#she came back stronger than a 90's trend

[siriustaylorsversion]

She's always owned my heart (Taylor Swift x reader) pt.2

it's been a long time coming... part 1 part 3 part 4

taylorswift

taylorswift In my Eras era. 💅 liked by yourname.official, gracieabrams and 10,556,004 others.

yourname.official it's been a long time coming, miss americana 🫶🏼

florence.bysinks WAIT WILL WE SEE YOU TOGETHER??? gracieabrams mothers 🧎🏻‍♀️ forever.more GRACIE REPRESENTS ALL OF US DJWNJWCNJKHRCG

sadiesink_ OHMYGOD OHMYGOD OHMYGOD

blakelively screaming crying throwing up

y/n_sink I'M LITERALLY CRYING

tay.y/nforevermore MOTHER CAME BACK STRONGER THAN A 90'S TREND costataylorsversion i wake up TO THIS???

yourname.official

yourname.official is there anything better than opening for the opening night for the best, most talented woman? wait... what if it's performing with her? WHAT IF IT'S BOTH??? glendale, can't wait to see you tonight! liked by taylorswift, blakelively and 7,900,544 others.

taylorswift stop i'm BLUSHING

yourname.official *plays maroon* costataylorsversion NOT yourname.official BEING THE DEFINITION OF A SWIFTIE oliviarodrigo i LIVE for these interactions

conangray TAKE MY HOUSE GIMME TICKETS

oliviarodrigo (real) snehit.13 😭🫶🏼😭💘

ememyers SEE YOU TONIGHT MOTHERS

tay.y/nforevermore please gimme the tickets or jenna's number I'M BEGGING YOU zendaya 💕💕

theerastour.updates

theerastour.updates taylorswift and yourname.official IN THEIR INSTAGRAM STORIES!!!!!! liked by yourname.official, forever.folklore and 400,930 others

taylorswift

taylorswift WOW, just… wow. Thank you to the band, dancers, and I can’t stop talking about how insanely magical it was playing for you guys tonight. You were always bouncing, dancing, screaming every lyric. And you created so many breathtaking moments for us, you know what I mean. Looove yooouuu.

And, yourname.official, YOU WERE WITH ME throughout this unreal night!! Beyond the music, you are my partner in every sense of the word. Through the highs and lows, you've stood by my side, and together, we've made memories that I will cherish for eternity.

Thank you, my love, for being the muse behind every lyric, for sharing this magical stage with me, and for filling my life with endless love and happiness. With you, the world becomes a symphony, and I am forever grateful for the melody we create together. liked by yourname.official, blakelively, and 11,800,300 others.

yourname.official I'M CRYING WTF

yourname.official MY HEART JUST SKIPPED 13 BEATS

tomholland2013 so you're dead... hopefully? tay.y/nforevermore MY FAVORITE ON SCREEN SIBLINGS😭

theerastour.updates IM FREAKING OUT I WANNA BE HERE OH MY GOD I WANT TICKETS PLEASE

ememyers LITERALLY THE BEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE 💘

zendaya SAME conangray *plays jealousy jealously* oliviarodrigo STOP- forever.folklore CONAN REPRESENTING ALL OF US RN

blakelively MY FAVORITE PEOPLE ARE HERE AAHH

vancityreynolds The girls and I are offended... blakelively shush, now's not the time.

yourname.official

yourname.official THANK YOU TO ALL THE LOVELY FANS, THANK YOU TO THE GODDESS THAT IS BLONDIE!!! i was dared to write something more romantic than taylorswift wrote.. we all know that's not possible but i shall try.

taylor, beyond the stage, you are my rock, my confidante, and my partner in crime. your unwavering support and love have lifted me up in ways I never thought possible.

tonight reminded me of the beautiful journey we've embarked on together, both personally and professionally. the music we've made, the memories we've shared, and the love we've cultivated is something i hold dear to my heart. it's a testament to the power of two souls intertwining and creating something extraordinary.

thank you, for being my light in the darkness, for always believing in me, and for making this night an unforgettable chapter in our story. with you by my side, anything feels possible, and i am forever grateful for the love we share. it's you and me, that's my whole world. liked by taylorswift, zendaya and 9,700,405 others.

taylorswift your caption is definitely better than mine, i'm crying

taylorswift MEET ME BEHIND THE STAGE YOU LITERAL ANGEL.

yourname.official your wish is my command. tomholland2013 😏 yourname.official @tomholland2013 DIE.

conangray WHEN I TELL YOU I SOBBED

ememyers literally the most relatable person ever. florenceby.sink CONAN FNKHTNJAWHTBVJWHJ

blakelively IM CRYING MY BABIES ARE BREAKING RECORDS 🥺

mayahawke PLEASE PERFORM TOGETHER AGAIN. PLEASE GIVE TICKETS. PLEAASSEE.

DOES ANYONE WANT ANOTHER PART??? I NEED REQUESTS??

[andichoseyou]

THE ERAS TOUR ASK GAME!

💗Miss Americana And The Heartbreak Prince: it's been a long time coming... what was your opinion on the Lover album when it first came out, and what are your opinions on it now?

💗Cruel Summer: fever dream high... can you remember the best or worst summer of your life? if yes, can you explain why it was the best/worst?

💗The Man: i'm so sick of running as fast as i can... can you name some songs, movies, poems, etc that make you feel powerful? like you could do anything?

💗You Need To Calm Down: we've all got crowns... name 5 female artists (besides Taylor!) that you love!

💗Lover: can i go where you go... what are, in your opinion, the most romantic songs of all time?

💗The Archer: you could stay... at the end of the day, who do you choose? who is your person? your other half?

💗THE LOVER ERA: if you could add one Lover song to the setlist, which one would it be?

🌟Fearless: i don't know how it gets better than this... what was something that you were afraid to do, but did anyway? how did doing that make you feel?

🌟You Belong With Me: been here all along... what are your go-to karaoke songs?

🌟Love Story: we were both young when i first saw you... what were your favorite books/fairytales when you were younger?

🌟THE FEARLESS ERA: if you could add one Fearless song to the setlist, which one would it be?

🍂'Tis The Damn Season: it always leads to you and my hometown... what is your favorite spot in the town you grew up in? was it a restaurant? your childhood friend's house? the school you went to? someplace else?

🍂Willow: i come back stronger than a 90s trend... favorite 90s song?

🍂Marjorie: you're alive in my head... if you could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, who would it be?

🍂Champagne Problems: i dropped your hand while dancing... what was the last movie/show that made you cry?

🍂Tolerate It: tell me i've got it wrong somehow... rank every taylor swift track 5!

🍂THE EVERMORE ERA: if you could add one Evermore song to the setlist, which one would it be?

♟️...Ready For It?: in the middle of the night... what is the last dream that you can remember? what was it about?

♟️Delicate: isn't it?... what is your favorite taylor swift "question" lyric? (ex: "can i go where you go?" or "remember when you hit the brakes too soon?")

