#her name is ALESA!!!!!!!!!!!

[smplivecomments]

from SMPLive: Getting REVENGE on CaptainSparklez! (MichaelmcchillLIVE)

[apollos-boyfriend]

a c!michael mcchill masterpost

everything you may need to get caught up on everyone’s favorite conspiracy theorist :3 this will be updated whenever new lore happens to stay as up-to-date as possible ^_^

important vods:

first radio broadcast: [link]

going to town: [link]

second radio broadcast: [link]

lore summary: [link]

in summary, michael joined the dream smp after dream was put in prison. because of his timing, everyone was closed-off and weary, and gave him little to no answers about anything. after his house got threatened with arson, he decided to move out of the greater dsmp/l’manberg area and into his own bunker. he has since started a radio show, title unknown, broadcasting in hopes people will either hear him and give him answers, or join him in his solitude.

c!michael is, canonically, a conspiracy theorist, especially when it comes to the previous events of the smp. he likes to blow his beliefs out of proportion when talking to others for shits and giggles, having managed to once convince foolish that he believes in the flying spaghetti god. he has, however, also shown to believe in aliens, so how exaggerated he “makes” his beliefs out to be is somewhat unknown! while people make him out to be this c!dream simp/apologist, that is simply untrue. in one of his first streams, he attempted to break into the prison to free dream, and the two flirted jokingly back and forth during it. while the prison break-in attempt is still very much canon, the interactions between him and dream are not, and he knows little to nothing about the man in actuality, much less enough to simp over.

c!michael’s chat manifests in the form of cc!michael’s mascot, pictured below! her name is alesa, and she’s his emotes and notification noises. what she is, no one knows, but she’s toted around in a little baby bjorn thanks to a client-side mod :] dsmp!alesa doesn’t really have a personality due to her just being a backpack/chat, but alesa the mascot is full of it! she’s snarky, with a sharp tongue and wit to match, and can be seen often clowning on michael light-heartedly. she’s also a graffiti artist! (note: alesa is not a cc, she is a character, so differentiating her from her dsmp self by adding c! in front of her name does nothing. instead, the more proper differentiation is dsmp! or dream smp!)

[dmwrites]

Chapter 2- Michael McChill

ch 1

----

It was a slow day at the Serenity radio station. Michael was darning some socks, and Alesa was adding to her doodle mural on the living room wall. Michael hummed along to the song playing, as the radio was piped through the speakers in the house. The peace was interrupted by a ringing phone.

“Michael, the phone is ringing!” Alesa said, repeating the statement several times while giggling, just to be annoying.

Michael grunted and got to his feet, making his way over to the ancient corded phone he had placed precariously on top of a stack of books. He stared down at the phone for a moment, forehead crinkling with confusion. There were very few people who he gave this number to; it was kind of an emergency line, his only real attempt at separating the radio from his personal life.

He eased the phone from its holder and held it to his ear.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Michael?” The friendly yet cautious voice on the other end sounded familiar, and Michael wracked his mind to think of the name.

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“It’s me, Joe Hills! You know, from Nashville, Tennessee?”

Michael’s eyes went wide, and he gave a shout of laughter. “Joe fuckin’ Hills! From Nashville, Tennessee? Of course I remember you, you bespectacled weirdo! What the hell is up, man? Did you find your way back to wherever you came from? Hermitcrab?” Michael couldn’t help but grin- it was the Joe Hills effect.

“I did, indeed. Listen, Michael, I wish we could exchange pleasantries for longer, but I have an issue that is both alarming and right up your alley, I think. Do you think you could wander your way over to the Hermitcraft server?” Joe spoke fast, a lot more serious then he’d ever been while at the radio station.

“I suppose I could use a break from the radio. Sure man, I’ll see if I can get access to the server. Anything urgent I need to know?” Michael didn’t know why he said it, why he agreed. But it just seemed like the right thing to do. Joe wouldn’t be calling just for any reason.

Joe chuckled. He sounded tired. “Tell me, Michael McChill, what kind of stories do you know about a moon that just keeps getting bigger?”

Michael paused. He scanned the books on the shelf he was facing. “A bigger moon? I mean, there’s a lot of conspiracy theories about the moon… let me see what I can find.”

“Okay. See you soon, Michael.” There was a buzz of static, and Michael was left with the dropped call tone in his ear.

Michael set the phone down in its cradle, and stared blankly at the bookshelf for a moment before snorting in amusement.

“Joe Fuckin’ Hills.” He muttered, plucking a few books and a journal from the shelf.

“Who was that?? Your giiiirllllfriend?” Alesa came back into the living room, giggling when Michael rolled his eyes.

“A friend off-server needs my help.” Michael grabbed an old backpack from a hook on the wall. It was an old but sturdy thing, still with all the patches he’d sewn on it so long ago. “And as much as I hate to say it… Alesa, you’re in charge while I’m gone.”

“Oh FUCK YEAH!” Alesa’s eyes lit up and she punched the air in excitement. “Oh my god! That means the radio too, right?”

Michael groaned, pausing to push the shirts he was folding up to his face. “Yes. But, Alesa, there are a couple of house rules we need to go over before I leave.”

“I know them, Michael. I’m not a child.” Alesa muttered sulkily.

“I know you’re not, but please, just humor me.” Michael sat down on the couch again and Alesa stood on the coffee table in front of him.

“One: don’t let anybody in. I have a key, so if there’s someone looking like me asking to come in, fucking kill them. Two: make sure all of the farms stay up and running- we need them to stay alive. And three: no pop on the radio.”

“Wha- fuck you, old man!” Alesa scoffed, and crossed her arms. “You’re not gonna even be on this server, like hell I’m gonna just play classic hits from the eighties! I do what I want.”

“Oh my god, Serenity’s gonna be a one-star-rating show when I get back. My fucking integrity!” Michael put a hand to his head while Alesa giggled. “Okay, but do you at least promise that you’ll follow the first two rules?”

Alesa ruffled Michael’s hair. “Michael, we’re best friends. You may be paranoid, but yes, i will be safe. Promise.”

