a classic R&B string-based downtempo mellow jam. Next track Call On Me, boasts another collaboration with rapper Nelly. The song is yet another well-crafted sample with S.O.S Band’s 1983 major hit Tell Me If You Still Care. The sparkle of the sampled bells in Daybreak glides like Escapade and Runaway. The next track, the neo-soul with a touch of retro vibes Enjoy, is a total breath of positivity and fresh air. The ambiance-neo-soul Take Care is a classic silky dazzling ballad in the verve of Come Back To Me. Love 2 Love is yet another sensual slow jam. In the 5th interlude closing the album, the artist states the fugacity of the 20 years, and ultimately she thanks God for the sense of humor. Then she starts joking with one of her old friends “Twenty years/Time flashes by like lightning in the sky/Twenty years of questions come down to ‘Who am I?’/Thank you God for giving us all a sense of humor”… “All right, it’s ten to six/You’ve gotta go, ’cause I’ve gotta go/Oh, now she’s throwin’ me out now that she had her little say/We have some lovely parting gifts for you, Lynette/Thanks for coming down/Haha, oh, she tryin’ to shut me up/ Do do duh do do do..”

The next year we find Janet in Tyler Perry’s movie Why Did I Get Married? The film set in a Rocky Mountain resort follows four couples who meet each year for a therapeutic vacation. The 8 friends converge to discuss their relationships and address their issues. In the movie, we see Janet play the role of Patricia, a well-meaning psychiatrist and writer who helps her friends to solve their marital problems. The sequel of the movie, Why Did I Get Married Too?, came in 2010, but this time it includes a lengthy section set at the Bahamas. The film is one more time an amid portrait of four couples dealing with marital crises. With these movies, Janet is showing one more time her never-ending acting talents, especially in the second one, when she had to bring to Life Patricia’s painful past. It is indeed, that hurtful past with the broad range of emotions that Janet managed to bring to life amazingly well, making the movie even more credible and touching.

In 2011 Janet released her book True You: A Journey to Finding and Loving Yourself, in which she recounters her struggle with weight and confidence. The book is as well featuring letters from her fans. True You topped the new York time’s bestseller list in the following month. The same year Janet was the first female artist to ever perform at the I.M. Pei glass pyramid at the Louvre Museum, raising contributions for the restoration of artworks.

Nine years later, Janet is back with Unbreakable, a profound and insightful masterpiece. In this album, we find a brand-new Janet with brand new sounds more new-soul oriented. The themes of the collection are as well different from the previous ones. In the title track is the artist expresses her gratitude over a relaxed and longing groove. The intensity increases with the dance uptempo song BURNITUP featuring hip-hop icon Missy Elliot. The mood changes with the probing synths and booming bass in Dammn Baby. The next two tracks, The Great Forever, and Broken Hearts Heal, are a tribute to her brother Michael who passed in June 2009. What is mesmerizing about The Great Forever is that Janet sounds almost like Michael. While Broken Hearts Heal is a poignant uptempo ballad with a retro touch that brings us back to the glorious Michael’s 1978 Off The Wall. The subtle crystal beat is exactly giving the vibe of Workin’ Day and Night. The lyrics as well are giving hints that the song is dedicated to Michael “It was a long, long time ago/But I remember it like yesterday/Amazing times while we were growing/’Round all the brightest stars the world had seen/ We made-up songs to do our chores to/And harmonized while we all did our part/Danced and sang our way through most anything/Always felt safe in each others’ love/It was in summer that you left me/The fall and winter never felt so cold/, And Lord knows words can never express it/Life feels so empty I miss you much/Painful tears like never before/We can’t laugh together till we cry/But our love’s ain’t no material thing/ Inshaallah, see you in the next life”. The social-message-song Shoulda Known Better rides on an electro-dance sound and synths to reach euphoria, which is perfectly aligned with the hopeful message of revolution and social change. With After You Fall, Janet lets the listener into her deep thoughts, showing her fragility. The neat and simple arrangement and the gorgeous vocals are flawlessly completing the whole theme and purpose of the song, putting the vulnerability and the grief into sound. The sparkling infectious electro-disco Night is a clear nod to sturdy Minneapolis funk, more precisely Prince’s Sexy Dance (Prince self-titled album 1978). Segueing the effervescent rhythms of Night, No Sleeep is a more relaxed hypnotic downtempo jam. Then Dream Maker/Euphoria kicks in with a Michael-like cry hitting high notes, then settling into a luscious psychedelic groove. 2 Be Loved and Take Me Away are two classic fresh danceable pop songs. The dark nuanced Promise sets the tone for the touching performance of Lessons Learned, where one more time, the singer lets the listener into her deepest fragilities. The dark-tinged new soul Black Eagle keeps the moods sober, unraveling a poignant, beautiful message. The gospel-flavored Gon B’ Alright, is a prominent link to the past in the verve of Sly and The Family Stone and Larry Graham Central Station with a touch of Michael Jackson’s Wanna Be Starting Something.

After the release of Unbreakable, Janet began The State Of The World Tour, which was launched in 2017. The title of the tour set the record straight on the themes addressed during the shows. Indeed, some testimonies from some lucky fans who attended the concerts recall the opening video making perfectly clear the message Janet wanted to deliver. A blood-red clip that flashed the names of unarmed black men shot and killed by police, denouncing white supremacy and ending in a chant of “We Want Justice.” Subsequentially, a giant portrait of the singer filled the screen, her image covered by the slogans “We will not be silent. LGBTQ rights. Black Lives Matter. Immigrants are welcome. Liberty and Justice for all”. Through the concert, the artist highlighted the importance of information with the lyrics from Rhythm Nation “information keeps us strong” and “if you want to be in control you gotta get yourself in the know.” The show featured as well lighter topics, and Janet did not spare herself some slick choreographers.

And how can we possibly forget Janet’s ICONIC performance and INSPIRING speech while accepting the Billboard Icon Award in 2018? The artist took the stage, offering the audience one of the fiercest and most impeccable performances ever of Nasty meshed up with When We Ooo (at the end of the song) and Throb. The singer also sought inclusivity not just with words; indeed, the performance featured a collective of dancers of all sizes, colors, and shapes. Eventually, Janet, introduced by Bruno Mars, graced the audience with an incredibly inspiring and beautiful acceptance speech: “I am deeply humbled and grateful for this award. I believe that for all the challenges, for all our challenges, we live at a glorious moment in history. It’s a moment when at long last, women have made it clear that we will no longer be controlled, manipulated, or abused. I stand with those women and with those men equally outraged by discrimination who support us in heart and mind. This is also a moment when our public discourse is loud and harsh.”. What a beautiful, stunning, inspiring queen!!

Furthermore, this summer 2020, the artist was supposed to start her Black Diamond world tour, but unfortunately, it has been postponed.

With this said, through her extraordinary career, Janet has proved so much and has achieved so much. Her unbelievable work ethic and talent have brought her to become one of the best artists on earth, and this is a fact. Her inspiring music celebrating women, especially African American women, impeccable choreographies, the iconic music videos celebrating, and uplifting black people have paved the path for many artists. With her vast contribution not just in the music business, Janet has become a legendary icon to many women and men. All hail to the queen.

Thank you for your attention💜 G.✨

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drariellevalentine · 4 years

Text

Medically Inevitable

Meet Our Mc- Arielle Valentine

(This is after Chapter 7)

Name:- Arielle Cerise Valentine/Raines (professionally known as Dr. Arielle Valentine, celebrity-wise as Arielle Raines)

Birthday:- June 5th, 1995 (Age-25)

Zodiac Sign:- Gemini

Face Claim:- Nina Dobrev

Background:- Part Italian and French

Education:- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Main Profession:- Intern at Edenbrook Hospital, residency of Internal Medicine

Side Professions:-

Actress- Played a leading role in a medical drama during high school

Model- Models her sister-in-law’s clothing lines whenever she can

Influencer- Has over 40 million followers on Instagram, posts about her daily life

Singer- Has sung and posted on YouTube with female icons like Ariana Grande, makes a guest appearance in some of her MV’s. (Don’t worry, you’ll see how later!)

Nicknames:-

Rookie (Ethan)

Ari (Elijah & Sienna)

Elle (Bryce)

Sunshine (Naveen)

Cherry (Mark & Adrian)

Family:

Adrian Raines

Brother

Age- 31

Background- Italian and French

Profession- co-owner of Carson & Raines and Criminal Defence Attorney

Married to Alyssa, father to Arabelle

Relationship- Extremely close with each other. Whether it’s personal problems or work issues, he’s the first person who Arielle turns to for advice. He would do anything for his sister, and so would she.

Alyssa Raines

Sister-in-law

Background- American

Age- 28

Profession- CEO and Head Designer of Fashion Empire ‘Flair’

Married to Adrian, mother to Arabelle

Relationship- Very close to each other, Arielle considers Alyssa as her older sister. Lived with each other for two years when Arielle was in med school. Later, Alyssa moved in with Adrian as her company expanded and Arielle bought her own apartment.

Arabelle Raines

Niece

Age-5

Background- Part American, French & Italian

Nickname- Belle (everyone)/Amorina (Arielle-means little love)

Relationship- Arielle’s and Arabelle’s relationship is one of a kind. Both of them love each other so much, Arielle looks at her like own daughter. Alyssa jokes that her daughter is very lucky, not because they are well-off, but that she has two amazing moms. Arielle loves to spoil her, but makes sure she learns the importance for everything.

Mark Raines

Cousin- (Arielle’s father’s brother’s son)

Profession- Professional chef, owner of several restaurants and chains in various areas

Age-31 (older by four months from Adrian)

Background- Italian

Boyfriend to Blair

Relationship- This pair is very notorious and well-known in the family for their prank wars from a very young age. They still play pranks on each other, but not as much. Once Mark learned that Arielle’s middle name stood for cherries, and she just happened to be snacking on them at that time, he gave her the nickname ‘Cherry’, which caught on to Adrian.

Blair Carson:-

Best friend/cousin’s girlfriend

Profession- co-owner of Carson and Raines (Blair’s and Arielle’s father originally founded the law firm. Two years ago, Blair’s father died and she took over his position) and Women’s Rights Attorney

Age-26

Background- British

Girlfriend to Mark

Relationship- These girls have been joined to the hip at a very young age, due to the fact that Blair was left at Arielle’s house when both their fathers had to work. Their emotional bond and connection only increased when Blair’s mother died when she was 3, as they both relate to never have had a mother’s love.