♟️Don't Blame Me: oh lord save me... all time favorite live taylor performance?

♟️Look What You Made Me Do: the old taylor can't come to the phone... what are your top 5 favorite taylor swift music videos?

♟️THE REPUTATION ERA: if you could add one Reputation song to the setlist, which one would it be?

💟Enchanted: this night is sparkling... favorite dress that taylor has worn? it can be on stage, on the red carpet, or just out and about... but it must be a dress!

💟Long Live: we will be remembered... what is your favorite Taylor related memory?

💟THE SPEAK NOW ERA: if you could add one Speak Now song to the setlist, which one would it be?

🧣22: it feels like one of those nights... when is your birthday? how old are you turning? what is something you want to do for it? do you have any birthday traditions?

🧣We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together: like, ever... best way to get over a break up? (romantic or platonic)

🧣I Knew You Were Trouble: so shame on me now... name 5 songs to scream-sing in the car with the windows down

🧣All Too Well (Ten Minute Version): i know it's long gone... what song(s) by taylor would you want a ten minute version of?

🧣THE RED ERA: if you could add one Red song to the setlist, which one would it be?

☕️The 1: i guess you never know... do you prefer The 1 or Invisible String?

☕️Betty: i know i miss you... what taylor swift song do you feel like she wrote just for you? a song that you relate to so much that it feels like she got inside your brain?

☕️The Last Great American Dynasty: 50 years is a long time... if you could write an essay/book/song/etc about any historical figure, who would you choose and why?

☕️August: you were never mine... favorite month of the year? why is it your favorite?

☕️Illicit Affairs: don't call me kid, don't call me baby... top 3 favorite taylor swift bridges?

☕️My Tears Ricochet: why are you at the wake... what are your go-to songs for when you need a good cry? (doesn't just have to be taylor songs!)

☕️Cardigan: i knew you... what is your favorite piece of clothing that you own?

☕️THE FOLKLORE ERA: if you could add one Folklore song to the setlist, which one would it be?

🦋Style: take me home... if you could ask taylor to cover one song, which song would you choose?

🦋Blank Space: if the high was worth the pain... what was the first taylor song you ever heard?

🦋Shake It Off: it's gonna be alright... list ten things that make you happy!!!

🦋Wildest Dreams: i bet these memories follow you around... would you consider yourself an optimist or a pessimist?

🦋Bad Blood: blood runs cold... all time favorite taylor collab? who do you want to see her collab with next?

🦋THE 1989 ERA: if you could add one 1989 song to the setlist, which one would it be?

🍀Surprise Songs: what are your two dream surprise songs that you want to see live?

🌌Lavender Haze: i just need this love spiral... what is the funniest/stupidest rumor about taylor swift that you have seen/heard?

🌌Anti-Hero: too big to hang out... are you a sexy baby or a monster on the hill?

🌌Midnight Rain: all of me changed... do you prefer sunshine or the rain?

🌌Vigilante Shit: don't get sad, get even... post your favorite taylor pictures from the eras tour!!

🌌Bejeweled: a diamond's gotta shine... out of the 4 music videos from midnights that we have, which one is your favorite? which one is your least favorite?

🌌Mastermind: none of it was accidental... what is your favorite "big word" that taylor has used in a song? (ex: Machiavellian, incandescent)

🌌Karma: sweet like honey... karma is cat for taylor, but what is karma to you?

🌌THE MIDNIGHTS ERA: if you could add one Midnights song to the setlist, which one would it be?

[the-hushed-one]

I just had a convo with a friend today and can I just say that Taylor really messed this up. I mean the article? ‘who knows what could happen again’? 

Are you being serious right now? So, Taylor completely closed doors with Joe, who was (is) such a good guy and keeps the door open for matty? So you’re telling me that there is a possibility of them being back together in August something? 

*sighs deeply* All the reputation Taylor built for herself since the rep era... She shattered all of it just in two-three months. This is so heartbreaking to see that everything Taylor stood for in 2019 and more... she is now publicly getting involved with a man who is against every single of of ‘em. 

Miss Swift decided to date this dirtbag publicly instead of being with joe who is i think better than any of her exes. All of this just sucks. My opinion of Taylor since the breakup is so altered. I mean I do not know what to believe. Does she support any of the equality stuff, the anti-racism stuff... or did she EVER support this? 

Taylor said she was having the best time of her life and her life had never made sense until that moment? So, she basically means that her life has never been better until she decided to ‘have fun’ with the biggest jerk ever who is against everything she supposedly believed in. This way she is seriously disregarding all the goddamn six years she spent with her ‘lover’ and so many other good moments. WOW! 

Taylor needs to handle all of this well because the backlash is going to be stronger than the 90′s trend. 

I still love Taylor, but not as much as I used to before all this. Since the breakup news came out, nothing has been good except the good moments we get from the tour. This all is so fcked up, gosh

[taylorswifts-posts]

Taylor came back stronger than a 90's trend again this year(metaphorically & lyrically). She broke so many records many of them were previously holded by you know it Taylor Swift, breaking her own records along with the sparkling ts the eras tour along with international tours and then two album rerecordings and then winning awards being the top global artist on Spotify(blah blah blah)

and then Time person of the year 2023 and then okay I am DONE, though this does sum up the whole year there were a lot of things(controversial topics, relationship gossips and more awards and more records and did I mention her performance and outfits on the tour?) but I'm sorry I can't keep writing this post forever cuz that would take me so much time that this post would come on next year on her birthday so let's not.

After an amazing and record breaking year it's time for her to relax and for us to chill cuz the tours resume in Feb(unless she adds more dates then sorry for the outdated info) and while you're relaxing a very happy birthday to you Taylor and thank you so much for enchanting the year with your tours and looking forward to the same in the coming year🌟🌟🌟Love you tay.

[tittaalbum]

Willow vibe lyrics

Delicate, King of My Heart, and CIWYWT off Reputation all come to mind, but since we're talking about Evermore, I'll use Long Story Short as an example. Taylor has written a lot of songs about meeting Joe during a shitty time in her life. Yes, knowing those things definitely adds a new layer of understanding, but the song should still make sense without that background. I know Taylor is incredibly famous, but even for someone as famous as she is, I don't think that it's good writing practice to assume that everyone who interacts with your work will know the details of your life. Here's my take on that: yes, it's autobiographical, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't need to be able to tell a contained story. but if it doesn't make sense within the context of the actual song, that's an issue. Sure, if you know about how Taylor and Joe met, it maybe makes sense in that context. "but I come back stronger than a 90's trend" is a fantastic line, but why use it now? Why here? It's completely unrelated to the premise of the song, which is this love song about how he came into her life and disrupted it (in a good way). It sounds pretty, but the more I think about it, the less sense it makes.Īnd then what on earth is the bridge? I know other people have already talked about this, but the lyrics just don't fit with the rest of the song. Maybe the current is supposed to be the water trailing behind the ship, but if she's the entirety of the water that he's cutting through, and now she's wine all of a sudden. Not to mention, spelling it current ties it back to the original simile, but it does. Then, in the very same verse, he's the current? And she's wine? What? The current/currant pun is not bad, if it's intentional, but it doesn't really hold up to inspection a currant could be lost/made into wine, but it doesn't work the other way around. What the absolute heck is going on here? Starting imagery, she's the water, he's the ship cutting through. I'm like the water when your ship rolled in that night Rough on the surface but you cut through like a knife Lost in your current like a priceless wine here is my long rant about why Willow is my least favorite song on the sister-albums, because some of the lyrics quite simply do. I do like some things about it: the production is nice, the music video is gorgeous, and it has some good lyrics. I'm not trying to offend or upset anyone. I started typing out this as a reply to a comment, but it turned into this monster, so I figured it might as well be its own post.įirst off, no shade to anyone who likes Willow.