Michael made quick work of packing, with Alesa fluttering around him making suggestions (for example, a gun, which Michael could not figure out how on earth she’d gotten one of those things). She braided his hair, and he packed an extra notebook. If Joe Hills, the weirdest guy Michael had met, sounded freaked out on the phone, some shit was bound to be going down.

“Alright, guess it’s time to go- gonna solve me some conspiracy theories or something.” Michael stood at the front door, shifting his backpack on his back. He looked back at Alesa. “Now, where the fuck even is the Hermitcraft server?”

[the-pigeon]

here's the post about the name/species/pronouns headcanons i have for each character in the dsmp

Aimsey TV (he/she/they) - lab experiment (was human fetus infused with rabbit DNA)

Ant Frost (he/it) - cat. who talks

Bad Boy St. Halo (he/she) - demon (specifically from a warped forest. more notes o demon types at bottom :D)

Boomer Enay (he/they) - frog/human hybrid

Callahan (he/him) - God (of communication)

Slime Guy Charlie (he/it/copies) - slime

CPK (he/him) - humanoid fox

Connor Eats Pants (he/whatever) - 1/2 human, 1/2 hedgehog

Dream (Cornelius Wattle Taker Miriam Bellos, though he doesnt share his full name anymore) (he/him) - 1/2 human, 1/2 axolotl

Drista (she/whatever) - Goddess (of chaos)

Eret (all pronouns) - herobrine descendant but literally that just means they’re a human with white eyes

Eryn Kraken Cyberonix (he/they) - lab experiment (made from human sperm and demon egg (demon from crimson forest))

Foolish Underscore Underscore Gamers (he/him) - sentient totem of undying (demigod of the sea)

Fun Jonatahan micahel vincent georgina james sus Dy-Soot-Silvester-Minecraft (he/him) - 1/2 shapeshifter, 1/4 angel, 1/4 fridge

George NotFound Lore (he/whatever) - human

Hannah ExEx Rose (she/they/it) - flower nymph / fairy

H Bomb Nintey-four (he/they/fur) - human

Jack Manifold (he/him) - lab experiment (human with cybernetic enhancements, kind of zombie now due to dying)

Kristin Minecraft (she/her) - Goddess (of death)

twitch.tv/karljacobs (he/huh?) - human/mouse hybrid

Lazar Beam (he/him) - ginger bread man

Mamacita (she/her) - human

Mexican “M.D” Dream (he/him) - human

Michael McChill (he/him) - human

Alesa (she/huh?) - fairy

Michael Underscore-Beloved (doesn't understand or care) - zombified piglin

Niki Nihachu (she/her) - 1/2 human, 1/2 enderman

Phil Za Minecraft (he/whatever) - angel (of death)

Dr. By Ponk (any pronouns) - human

Captain Puffy (she/her) - humanoid sheep

Punz (he/they) - human

Purpled (he/huh?) - alien of some sort idk

Quackity HQ (he/all pronouns)- duck/human hybrid appearance shapeshifter (more notes at end)

Ranboo My Underscore-Beloved (they/doesn't understand or care) - 1/2 enderman, 1/2 axolotl

Awe Sam Awesamdude (he/they) - rabbit/human hybrid (failed lab experiment; attempted to become a creeper hybrid)

Sappitus Nappitus Panda Skep Skeppity BadBoy Sapnap St. Halo (he/copies) - mimic shapeshifter

J. Schlatt (he/him) - humanoid ram

Skeppy - 

Technoblade (he/it) - 1/2 pig, 1/2 piglin

Tina (she/her) - demon pretending to be a cat/human (demon specifically from soulsand valley)

Tommy Careful Danger Kraken Innit (he/him/disc/it) - lab experiment (mostly human)

Tuberculosis “Tubbo” Innit Underscore-Beloved (he/copies) - mimic shapeshifter

Vikk Star (he/him) - human

Wilbur Soot (he/him) - 1/2 angel, 1/2 fridge

Sally Silvester (she/her) - salmon (?)

XD (He/Him) - God (of protection)

quick notes:

aimsey, eryn, jack, and tommy were all made in the same lab by the same doctors (jack was 004, tommy was 006, eryn was 007, and aimsey was 008)

if someone is listed as being 1/2 something etc, that means they are, in the most literal sense, 1/2 that. for example: techno is 1/2 piglin and 1/2 pig, meaning one parent was a piglin and the other was a pig. literally.

if someone is listed as a hybrid of two creatures, it means they are mostly human (normally) with certain non human parts. for example karl: he’s a human/mouse hybrid, meaning he is fully human, except for mouse ears and tails

if someone is listed as being a humanoid creature, it means they are just an animal that looks humanoid (stands on two legs, has neck, has two arms, etc etc). for example puffy: she’s a humanoid sheep, meaning she is sheep that has evolved to look human

there are three types of shapeshifters: 

full shapeshifters (can fully change and alter their appearance to anything at will. only full gods have this type of shapeshifting)

appearance shifters (can change parts of their appearance at will, but mostly stuck to minor alterations. for example quackity: he’s a duck/human hybrid, so he’s human with certain duck features. he can shapeshift, but he can’t become anything that wouldn’t make sense for a duck/human hybrid (eg he cant give himself horns, or suddenly grow taller))

mimics (start as normal humans, but will copy (or mimic) other people’s appearances. for example tubbo: has ram horns, pig legs, and endermen horns)

here are the types of demons i have

when the nether was first created (by drista), certain humans got trapped inside with no portal, and over time (like 1000 years) evolved into demons. original demons are very reminiscent of humans, just with horns, tail, and different skin tones (usually more red/purple)

after a while, the nether itself began to evolve and develop it’s own ecosystems and biomes. as groups of demons moved throughout the nether, they adapted to the different biomes as such:

waste demons - live in nether waste. not much different from original demon. usually travellers or merchants. can move and live in any biome with little fuss. survivalists.

crimson gold demons - live in crimson forest. much larger and stronger. big pig-like tusks. live around piglins, but don’t usually interact with them (usually fight). hunters and fighters. 

twisters - live in warped forest. much taller and skinnier. have the most variety among themselves, with a wide range of different skin, hair, and eye colour, and various horn/tail types. live peacefully around the endermen but usually don’t interact. ample food supply, so most pass time by playing games.

delta demons - live in basalt delta. largest type of demon. strong arms and legs, even with a strong tail that can be used to grab things (similar to a monkey’s tail). usually more focused on survival than anything.

valley demon - live in soulsand valley. built for going fast. long legs, and rather small feet. quite tall. eat bones and ghast meat. the only type of demon to not have naturally red skin; most of them have blue skin.

ok thats all. uhm. if you read all that. thank you :]

[michaelmcchillsmpe]

Who voices Michael's twitch mascot?