Amelié Valentine:-

Late mother

Professional singer/pianist

Background- French

Relationship- Amelié died just a day after Arielle was born. Though, all of her family members say that Arielle is a striking image of her mother. They share the same vivid violet eyes, perfectly pink lips and numerous other resemblances. Naveen is the one who told stories about her to Arielle.

Alessandro Raines:-

Father, although not on speaking terms

Profession- Retired, co-owner of Carson & Raines (multinational law firm)

Background- Italian

Relationship- Arielle and her father have not been on speaking terms for 7 years since their huge fight on her 18th birthday. Although she was not close with her father during her teenage years, they were quite close during her childhood.

Naveen Banerji:-

Godfather, although Arielle considers him as her actual father

Profession- Retired, former Head of Diagnostics Team, Edenbrook Hospital

Background- Indian

Relationship- Naveen and Arielle were like father and daughter until her second year of med school. He taught her everything there is to know about life, love, and laughter. The two are slowly mending their broken bond, even though their love and affection for each other has never diminished.

Bennet Wilson:-

Ex-boyfriend

Profession- Neurosurgical Intern at Mass Kenmore

Age- 27

Background- British

Relationship- The pair met at Johns Hopkins, Bennet was in his 2nd year and Arielle just started. They graduated at the same time, as Arielle completed her education in only 6 years. The pair went to great heights with their relationship, made it official for almost 4 years and Bennet was also planning to propose later that year. Then he learned that Arielle had gotten matched with Edenbrook, as she wanted to work with her medical hero and inspiration, Dr. Ethan Ramsey. But he hadn’t, he was extremely disappointed as Dr. Harper Emery was the main reason he had gotten into neurosurgery. This lead to huge fights and disagreements, leading to Bennet cheating on Arielle with her best friend. The pair broke up three months before the start of their residency.

A to Z with Arielle

A is for Actress

Arielle is known for playing a leading role in a medical drama during high school. She plays a young paediatrician on the show, and is known very well for handling kids on set. The cast would joke about her being an actress and babysitter at the same time!

B is for Blush☺️

If there’s one one makeup product Arielle never needs, it’s blush. She blushes quite easily and sometimes for no reason (according to herself), though I’m sure you know why!😏

It also is her favourite colour. Her bedroom, from top to bottom, is a picture perfect aesthetic of the colour blush, with hints of gold and a shimmery pearl. Fun fact, Arielle painted her bedroom herself and chose all the furniture and decor with Alyssa. She wants her room to be perfect, as it’s home and should be a place of comfort and solace at the end of her tiring shifts.

C is for Chocolate🍫& Cerise🍒

Chocolate- Arielle absolutely loves and adores chocolate. She cannot go a day without eating something which has chocolate, claiming that instead of coffee, she prefers a sugar rush. She jokes that her first love wasn’t Bennet, but chocolate.

Cerise- ‘Cerise’ is the French word for cherries. Her mother named her ‘Cerise’ because the moment she was born, her lips were cherry red (after that they weren’t though) and her main pregnancy cravings her cherries. Fun fact, Arielle hates maraschino cherries and anything cherry flavoured. She only likes juicy, fresh cherries.

D is for Dance💃🏻

Dance- Arielle loves to dance, whether it’s under the stars swaying or learning BLACKPINK’s new dance from their MV’s. She is quite flexible, and has been dancing from a very young age. Arielle also dances as exercise, saying that it’s a fun way to keep your body fit, while at the same time jamming out to your favourite tunes.

E is for Exercise

Exercise- This is something that is really important to Arielle, especially since she gained a bit of weight when she was 12 or 13. Since that, Naveen had taught her healthy ways to watch her diet and to easily exercise. Arielle says that her yoga sessions with him were one of the best, and she still continues till today. She is never embarrassed about her weight when she was young, and actually has talked about it on some of her guest appearances on shows and her Instagram. Moreover, she loves to encourage and motivate people to lead a healthy lifestyle. She isn’t much of a fan of sports but is a great swimmer.

F is for Fame

Fame- Arielle is known for many things, being a top influencer, an actress, a model, an icon for fashion and her beautiful voice. One of the things that fans like about her is she is very down-to-earth and never hides away about the problems she’s going through. Also, fans like that she doesn’t advertise different brands or products, nor always posts with a full face of makeup.

G is for Gelato

Being part Italian, it’s only fair that Arielle’s love for gelato is real. She prefers gelato rather than ice cream, although that doesn’t stop her from binge-watching and finishing a tub of rocky road with her friends.

H is for Helpful

Arielle loves being helpful. She goes to great lengths to provide care for her patients. When a friend’s in trouble, they always know that they can count on Arielle for helping them.

I is for Instruments

Arielle learned to play the piano at a very young age, as for singing, it was something that just came naturally to her. She later learned to play the guitar, but not as well. She was classically trained for 10 years on the piano, before she stopped and only learned her favourite tunes.

J is for Jewels

Arielle does love a little bling now and then, and treats herself to a few accessories sometimes. Her family members, who know this, love to gift her with a pair of earrings on a special occasion. She also spares no expense in picking out something for her loved ones. But any accessory she picks always has a meaning to it.

K is for Kids

Arielle is a natural with kids, she absolutely adores them having a niece of her own. The funny thing is Arielle was the one who cried when she found out that she was going to be an aunt. Alyssa shed a few tears at first, later full on sobbing because of the hormones.

She always keeps her pockets full of candy, and always keeps a stash in her locker. She loves handing out candy or even sing whenever she gets a younger patient. In addition to that, she loves going to the paediatric ward and giving everyone a little something.

L is for Looks

Although Arielle doesn’t believe in covering her face full of makeup, she always makes sure that she’s dressed to the nines for every occasion. Her style is quite feminine and flirty, though she does like to rock some badass outfits.

M is for Medical Hero

There’s no doubt that Naveen was her main inspiration to become a doctor. But later on, the person who inspired her that she could be able to make a difference in people’s lives was Dr. Ethan Ramsey. After she met him once when Naveen had taken her to one of Edenbrook’s charity galas, she was even more inspired and in awe.

N is for New York

Arielle was born and brought up in New York City, New York. Although having lived there for most of her life, many people don’t believe her due to the fact of her very kind and affectionate personality.

Being a true New Yorker, she loves going there once in a year or two. She’s been to Central Park, Times Square and the Statue of Liberty many times, she doesn’t remember.

O is for Optimistic

One of the things about Arielle is that she’s very optimistic, and always sees the good in everyone. Being optimistic for a person for someone like Arielle is a huge challenge, especially when having been through so many traumatic events. But Arielle likes to see the positive side of things. She believes that if she always focuses on the negative, she’ll miss out on life. Although,sometimes her sunny optimism can lead her into trouble.

P is for Protection & Polyglot

Ever since being kidnapped during the second year of med school, due to the fact her brother was dealing with a very high profile case, she vowed to make sure she knew how to handle a gun. She currently owns 3. One near her nightstand, one in her car, and another extra just in case she goes out somewhere. Nonetheless, she has been learning self-defence for quite a while. Though she doesn’t like hurting people, she admits that it always provides a feeling of security.

Arielle is very fluent in English, French and Italian. She can understand and converse in Spanish and Hindi, Naveen having taught her. Surprisingly, her desi accent is quite on point!

Q is for Class Queen

Arielle here was the Class Queen in college. Working very hard to ace all her classes, she still managed to find time a create a social status for herself. She was known as the Center of Attention because of her background, even though she is kind and affectionate.

She later on earned a name, Triple Threat. This was given when she completely roasted one of her bitchy classmates. Also, she was known as the Heartbreaker among the boys.

R is for Relationships

Arielle dated one of her co-stars when she was acting in high school. It later ended in a mutual breakup, saying that they both wanted different things in life but are still friends. Currently, he is now one of the most top paid actors.

Her fist love was Bennet Wilson, which ended 7 years later very horribly. Though she says that being in that relationship had taught her something, “If you have worked hard to earn your place where you are right now, no one, and I mean absolutely no one should have the right to tell you what to do.”

Her friendship with Dr. Ethan Ramsey is quite close, but it might turn into something more... although both of them are completely unaware, except for their best friends, Sienna and Naveen.

S is for Singer

Arielle has an exceptional voice, she can sing quite high and belt out quite a few notes. Her meeting with Ariana led to both of them being huge friends. They have filmed and uploaded a few videos of them on YouTube. Some of them duets on Ariana’s songs and a lot of other crazy battles. The fans absolutely love the friendship between these two icons, especially when both of their personalities and dynamics match!

Arielle loves to sing, she says that it’s a way to express yourself and what you’re feeling. She sings when she’s happy, sad, angry, and somehow manages to beautifully showcase her emotions in every song she sings.

T is for Traditions

The Raines’ family have quite a bit of traditions. Every Christmas, they all make different types of hand-rolled pasta as a family. They all play Secret Santa, although everyone ends up getting a gift for everyone. Arielle is very particular when it comes to gifts, she doesn’t care about the price, she always takes a long time choosing something that is meaningful and personal. Another tradition is going on a huge shopping spree and picking out tons of clothes for children, then donating them to orphanages, along with small gifts.

One of Arielle’s favourites is the feast they make for Thanksgiving. Between Mark and Naveen, with a little help from others, the food they end of making is delicious, even if somehow Arielle’s the only one ending up looking like she just played the ‘Eat it or Wear it Challenge”!

For New Year’s, they all share their achievements and regrets by writing them on a paper, and then folding them into a boat, they let them go at the lake near Naveen’s house.

Even though Naveen is the only one who is Indian, the whole family celebrates Diwali together. Naveen picks out a dresses and outfits for every single person, with Alyssa’s approval of course, and somehow manages to make mountainloads of desserts.

U is for Unwind

When Arielle has time to unwind, she has a lot of methods. When she’s alone and it’s a beautiful summer day, she goes for a long swim. If it’s a day off with her friends, she loves to indulge in self-care, making a whole spa day at home. And last but not least, Arielle loves to colour. Some might find it childish, but she loves to pair colours with each other. Playing a list of soothing tunes, she finds solace.

V is for Vegan

Vegan- Arielle cannot imagine being vegan for even one meal. She’s a huge fan of seafood and meat, but doesn’t eat much red meat, and has a crazy love for cheese. Her friends joke about her eating so much cheese, but still staying so fit.

W is for Watch

Arielle loves to wear watches as part of her accessories. Although she has many watches, she never uses them to tell the time, mostly only as a fashion statement. She doesn’t like to wear them to work, because then she’ll be checking the time every five minutes!

Y is for Youngest

Arielle is the youngest in her whole family, excluding Arabelle of course. But oftentimes, Arielle’s the one handing out advice and hosting get togethers. She’s never been seen as the youngest and everyone in the family has a huge level of respect for her, especially after what she’s been through.