[ginnyweasleymybeloved]

evermore x hp / masterlist

hp x readers based on the absolute masterpiece that is evermore by the love of my life taylor swift. i’ll be posting these fics once or twice a week and i will update the links once i’ve posted each one <3 really hope you guys enjoy <3

// these aren’t going to be exact line by line songfics, but based around a particular line or verse //

all fic masterlist

[🌸 = fluff, 🍁= angst]

taglist: @padsfirewhisky

[🌸] willow - fred weasley x reader

“life was a willow and it bent right to your wind

they count me out time and time again

life was a willow and it bent right to your wind

but I come back stronger than a 90's trend”

summary: hogwarts’ most popular playboy has made it very clear that you, his best friend, are not his type. seeing as you were crushing on him hard, you decide to take matters into your own hands

«»

[🍁] champagne problems - ron weasley x reader

“you had a speech, you’re speechless

love slipped beyond your reaches

and i couldn’t give a reason

champagne problems”

summary: on a cold night in november, your boyfriend, ron, gets sentimental thinking about a future that you’re not sure you deserved

«»

[🌸] gold rush - ginny weasley x reader

“and the coastal town

we wandered ‘round had never

seen a love as pure as it”

summary: revelling in the fact that you have the most amazing girlfriend in the world, while unbeknownst to you, she’s thinking exactly the same thing

«»

[🌸🍁] ‘tis the damn season - cedric diggory x reader

“so we could call it even

you could call me babe for the weekend

‘tis the damn season

write this down

i’m stayin’ at my parent’s house

and the road not taken looks real good now

and it always leads to you in my hometown”

summary: you bump into an old flame and old feelings catch up to you as you find yourself rekindling said flame

«»

[🍁] tolerate it - harry potter x reader

“i made you my temple, my mural, my sky

now i’m begging for footnotes in the story of your

life

drawing hearts in the bylines

always taking up too much space or time

you assume i’m fine, but what would you do if i

break free and leave us in ruins?

took this dagger in me and removed it?

gain the weight of you then lose it

believe me, i could do it”

summary: in the chaos of war, harry pushes the one person he didn’t ever want to lose, to the brink of walking away from him

«»

[🍁] no body, no crime - marauders x reader / peter pettigrew x reader / sirius black x reader

“i think he did it but i just can’t prove it

no, no body no crime

but i ain’t letting up ‘till the day i die”

summary: your best friends, lily and james potter, were betrayed by their secret keeper however you’re sure it couldn’t have been sirius.

«»

[🌸] happiness - remus lupin x reader

“there is happiness

past the blood and bruise

past the curses and cries

beyond the terror of the nightfall

haunted by the look in my eyes

that would’ve loved you for a lifetime

leave it all behind

and there is happiness”

summary: after the death of his friends and the betrayal of sirius, remus fears that he has lost the capacity for happiness. until you came along

«»

[🌸] dorothea - hermoine granger x reader

“hey dorothea

do you ever stop and think about me?

when we were younger

down in the park

honey, making a lark of the misery

you got shiny friends since you left town

a tiny screen’s the only place i see you now

and i got nothing but well wishes for ya”

summary: you see your childhood best friend for the first time in nearly a decade, you hold the same love and respect for her now as you did then

«»

[🍁] coney island - george weasley x reader

“the question pounds my head

‘what’s a lifetime of achievement?’

if i pushed you to the edge

but you were too polite to leave me

and do you miss the rogue

who coaxed you into paradise and left you there?

will you forgive my soul

when you’re too wise to trust me and too old to

care?”

summary: business is booming and the joke shop is expanding at a rapid rate, by the time it reaches its peak, geoege wants to bask in his success with the woman he loves, only to realise he’d completely neglected you in favour of pursuing his dreams and he doesn’t know if you’ll forgive him for it

«»

[🍁🌸] ivy - harry potter x reader

“how’s one to know?

i’d live and die for moments that we stole

on begged and borrowed time

so tell me to run

or dare to sit and watch what we’ll become”

summary: he thinks he’ll only ruin you, you think he’s worth the risk

«»

[🍁] cowboy like me - sirius black x reader

“you’re a bandit like me

eyes full of stars

hustling for the good life

never thought i’d meet you here

it could be love

we could be the way forward

and i know i’ll pay for it”

summary: sirius runs into you at a pure-blood party he’d been dragged to, the pair of you find solace in each other and gravitate towards one another from then on, however, noting the similarities between you and him, you deduct that you’ll end up paying dearly when you begin to crave more than secret rendezvous at pure-blood occasions.

«»

[🌸] long story short - george weasley x reader

“and he’s passing by

rare as the glimmer as a comment in the sky

and he feels like home

if the shoe fits, walk in it everywhere you go”

summary: george weasley is undoubtedly the love of your life, you realise

«»

[🍁] marjorie - remus lupin x lupin!reader

“the autumn chill that wakes me up

you loved the amber skies so much

long limbs and frozen swims

you’d always go past where our feet could

touch

and i complained the whole way there

the car ride back and up the stairs

i should’ve asked you questions

i should’ve asked you how to be

asked you to write it down for me

should’ve kept every grocery store receipt

‘cause every scrap of you would be taken

from me”

summary: your father dies in the battle of hogwarts and you’re left to go through his things

«»

[🍁] closure - fred weasley x reader

“yes, i got your letter

yes, i’m doing better

it cuts deep to know ya, right to the bone

yes, i got your letter

yes, i’m doing better

i know that it’s over, i don’t need your

closure”

summary: you and fred have a messy breakup and after a few months he owls you to see how you’re doing, and it just so happens that you’re doing fine without him

«»

[🌸] evermore - harry potter x reader

“and i was catching my breath

floors of a cabin creaking under my steps

and i couldn’t be sure

i had a feeling so peculiar

this pain wouldn’t be for

evermore”

summary: a soft moment between you and harry as you heal from the war together

«»

[🍁🌸] right where you left me - sirius black x reader

“did you ever hear about the girl who got frozen?

time went on for everybody else, she won’t

know it

she’s still 23 inside her fantasy

how it was supposed to be

did you hear about the girl who lives in delusion?

break-ups happen everyday, you don’t have to

lose it

she’s still 23 inside her fantasy

and you’re sitting in front of me”

summary: when sirius is condemned to azkaban you wait, and wait, and wait, right where he left you

«»

[🍁] it’s time to go - george weasley x reader

“that old familiar body ache

the snaps from the same little breaks in your soul

you know when it’s time to go”

summary: transitioning from best friends to lovers isn’t always the best idea, sometimes it’s better to walk away before there’s nothing left to leave

«»

[swiftielonglive1313]

Are we going to talk about this?