That would be Allanah, an Australian voice actress, who voices Alesa, Michael’s twitch mascot. In SMP Earth her in-game name is AFitzy, but she goes by Allanah since that is what the people she talks to know her as. Her Twitch is AllanahVA and her Twitter is AllanahTheVA if you want to see more of her voice acting specific things and actually see her content.

[ghostbox]

i have previously apologized for this previously, but considering its lost now im making another apology for creating rather. questionable elements to old ocs.

i made an oc named alesa who was over 300 years old yet took the physical appearance of a 10 year old. regardless of that, i had alesa want to see shae (who is physically 21 years old and IS 21 years old) naked. it was in no way meant to be anything weird or sexual, but i myself can easily see how it would be interpreted in that way. and i apologize for that.

also regarding akemi, she had a needlessly graphic and violent backstory regarding her being a victim to pedophilia as a young child. and it was so over the top honestly it cannot be seen as used for coping. i apologize for that as well.

and please note i have regarded these being terrible oc ideas, hence why i removed them from my story a couple months ago this year. my current oc story has nothing to do with them anymore and arent so grossly over the top. sorry to anyone who had to view all that.

[wordslikearmor]

dust thesis week 1: 1/28 to 2/3

so this little wrap-up is a thing i’m doing now because accountability is everything to me when it comes to my writing process. 

5,026 words - right on track!

i’m trying for 3k per scene because it stops me from rushing through without including all the detail i need to. that being said, writing the bare bones of the scene and coming out with ~2k, then filling in the gaps, worked out well.

advisor isn’t into the 2nd-person directed POV, so we’re going 3rd-person enclosed, but i still really want to come back to the former in the 2nd draft. Selby’s voice is hard and i haven’t got it quite yet. Alesa’s is easy and super fun.

and now, a snippet of what i got done as my reward for truckin’ through:

[Alesa wakes up chained to a chair with a metal mask around her face.]

The first thought she has once her skull stops rattling is that this is a pretty awful way to start a destiny. Her second thought is that she ought to quit being so stupid and try out the chains and chair. 

In the place at the back of her head where she knows every object around her like she knows her own name, Alesa probes at her restraints. Both are deep asleep. Old steel, so old she doesn’t even get an echoed-back taste of the last time someone’d tried to bespeak it, but the oak is a bit more promising. Its silence has warmth to it, like it remembers the last time they’d stuck some sorry idiot between its armrests.

If she can get a few whispers of words out from behind the muzzle, she can work with that. But Alesa needs a good strong truth to bargain with, something she hasn’t fed to every sapling she wanted to bend out of her path on the forest tracks. Pieces of the world always want something in exchange for obedience, and when you don’t have many resources to hand, rocks and wind alike always hunger for a spoken bit of fact. 

[hetmusic]

Women in Music | HumanHuman

It’s time again to celebrate International Women’s Day with our annual review of what it means to identify as a woman within the music industry right now.

In 2015, we invited influentials within music to talk about their work, what changes they have seen in the industry regarding the attitudes of and towards women, and also addressed the issues yet to be solved that consider to hinder greater equality across the business. In 2016, we celebrated a year of activism and progression, a year that saw many mainstream musicians taking full ownership of their womanhood, but not without a reminder that giant leaps for some might only translate into small steps for others, especially when we consider the demographic of the top tiers. Here we find ourselves in 2017, and well, there’s a tendency to feel a tad dubious. We’ve entered into a new year where presidential candidates openly degrade women and yet still end up in office, where the only obstacle between an actor charged with sexual harassment and an Oscar is settlement fees, where there is still an unfair discrepancy between wages for men and women in the same or similar job roles.

As already conveyed, the potential undervaluation of human rights across the political and cultural spectrum is a real threat to everyone, especially women. In Ireland, there’s protests to repeal the ban on abortion; in Jakarta, women join together to raise key gender equality issues; around the world, people continue to march in a show of solidarity in the global phenomenon of Women’s Marches. 2017 has been a truly special year for feminism in action and the music world is an essential part of the movement. Let’s take the example of MILCK’s self-named one woman riot, the single “Quiet”, which was transformed into a defiant group anthem thanks to two choirs and surrounding individuals at the Women’s March on Washington D.C.. Speaking with Billboard, the 30-year-old songwriter Connie Lim passionately asserts that “once the [US presidential] election happened nobody could keep quiet. The words of violence towards women… We need to step up and protect people and make them feel safe and loved again.”

We’ve certainly seen the resurgence of protest music touting various social justice causes recently, and yet it’s a trend that goes beyond the marches. One artist synonymous with creating music with purpose is Sevdaliza, whose 2015 single “That Other Girl” tackled the ways that consumerist culture affects personal relationships. Later came “That Damaged Girl”, featuring A$AP Ferg, which displayed strength in womanhood and independent musicianship. Most recently, the songwriter spoke out against Trump’s immigration ban with “Bebin”. The legislation directly affected the Dutch-Iranian artist who no longer was able to enter the US, but this song was not to be taken as a personal affront. Sevdaliza released this statement: “In protest of the inhumane political climate, I could not rest my head in privilege. I wrote “Bebin” in Farsi, to solidify. I stand strong with love. In this case I choose to avoid mainstream media, because I have no interest in part taking in a victimized concept. As I will not be able to travel to the United States for indefinite duration, take this message without lights, camera, action. I am solely a messenger. In the act of love, there is no place for racism nor bigotry.” To further the impact beyond a listening experience, all sales of the song will be donated to victims of racial exclusion. Further examples of artists working outside of mainstream media come via the recommendation of Noisey and Paste Magazine music journalist Emily Reiley who passionately told us about two of her contemporary heroes - Grindmother and Saltland. Both of these Canadian musicians utilise their art to bring awareness to issues close to their hearts. For Grindmother, the 67-year-old grindcore singer decided that her extreme vocal talents would be used to call attention to the environmental and political discourse of her home country. Similarly, the classically-trained cellist and post-punk experimentalist Saltland, aka Rebecca Foon, “seeks to bring awareness to the fight against climate change with her moody, strings-driven album,” as Reily explains.