Z is for Zealous

If you asked anybody who knows Arielle and ask them to describe her in 10 words, zealous or determined would definitely be one of them. Her zeal and perseverance is one of her main factors what got her this far in life, and it will continue carrying her through life.

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dragonologist-phd · 3 years

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Book recs #3, 28, 37, 68, 69?

3.a stand-alone that you wish was part of a series

I'm not sure I have one for this? I feel like almost every popular book gets some sort of sequel or related work eventually, and the ones that remain standalone typically don't need any more expansion...but then I usually don't crave sequels the way some people seem to, if a book has a satisfying end, that's usually enough for me.

28.a book you wish you could read as a beginner again

The whole of A Series of Unfortunate Events, honestly! The tone and narration devices in this series were so strong, they really had an impact on my lit taste and my sense of humor in general growing up. I've re-read them all but I'd love to read some of my favorite lines again for the first time.

37. your favourite heist book

That one's easy- Six of Crows. I never read the other Grishaverse books- I think I picked up the first one at some point and it didn't really catch me- but Six of Crows is fantastic and contains the wonderful trope of a close-knit, ragtag group of criminals that can only depend on each other, which is my jam.

68. our favourite piece of classic literature

I'm not sure what the cutoff for 'classic' literature is, but I love Margeret Atwood's writing, The Blind Assassin is probably my favorite of her books!

Dracula is also up there, if only for the fact that not enough people appreciate the fact that the original book has an honest to goodness Texas cowboy as one of the main characters and how is that not the most iconic thing ever??

69. your favourite mythological retelling

I read so many back in high school that I definitely don't remember them all, but I remember liking Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. It's kinda depressing, but I liked the setting and I've always liked the trope of retelling a story from the 'villain's' perspective. (And I do think it's better written than Wicked, which upon re-reading a few years ago I discovered was not as good as I remembered it)

Books Asks

#thanks for the ask!#i mean i'll always love the wicked musical #but i think i liked the book a lot in high school bc it was grimdark and that was really cool at the time #now i'm kinda over the grimdark stuff esp when there's not a really a point to it #but i think confessions still holds up and while its def darker than a lot of cinderella stories it doesnt quite cross into grimdark #also i have hear good things about song of achilles and its on my tbr list #anyway i demand all vampire stories have at least one cowboy character now

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dippedanddripped · 4 years

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Debbie Harry doesn’t believe in harbouring regrets. “I have made many, many errors, but nobody leads a perfect life,” she reflects down the telephone from New York. “So, should I regret anything? No. It is a waste of time. It really is a waste of time.”

Dial back to the turn of the 70s and the life that Harry led before fronting Blondie – prior to her image being burned onto the retina of popular culture – was colourful to say the least. “I was so desperate to live life,” she says of her time spent hanging with the outcasts and artists of downtown New York. “I was jamming in as much experience as I possibly could and I don’t know if I could have done anything differently. I learned a lot.”

The old Bowery music venue CBGBs has long passed into music folklore as the place that called the likes of Television, Patti Smith, and the Ramones their house bands. It was also where punk and new wave progenitors Blondie cut their teeth before they sashayed into the wider world with the protean panache that would make them a household name. Classic singles such as “Heart of Glass”, “Call Me”, “Atomic”, and “Rapture” have been responsible for more worldwide rug-cutting than an industrial carpet tool. To imply that they were merely a solid singles band is to do them a cardinal disservice, however.

And although they’ve always cocked their attention to the things ahead of them, Harry and her Blondie cohorts have spent a lot of time looking back just lately. Harry’s long-awaited autobiography, Face It, hit the shelves last year, and Blondie co-founder and one-time partner Chris Stein published Point of View: Me, New York City, and the Punk Scene, a photography book featuring personal snaps taken during the band’s pomp in the 70s and early 80s. “We can’t keep on touring and doing club dates the way that we used to. It would be physically impossible,” Harry concedes. “Living through this pandemic has certainly made us take a long look at the value of what we’ve got with our body of work.” Asked if it is a process of attempting to frame their legacy, she admits it’s something that they “have to do”.

This deep-dive into their canon has culminated in a mouth-watering archive set, Blondie: Against the Odds 1974-1982, slated for release next year. Coming in four formats, it promises to include extensive liner notes, “track by track” commentary by the entire band, a photographic history plus rare and unreleased bonus material. The group will also go out on the road – coronavirus permitting – for an autumn Against the Odds UK tour with Garbage.

The artist born Angela Trimble was put up for adoption only a few months after she was ushered into the world in the summer of 1945. A loving New Jersey couple took her in, rechristened her Deborah Harry, and raised her as their own. She grew up in a suburb that she “never left”, was voted best-looking girl in her high school yearbook, and oscillated within a social circle that consisted of “many of the same people” throughout her childhood. “I was somehow shy within that,” she recalls, “(but) somebody once said to me that being shy was an ego trip and a light went on in my head. I thought, ‘Oh, uh-huh, let’s have none of that!’”

Harry travelled by bus as a curious teen to nearby Greenwich Village, imbibing the febrile inner-city atmosphere. In 1965, she graduated from junior college with an associate of arts degree and New York’s allure became too enticing to resist. She decamped to the bright lights of the city and made ends meet with a succession of odd jobs, including secretarial work for the BBC, waiting tables and an infamous nine-month stint as a Playboy Bunny.

The period was a traumatic one, too, with Harry enduring an ex-lover-turned-violent-stalker and a near-miss with serial killer Ted Bundy (although Bundy’s identity is contested by others). In her memoir, she writes candidly of the time she was raped by a man wielding a knife while on her way home from a concert with Stein. Music offered a vessel for her creativity, and she spent time as part of girl group The Stilettoes and folk ensemble Wind in the Willows before her meeting with guitarist Stein which set the foundations for Blondie. Their classic lineup was completed by Gary Valentine (bass), Jimmy Destri (keys), and Clem Burke (drums).

“Somebody once said to me that being shy was an ego trip and a light went on in my head. I thought, ‘Oh, uh-huh, let’s have none of that’” – Debbie Harry

Although they self-identified as punks, the parochial and nihilistic mandate as promulgated by the genre’s militant diehards never fit Blondie comfortably. The group looked outwards from the moment they started, drawing inspiration from their cosmopolitan city. Their sound was a melting pot pulling at the seams of culture’s fabric, and they would weave their own patterns from it.

Harry agrees that their eclecticism was down to good fortune in coming from the “metropolitan area of New York” where they ingested “a lot of musical influences”. Taken as a whole, their catalogue bears this out. Blondie never stood still musically – yet never sounded like anyone else – and they loaded their songs with more hooks than a fisherman’s trawler. 1976’s punchy, eponymous debut married surf-rock textures with 50s girl-group sensibilities, and their palette had expanded exponentially by the time of seminal third album, Parallel Lines (1978). Eat to the Beat and Autoamerican followed, by which point they could boast flirtations with disco, rocksteady, funk, hip hop, and more within their enviable output.

When asked to pick one track that encapsulates the essence of Blondie, Harry opts for their 1981 US number one single “Rapture”. “What happens in ‘Rapture’ is very comprehensive,” she says. “It took a form of music that was, or still is, very modern and can be very political. Rap and hip-hop songs back then didn’t have their own songs. Rappers would just rap on somebody else’s music. (‘Rapture’) was crafted specifically for that rap. Until then that hadn’t been done. It was a breath of fresh air.” It stands as one of the things in her career that she feels “very good about”.

Blessed with the sort of features that could sell sand to the Saharans, Harry’s appearance caused a stir from the band’s earliest days. “That’s part of showbiz,” she says to me, trying to downplay it. “We always had an eye for that, the entire band. We always had an idea of making a look that represented our sensibilities and links to British pop and mod.” Maybe so, but it was Harry alone who was immortalised by Andy Warhol in one of his iconic silkscreen prints, and who posed for era-defining photographers including Robert Mapplethorpe and Anne Leibowitz.

Did the disproportionate attention she attracted ruffle feathers within the Blondie camp at the time? “Yes and no,” Harry remembers. “We were all happy that it was working. I suppose there was a certain amount of competition or jealousy but ultimately, no. I think that’s a better question for Clem or one of the other members in the band. Of course my relationship with Chris was so close that he was very happy about everything.”

The band’s wheels eventually came off after their muddy and unfocused sixth album, The Hunter, dashed against the commercial rocks in 1982. They had to abandon their subsequent tour after Stein became gravely ill with a rare autoimmune disorder, pemphigus vulgaris, that proved extremely difficult to diagnose. Blondie had no option but to bow out of the public eye, and they broke up quietly.

15 years later, with Stein fully recovered, the group reconvened and released a critically acclaimed and commercially successful comeback album, No Exit. They even topped the UK charts with lead single “Maria”, but faced tussles with erstwhile members at the time too. Former bassist and co-writer on “One Way or Another”, Nigel Harrison, and guitarist Frank Infante attempted to sue the rest of the band over their omission from the reformed lineup. And when Blondie were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, Infante grabbed the microphone to express his ire publicly.

Fast-forward to 2020 and the settled iteration of the band are working on a new album with John Congleton, who produced 2017’s Pollinator. Does Harry have a formula when it comes to songwriting these days? No, as it happens. “When a phrase or a sentiment makes me respond emotionally or physically, I write it down and I save it,” she explains. “At a certain point, I’ll sort of review things. A lot of times I like to just work with a rhythm track. Just a drumbeat or some kind of drone-y rhythm, a groove. Other times people will give me a rough sketch of some chord changes – an idea that they’ve got. I seem to work in a lot of different ways.”

Thanks to her effortless chic and timeless looks, Harry’s relationship with the fashion industry has been a mutual love-in since forever, and she recently announced a revival of her partnership with ethical fashion designers Vin + Omi – the duo responsible for her profane ‘STOP FUCKING THE PLANET’ cape worn at the Q Awards in 2016 and throughout Blondie’s Pollinator tour. They have teamed up for a new sustainable clothing line entitled HOPE, and her enthusiasm for the project is palpable. “I love Vin + Omi,” she says. “They are so creative and adventurous. They have this desire to prevail and do things that are smart and modern in terms of recycling and making energy count. I think that is brilliant.”

As a fledgling bee-keeper, the plight of the bees is also something close to Harry’s heart. It was one of the reasons why 2017’s Pollinator was, well, named exactly that. “You’re either being stung by a bee or you’re going to eat its honey,” she chuckles softly, marvelling at the absurdity of the contrast. “But bees and water are two issues we cannot escape from. We should be concerned with finding better ways of living, using our resources in the best way possible.”