Same infinity bracelet she wore to the Brit Awards

According to @taylorswiftstyle it’s a Tiffany&Co. Infinity bracelet.

(I have nothing agenst her wearing something again, I think it’s beautiful. But knowing tay she’s always up to something and everything has a reason ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

Question is what’s it mean and assuming the photos that came out today were taken for the Fearless TV album brits would actually be the second apparent 🤔🤔👀

Maybe it’s “I come back stronger than a 90’s trend” related which also symbolizes coming back even better every time she’s been kicked down, her albums being re-record and already doing so so well, “we never go out of style”, and maybe my favorite “karma’sreal”

[bezdddakota]

Thoughts on evermore ( track by track )

Willow is the best song on the album to get a music video because it’s the only one with any kind of radio  play. It’s a bop!! Also I COME BACK STRONGER THAN A 90′S TREND

Champagne Problems on my first listen, I thought it was about a young queer couple who got outed before they were ready and broke up because of it but apparently it’s about a man who was going to propose and she dumps him. I like my story better tbh

Gold Rush is interesting because she uses the term “ gold “ to describe her relationship and this song is a break up song!!  Also the song is unique because it sounds nothing like the rest of the album.

Tis The Damn Season is one of my favorite songs on the album because it reminds me of Happiest Season and it feels relatable like The 1. Also IT”S A CHRISTMAS SONG AND IT”S GOING ON MY CHRISTMAS PLAYLIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tolerate It is again interesting because there’s nothing more heartbreaking then seeing someone that you adore just literally tolerate you. Side note: the song falls into that weird category of music where people compare their love to religion.  

No Body, No Crime is everything I’ve ever wanted. I despise how people think that James deserves forgiveness when he knowingly cheated on Betty and everyone’s like “ he’s a child!! he didn’t know!! “ and it’s how you know that a man wrote it. Well Taylor came back with a Goodbye Earl/He Had It Coming song and it’s the proper ending tbh

Happiness. WHO HURT YOU!?!?!?!?!??!?!??! It’s the depressing sequel to Seven!!

Dorothea is kinda weird because I don’t know what to think of it. It reminds me of Me & Britney and I think it’s the prequel to Tis The Damn Season. 

Coney Island is kinda forgettable tbh. I’m re-listening to the album and I can’t remember it at all!! It’s not bad but it feels like a b side compared to Exile

Ivy is a wlw anthem and I will stand by that until I die. Also I find that her saying “ goddamn “ is weird and unnatural.

Cowboy Like Me  is adorable. Also I remember thinking “ what if Taylor worked with Mumford & Sons on Folklore “ before she was seen at their studio, ( the swiftgron is me is SHAKING )

Long Story Short is the most upbeat song on the album and I’m in love with it

Marjorie is the best song on the album. The lyric video made me cry and I wanted to call my grandmother and made me of think my grandparents who I don’t remember/ have never met. 

Closure is once interesting because again it falls into that category of WHO HURT YOU!?!?!?!?!?!?!? 

Evermore is weird. I love the first line of it for no reason but I really dislike with The National starts singing because their harmonies don’t match!! It makes me appreciate Exile all the more!!!!!!!

Over all it’s a fine album but I prefer Folklore. I don’t even see Everlore to be a different album at all but all it’s full of the b sides that didn’t make it on Folklore, ( which isn’t the case! ). I will just put Evermore right next to Folklore on my top 5 favorite albums list 

[corlds-world]

Top 10 Females from my Fandoms

This is all my opinion. It’s also from the fandoms I’m in (which are pretty popular). Your opinion of course will be different from mine. But I like sharing what I think and I like hearing your opinion, too. Also we’re doing ladies first because why not. Also I’m not good at explaining my opinion. So without further ado, here’s my top 10 females. Spoilers!

10. Meg (Supernatural) Meg is definitely my favorite female character from Supernatural. She’s a villain turned anti-hero. Also a demon. And being a recurring demon in Supernatural is a quick way to earn a spot in my favorite characters list. Apologies for Ruby for not making the cut though. Anyway, Meg is tough as hell (no pun intended). She starts by working for her dad, but that’s she’s not working for her dad because she’s a daddy’s girl. She works for her dad so she can get this apocalypse started. Her real loyalties lay with Lucifer. So when Lucifer was sent back to hell, she became a lone wolf. Season 6-8 Meg is my favorite, when she’s a lone wolf against Crowley. And I think the Winchesters have always been a little intimidated by Meg. Only 5′6″ to their 7′ but still has got fire. 

9. Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel (MCU) I couldn’t just leave out the first woman to ever get a solo movie in the MCU. It was a long time waiting, but we still got it. I was pondering for a while between Natasha and Carol. I decided to go with Carol really just because I’m so excited for Phase 4 of the MCU. I’m the kind of girl that looks ahead. Captain Marvel is for sure one of my favorite solo movies in the MCU. Carol was a air force pilot from the 90′s who was told all her life that she couldn’t become a pilot. Like you see in the trailer, she picks herself back up time after time. And then she loses her memory, but she doesn’t lose that fighting spirit. She just has superpowers from the space stone. She knows her rights and her wrongs better than most people. It’s what makes her an amazing superhero. And she literally destroyed a huge spaceship in Endgame. I can’t wait to see what Brie Larson has in store for us because she is not done for sure.

8. Luna Lovegood (Harry Potter) I know there’s a lot of controversy with the Harry Potter fandom right now, but I just can’t help but place Luna on this list. She’s an amazing character. As a fellow Ravenclaw, she really showed us what Ravenclaw was all about: wisdom and having an open mind. She knows her spells, too, and does her homework (I think). I think more people would expect Hermione on the list, but she didn’t resonate with me the way Luna did. She’s bullied for thinking differently, which really resonated with me. But she’s got her close friends and that’s all that really matters to her. She was the first character I saw myself in, even if she’s just thinks differently than I do.