“I think that we're at a really exciting time in music where women have a platform to talk about more than what has traditionally been acceptable for us. It's important that we take that space now and use it to turn things around.”— Ayelle

Using music as a platform for change is something that singer-songwriter Ayelle also demonstrates with single “Machine”. Featured in our Best Music Video Debuts of 2016, the song is an exploration of “women's role as sex objects within the patriarchy and our institutionalised servitude to the male gaze.” Through writing the song, Ayelle realised traits in herself that subconsciously pandered to others desires and expectations. Left unaddressed, this cycle of approval-seeking behaviour is bound to continue, which is why it’s vital to keep “creating art that inspires those important conversations.” Now, simply because art and music strives to destroy societal misconceptions of women as sexual objects, it doesn’t mean that their bodies should be left outside of the discussion. As actress Emma Watson recently expressed in an reaction to the criticism of her Vanity Fair cover photo, “Feminism is about giving women choice. Feminism is not a stick with which to beat other women with. It’s about freedom, it’s about liberation, it’s about equality,” and so those who suggested that one “couldn’t be a feminist and have boobs” are ignoring basic biology. Voicing her opinion on the matter, Louise Pétrouchka (a producer, radio presenter and webzine curator) uses the example of the unfair criticism of artist Ariana Grande, arguing that “Being sexy, sexual even, is her choice, and because she's sexy in a video clip doesn't mean that she is an object and that you shouldn't treat her as a person who deserves respect.” One such artist whose forthcoming EP, The Body, fearlessly celebrates the female physicality is Starling. Her music, videos and even an online photo collection explore the relationship between outer beauty and inner darkness. In EP tracks “No Rest For The Wicked” and “Large It”, Starling is a woman of the city with all the human complexity, desires and physical awareness that historical propaganda of her home country Britain has wrongly painted as simply not existing in the female gender. When we questioned Starling about the expression of identity through her music, she responded that true ownership is “genderless,” because “Art is the thing not image.”

“I would love to encourage women to believe in their voice - metaphorical and literal - on their output of creation and to focus less on image.”— Starling

While for some countries, women have reached a level of equality, others are yet to see such a correction, and once again music proves to be an inexhaustible tool in raising awareness. What we’re talking about here is the viral sensation, Majed Alesa-directed “Hwages”. The incredible arabian-pop music video sees women wearing full niqab and subverting all societal expectations with colourful clothes, scooters, skateboards, basketball games, awesome dance routines and trips to the carnival. The video has gained huge popularity across the Middle East and beyond, with praise for the fun choreography and tongue-in-cheek lyrics that calls out the insanity of the deeply entrenched patriarchal legal and rights systems in Saudi Arabia. The use of skateboards and breaking stereotypes are themes we also see in the video for Wild Beasts’ Sasha Rainbow. Through this visual, the director pulls apart the song title to find out what ‘alpha female’ really means. Through her work, she emphasises the importance of women within the creative industries to make their own platform

“... to celebrate women boldly going against the grain through affirmative, inspiring action, by following their passions.”— Sasha Rainbow

The rising wave of conferences centered on women in the music industry is also a clear signifier of the inspiring action happening at all levels of the business, not purely as a final product in songs and music videos. At the end of last year, nonprofit organization Women in Music held their 31st annual party at New York’s famous Webster Hall, to celebrate success and host an all inclusive conversation surrounding women’s rights and the movement for greater equality. In January, the Association of Independent Music gathered in London’s City Hall to hear key figures discuss the next generation of women in music. At the end of this month, the inaugural Sound Industry event will be held in Bristol to showcase unique journeys of survival in the creative industries, questioning gender roles in music, examining mental resilience in the all too often cut-throat music world and wondering how much weight privilege carries these days. This year will also see the first International Conference on Women’s Work in Music over a weekend in September at Bangor University. This is merely a snapshot of the recognition that women in music quite rightly deserve, but of course, the future ideal is that we won’t need separate female-focussed conferences to celebrate women in music, because we should all be able to share that stage of credit where due, whatever a person’s gender may be. It’s a feeling perfectly summed up by previously introduced contributor Emily Reily:

“Women have been there for decades; it’s just that sometimes, they were behind the scenes, or simply not common enough to raise nationwide attention. It’s time to put that “girl” designation aside and focus strictly on the talent and creative goals of a band, regardless of their genders.”— Emily Reily

Awards nights provide one such arena where we’re able to praise achievements in music through a medium that’s directly in the public gaze. Recently, it’s become an optimum forum to set the record straight as to what being a woman in the music industry means today. Our contributor Starling singled out “Titled” songwriter Christine and the Queens for setting the example of “owning your weirdness regardless of gender or sexuality.” That’s the exact sentiment that Heloise Letissier was keen to share at this year’s NME Awards, where she took home four awards in total. In her first acceptance speech of the night, the French artist put forward this moving declaration: “All the females that are nominated with me are amazing and present a really strong way to exist as a woman in today’s world and my way is a bit twisted and a bit awkward.” Then there was the powerful challenge to the male dominated top tier from Head of Global Consumer Marketing at iTunes and Apple, Bozoma Saint John, who picked up the award for Executive of the Year at Billboard's Women in Music 2016, with this girl-power punch: “People might tell you that you have to wait your turn, but I'm here to tell you to say no. We're knocking these dudes out of the way to make room for you.” Another feature of that event was of course, Madonna, who candidly portrayed herself as a “bad feminist” for refusing to deny her sexuality, her age, her body, even at the chagrin of acclaimed feminist writer Camille Paglia. She also aligned herself to Ann Friedman’s Shine Theory, calling out the female viewers “to start appreciating our own worth and each other’s worth, seek out strong women to befriend, to align yourself with, to learn from, to be inspired by, to collaborate with, to support, to be enlightened by.” Reclaiming one’s identity and empowerment of women is also the driving force behind Zohra, Afghanistan’s first and only all-female orchestra and now winner of this year’s Freemuse Award in recognition of their determination to become the first women in their families, their community, their country to openly learn and play music in over thirty years.