Help is coming, she hopes, through the election of Joe Biden, who is “firmly attached” to the idea of helping the environmental cause – and she believes his ideas can help the economy, too. “I’ve been saying for quite a long time that solar and wind power are renewable (energies) that can create jobs,” she says. It’s a far cry from her feelings towards outgoing President Trump and his “daily infusion of bullshit” and “thunderstorm of endless diatribes”.

“One of the most exciting things about rock’n’roll was that it was about breaking the rules, and (‘WAP”) is certainly a part of that. It’s titillating and aggressive and it is part of what is exciting about popular music. The nature of what we try to do is to shock and entertain at the same time” – Debbie Harry

What strikes you when you speak to Harry for an extended period is not only her warmth, but her unexpected humility for someone so staggeringly famous. I reference a Bob Dylan BBC interview from the 80s in which he observed with sadness how his fame had the ability to change a room’s energy and how he missed seeing people act naturally around him. She paws the comparison away, saying she’s nowhere near famous “to the degree of Bob Dylan”, whom she calls “such a megastar”. This could sound like false modesty coming second-hand, but in person it feels like a sincere statement, even if it is a little bewildering coming from an international icon. She will concede, however, that she has “definitely noticed and felt something like that” and has often wished she could simply be “a fly on the wall”.

There is also an inquisitiveness that makes the conversation a more two-way affair than your quote-unquote typical ‘interview’. She fires questions back at you, not as a deflection tactic, but to expand and explore a topic further. This happens when conversation turns to Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s ubiquitous “WAP”. A recent interview had her fangirling over the track, but Harry’s feelings no longer appear to be as clear-cut and she wishes to discuss the song further. “I love it and hate it at the same time,” she now shares. “One of the most exciting things about rock’n’roll was that it was about breaking the rules, and (‘WAP’) is certainly a part of that. It’s titillating and aggressive and it is part of what is exciting about popular music. The nature of what we try to do is to shock and entertain at the same time.” She pauses. “I don’t know. Everything is revealed and maybe sexual explicitness has come of age.”

Pushed about what she dislikes about “WAP”, she says she would “hate it” if any young girl or woman was hurt by the song’s message. “I think that, in a way, men have to know that women think like this, and that there is this component,” she says, “but I would hate it to mean that everyone should be treated like this. I don’t think anybody should be hurt by sex”.

Harry has long championed the LGBTQ+ communities. When she refers to her dearly departed friend and Hairspray co-star Divine as a ‘drag queen’ in Face It, she acknowledges the term in some instances is no longer accurate or politically correct. I suggest that it can often seem as though the evolution of our language is speeding up in the digital age – by necessity, of course – and ask her if online culture fills her with concern when it comes to using the right terms. “Yeah, (because) in many cases it can be a slip of the tongue, especially for an old dog like me! Things do move so very, very quickly. It is hard to keep up,” she observes. “Fortunately, I have a lot of godchildren!”

Speaking of younger generations, Harry likes to think she’d have coped with social media if she were coming up today, but is thankful that she had her “dark cocoon” in which to “bloom out of”, a place where she was able to “ripen”. “When you’re under the harsh glare of constantly being analysed, that shapes you whether you want it to or not,” she says. “It’s a germ or a seed that’s planted in your mind. It can take surprising turns and it can affect your growth. For good or for worse, who knows?”

“When you’re under the harsh glare of constantly being analysed, that shapes you whether you want it to or not. It’s a germ or a seed that’s planted in your mind. It can take surprising turns and it can affect your growth” – Debbie Harry

One thing that remains is her fierce level of self-criticism. “I always want to do better,” she declares matter-of-factly. “I’ve always been very critical of everything. I hear things or look at them and say, ‘Oh God, it should have been that (instead).” Maybe this hypercritical inclination is what still drives her forward. “I honestly don’t like resting on my laurels. I like working and I like creating. I always beat myself up about not being more creative or more prolific.”

When looking at the bounty of projects she has lined up, no one in their right mind could put Debbie Harry and laurel-resting in the same sentence. Aside from the new album, archival set and fashion project, the paperback edition of her autobiography will be released with a brand-new epilogue in April of next year. (Just don’t ask her what’s in it – “I don’t remember what I wrote. I’ll have to look it up!” she says with a laugh.)

The signs are that the musician is done looking into the rear-view mirror, though. Time may be passing, the tide may be higher, but Debbie Harry is doing more than merely holding on. Her eyes are locked to the future and she’s positively thriving.

Blondie: Against the Odds 1974-1982 will be released next year; Face It is out now via Harper Collins

#debbie harry #blondie #Vin + Omi #ethical fashion #explicitness #music blog

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dontbesoweirdkira · 5 years

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Hey, it's me again, I hope you are still open for requests! You said I could ask for Mic content and, if I still can, what about some DadMic headcanons, with his own child and/or an adopted one?! Which one you prefer is fine! I hope you are doing well and thank you for the opportunity you gave me! Take care 💗

A/N: Hey you!! Thank you for requesting, it means a lot that you like my present mic work. And yes, you most definitely can have some DadMic headcanons. If you have any more requests just let me know. I did hours worth of homework and it deleted so i’m kind of like forget school and imma become a professional headcanon writer so honestly hit me up with as much stuff you want :)))))))

(i kind of wrote this like you are in the ages of like 6-10 so just keep that in mind)

-I feel he would have his child out of wedlock, maybe when he was younger out partying things got a little crazy then bam, next thing he knows he has a child with no mom and no idea what to do.

-cAlLs AizAwa

-No but He’s a great Dad honestly, although he's clueless sometimes, he tends to figures things out fairly quickly

- At first it was really hard for him since he had this baby, a new hero career, and the whole world trashing on him, he totally broke down a few times and wanted to give up. BUt aizawa and his other friends helped him through and encouraged him

-You’re his little sunshine and HE LOVeS yoU tO death

-calls you literally any pet name that is very soft and cute and innocent

-He buys evErything for you, i swear! If you just look at something for more than two seconds, it’s in his cart and he’s buying it for you

-”dad you don-”

-”shh pumpkin, let daddy buy it for you.”

-your room is filled with what every girl wants to have

-He learns to do your hair, no matter the texture or thickness or length, he’ll watch youtube videos and figure it out

-he lets you do his hair as well, braiding it, curling it whatever, he’s totally fine with it. JuSt DoNt CUt iT

-New school year and you need new clothes?? Yeah over 1,000 dollars worth of stuff brought.

-speaking of school, sometimes you get comments and stuff from teachers or students because you might not look like him or because you don’t know who your mom is, ect.

-At first when you were younger, it didn’t hurt you, you couldn’t understand that anyways, but as you started to get older it affected you more and more until one day you came home crying to present, and it literally breaks his heart

-”Daddy, why isn’t my skin as light as yours, and my hair isn’t as thin? The other kids make fun of me for it...it really hurts me. And WHere is mom? Does she not love us? You’re really sweet i don’t know why she doesn’t want to be with you…”

-”why are you asking this?”

-”The kids and teachers at school…”

-RAGE MODE ACTIVATED

-He literally storms down to your school and demands that the questions and comments stop or he’s going to press charges

-Never ever was asked about any of those things again...well, more or less, sometimes you hear teachers or students whispering or makings sly comments but you chose to ignore those things

-”DONT YOU EVER TALK TO ME OR MY LITTLE CUTIE PIE EVER AGAIN.”

-HUGs!! He hugs you like all the time everyday when he sees you. Like it’s his way it’s saying i love you although he screams that to you all the time

-”Y/N MY LITTLE GIRL,” *jump hugs* “I LOOOOOOOVveevVVEVVEvevV Ee YOuuUUUUUUOoUUUU”

- PROTECCS YOU AT ALL COSTS

-Like when the world found out that he had a kid, and he was still kind of a kid himself with a just starting a career, he kind of got shitted on a whole lot...by everyone and the press is always writing stories and stuff so when you were old enough to read or understand some stuff he’d often keep TV off or keep you away from the press and media although that became harder when you had to go outside and go to school but as much as he can limit that crazy stuff you see, he’ll do it.

-He makes sure you can defend yourself and as soon as you get your quirk, he’s training you. He will never push mega hard however he makes sure that the training is vigorous enough that when danger comes...you’re ready

-Being a pro hero’s child can mean you’re in a lot of danger, people want to kill or kidnap you to hurt the hero so he’s constantly worries and on you about safety

-If your quirk is similar to his, skskkdnjsk he literally will SCREEEEEEEE, he thinks it’s so awesome you have a quirk like his and he will make sure that the both of you will annoy Aizawa

-As much as Hizashi spoils you, you had to grow up a whole lot quickly. Even though he’s an underground hero and kinda works on his on time, his job is still quite demanding and he has to be gone a lot so that means you need to learn how to cook, clean, do your homework, etc. on your own so if anything happens (god forbid) you know how to take care of yourself. when you were younger tho he’d have a babysitter/nanny to look and take care of you while he’s at work

-Although when he is home he cooks and does all of that stuff. HE'S A REALLY GOOD COOK??????? Like seriously and don’t let me get started on the pastries he makes...mmmm yummm…

-only burnt down the kitchen once...Don’t tell Aizawa plez ;-;

-He actually feels very very bad about leaving you at home a lot with responsibility, he’s all about fun and really just being a kid so he always apologizes to you and plans something super fun when he’s off of work. Like laser tag, going out for ice cream, or just building forts at home. He makes sure you have a balance

-He might’ve brought you a puppy so you would have a friend, you let him name the puppy and now you have a “Mr.Ruffkins” running around your house

-He let’s you have girls night which is basically just you and him and sometimes a friend, and you guys just paint each other nails, put bows in each others hair, all the girly stuff, and just talk about anything.

-It’s his way i guess to make up for the mother-daughter time you don’t have in your life

-Cute picnics at the park with a bunch of snacks and you guys will just feed the little duckies and animals

-Brings you around his agency or to his radio show all the time, like everyone that works there knows and loves you a whole lot. You even have a mini cute pink desk with a name tag on it.

-You have a little segment on his show called “LittleMic and PresentMic” and you guys just talk about crazy weird stuff and reach out to single Dads who are also raising up kids. It’s super cute i swear.

-Aizawa is your tired uncle that says he hates coming over but he comes over like everyday and eats all your food while watching TV on the couch

-He’s the best uncle though but he’s super blunt. So sometimes you go to him for advice or just to talk. He adores you though and checks on you while DadMic is at work or something.

-Aizawa call you “Kiddo” or “littleMic” or just “y/n”

-Present lets you pick out his new tattoos, and one time he let you draw one….now he has a crooked purple butterfly on his arm...it’s all good tho

-Father daughter danceeeeee ya ya ya! You guys bring the moves and the music to the dance floor like get out the mf way swines.