7. Eleven (Stranger Things) I really did not want to put Eleven this low. But I really just couldn’t put her higher because the girls above her are just better. However, Eleven is awesome. Truly awesome. We gotta respect the only character in Stranger Things that has superpowers. Nothing holds Eleven down. She escapes from a crazy laboratory and finds her new friends who she will literally do anything to protect. And she was messed up in that lab. But she still knows good from evil. She knew that her friends were not going to screw her over. And when she thought they were going to screw her, she kinda just said no. Like okay. She’s brave and kind and badass and everything I want in a superhero. I she’s a little intimidated by the world around her, but I would have run right back to what I knew if I were her. I think her bravery really shone in the third season. I’m sad about what’s happening to her powers, but I think they’ll find a way to get them back. Even if they don’t, I think Eleven will still prove to be everything she is without them. And just look at her. She’s just so cute. 

6. Hazel Levesque (Riordanverse) I told you this was my list and I think Hazel deserves a spot. I mean, the youngest person on the Argo II, daughter of Pluto, can control the Mist and all the jewels in the earth, and tamed an untameable immortal horse. What more do you want? Yes, yes. I love Annabeth, but I really resonated with Hazel more, mostly because she just seems sweeter than Annabeth. I’m a sweet and shy person. And I love horses. And the 40′s. Speaking of which, a POC in the 40′s in Louisiana? If I ever make a top 10 POC characters, we’ll brush up on that. Anyway, let’s talk about when she died. Did I mention she died? She gave up an eternity of happiness so her mother (who was not good to Hazel) wouldn’t have an eternity of misery. Gotta thank Nico, though, for bringing one of my faves back to life. But when Nico was in trouble, there was nothing that Hazel wouldn’t do to help her brother. And when Hazel learned how to control the Mist in couple of weeks? What a display of power. She’s had a hard life, but she’s come out stronger because of it. 

5. Katniss Everdeen (Hunger Games) What? Why is Katniss so low? Mostly because it’s been a while since I’ve read the Hunger Games. I never even finished it. I stopped halfway through Mockingjay. I really like Katniss, though. She’s never had a lot. Let’s just start with the obvious that she takes on the Capital. Like you’re taking on the government? Okay go off. Of course, it’s not for no reason. They’re slaughtering everyone. But let’s just talk about when she’s in the Hunger Games the first time. I don’t think I could start to go into detail about everything that Katniss has done. She’s a badass in summary. She took on people that train for the event. She dropped a... what are they called? *googles hunger games bees* Tracker jackers! She dropped a nest full of tracker jackers on to those stuck-up kids. And Rue. Rue helped. Rue’s the best. She’s not on the list, but still. I love Rue and Katniss’ friendship, even if didn’t last. I’m sorry Rue you had to die if Katniss was to win. Anyway, Peeta got her in sort of a weird romance, but I think Katniss saved Peeta more times than Peeta saved Katniss. I love gender role reversals. Also I’m such a sucker for girls who can shoot a bow.  So, yeah, Katniss gets her spot which is very well earned. 

4. Vanya Hargreeves (The Umbrella Academy) The second season recently came out so she’s fresh in my mind. The most powerful sibling in the Academy uses sound to harness energy. And does she do it in style. Yeah, she kind of causes the apocalypse, but that’s not her fault. It’s Luther’s. And Reginald's. Vanya had a rough childhood. She was told all her life that she was ordinary in a house where there where only the extraordinary.  But she powered through it. And wrote a book as revenge. Like Five said, that took guts. She’s such a complicated character. She’s shy and kind. But don’t make her mad. She might stab you. I really couldn’t believe how hard I cheered when she killed Harold. Like it was bad. Also she blew up the moon. Do you want more? She’s dating a farm frau. If I ever make a top 10 canon couples, that’s going on the list. You know, if you can’t go straight, go gay. Also she’s a human bomb. I’m a sucker for human bombs. And memes. 

3. Morgana Pendragon (Merlin) I really love good girls turned bad. I was a little worried that Morgana was just going to be Merlin’s love interest in season 1. But man was I wrong. Going from a ward with bad dreams to a witch determined to be queen. I was actually kind of rooting for her. But that just could be because Katie is a phenomenal actress. But anyway, Morgana really has issues, which is why she’s top 3. Also the fact that she didn’t have a girlfriend, so disappointing. But she’s a villain, and villains don’t have lovers. Or they’re not supposed to in my book. Also she can go toe to toe with Merlin, who is supposed to be one of the best sorcerers of all time. What a show of power. 

2. Regina Mills (Once Upon a Time) My favorite redemption arc. From good to evil and back to good. Honestly one of my favorite characters to watch. And Lana just does such a good job with it. Do you see the trend that I have with my favorite characters? Tragic background is the base requirement. Magical badass gives you an improvement in the list. But Regina has had a horrible life. The fact that she is classified as a villain is heartbreaking sometimes. But she did kill a ton of people so she’s definitely a villain in the storybooks. And that sass. Only Regina could pull off that sass. But I think the fact that she tries to be good when it is not in her nature, I think that speaks volumes. 

1. Kara Danvers / Supergirl (Supergirl) I feel like people just got thrown for a loop. It’s like wait a minute. Didn’t you just say that your favorite kind of character is a “magical badass with a tragic background?” Um maybe. But Kara has her own tragedies. She just doesn’t show it. She lost her parents when she was 12. Not just her parents, but almost her whole family and all of her home. But she learned to have a new home on Earth. But she manages to figure out how to save the world with all of these conflicts in her life. Shoutout to Alex for being an awesome sister. And she has a great social life, something I aspire to have. I’m so upset that the show is ending after season 6. I love Kara so much. Kara is the most amazing woman in the Arrowverse so I’m so sorry to see her go. 

[cogentranting]

evermore Analysis: willow

“willow” has a predominantly magical atmosphere, reinforced by the visuals of the music video and by the names of the various subsequent “witch” remixes. Swift herself probably describes the overall effect best when she says it “sounds like casting a spell to make somebody fall in love with you”. This magical witchy atmosphere created by the music and visuals is lyrically reinforced with lines like “as if you were a mythical thing” and the general nature and nighttime images.

As a whole, the imagery and music of the song evoke a dark misty night, but without ever dragging the tone down to feel negative. The opening line about a cutting through water like a knife, brings us immediately to the edge of something-- an adventure or a mystery-- and the overall sense is of enchantment, just like Swift described. We the listeners are being led away into something unknown, but the lyrics also make that clear this is journey is not being guided by the speaker either-- they’re being moved by the force of the subject: “your ship rolled in” “lost in your current” “wherever you stray, I follow” and with the subject’s influence being spoken of in even stronger terms with the lines “wreck my plans” “the more you say the less I know” and especially the central metaphor “life was a willow and it bent right to your wind”. Despite the power given to the subject, this is not negative description. The tone is admiring and affectionate, the trait itself is described more as an enticement. One lyrics from a previous album that describes a similar effect is from “Gorgeous”-- “you should think about the consequence of your magnetic field being a little too strong”. 