We are all witnesses to to the increasing appraisal of women’s contributions and influence in music. In many areas, you could argue that equality has been found. Yet, there still exists many failings to truly represent women within the music world. Let’s look to a returning topic of our Women in Music articles - festival line-ups. In 2015, Crack in the Road editor Josh Dalton released an edited version of the Reading & Leeds Festival poster that revealed of the one hundred acts booked to play over weekend, there were only nine with at least one female member. Despite widespread criticism for the blatant gender bias, Republic boss Melvin Benn dismissed the need for change, telling The Guardian that “We put on bands that people want to buy tickets to watch,” and therefore implying that the public don’t want to see female musicians perform. Over the past two years, this ridiculous and frankly prehistoric attitude has not wavered, and this year’s first announcement consists of fifty-seven men and one woman. The line-up editor Dalton explains that this isn’t a vendetta against Reading & Leeds Festival, but as a way to highlight “the underlying and often unspoken issues regarding representation and visibility within the music industry,” which he explains further:

“This is still at times an industry that still has a certain level of exploitation of women at it's core when it suits, be it in music videos, artwork, or even just being the focal point of songs - yet when women rightfully want to take part in these spaces, they aren't given the same opportunities or respect.”— Josh Dalton

A dismal lack of equal representation also extends to the easily-digestible, widely popularized article format of the list. This year’s Billboard Power 100 was brought to our attention by industry commentator and blogger Mike Schreder, aka Oblivious Pop, as a list which only recognised seven women as being “powerful” enough. If you’re yet to be convinced that this list is biased towards men, then take a look at their Billboard News round-up video, introduced by a clip from Kanye West’s “Power”, where you’ll clearly pick out the line “no one man should have all that power.” Perhaps, they were being ironic. It’s a similar story over at DJ Magazine with their Top 100, the most recent published in April last year, which listed just two female DJ acts, Nervo at #45 and Miss K8 at #88. While lists like Red Bull’s 25 Best Producers Under 25, with a 16% female presence as opposed to Billboard’s 7% and DJ Mag’s 2%, and Forbes’ Hip-Hop Cash Princes, which despite it’s name featured Young M.A. and Noname in an exclusive crew of twelve, there’s still an obvious gender gap in play here. As Schreder quite rightly suggests “The music industry is filled with powerful women that are entrepreneurs, executives, and leaders of stellar teams that succeed to the highest degree, but these women rarely receive the acknowledgement they deserve. There needs to be calls for equality among lists like The Billboard Power 100 to include more women in this male dominated list.”

This call to action is already in steady progression, as we have seen throughout this article with musicians and industry leaders speaking up, stepping out and encouraging others to do the same. Returning to Shine Theory, we shouldn’t be intimidated by these strong figureheads or feel that our efforts will fail to match up to their example, an issue raised by Microcultures producer Louise Pétrouchka with what she refers to as the “imposter syndrome.”

“We tend to feel less secure, even if we have experiences, even if we “want to”, it's always fighting our impostor syndrome to push through.”— Louise Pétrouchka

However, we’re not without a remedy to this mindset, what we need is encouragement from all parties, from all areas of the music industry to become even just “one link in the chain that could help starring women in music.” Pigeons & Planes recently published the article Music Industry Advice For Women, By Women, in which it called on veterans of the music world to share their indispensable wisdom resulting in six key strategies: do your research, find mentors, demand respect, speak up, work harder than the rest, and trust your instincts. It’s advice that a person of any gender could follow in their attempts to access the business, but for writer Adrienne Black, this is essential to combat a world where “women have a harder time earning the success or respect they deserve without being subjected to gender stereotypes or consistently being objectified for their image.” We have another four-point plan system from Sarah Thompson, the owner of Charmfactory PR, whose own career began in 1996 as an early adopter of online music promotion and over that time she’s seen major moves towards equality in the industry. As she tells us, “I think it could always be better but compared to when I started back in the mid ‘90s we have come along way!” Her experienced outlook proves that straightforward steps to “be smart and choose your friends carefully,” “always respond to help,” get involved in social media groups and be active in the real world to, for example by attending gigs, can lead to dramatic change, on a personal and career level, but can also lead to a ripple effect throughout the industry. Further sage also comes from our contributor Lisa Murgatroyd, leader of Sofar Sounds Manchester, who advocates a community mentality, with a reminder than we can learn from our peers’ failures as much as from their successes.

“We need to collaborate and share our experiences, best practice and tips to help each other across all types of roles.”— Lisa Murgatroyd

What’s become clear throughout this article is that we all possess the ability to have an impact on the established system, to mold it in our own image and to delineate the idea of separation between different genders, and by extension between all various forms of identity. We need to collaborate, congratulate, challenge and inform. As Ayelle conveys, “There are still so many things about the music industry that remain largely unchallenged because we've internalised this environment and adapted to it in order to survive in it, but more and more women are starting to break that pattern and I hope it continues in 2017.” It’s also an optimistic viewpoint shared by the Head of Music at The Most Radicalist Black Sheep Music, the music division of BBH, who notes that sexism exists within many industries, not as a vacuum in the music world, but it’s a trend on the decline. “If the music business is indeed a mirror to societal trends at large, then I have more hope for the eradication of misogyny and sexism now than ever before.” As with many of our contributors whose ultimate goal is to disband with this conversation of gender altogether, because Owen envisions