-He picked out your dress and you picked out his suit, he even let you do a little man bun

-sometimes when you guys are just chilling at home, you will play some of your favorite classics, and you will step on his feet and he’ll dance, you guess may have fell like twice.

-speaking of music and dancing, he will turn up all of the pop jams that you love (slipping some of his rock n’ roll faves) THROW candy all through out the house and both of you are dancing in weird costumes while singing

-”I LOOOOOOOOvvEEEE ROcKKK N ROLLLLL SO PUT ANOTHER DIME IN THE JUKE BOX bAE bEEEEEEBHEDB”

-You are very much involved in music and he showed you how to make your own mixtapes, playlists, and how to DJ on your own

-piggy back rideeeesss yuuuuhhhhh. When you’re feeling sad he randomly picks you up, twirls you onto his back and runs around the house yells

-”WOOOOOSSSHHHHHH MEGA JET FLYING A SAD PASSENGER, MOVE OUT OF THE WAY WOOOOOSSHHHSHSH”

-Usually does this until you’re laughing and playing along with him

-”KrrSHH THIS IS FLIGHTER PILOT Y/N WITH MY TRUSTY JET YAMADA ON MY WAY TO DESTROY THE ENEMY PLANE, ANyoNE copPY?”

-one time you like dressed up like him for halloween and it was lit. hair somehow slicked up, black leather jacket and some headphones...wooo child you looked cool

-”PRESENT MIC MAY I GET YOUR AUTOGRAPH???”

-”nO PapArazzi PleAse”

-I feel as though you’d be bilingual, Japanese and English. I feel at home it’ll lean more towards English although there’s a hint of Japanese in there

-He rarely gets mad at you but if he did, it’s probably because you put yourself in danger or something of that sorts

-If you cannot sleep, he’ll let you sleep with him and he’ll have blue clues playing in the bakground to help “sooth you” (he enjoys that show very much”

-”THE CLUE IS RIGHT THERE BLUEEEE”

-”dad? I-”

-Tells you stories about his high school/early life and gives you advice

-”in conclusion do not throw a pumpkin at a security guard or you might get hurt...okay love bug?”

-The sweetest thing ever, like he randomly makes weird faces or says random things to make you laugh

-Forehead kisses or little cheek kisses

-Twirls you around and says “Ah my little princess looks lovely today”

-OMG TICKLE FIGHTS I SWEAR YOU’RE GASPING FOR AIR SOMEONE HELP YOU BUT LIKE ITS FUN

-You help him choose outfits when he’s indecisive

-”take away the scarf and go with the graphic tee and maybe the black boots instead of the red ones”

-”Look at my child, a fashion Icon.”

-He let you decorate the house so now there’s glitter, pink stuff, rainbows and sparkles all around the house but it’s super cute.

-Many cute photos of you guys in macaroni picture frames.

-HE TAKES PICTURES OF EVERYTHING LIKE STACKS OF PHOTOS SMHHH TAKE THE CAMERA AWAAAAYYYYY

-Being Present’s Child would be super cute and mega fun. He’s one of the most interactive loving dads out there, you would never feel lost or lonely for a second. Seriously he is the dad that we all wanted/ needed as a kid lmao.

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crazyblondelife · 3 years

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What to Do With Your Life For the Rest of May

“ You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” ~ C. S. Lewis

The past two weeks have been amazing but also jam packed and exhausting for me! I got home on May 1 from visiting my daughter Sarah in Germany feeling very jet lagged, but so happy that I was able to travel and spend time with her and my sweet little Bristol. The next couple of days were a blur, but I still worked and even did some blog pictures. May 4 was my 58th birthday and my daughter made a delicious dinner for me and Graham and Hudson made me a beautiful birthday cake! The celebration continued with an amazing dinner on Wednesday at a restaurant called Machete. I highly recommend eating there if you’re local��it was one of the best meals ever! My advice is to go hungry and enjoy every bite. On Thursday, my sister and her husband took us out to dinner (it was a week of eating), and by the time Friday rolled around, I didn’t want to eat or go out anywhere, but Sunday was Mother’s Day and we went to brunch! Last week, I jumped back into blogging with both feet. I had a photo shoot on Thursday and did video and photos on Friday. I also started going to yoga again, and working out with my favorite trainer at a new gym. In between all of this, my hair color needed to be done, my nails were horrible and needed a fill in, I had a Hydrafacial and got my lashes done! Oh and did I mention that we got a new puppy? Whew…by the time yesterday got here, I was pooped! My philosophy…life is good when you’re busy!

This is my first “what to do with your life” post in a while and I have a lot to share, so grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and enjoy!

One thing is my life that is non negotiable is my morning meditation and this morning, I discovered a new meditation that I really enjoyed! Alicia Keys has teamed up with Deepak Chopra for a 21 Day Meditation called Activating the Divine Feminine. You can check it out here!

Just in time for summer, From the Vine brings us A Guide to 10 Perfect Summer Wine and Food Pairings! Find out all about pairing summer wine and food…

Speaking of food and wine pairings - I’m making this delicious Farro Tabbouleh with Burrata and Hummus from Half Baked Harvest for my book club dinner on Tuesday night. We read The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kid. It’s a really wonderful book set in biblical times so I thought this dish would be totally appropriate. Even though white wine wasn’t consumed during that time in history, I will serve a white…most likely a Chenin Blanc to go with this!

Did you know that National Wine Day is celebrated every year on May 25. It is a day to appreciate wine and the science and art behind enology. This day should not be confused with National Drink Wine Day, which happens on February 18. Who knew…

Also happening in May is National Hamburger Day which is celebrated on May 28 to get people prepared for summer BBQ season. Most everyone loves a delicious burger and it’s one of the most beloved foods in America, so no wonder there is a whole day to celebrate it. Even though the burger was invented in Germany, it has become an icon of American culture, with Americans eating an average of 50 billion burgers every year. So fire up the grill, and get ready to celebrate National Burger Day.

In most areas of the country, May is a good month to plant a garden. If you’re new to gardening and thinking about planting one, you’ll find this article from Life Hacker really helpful!

We have so much shade in our yard, so this year, I’m going to plant a container garden and grow a few herbs including basil for making pesto, and some tomato plants. I found this article from The Spruce that is so helpful and answers any questions you may have about creating a container garden!

If you are in Australia, parts of the western US, western South America, or in South-East Asia, you will see the Super Flower Full Moon totally eclipsed and turn a shade of red for about 14 minutes during this total lunar eclipse, weather permitting. If you live in the eastern part of the US, this will be visible as a partial lunar eclipse, but still spectacular.

Gifts for the Graduate

May is graduation month and if you’re looking for the perfect gift, I’ve got you covered with my gift guides…

FOR THE COLLEGE GRADUATE Mark & Graham Leopard Throw Blanket | Boll & Branch Classic Hemmed 300 Thread Count Organic Cotton Sheet Set | Nespresso VertuoPlus Coffee Maker & Espresso Machine | diptyque Baies/Berries Candle | Tory Burch Robinson Saffiano Leather Tote |Italian Leather Desk Blotter | Riedel Vinum Champagne Flutes

FOR THE GUYS Peter Millar North Carolina NC Crown Comfort Interlock Quarter-Zip | Courant Wireless Charging Accessory Tray | Tissot Chrono XL Collection Chronograph Bracelet Watch, 45mm | Harvey Leather Overnighter Bag | Classic Leather Folded Wallet With Money Clip | YETI Hopper Flip 8 Cooler

A Few Things I’m Loving Right Now!

Movies and Television

I’m looking forward to Georgetown - While originally premiering in late 2019 to independent film events, Christopher Waltz, Vanessa Redgrave and Annette Bening star in Georgetown, released on May 14. It’s a thriller centered around Ulrich Mott (Waltz), an ambitious social climber who marries a wealthy widow in Washington D.C. for his. sole purpose of mixing with powerful political players, the scenes are tense and the concept boggles the mind, but perhaps power and politics breed such a desire?

If you love Food Network stars, Bobby Flay and Giada de Laurentiis, this one’s for you! Premiering earlier this year, Bobby Flay and Giada de Laurentiis pair up and travel to Italy to enjoy the food and each other’s company. Have a look at an overview of the series from Mashable below. I can’t wait to watch this one!

For all the fashion lovers out there - another much-anticipated new series, this one on Netflix, is Halston. From creator and director Ryan Murphy, starring Ewan McGregor. Halston tells the untold story of the meteoric rise and fall of the first American celebrity fashion designer.

This one will just make you feel good!

Strawberry season is almost over, but there’s still time to make this delicious Strawberry Shortcake from Sally’s Baking Addiction!

I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s post…Have a great Sunday!

#this & that May 16 #life lately

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movisual · 5 years

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In these times, have some quotes I've heard high schoolers say this year

• "Equality is about more than communism."

• "The shorter you are, the smarter you are. Babies? So fricking smart."

• "No, you have to be nice, you absolute dumb whore."

• (resigned tone) "All I do in life is pee."

• "Mario is my favorite 2D woman."

• "Teachers call me Brenden, out on the streets they call me White Cheddar."

• "Bruh, I put my blood, sweat, and titties into this."

• "Aw, he's a clown because he has teeth and lives in a sewer, I can do that too."

• "Physically, I see my grades and I know I have As and one B, but emotionally? I'm failing every class."

• "Wouldn't it be funny if I got addicted to heroin? Wouldn't that be funny? A lil' ha-ha joke."

• "I can't blame the British for killing millions, because the food sucked there. It made 'em all angry."

• "Men have to like other men to have any style at all; I mean, look at my boyfriend."

• "So we all shake hands and say, 'Peace be with you."

"Oh like Star Wars."

• "That's what I'm saying, search engines aren't sexist like poptarts aren't racist."

• "Then the titties produce milk or whatever."

"I can produce cheese!"

• "No, please don't build my life around tit milk."

• "Mary got clapped and lied about it. And then Jesus started walking around thinking he was a miracle child for not having an actual dad and started walking on water and shit. Like the Placebo effect."

• "I'm going to get lip fillers but with my toes. Toe fillers. Then I'm gonna take my inny bellybutton and make it an outy and fill it too. Let it droop down."

• "I'm a heroin addict but instead of heroin I fill the syringe with piss."

• "I don't need weed; I have Hozier and classic rock."

• "I'm all for helping those in need, so we should pay a homeless bearded guy to dress like Jesus and break dance behind a priest in church."

• "I can feel my insides dying."

"You good?"

"I ate too many noodles."

• "John Wilkes Booth."