Part of the reason that the speaker is drawn in by the force of the subject’s presence instead of being resentful or repelled, is because she has agency of her own. Life may be a willow moved by the subject, but the speaker is not so passive. Her introduction in the song is as “the water” in comparison to his ship. In that opening verse there’s some element of conflict, an initial resistance as she is “rough on the surface” but that was overcome as he “cut through like a knife”. Neither side is demonstrating mastery over the other-- the ship does not control the water, but neither is it ruled by the water. Instead his independent power is what draws her in. 

The chorus reflects a similar co-agency. The speaker sings of being led, the way the subject affects what she knows, and having her plans wrecked. But it’s done in the form of a command. She is welcoming the enchantment, offering her hand (”take my hand”) to be led, and voluntarily giving up those plans in favor of following wherever the subject chooses to lead. 

The later verses also reflect more of the speaker’s individual power. Verse 2 introduces the idea of the subject’s force with the first instance of the willow metaphor, but it follows it up with the active pursuit of the speaker: “you were a trophy... there was one prize I’d cheat to win”. The third verse involves more instructions from the speaker-- “wait for the signal”-- and her coming out to meet the subject-- “I’ll meet you after dark”. This is in contrast (or complement) to the previous verse where he came “sneakin’ in”. The second chorus follows suit with the addition of a new line about how the speaker’s “train could take you home” where she is now supplying the direction and the movement. This progression is again evident in the bridge which reaffirms the subject’s power with repetitions of the willow metaphor, while simultaneously proclaiming the speaker’s own strength: “they count me out time and time again... but I come back stronger than a 90′s trend”. 

In total the song shows a meeting of two strong figures each with their own power and enchantment. In the initial meeting in verse 1 there is conflict and uncertainty-- cutting through like a knife, questioning “if it was an open shut case” but not knowing “from the look on your face” and initially feeling somewhat “lost” in the force of his “current”. But as the spirit of the enchantment works around the two there is an acknowledgement of mutual power, and in turn a mutual surrendering that comes with true partnership. As she is “begging for [him] to take [her] hand” she is also requiring vulnerability from him as she asks that he “show me the places where the others gave you scars”. He leads and she follows, but her train takes them home, and there’s a new assurance in how she “should have known from the look on [his] face” and the repeated line about how “every bait-and-switch was a work of art” reflects an attitude of co-conspirators as they each work their enchantment over the other. The outro of the song repeatedly affirms the coming together of the romantic pair by the repetition of “that’s my man” which strikes a tone both affectionate and proud.

[scarlet-it-was]

folklore for evermore: the ruby x christina edition

combining two of my favorite things: taylor swift and fandom. here are the lyrics and headcanons that are giving me life from the summer/autumn sister albums; reylo & msr editions to follow

cardigan

you drew scars around my stars

but now i’m bleeding

but i knew you

stepping on the last train

marked me like a bloodstain

i knew you

tried to change the ending

peter losing wendy

...you put me on and said I was your favorite

I’d be remiss not to include this as the first in the list considering I’m writing a fic and using specific lyrics as the fic name and chapter titles. If you’re interested, you can find it here: You Drew Stars Around My Scars

my tears ricochet

I didn't have it in myself to go with grace

And so the battleships will sink beneath the waves

You had to kill me, but it killed you just the same

Cursing my name, wishing I stayed

You turned into your worst fears

When I think of the...distinctly disappointing end of the series, these last lines come to mind. Even though I don’t really believe that Christina killed Ruby—but if she had, she definitely turned into her worst fears, which was ultimately being as much of a failure as her father.

this is me trying

I've been having a hard time adjusting

I had the shiniest wheels, now they're rusting

I didn't know if you'd care if I came back

I have a lot of regrets about that

Pulled the car off the road to the lookout

Could've followed my fears all the way down

And maybe I don't quite know what to say

But I'm here in your doorway

Headcanon: Christina has been resurrected in some fashion, perhaps by the Mark of Cain, or a secondary magic trap she set just in case things went to hell. This finds her regretting her choices, contemplating her next steps, if she even wants to take them, but ultimately, ends up finding Ruby.

And my words shoot to kill when I'm mad I have a lot of regrets about that I was so ahead of the curve, the curve became a sphere Fell behind all my classmates and I ended up here Pouring out my heart to a stranger But I didn't pour the whiskey

Headcanon (cont): Ruby proved time and time again in the show that she knows exactly how to cut right to the center of a person with her words, and I’m sure over the years, she’s said some regrettable things to her sister (not that they were undeserved). Ruby also put in the effort to take the classes and make herself as an attractive candidate as possible for her ‘dream job’ and when she finally is ready—she finds a thin, light-skinned Tamara has been hired. And the rest of the story in the little bar scene—she and William didn’t stay strangers for long.

mad woman

And there's nothing like a mad woman

What a shame she went mad

No one likes a mad woman

You made her like that

And you'll poke that bear 'til her claws come out

And you find something to wrap your ***** around

And there's nothing like a mad woman

Really applicable to both parties who were both oppressed by patriarchy (both) and whiteness (Ruby). I censored one of the words because I’m not comfortable using that word in reference to a POC, but the Swifties know what it is. Anyway, you end up with two women who are willing to ‘go the distance’ so to speak to get what they want and not be interrupted because of the bodies and skin they were born in.

peace

But I'm a fire and I'll keep your brittle heart warm

If your cascade, ocean wave blues come

All these people think love's for show

But I would die for you in secret

The devil's in the details, but you got a friend in me

Would it be enough if I could never give you peace?

Headcanon: In spite of her money and magic, there’s a certain amount of peace that she’ll never be able to give Ruby in part because she can’t (and doesn’t want, nor does Ruby want) for her to take away her blackness. The flip side is that Christina’s ambition will likely always put them in harm’s way to an extent. But at the end of the day, in spite of Leti’s accusations that Ruby is being used, Christina is the only one who is up front with her 100% of the time regardless of how it comes out. She always comes through for Ruby.

Hoax

My best laid plan

Your sleight of hand

My barren land

I am ash from your fire

Stood on the cliffside screaming, "Give me a reason"

Your faithless love's the only hoax I believe in

Headcanon: a sadder and more cynical take on if Ruby had betrayed Christina in the finale (which I still don’t think she would have, but it wasn’t my show and I didn’t write that ending) which did in fact wreck her best laid plans with Ruby’s bait and switch of seducing Christina in her natural body instead of William’s—leaving Christina dead at the end of the series.

willow

Life was a willow, and it bent right to your wind

They count me out time and time again

Life was a willow, and it bent right to your wind

But I come back stronger than a '90s trend

Including this lyrics specifically because it reminds me of one of my favorite AU fics, Leave It To The Davenports – if you haven’t checked out this WIP, it is a ride you don’t want to miss.

gold rush

Gleaming, twinkling

Eyes like sinking ships on waters

So inviting, I almost jump in

I don't like a gold rush, gold rush

I don't like anticipatin' my face in a red flush

Walk past, quick brush

I don't like slow motion, double vision in rose blush

I don't like that falling feels like flying 'til the bone crush

Everybody wants you

But I don't like a gold rush

What must it be like to grow up that beautiful?