“... a world for young women looking to enter the music business where it’s no longer necessary to talk about being a ‘female leader’. We are simply leaders.”— Ayla Owen

Whether it’s through songwriting, directing a music video, optimizing each and every platform, pointing out social, political and cultural injustices or by simply being more conscious of our own attitudes towards gender. As MILCK’s protest song shows, we can’t keep quiet, and it's why music (and art) for that matter can help to solve this issue. It allows us to understand and celebrate one another: which is beautifully portrayed in the Rupi Kaur's debut collection, Milk and Honey:

“our struggle to celebrate each other is what’s proven most difficult in being human”— Rupi Kaur

https://humanhuman.com/articles/women-in-music-2017

[mopp1ng]

I like the adrenalin rush when my friends are dying

barney 2k17 (adam qouting barney)

[predi-cam-ment]

Monster au stuff(idk)

Seto * Drinks herbal tea,it is literally the only thing he will drink * Has insomnia,so he's a tired boy * Works at the library * 5"8 Ty * Loves Seto * But he's too shy to admit it * Abandonment issues * 5"10 Sky * Call him Adam and he will hit you * A little shit * Mention Ant and your dead * Super protective over Jason * 6"0 Jason * Dreamy little space boy * Has his head in the clouds 24/7 * Can't remember anything until a few years ago * Actually over thousands of years old * 5"4 Mitch * Puffs out smoke when he laughs * His human form makes him look like he has tons of burns on his body * Hot-blooded * 5"10 Jerome * Fluffy * Loves raw fish * Loves cuddling with his gfs and bf * Excitable * 6"2 Ian * Sweet tooth * Bad at cooking,but his bfs won't tell him that * The mom friend * 6"1 Derp * Clumsy * He's also kinda in the poly ship too * Sensitive * Thinks he's ugly,bfs say he's gorgeous * Self deprecating Husky * Fish creature that hates water * Aquaphobia * Freaks when he sees the ocean on the tv,Annie calms him down * 5"5 Brice * Bubbly artist * Total geek for art * Takes a lot to make him angry,but be scared when he is * Usually super animated when talking,but when he's working on a project he's completely stoic * Even though he's older then Seto,he thinks of him like an older brother(Suck it SetoSolace) * Huge crush on Tyler and Kyle(I ADDED ANOTHER SHIP AND CHAR FIGHT ME) * 5"9 Preston * Super chill * Because if he's not then the entire place will go up in flames,and he's terrified that will happen * His bfs cuddle him a lot and make him feel loved * 5"9 Lachlan * A fucking Disney princess * Tol bf * Squeals when Rob nuzzles him,and its adorable * Loves any kind of affection * 6"1 Rob * Tol,protective wolf bf * Nuzzles all his bfs * Fluffy in wolf form,and the others cuddle into his fur * No parents,the poor thing * Mitch is like his brother * 6"0 Vikk * Smol protective dragon bf * Wraps his bfs in his wings a lot * Tiny for a Star dragon * Sassy and will fight you if you call him short * 5"8 Crainer * Gets frustrated with his magic very easily,bfs calm him down * Hurt his bfs and all your plants will die * When he's sad plants around him wither away * 5"11 Jordan * His tears are pure black * He has no eyes in his true form * Give him all the cuddles * Serves a deity named Ianite,apparently she's a goddess to void creatures * 5"6 Annie * Hurt her bf and you'll get an arrow to the knee * When her bf has a panic attack,she's always right by his side * Makes Husky potions so he can breath on land * 5"10 Red * Invents stuff * Will flirt with his siblings crushes for them * Ultimate wingman * 5"10 Blue * Sad,needs reassurance 24/7 * His giggle is literal music * Hugs are nice * 5"8 Yellow * When someone's sad he magically appears to cheer them up * HUGS ARE A++++ * Crush on Tim Tam(Because Adam is taken and I like the idea of this ship) * Friends with everyone * 5"9 Purple * Sad grumpy emo boy * Actually loves when someone holds his hand * Total tsundere * 5"11 Green * Asexual/Romantic * Has tons of piercings * Loves coffee more than people(other than his siblings) * Acts like he doesn't care,cares a lot * 5"11 Pink * Very gay * Will punch anyone who messes with her siblings and gf * The eldest * 6"0 Barney * Cold-blooded,needs Red to snuggle with him a lot * Don't ask about the eye * Was the tough guy in high school,he's a huge goof now though * 6"0 Ross * Abandonment issues * Monophobic,like don't leave this poor boy alone * Really good with technology * 5"8 Max * Hot headed (//shot) * Shelby is his bestie * Will burn you if you mess with Shelby or Ross * Done with everything * 5"11 Shelby * Little Optimistic ball of sunshine * Loves her buff and protective gf * Plants are A+++ * Ross is her adopted cousin * 5"3 Jess * When in fairy form(which is really tiny)she'll snuggle up in her bfs and gfs hair/fur * Sits on her lovers' shoulders in fairy form a lot * Optimistic * SNUGGLES! * 5"4 Louise * Fluffy * Puts chin on Mitch's head a lot * Picks Jess up and twirls her around a lot * Gets frustrated when she can't pick Jerome up * Gets kisses afterwards and feels better * 6"1 Alesa * Loves flying but can't do it very often * Sky's bff * Cuddles with her birb gf a lot * Don't mess with her friends unless you wanna get your ass beat * 5"10 Aph * Loves telling stories * BABIES! * Wants to adopt a kid with Alesa * 4"10 Tyler * Part of a band,he's the guitarist * In a relationship with Kyle * Total geek * 5"9 Jocelyn * Likes being outside * Forces Ty out of his apartment for some sunlight * Ty's friend * 5"7 Ant * Laid back * Protective big brother type * Wanted a family when he was alive * 6"0 Steven * Thinks Monsters are fascinating * Studies different types of Monsters,and writes them down in a journal * Is technically the owner of a bar * 5"6 Bart * Grumpy * The mom friend 2 * Is a bartender * 6"5 Dave * Has been dead for 60 years * Always on his Gameboy * Has a little game with Seto where he occasionally gives a small fact about himself and Seto tries to piece together who he was * 5"9 Cory * Sassy as fuck * Doesn't give two shits about anything(other than his bfs and gf) * Loves cameras * 5"10 Dawn * Precious robot son * Has PTSD * Doesn't like virus's * 5"6 Uni * He dyes his hair tons of other colors,but blue is the one he does most * Loves cuddles * Bfs and gf constantly compliment his art,he blushes every time * 5"9 Ashlie * Has Forget-Me-Nots in her hair * Has a dog named Wilbert * LOVES ANIMALS! * 5"3 Nick * thAT FUCKING VOICE * 'It's just red soup guys''IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S A SECRET THAT YOUR A VAMPIRE NICK!' * The only logical one other than Dawn * 5"5 Tommy * THE SINGING VOICE OF AN ANGEL * Kinda crazy * Sings lullabies to Dawn when he has nightmares * 6"0 Mat * Doesn't like rain,he will rust * Protective bf * People Immediately turn to him when things break,he rolls his eyes and then makes the thing better then before * 6"0 Pete * Eats EVERYTHING * Don't touch his beanie * Technically doesn't have a sex,he just goes by he/him pronouns * 5"8 though he can change his body anyway he wants to Choco * Gets grumpy when his feathers start multing * Puts Mat under his wing in the rain when he can * Best cook * 5"11 Kyle * Don't question his pink hair * Loves when Tyler plays his guitar * When people see his hair they ask if he's gay,he just gives Tyler a big smooch and glares at the person * 5"10 Tim * Curls around people,it freaks some people out when he's in his true form * Anime nerd * Cold blooded,he gets sleepy during winter * 5"6 Dawn * Always grumpy * Smol and sassy * Let her sleep * 5"0 Ashley * Hugs Dawn with her wings a lot * Free spirited * Has amazing reflexes * 6"0