"Why do you automatically mention bad people."

"I mean Lincoln was kinda ugly so he kinda deserved it."

".... ARE YOU SAYING ABRAHAM LINCOLN-"

• [dabs and hits herself in the face]

• "Choosing between drinking Coke and Mountain Dew is choosing between capitalism and low self respect."

• "Baby Yoda is a communist icon."

• "Wait, you lost a friend this year? Bruh, who died."

"My fish."

• "These school bitches don't own me 'til 7:30 so you know I have my hat on."

• "I want Guy Fieri tattooed on my ass."

• "Cups are just bowls, but taller."

• "To six year old me, Play-doh was like caviar."

• "I don't need to have sex; Buttersalt covers all the same needs. That's how the Virgin Mary sated her urges."

• "Y'all are really gonna be TOAST today because this song is my JAM and I'm getting this BREAD."

• "Dunkin Donuts is fake news."

• The government owns this ass."

• "People are spending too much time trying to cure diseases or whatever when they should be figuring out how to eliminate the need to sleep."

• "The fact that something is not about me is... insane. What is life if not to love yourself more than everyone else?"

• "I'm thicc of ass and thicc of heart.... but I'm not... not thicc of brain."

• "I'm going to beat you senseless with this bag of shredded cheese."

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that-shamrock-vibe · 4 years

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Disney+ What To Watch: My Top 10 Favourite Modern-Day Disney Classics

#1. The Emperor’s New Groove

I absolutely and completely fell in love with this movie the first time I saw it. Not only is the movie’s comedy on point but the animation styling, the story and the emotion that develops throughout this movie, for me, is exceptional.

Now it is fair to say that my #1 and #2 favourites involve the main protagonists being indirectly turned into into animals by the movie’s main villains and the story that follows is a buddy movie about self-discovery. But while The Princess and the Frog is a developing love story, The Emperor’s New Groove is a cautionary tale about the pitfalls about power, how it can corrupt and to appreciate the little and simple things about life.

In a way, The Princess and the Frog and Lilo & Stitch are also about that as the former sees the the main protagonists learn to open themselves up emotionally and the latter is about the meaning of family but this movie combines with it a fun family adventure, some rather high-intense sequences, brilliant comedic scenes, one or two fantastic meta-reference moments and every main and supporting character fills their roles perfectly.

Not only are the characters fantastic, but this movie makes me enjoy both David Spade and Patrick Warburton, I don’t really dislike Warburton but I really dislike David Spade unless his voice is coming out of an animated llama.

The plot, despite being slightly derivative of a standard buddy adventure comedy, somehow makes itself quite unique in the sense of not only the prince cursed to be a llama learning to be human but also the very hands on interference from the villains.

Speaking of the villains, despite being a movie about Emperor Kuzco learning a sense of humanity while he is effectively exiled from his throne, this movie’s two main best features are Yzma and her minion Kronk.

There are very few actors that I say are born for roles and certainly fewer that I say are born for multiple roles, but Eartha Kitt was born to be Yzma just as she was born to be Catwoman. It’s no surprise that these are her two most recognisable roles.in mainstream fandom.

I cannot say enough great things about this character, she is, for me, the best Disney Villain since Cruella De Vil because she is unapologetically ambitious, knows what she wants and will stop at nothing to to achieve it.

Her design is cartoon enough to not seem real but at the same time you want to meet this woman in real life, if that makes sense. She is such an interesting character that you want to meet her, you want to interview her, you want to find out about her history and what got her to this point in her life.

But she is also hilarious and fearsome at the same time. She is a fully-realised three-dimensional character and not just this movie’s typical baddie. This is captured not only in the character design but particularly in Eartha Kitt’s performance. I love her almost as much as I love Cruella and her becoming a cat at the end was the icing on the cake of a fabulous performance for me.

Kronk meanwhile is what I deem to be a villain by circumstance, to the point where I actually believe he is slightly oblivious to exactly what side he has found himself on working for Yzma. This is because, maybe save for Pacha, he is the gentlest and most naive character in the village. That’s not necessarily a bad thing and it is a great moment when he finds his place in the world separate to Yzma and isn’t persecuted for his past because officially he hasn’t actually done anything villainous save for attempted regicide.

However, the great thing about this movie, and Kuzco being something of an anti-hero, is I don’t believe anyone in the kingdom would prosecute

As for Kuzco, he definitely showed some growth throughout this movie. He may not be the nicest individual but he does learn a lesson in humility and also friendship through his friendship with Pacha and the karma he receives through his actions reverberating on the giant target Yzma paints on his back.

This movie is also very quotable, this may not be the most well-known movie but chances are you will recognise a quote or two that were coined in the playgrounds if you attended school in the early 2000s. From Kuzco’s catchphrases such as “No touchy”, “Llama Face” and his “a-ha” victory chant, it’s fair to say that non-fans are at least familiar with one of them.

But also, let’s be honest, the best moment of this movie is Yzma’s iconic “Pull the lever Kront, wrong lever!”. Not only was this instant comedy gold but continued to be a staple in the franchise as the spin-off series The Emperor’s New School utilised many versions of this scene throughout the series.

Kuzco is also a fourth wall joke away from be the Disney Animated version of Deadpool, not only does he break the fourth wall numerous times in the first half of the movie, but also you can tell that if the movie was higher than a family friendly rating, he would not be so family friendly which is fantastic with the potential being there but not needing to be exposed.

Also, the movie is set in Peru. I think Up and The Three Caballeros are the only other movies in Disney history to actually feature any South American locales and not just the design in architecture but the fact that Pacha’s village is authentic to South American culture being a llama herding and produce village is very productive for an animated movie. It creates teachable moments without jamming it down your throats.

That being said, it would have been nice to have some Peruvian or South American representation in the voice casting, because despite the talents of Eartha Kitt and Wendie Malick, the rest is principally a white in a strictly Peruvian setting.

Musically there are just three words...Tom freakin Jones. Not only is his music the theme song for this movie but he is the only “theme song guy” to become animated as the theme song guy. He is in this movie less than Bucky the Squirrel yet I love him just as much.

Also there is a fantastic song that was left on the cutting room floor sang by Eartha Kitt “Snuff Out the Light”. Not only do I feel that if this song were included it may have made it a slightly different movie but also I would say that non-canonically it is one of the better Disney Villain songs if nothing else but for Eartha’s powerhouse performance.

This movie, like One Hundred and One Dalmatians is a movie where I can honestly say that, for me, there is not a bad moment in this movie, there are no slow parts, there aren’t any unnecessary parts, the slightly wacky or convoluted moments add to the genius that this movie encapsulates.

I can remember seeing this movie with my mum and sister and loving it, I remember playing the PlayStation game and loving it, Outside of Disney compilation soundtracks, this was also the movie soundtrack I ever owned and it is because of Tom Jones and Eartha Kitt’s performances...there’s just nothing bad I can say about this movie.

So what do you guys think? Post your comments and check out more Disney+ What to Watch Top 10s as well as more Top 10 Lists and other posts.

#disney+#disney plus #disney+ what to watch top 10s #disney+ what to watch #my top 10 favourite modern day disney animated movies #my top 10 favourite modern day disney classics #the emperor's new groove #eartha kitt #yzma and kronk #yzma #david spade #john goodman #patrick warburton #walt disney animation studios

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cjostrander · 5 years

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My Chemical Romance: Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge

Good morning everyone! Today i was feeling motivated to scratch off one of my crucial anniversary albums for the year. This album turns 15 years old and is one that would be a shame if i let slip through the year. It is arguably the band’s most iconic release though it would be a hard debate between this and The Black parade in terms of overall popularity. I feel that the latter will be picked out by future generations but this one will be the one for their original fanbase. Let’s get started because i’m really going to enjoy this one today!!

Helena (Single): We begin with the first of the band’s many staples on this album. The music video for all of the singles are amazing and definitely worth viewing if interested. Gerard begins with a soothing vocal harmony that creates a fitting sense of mourning before the guitars and drums arrive to infuse a moving rock edge. Gerard’s vocal presence infuses a very firm level of emotion that delivers a very powerful chorus; which will be very hard not to sing along to during a live performance. The lyrics are easy to follow along to and provide heavy substance into the track. I believe the track deals with his grandmother’s passing but i’m not exactly certain. Either way; the instrumentals do a solid job of standing out on their own and delivering a high dose of punk rock energy for a first time listener to fall in love with. It is direct and straightforward and perhaps a direct benefactor of middle school nostalgia on my behalf; but it begins the album rather solidly and sets the listener up for a very engaging listening experience. 10/10

Give ‘Em Hell, Kid: This next track begins with a groovy bass line and joins with the guitars to shift the album into a more aggressive jam direction; thus fitting of the song title. Gerard delivers a very energetic performance that would be amazing to see being done live. He is a bit muffled at times but it creates an authentic sense of chaos that translates nicely what their live energy would be like. Naturally the lyrics will not have much coherency as a result but the chorus will clean things up enough to help balance out this short two minute jammer with ease. 9/10

To the End: Gerard begins over some sinister guitar riffs to create a dark demeanor that still retains a building energy. The instrumentals build up firmly into another very lively jam track that benefits from emotionally raw backing vocals. Gerard as a result achieves a layered vocal presence that helps to keep their signature chaotic foundation intact. The lyrics are decent to follow along to but the overall atmosphere and emotion is what makes this track really stick out. The jam solo segment towards the latter half is a nice stand out moment that will showcase the band’s technicality quite nicely. 9/10

You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison: Keys begin this piece with a nicely classical vibe before the instrumentals arrive to further infuse it with a very groovably rhythm. Gerard warms the track up nicely and once the guitars go into full motion he pours more of his emotionally crazed vocals into the chorus. It helps the band to really achieve a proper jam foundation that other band’s would find hard to replicate on an album without feeling rehearsed. It definitely is a bit more raw than the previous tracks but the jam solos will help this one to stick out nicely during a first time listen. 8.5/10

I’m Not Okay (I Promise) (Single): This next band highlight begins with an emotional guitar opening and is supported by energetic drum beats. Gerard enters with an emotionally high powered vocal demeanor that delivers his lyrics with a very honest sense of emotional despair. These lyrics are some of the strong on the album to follow along and keep things simple but highly substance filled. This will make them the primary focal point of the single but the solos will stick out very nicely to give you a dose of blissful melody. They build up a nice emotional breakdown segment that really brings home a state of mind from that narrator that rings true even today with the mentality of somebody in school. 10/10