With your hair falling into place like dominoes

I see me padding across your wooden floors

With my Eagles t-shirt hanging from the door

At dinner parties, I call you out on your contrarian shit

Headcanon: The last line specifically reminds me of Ruby snarking at Christina about being late and in return being called demanding. But also, overall, it captures the feeling of Ruby initially being distrustful of William’s affections towards her specifically when there are any number of women he could be with.

no body no crime

Headcanon: The whole damn song is my murder wives anthem.

happiness

Past the blood and bruise Past the curses and cries Beyond the terror in the nightfall Haunted by the look in my eyes That would've loved you for a lifetime Leave it all behind And there is happiness

I can't make it go away by making you a villain

I guess it's the price I paid And I pulled your body into mine Every goddamn night

There'll be happiness after you

But there was happiness because of you Both of these things can be true There is happiness

In our history, across our great divide

There is a glorious sunrise

Dappled with the flickers of light

Headcanon: Misleading song title in a way. This is what I’m dealing with in chapter 3 of my fic in the wake of Christina’s death and the process of Ruby moving on and finding happiness on her own. The writers Lovecraft Country tried really hard to make Christina a hateable villain, and I suppose through the lens of straight up hating white people, they may have done that for some viewers. They failed to give her any real Big Bad qualities though outside of manipulation and apathy—which while those aren’t shining character traits for her, it doesn’t make her the best (worst?) option for being the overarching antagonist. We had villains literally chopping people up and sewing them together, but Christina was the bad guy? Nah, I think not

long story short

Fatefully

I tried to pick my battles 'til the battle picked me

Misery

Like the war of words I shouted in my sleep

And you passed right by

I was in the alley, surrounded on all sides

The knife cuts both ways

If the shoe fits, walk in it 'til your high heels break And I fell from the pedestal

Right down the rabbit hole

Long story short, it was a bad time

Pushed from the precipice

No more keepin' score

Now I just keep you warm 

No more tug of war

Now I just know there's more 

And my waves meet your shore

Ever and evermore When I dropped my sword

I threw it in the bushes and knocked on your door

And we live in peace

But if someone comes at us, this time, I'm ready Long story short, I survived

Headcanon: based on the idea that Christina survives, but does in fact have her magic stripped from her and is reflecting on the time period and going forward how she will protect her and Ruby’s relationship going forward by critics (like Leti) who would make Ruby choose between them.

Evermore

Hey December

Guess I'm feeling unmoored

Can't remember

What I used to fight for

I rewind thе tape but all it does is pause

On thе very moment, all was lost

Sending signals

To be double-crossed

And I was catching my breath

Barefoot in the wildest winter

Catching my death

And I couldn't be sure

I had a feeling so peculiar

That this pain would be for

Evermore

And when I was shipwrecked (Can't think of all the cost)

I thought of you (All the things that will be lost now)

In the cracks of light (Can we just get a pause?)

I dreamed of you (To be certain we'll be tall again, if you think of all the costs)

It was real enough (Whether weather be the frost)

To get me through (Or the violence of the dog days) (Or the violence of the dog days)

(Out on waves, being tossed)

(I'm on waves, out being tossed)

I swear (Is there a line that we can just go cross?)

You were there

And I was catching my breath

Floors of a cabin creaking under my step

And I couldn't be sure

I had a feeling so peculiar

This pain wouldn't be for

Evermore

Headcanon: Specific to You Drew Stars Around My Scars and Ruby’s grief in the early chapters and how she feels that the grief is impossible to move past when she thinks back about the months that the two of them spent getting to know each other as friends and lovers. She uses magic to connect with Christina even when she’s not there.

[mucho27]

"We were both young when i first saw you..." @taylorswift

This song means so much to me. Because this is the first music video  i saw of taylor. And it was love at first sight. I heard teardrops, a year before fearless album came out, and i always thought what a great song it was.

I still remember how it happened, i was at a friend's room and at the time MYX was the shit, it was myx daily top ten, they were now showing the run downs before showing who was at the number 1 spot. And it showed, Love story - Taylor swift, and i thought that's the girl who sang Teardrops. And then the music video started and from then, i've been and still is a massive swiftie. Some people knew how much of a swiftie I am, some questions because i haven't been to one of her concerts, or the fact that i only have 2 physical albums of her. Well, some of you have the means, and i don't. But that doesn't make me less of a swiftie. Anyways,

When the Love Story (Taylor's version) came out, i was so excited, emotional and nostalgic all at the same time. The fact that she had to go through this, her re recording her entire music catalogue for her to have the masters, for her to own the songs she wrote, for her to have the right to perform them live, is truly heartbreaking.

I was very proud, super proud. My heart is very happy knowing after all the bullshit they put her through, she came back stronger than a 90's trend. I'm no longer a swiftie.

I am now swiftie, Taylor's version.

All love,

R.

[blackkudos]

Babyface

Kenneth Brian Edmonds (born April 10, 1959), known professionally as Babyface, is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He has written and produced over 26 number-one R&B hits throughout his career, and has won 11 Grammy Awards. He was ranked number 20 on NME's 50 of The Greatest Producers Ever list.

Early life

Edmonds was born on April 10, 1958, in Indianapolis, Indiana, to Marvin and Barbara Edmonds. Barbara was a production operator at a pharmaceutical plant. Edmonds, who is the fifth of six brothers (including future After 7 band members Melvin and Kevon Edmonds, the latter of whom went on to have a modestly successful solo career), attended North Central High School in Indianapolis, and as a shy youth, wrote songs to express his emotions. When he was in eighth grade, Edmonds' father died of lung cancer, leaving his mother to raise her sons alone. At this stage, Edmonds became determined to have a career in music.

Music career

Edmonds later played with funk performer Bootsy Collins, who tagged him "Babyface" because of his youthful look. He also performed in the group Manchild (which had a 1977 hit "Especially for You" with band member Daryl Simmons) as a guitarist. In 1982 Edmonds played with funk band Redd Hott produced by Geoge Kerr. He played keyboards in the light-funk and R&B group the Deele (which also included drummer Antonio "L.A." Reid, with whom he would later form a successful writing and producing partnership). One of his first major credits as a songwriter for outside artists came when he wrote the tune "Slow Jam" for the R&B band Midnight Star in 1983. The tune was on Midnight Star's 1983 double-platinum No Parking on the Dance Floor album. Babyface remained in the Deele until 1988, when both he and Reid left the group.

His album Playlist consists of eight cover songs and two original works. It was released on September 18, 2007. It was the first album on the newly re-launched Mercury Records label.

On February 4, 2014, he released a Grammy Award-winning duet album with Toni Braxton titled Love, Marriage & Divorce on Motown Records.