[mcytmonsterauheadcanons]

Monster au stuff(idk)

Already posted on my main blog but here some stuff on all the characters

Seto * Drinks herbal tea,it is literally the only thing he will drink * Has insomnia,so he's a tired boy * Works at the library * 5"8 Ty * Loves Seto * But he's too shy to admit it * Abandonment issues * 5"10 Sky * Call him Adam and he will hit you * A little shit * Mention Ant and your dead * Super protective over Jason * 6"0 Jason * Dreamy little space boy * Has his head in the clouds 24/7 * Can't remember anything until a few years ago * Actually over thousands of years old * 5"4 Mitch * Puffs out smoke when he laughs * His human form makes him look like he has tons of burns on his body * Hot-blooded * 5"10 Jerome * Fluffy * Loves raw fish * Loves cuddling with his gfs and bf * Excitable * 6"2 Ian * Sweet tooth * Bad at cooking,but his bfs won't tell him that * The mom friend * 6"1 Derp * Clumsy * He's also kinda in the poly ship too * Sensitive * Thinks he's ugly,bfs say he's gorgeous * Self deprecating Husky * Fish creature that hates water * Aquaphobia * Freaks when he sees the ocean on the tv,Annie calms him down * 5"5 Brice * Bubbly artist * Total geek for art * Takes a lot to make him angry,but be scared when he is * Usually super animated when talking,but when he's working on a project he's completely stoic * Even though he's older then Seto,he thinks of him like an older brother(Suck it SetoSolace) * Huge crush on Tyler and Kyle(I ADDED ANOTHER SHIP AND CHAR FIGHT ME) * 5"9 Preston * Super chill * Because if he's not then the entire place will go up in flames,and he's terrified that will happen * His bfs cuddle him a lot and make him feel loved * 5"9 Lachlan * A fucking Disney princess * Tol bf * Squeals when Rob nuzzles him,and its adorable * Loves any kind of affection * 6"1 Rob * Tol,protective wolf bf * Nuzzles all his bfs * Fluffy in wolf form,and the others cuddle into his fur * No parents,the poor thing * Mitch is like his brother * 6"0 Vikk * Smol protective dragon bf * Wraps his bfs in his wings a lot * Tiny for a Star dragon * Sassy and will fight you if you call him short * 5"8 Crainer * Gets frustrated with his magic very easily,bfs calm him down * Hurt his bfs and all your plants will die * When he's sad plants around him wither away * 5"11 Jordan * His tears are pure black * He has no eyes in his true form * Give him all the cuddles * Serves a deity named Ianite,apparently she's a goddess to void creatures * 5"6 Annie * Hurt her bf and you'll get an arrow to the knee * When her bf has a panic attack,she's always right by his side * Makes Husky potions so he can breath on land * 5"10 Red * Invents stuff * Will flirt with his siblings crushes for them * Ultimate wingman * 5"10 Blue * Sad,needs reassurance 24/7 * His giggle is literal music * Hugs are nice * 5"8 Yellow * When someone's sad he magically appears to cheer them up * HUGS ARE A++++ * Crush on Tim Tam(Because Adam is taken and I like the idea of this ship) * Friends with everyone * 5"9 Purple * Sad grumpy emo boy * Actually loves when someone holds his hand * Total tsundere * 5"11 Green * Asexual/Romantic * Has tons of piercings * Loves coffee more than people(other than his siblings) * Acts like he doesn't care,cares a lot * 5"11 Pink * Very gay * Will punch anyone who messes with her siblings and gf * The eldest * 6"0 Barney * Cold-blooded,needs Red to snuggle with him a lot * Don't ask about the eye * Was the tough guy in high school,he's a huge goof now though * 6"0 Ross * Abandonment issues * Monophobic,like don't leave this poor boy alone * Really good with technology * 5"8 Max * Hot headed (//shot) * Shelby is his bestie * Will burn you if you mess with Shelby or Ross * Done with everything * 5"11 Shelby * Little Optimistic ball of sunshine * Loves her buff and protective gf * Plants are A+++ * Ross is her adopted cousin * 5"3 Jess * When in fairy form(which is really tiny)she'll snuggle up in her bfs and gfs hair/fur * Sits on her lovers' shoulders in fairy form a lot * Optimistic * SNUGGLES! * 5"4 Louise * Fluffy * Puts chin on Mitch's head a lot * Picks Jess up and twirls her around a lot * Gets frustrated when she can't pick Jerome up * Gets kisses afterwards and feels better * 6"1 Alesa * Loves flying but can't do it very often * Sky's bff * Cuddles with her birb gf a lot * Don't mess with her friends unless you wanna get your ass beat * 5"10 Aph * Loves telling stories * BABIES! * Wants to adopt a kid with Alesa * 4"10 Tyler * Part of a band,he's the guitarist * In a relationship with Kyle * Total geek * 5"9 Jocelyn * Likes being outside * Forces Ty out of his apartment for some sunlight * Ty's friend * 5"7 Ant * Laid back * Protective big brother type * Wanted a family when he was alive * 6"0 Steven * Thinks Monsters are fascinating * Studies different types of Monsters,and writes them down in a journal * Is technically the owner of a bar * 5"6 Bart * Grumpy * The mom friend 2 * Is a bartender * 6"5 Dave * Has been dead for 60 years * Always on his Gameboy * Has a little game with Seto where he occasionally gives a small fact about himself and Seto tries to piece together who he was * 5"9 Cory * Sassy as fuck * Doesn't give two shits about anything(other than his bfs and gf) * Loves cameras * 5"10 Dawn * Precious robot son * Has PTSD * Doesn't like virus's * 5"6 Uni * He dyes his hair tons of other colors,but blue is the one he does most * Loves cuddles * Bfs and gf constantly compliment his art,he blushes every time * 5"9 Ashlie * Has Forget-Me-Nots in her hair * Has a dog named Wilbert * LOVES ANIMALS! * 5"3 Nick * thAT FUCKING VOICE * 'It's just red soup guys''IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S A SECRET THAT YOUR A VAMPIRE NICK!' * The only logical one other than Dawn * 5"5 Tommy * THE SINGING VOICE OF AN ANGEL * Kinda crazy * Sings lullabies to Dawn when he has nightmares * 6"0 Mat * Doesn't like rain,he will rust * Protective bf * People Immediately turn to him when things break,he rolls his eyes and then makes the thing better then before * 6"0 Pete * Eats EVERYTHING * Don't touch his beanie * Technically doesn't have a sex,he just goes by he/him pronouns * 5"8 though he can change his body anyway he wants to Choco * Gets grumpy when his feathers start multing * Puts Mat under his wing in the rain when he can * Best cook * 5"11 Kyle * Don't question his pink hair * Loves when Tyler plays his guitar * When people see his hair they ask if he's gay,he just gives Tyler a big smooch and glares at the person * 5"10 Tim * Curls around people,it freaks some people out when he's in his true form * Anime nerd * Cold blooded,he gets sleepy during winter * 5"6 Dawn * Always grumpy * Smol and sassy * Let her sleep * 5"0 Ashley * Hugs Dawn with her wings a lot * Free spirited * Has amazing reflexes * 6"0