The Ghost of You (Single): This track begins with a somber guitar/ key opening that Gerard uses to deliver a more serious sense of turmoil to the listener. The chorus is direct and very powerful in tone and emotion. The lyrics fit very well with the music video and i highly recommend checking out during your first listen; because they really represented this single perfectly with it. Instrumentally it will be straightforward but it’s simplicity enables for Gerard to really pour his heart into his delivery; which is really where this band shines when you deconstruct everything. I’m not knocking the instrumentals of course but without that emotional connection; they wouldn’t have the same impact by a longshot. 10/10

The Jetset Life is Gonna Kill You: This track picks up from the last song and leads into a nice organ opening before the instrumentals construct a rather soothing opening. It is blissful and danceable while Gerard warms the track into a nice rocker. The chorus is direct but works with the instrumentals to create a nicely balance energy that will keep the listener from getting overwhelmed or bored. It keeps the album flow consistent as result without the risk of getting stale and would be another decent addition during a live performance. 8.5/10

Thank You for the Venom (Single): This final single begins with an energetic guitar opening and develops a nice foundation that would be very nice to dance along to during a live performance. Gerard thrives on the energy of the instrumentals to deliver a firm rock n roll presence that would be amazing to see live. The chorus is perfect with firm instrumental support and demanding emotional control from Gerard as well. This will be a highlight for the jam tracks in the album and lyrically is very engaging to follow along to during a first time listen. The little solo segment towards the end builds up some nicely melodic tension before shifting full speed into a nice finish before Gerard takes the reins again to nail this song down perfectly. I really miss this Band! 10/10

Hang ‘Em High: This track begins with a fitting western tinge before shifting into a chaotic drum bash. Gerard takes over and delivers an equally choatic vocal performance that will rile up a live audience with ease. The lyrics are very easy to follow along to and will have very little difficulty in giving the listener ample elements to focus on throughout it. The chorus is a bit more muffled but creates a layered vocal presence as a result that further showcases their live elements. 9.5/10

It’s Not a Fashion Statement; It’s a Deathwish: Guitars begin this song with a climatic level of tension that Gerard naturally jumps into with ease. The instrumentals create a very energetic jam approach that falls in line with the rest of the album without being a detriment as a result. Gerard continues to thrive in this atmosphere and uses a dire level of angst to really impress the lyrics onto the listener. These lyrics are very strong and focus driven; which creates a finale setting which would of been a perfect choice for a closing track if needed; but i firmly pick this as a track to listen to if for some god forsaken reason you decide to only browse listen. Trust me; this album is too good for that; so treat yourself right and blast the whole album during your first listen. 10/10

Cemetery Drive: Drums begin with a nice marching vibe and guitars create a soothing atmosphere that enables Gerard to deliver some very blissful harmonies. His lyrics are pretty fitting with the nature of the track and help to create an atmosphere very representative of someone transitioning from a tortured life into eternal rest. This helps to set up the album for its finale track and wind things down a bit without taking away any sense of emotional strength or purpose. 9/10

I Never Told You What i Do for a Living: This finale track begins with another healthy heaping of chaotic instrumentals and angsty punk vocals from Gerard. He uses the tempo of the instrumentals to really lose himself in his performance. The lyrics are easy to follow along to and space things out enough to keep subtle moments of melody to seep through the guitar strings. It will help to keep things feeling fresh and climatic for this closer. They have a build up segment that leads into a decent breakdown segment that showcases their angsty side at full force. 8.5/10

Overall album rating: 9.3/10

Well it easily took the spot as my highest rated MCR album and for good reason. It is a nostalgic album that culturally stood out as significantly in the mid 2000′s as Green Day’s American Idiot did. I highly suggest checking this album and band out if you haven’t already because they are a band that ended arguably at the top of their game. Their more experimental Super hero themed Danger Days albums was probably their weakest release but was still an interesting one in the end. At some point i’ll have that one on here for you; but i’m really hoping Gerard Way comes out with another solo album soon because it’s been too long for him to not use his amazing vocals.

*Reviewer’s Pick*

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randomvarious · 3 years

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Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel - “White Lines (Don’t Do It)” The Best Rap Album of All Time Song released in 1984. Compilation released in 1999. Disco-Rap / Hip Hop

Although the classic old school disco-rap jam of "White Lines" is often credited to both Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel, the truth is that Grandmaster Flash had absolutely nothing to do with the song. In fact, Flash wasn't involved with any of the original songs that were attributed to Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, including "The Message." The music was taken care of by Sugar Hill Records' in-house band and the writing was done by both Melle Mel and Sugar Hill owner Sylvia Robinson, who was also Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five's producer and manager. Flash's role in the group was as a DJ, and if the song didn't call for a DJ, then Flash wasn't involved in the song-making process. He'd steal the show in a live setting though, and one particular track where he did flex for a studio recording was the inimitable "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel."

So why was Flash's name on this track alongside Melle Mel's? Sylvia Robinson put it on there to move units; simple as that. Back in those days, the DJ was the leader of the group and the rappers always came second. And without Flash's name on the record, "White Lines" would've had a huge potential to flop. But Flash had actually departed Sugar Hill Records the year before the song was released and he also had stopped working with Melle Mel entirely. Deceptive, unethical, all around terrible, sure, but if you didn't know that Flash wasn't on this song, do you think, unless you were a die-hard Melle Mel or Sugar Hill Records fan, that you'd have ever heard it? I doubt it. Probably wouldn't have been a hit otherwise.

Couple other things about "White Lines": first, the song ended up bankrupting Sugar Hill Records. And not because of a Grandmaster Flash lawsuit, but because of a different lawsuit: an art punk-funk group called Liquid Liquid sued Sugar Hill over the tune because it very clearly appropriated the bassline of one of Liquid Liquid's songs, "Cavern," as well as some vocal melodies from it as well ("slip in and out of phenomenon" from "Cavern" was transformed by Melle Mel's vocal backers into the iconic rap line, "something like a phenomenon," for example). The verdict ruled that Sugar Hill was to pay Liquid Liquid $600,000, but rather than pay that sum, Sugar Hill decided to declare bankruptcy instead.

One other thing about this song is that it was ostensibly supposed to be an anti-cocaine anthem, but there's some conflicting info on that. In some places you'll read that the impetus for "White Lines" was the then-recent fatal overdose of a drug dealer that Melle Mel knew, whereas other sources disclose that the song was supposed to be an ironic, sort of over-the-top glorification of cocaine, but in order to become marketable to a wider audience, the words "don't do it" had to be appended to both the song's title and its lyrics. And for what it's worth, a lot of the song's short verses do warn about the perils of addiction, too.

But I mean, if you listen to this song, how is it really not anything other than a cocaine anthem? "White Lines" is so goddamn jittery, from its stuttering, stolen bassline that was re-produced by the Sugar Hill band, to its triumphant trumpet stabs on the chorus. And there's a high level of uneasy intensity to the whole thing, too, thanks in large part to that bassline and the sudden shock of the chorus. But all of that more or less gets evened out by the light, high-pitched, euphoric choir of doo-woppy backing vocals ("rang-dang-diggedy-dang-di-dang"). Hmm... an intense beat, but euphoric vocals...intensity and euphoria...two trademarks of a cocaine high. Go figure. And did I mention that there's also audible nasal snorts that form part of the beat, too? Lyrics be damned!

In the end, "White Lines" is like a sonic pile of blow, and despite its lyrical attempts to make it an anti-drug song, tons of people naturally didn't heed those words and ended up doing copious amounts of white lines to it instead. Great fucking idea, honestly, to make a song that could both be construed as either a wink and a nod to cocaine use or as a song against cocaine use. Plenty of mass appeal there. Sylvia Robinson, you evil genius.

So here's an even more coked-out version of "White Lines," which seems to have been remixed by a guy from New Jersey who went by the name of King Shameek. This version, dubbed the "New Re-Mix," originally appeared on a 1984 self-titled Sugar Hill Records album called Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious Five. One-third mostly instrumental, simmering breakbeat with hazy, dubby reverb effects, one-third dope rap track, and one-third disco groove, this tune, although short, does a nifty job of appealing to both the b-boys and b-girls who wanted to get down as well as the partygoers who came with an interest to hear some rhymes, too.

Perhaps the greatest irony though is the song that contained the lyrics, "higher baby, get higher baby, get higher baby, and don't ever come down," which could've been interpreted as a map of Sugar Hill's own ascension at the time, is the song that actually wound up marking the label's ultimate and sudden demise. But the void that was caused by Liquid Liquid's lawsuit actually proved as one of hip hop's most pivotal moments, as groups like Run-D.M.C., who would bring a more advanced form of lyricism to the table, began to show that hip hop was well on its way to becoming much more than just some post-disco fad that was destined to fizzle out in just a few short years.

P.S.: Didn't know where to fit this in the post, but definitely a bit of trivia worth mentioning: the first time Grandmaster Flash heard "White Lines," he was actually on his way to buy some crack. He claims that he thought the song was actually directed towards him in that moment. Ha!

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queerchoicesblog · 5 years

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Rooftop Talks (Platinum, F!Raleigh x MC)

Since I noticed so many fics starring M! Raleigh but none with F! Raleigh, here’s my attempt to fill that void. Inspired by the rooftop scene, this is my entry for the prompt “ honesty” of the @choicesjulychallenge hosted by @kinda-iconic !

In short, Raleigh and Rachel (Dorian, MC) grow closer as they make a habit of meeting on the abandoned building’s rooftop to avoid paparazzi and spend with each other. Then one night Rachel has a question for Raleigh...

Prompt: Honesty

Discalimer: mild use of bad words and hispano hablantes over here: I tried to incorporate some occasional Spanish in here - I wanted to incorporate that trait in Raleigh’s character- so please tell me if I messed something up with the language (I took Spanish classes ages ago) or in general and I’ll fix it!

Word Count: 2328

Perma Tag: @brightpinkpeppercorn @melodyofgraves @bhavf @abunchofbadchoices @silverhawkenzie @begging-for-kamilah @kennaxval @strangerofbraidwood @crazypeanat @desiree-0816 @universallypizzataco

F! Raleigh x MC Tag: @hellospunkiebrewster @furiouscloddonutpeanut

________________________

The night of the charity gala none of them would have expected it to happen again but Raleigh and Rachel made a habit to sneak away from the paparazzi and hide on the rooftop to catch some breath. They would chat and flirt, share takeaway food and views and suggestions about each other new songs. Some nights they would even bring their guitars and jam together: most of the times they would end up playing and singing their heart out silly hits of the past or campfire songs only to laugh till their cheeks hurt as if they were teens at a party their parents knew nothing about. Other nights they would be a soundboard for each other, especially Raleigh: she would listen to Rachel's ramblings and second-guessing herself and offer her advice: how to keep the tune on that note, a better rhyme, a few sick moves for her next video...even how to make the right impression during interviews, because Raleigh was a professional, not just her rebel stage persona, and she had been around journalists and paparazzi way more than the new sweet shining star.