[graciedroweuk]

Female pop band spark outrage in Saudi Arabia with music video mocking Donald Trump and condemning oppression of women

A music-video in Saudi Arabia having a group of female performers dressed up in Donaldtrump while dancing – and Islamic mocking males has sparked outrage within the nation that was traditional.

The appealing place tune entitled Hwages, meaning “concerns” in Arabic, continues to be branded “extremely and “disgusting” inappropriate” by several Saudi people on social networking.

The music-video entitled Hwages means “concerns” and slams the oppression of Saudi ladies

Feminine group interest outrage in Saudi Arabia with music-video mocking males

Within the questionable clip lad is visible driving a car saturated in ladies as the song mocks the regulation that prohibits girls from operating of their state.

Subsequently ladies that are three veiled seem to show they all can get it done by enjoying baseball driving in bumper vehicles and rollerskating performing about oppression of ladies in Saudi.

The words, which compiled and was created by producer Alesa that is Saudi, contain: “if perhaps we would be clear by Lord of males”.

Within this music-video, Saudi ladies is visible enjoying baseball, skating, busting out in party and driving bumper vehicles

They perform: “Might males be eliminated because they trigger us to possess psychological ailments”

The appealing tune went viral and it has divided the Saudi country

The tune mocks president elect Donaldtrump who had been swept up in sexual harassment accusations throughout the US elections

Under Saudi Arabia’s regulation, ladies cannot do something without seeking authorization from the male general

Girls additionally have a swipe at Leader- of harassing women Trump, who had been charged.

“Might males be eradicated as they trigger us to possess psychological ailments,” the women sing. ” all of them get insane, Might, they be seemingly held.”

JEREMY CLARKSON

Aid combat the Government’s intend to stop the free Push – and keep your own independence

RITA WORSE

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BRIT WEAPONS

Saudi Arabia utilized barred English-created group weapons in Yemen atrocities, Protection Secretary confesses

TREVOR KAVANAGH

Boris was to throw Saudis, but we are in need of their oil-so will need to maintain our nose and cope with them

‘AN INSULT’

German minister will not use hijab during Saudi Arabia visit times after Merkel required burka bar

On facebook the movie continues to be seen significantly more than two-million times because its launch.

Others were totally annoyed although several took to Facebook to reward their initiatives to greatly help empower females residing in the routine.

One tweeted: ” the Islamic ladies in our nation offend. Preachers to refuse this? where are our “

Another named it “inexpensive and excessively improper”.

It uses, Saudi ladies were ultimately permitted the best to vote this past year – however they stay not able to generate vehicles, connect to males, play activities, and sometimes even attempt on when buying garments.

Under the regulation in Saudi Arabia, all-women need the authorization of the male protector – usually dad, sibling, spouse or a dad – to visit, wed, start a banking account, obtain training or a work .

He was also fined £6,540 with a courtroom in Dammam, asian Saudi Arabia, for “inciting to finish guardianship of women”.

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from network 4 http://www.brownandbrownrecording.com/female-pop-band-spark-outrage-in-saudi-arabia-with-music-video-mocking-donald-trump-and-condemning-oppression-of-women/