In return, Rachel would suggest new kinder strategies to deal with fame and fans or to call home every once in a while: even if she left when she was fifteen, she must have someone who missed her. The thought made Raleigh smile, but in a good way: it was almost painful to see how genuinely good the Dorian girl was.

"Are you homesick, Rachel?" she inquired to divert the question.

"Hm, not really, no...” she said, stirring her noodles as she considered her answer. "But I've lived with my parents longer than you did. I just wanted to break free and find a place of my own after I got my high school diploma. I mean, I love them but at a certain point in life, your roads need to part, so to speak, right? But you, it was different for you...that's why I asked. I hope I didn't overstep though" Raleigh shrugged and took a bite of sesame chicken.

"I talked with dad a couple of weeks ago. It was his birthday, mom and the whole family squad set up a party for him. And just so you know, he hates parties. He's a good ol' grumpy fellow"

"Aw cool! I bet he's your number one fan even if maybe he doesn't show it much? I mean, your whole family should be your number one fan!"

"Nah, papi sticks and will always stick with the classics till the end of time and mamita y tìa were and still are -I guess- huge fans of Ricky Martin, el Rey del Pop Latino" Raleigh explained.

She didn't realize until the day after that she couldn't remember the last time she had talked about her family with someone. Everyone always asked her about future plans, career path, tips maybe, but private life? Never. Unless it meant asking out on dates, heavy flirting or scandalous gossips about a former lover. Only Rachel asked her about the life she had left behind in Puerto Rico and everybody had long lost interest in.

"You don't strike me as a fan of Ricky Martin" Dorian chuckled.

The R&B singer flashed her a wide grin.

"Not exactly, but thanks to them I can make quite a good impression of him. Wanna see it?"

"Is that even a question? Of course!"

Raleigh laughed and reached for her phone as the new star put down her empty food box and shifted to sit more comfortably. She scrolled down a YouTube playlist then her eyes met Rachel's again.

"You ready?"

As the young woman nodded she pressed play and ran her hand through her hair and produced her best puppy dog eyes, making Rachel laugh. She put down her phone and walked backward theatrically opening her arms.

Un, dos, tres Un pasito pa'lante María Un, dos, tres Un pasito pa' atrás

Then as the tune became more upbeat she produced herself in a complicated yet effortlessly fluid sequence of hands clapping, swirling and hips swaying. Latin Pop may have not been her favorite genre but damn, she owned the choreography just as she owned the stage during her shows.

Así es María Blanca como el día

She sang quickly stroking Rachel's cheek with one finger before spinning and turning away.

Pero es veneno si te quieres enamorar Así es María Tan caliente y fría Que si te la bebes de seguro te va a matar

After striking a dramatic pose, she winked just before bursting into laughter.

"Oh my God! That was everything, Raleigh!" Rachel enthusiastically applauded.

"Muchas gracias, nena" she said ruffling her hair and taking her seat beside her.

"Now I'm living to see a Ricky Martin and Raleigh Carrera duet"

Raleigh looked at her and snorted.

"I don't see it happening but paradoxically my team might love the idea so never say it out loud when they're around. Never!"

"A girl can dream, right?" Rachel shrugged and giggled.

All of a sudden way less bubbly considerations crossed her mind and she lost in her own train of thoughts. A girl can dream...she had repeated those few words in her head so many times lately. Every time Raleigh absentmindedly stroked her arms on a fake date, every time she caught her looking at her from afar, every time they kissed.

Then the night of the gala happened. When the two of them sneaked away and hopped on Raleigh's motorbike. She still remembered the cool breeze of the night caressing her skin as she held herself to her "girlfriend". That was a moment of rare perfection: the two of them finally alone and careless, the adrenaline of the ride, the warmth of "the R&B time bomb"'s body pressed against her. When they arrived on the rooftop and she admired the breathing view of New York skyline, her head almost started spinning, just like when Raleigh twirled her in her arms on the gala dance floor.

But what made her heart skip a beat was hearing Raleigh talking about that place, sharing memories of her past, when her teen self felt lost and lonely in the big city...and her project to turn the abandoned building into a community center for kids.

"You make me feel like I want to tell you things. I don't know why" Raleigh confessed that night.

That was when a familiar warmth settled into Rachel's chest. The same feeling she experienced when her high school crush caught her singing to herself in the auditorium and told her that she sounded like an angel and stopped to chat. She didn't ask her out before leaving - Rachel Dorian life had never been a romcom so far- but the little casual talk stole her younger self's breath away.

Rachel instinctively knew that Raleigh never shared that with anyone else. It was just her tone, the way she said it. And she couldn't remember a single interview or tweet mentioning it. So...Raleigh's walls were crumbling down? You don't share secrets, very private secrets with anyone!

Maybe I was just being paranoid as my usual...maybe I didn't misread the signs, she thought as Raleigh not only accepted but enthusiastically returned the kiss that followed. And took her to the railing, her lips never leaving hers or her neck.

But later...

Raleigh suddenly making a loud noise with her soda breaking her train of thoughts.

"Earth to Rachel"

Avery's protege turned to see her looking at her with a slightly amused grin on her face as she played with the straw.

"Sorry, I spaced out" Rachel smiled shyly, avoiding eye contact.

"No biggie. Just glad we're on the same planet again"

Rachel looked at her sideways: Raleigh was happily humming one of her latest songs. She seemed to be in a good mood, she always was in a good mood when she was on that rooftop. Or so Rachel could tell by what she saw over the past few weeks. Which lead her to summon up her courage and ask her a question that had been troubling her for a while.

"Why did you bring me here the night of the gala?"

Raleigh was probably caught off guard by that but concealed it well. She shrugged again and leaned down on the carpet, propping herself up on one elbow.

"I told you, I had to take a break from those stupid fraud activists and this is where I go to catch my breath. We were at the gala together so it made sense to ask you to join. Lie to me and tell me you don't like it here" she said, flashing her signature grin.

"Of course I do" Rachel gave a quick smile.

Maybe that's the problem. I like it here, when it's just the two of us, no one else in sight...probably I like it too much.

But this conversation was going nowhere. So she sighed and spoke again, hoping to find answers and hopefully reassurance:

"Our time is ticking out, right?"

When Raleigh looked up to her, the usual cheerfulness of Rachel had been replaced by what looked like...melancholy?

"What? It's barely midnight, the night is still young, Rachel!" she joked to clear the mood.

Then she gave another grin and reached to playfully bump the other girl's arm.

"I have a bad reputation in case you haven't noticed. You should know that I'm not the kind of girlfriend who respects nor gives a damn about curfews."

But Rachel didn't play along this time.

"That's not what I meant" she said as her eyes met Raleigh's again.

The Puerto Rican singer knew what she meant. The big issue that had been lingering between them for a while and that was written all over Rachel tired face. She felt a pang of pain at the thought of it and she decided to conceal it as she always did.

"Oh well who knows, Rachel? I haven't spoken to my PR manager about it on our last meeting"

But the other woman didn't seem satisfied with that brief explanation.

Raleigh grimaced and sat up. It actually hurt more than she thought. She reached for Rachel's hand.

"Hey, we both knew the deal. Start a fake relationship and get a career and reputation boost"

"It's all it is, huh?"

The Dorian girl looked at her with painful expectancy. Gosh, I knew this is what we would get out of this, Raleigh thought.

"Well, yes and no. I mean, I like you, Rachel, I'm glad we got closer. You're shockingly pleasant to have around, rising star. And you've been...well yeah so far you're the best fake girlfriend ever, seriously. I hope we will still be friends when this...you know..."

"Yeah, sure"

Rachel diverted her eyes as her chest tightened. She misread the signals, shit. She kept fantasizing and being oblivious of their current situation...but she couldn't blame Raleigh for it. That night, their first night on the rooftop, when the kisses grew hungry on the railing, the Puerto Rican star too soon parted and told her to follow her, she wanted to go on another ride on her bike. Rachel reached for her.

"We don't have to stop, you know..." she noted, gently stroking her hip.

"What? Too scared to admit you might be catching feelings?" she teased, since the other woman just stared at her in silence.

"Whoa, there. Let's not get crazy. I'm a seasoned professional" Raleigh interrupted her, walking backward.

What a stupid I am! What was I thinking? That she, Raleigh Carrera, might fall for me?, Rachel grimace, her face hidden from the R&B star's view. Your life is not a romcom, Dorian, and you have embarrassed yourself already. God, that night she might have...she totally thought I was taking advantage of the situation? Oh shit shit shit!

Her phone beeped. She picked it up as a deep blush spread on her face: Low battery warning.

"Rachel, are you okay?"

The girl didn't turn but she felt the weight of Raleigh's concerned gaze over her.

"Yeah, I'm good...I just-I just forgot that I have a meeting with Avery early tomorrow. Very early. Like dawn"

"Why so early?" Raleigh gave her a quizzical look.

"Oh it's Fiona's doing actually" she said as she stood in a swift motion and gathered up her belongings. "She just want to introduce us to some yoga routine or something like that. She said it stimulates creativity... the point is I gotta go. I'm sorry"

She gave a quick apologetic smile and moved towards the staircases.

"Oh, okay" Raleigh was visibly confused by the sudden change in her "girlfriend". "Do you want me to give yo-"

"No no, I know the way! I'll call a cab!"

Before she opened the metal door leading downstairs, Raleigh spoke again.

"You sure, you're okay though? Did I say something wrong? About the-"

Rachel stopped and slightly turned her head.

"No, of course not. It's just...my silly little head that keeps forgetting things. How things go. Buenas noches, Raleigh"

That said she speed up down the stairs and only the echo of the door resounded on the rooftop, "their place", before the other woman could say goodnight back.

Something doesn't add up, Raleigh thought, still struggling to make a sense of the last few minutes. What did I-

Then her eyes fell on the purple guitar she gave Rachel sitting not far from the wooden bench. Dorian jealously kept her ever since the first day they met. She wore it on every show, even in the music video they filmed together. She even caught her smiling down at it as she strummed a new melody. She really made her happy with her guitar: Rachel would never go anywhere without it, even the press noticed...and now it was there. Did she forget?

"Oh crap!" Raleigh sprinted to the staircases and opened the door, calling her name.

"Rachel hold on, your guitar! Rachel!"

But her words were welcomed by silence only.

#choices july challenge #platinum #raleigh x mc #raleigh carrera #playchoices #choices fanfic

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