Other ventures

Writing and producing

From the late 1980s to the early 90s, he wrote R&B and dance songs, writing and producing music for Bobby Brown ("Roni"), Karyn White ("Love Saw It"), Pebbles ("Girlfriend", "Mercedes Boy"), The Whispers ("Rock Steady", "In the Mood"), The Deele ("Two Occasions"), Johnny Gill ("My My My"), After 7 ("Ready or Not"), The Boys ("Dial My Heart"), Damian Dame ("Right Down to It") and Sheena Easton.

In 1989, Edmonds co-founded LaFace Records with Reid. Three of the label's early artists, TLC, Usher, and Toni Braxton, were very successful. TLC's second album CrazySexyCool, for which he wrote and produced some of the hits, became the best-selling album of all time by an American girl group. Under his direction, TLC sold more than 60 million albums worldwide, and a combined total of 75 million records. Toni Braxton's first two albums, Toni Braxton (1993) and Secrets (1996), for which he wrote the majority of the songs, went on to sell a combined total of over 10 million copies in America alone.

Babyface helped form the popular late-1990s R&B group Az Yet. Edmonds also helped to mold and work with some of his then-wife Tracey Edmonds' acts, such as Jon B and producer Jon-John Robinson.

Edmonds has worked with many successful performers in contemporary music. “I’m Your Baby Tonight” (1990), produced for Whitney Houston, was Houston's introduction to R&B music and Edmonds' first No. 1 Top 40 hit in the US. He also wrote and produced Boyz II Men's 1992 "End of the Road" and 1994 "I'll Make Love to You", both of which established records for the longest stay at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. He co-wrote, co-produced, and provided backing vocals on Madonna's 1994 Bedtime Stories, which featured the seven-week No. 1 hit "Take a Bow", and shared billing with Eric Clapton on the chart-topping Grammy winner "Change the World" from the Phenomenon soundtrack. He also wrote and produced the No. 1 hit "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" for Houston as well as the rest of the critically acclaimed 10 million-selling Waiting to Exhale soundtrack in 1995, which spawned additional hits for Houston, Brandy and Mary J. Blige.

Additionally, Edmonds has produced and written music for many artists including Bobby Brown, The Whispers, Pebbles, After 7, Johnny Gill, Deele, Karyn White, The Boys, Damian Dame, Tevin Campbell, Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Faith Evans, Beyoncé, Diana Ross, Sheena Easton, Toni Braxton, Michael Jackson, Michael Bolton, Paula Abdul, Eric Clapton ("Change the World"), Whitney Houston, Brandy, Mary J. Blige, Tamia, Shola Ama, 3T, Sisqó, Dru Hill, Fall Out Boy, Céline Dion, Samantha Jade, Backstreet Boys, Honeyz, Katharine McPhee, Mariah Carey, Vanessa L. Williams, Bruno Mars, Kelly Clarkson, Chanté Moore, En Vogue, Zendaya, Kenny G, Kristinia DeBarge, Lil Wayne, Kevin Abstract, P!nk, Marc Nelson, TLC, Ariana Grande, Jessica Mauboy, Xscape, K-Ci & JoJo, NSYNC, Jordin Sparks and Phil Collins, among others. He received three consecutive Grammy Awards for Producer of the Year from 1995 to 1997.

Babyface was in the studio for about two years with Ashanti to produce her album The Declaration (2008).

He worked on the Lil Wayne album Tha Carter III (2008), on the Kanye West-produced "Comfortable". He also worked with R&B singer Monica for her sixth studio album Still Standing (2010).

In 2013, Babyface served as producer for Ariana Grande's debut album Yours Truly, producing the majority of her songs, including her second single, "Baby I".

In September 2014, Babyface collaborated with Barbra Streisand on her album Partners, performing a duet on the track "Evergreen" and background vocals for other album tracks.

Babyface also collaborated with Foxes on her second album, All I Need (2016), producing and co-writing "Scar".

In July 2016, Babyface along with Bruce Roberts and Carole Bayer Sager helped write the song "Stronger Together" sung by Jessica Sanchez. The song was played after Hillary Clinton's speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. The song's title is named after the slogan that the Clinton campaign used as a show of uniting behind the Democratic nominee. The song was one of the top trending songs on Shazam that week. The song was widely perceived as positive by the listeners, and received praise by celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian.

Acting career and film producing

In 1994, he appeared and performed on an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210 entitled "Mr. Walsh Goes to Washington (Part 2)".

In the mid-1990s, Edmonds and his then-wife Tracey Edmonds expanded into the business of motion pictures. Upon setting up Edmonds Entertainment Group, the company producing films such as Soul Food (1997), Josie and the Pussycats (2001), and also the soundtrack for the film The Prince of Egypt (1998), which included contributions from numerous artists, including Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. They also executive produced the BET reality series College Hill (2004-2009). Edmonds also worked with David Foster to compose "The Power of the Dream", the official song of the 1996 Summer Olympics, performed by superstar Céline Dion. Linda Thompson provided the lyrics.

Babyface also participated as a duet partner on the Fox reality show Celebrity Duets (2006).

He was portrayed by Wesley Jonathan in the 2015 Lifetime biopic Whitney and is portrayed by actor Gavin Houston in the Lifetime biopic based on Toni Braxton entitled Un-Break My Heart, which premiered on the network in early 2016.

On August 30, 2016, Babyface was revealed as one of the celebrities who will compete on season 23 of Dancing with the Stars. He was partnered with professional dancer Allison Holker. He and Holker were eliminated on the fourth week of competition and finished in 11th place along with Vanilla Ice and Witney Carson.

Soda Pop Records

Edmonds founded his record label Soda Pop Records in 2009. Since founding the label he has signed R&B icons K-Ci & JoJo, releasing their first album for the label entitled My Brother's Keeper. In 2013 Babyface secured a distribution deal with E1 Music for the label.

Personal life

Babyface married his first wife, Denise during his young adult years. In 1990, Babyface met Tracey Edmonds when she auditioned for the music video for his song "Whip Appeal". They married on September 5, 1992, and have two sons, Brandon and Dylan. On January 7, 2005, Tracey filed for divorce in Los Angeles County Superior Court, citing irreconcilable differences. In October 2005, Babyface and Tracey announced that they were ending their marriage of thirteen years.

In 2007, Babyface began dating his backup dancer Nicole "Niko" Pantenburg (former backup dancer for and personal friend of Janet Jackson). Babyface and Pantenburg have a daughter born in 2008. The pair married on May 17, 2014.

In 2015, Babyface donated money to the presidential campaign of Republican Senator Marco Rubio.

Impact

In 1999, a 25-mile (40 km) stretch of Interstate 65 that runs through Indianapolis was renamed the Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds Highway.

Babyface was placed at number 20 on NME's "50 of the Greatest Producers Ever" list. NME wrote of his impact:

"One of the founding fathers of all the best bits of modern US R&B. And so you can't hate him if some of the schlock can be traced back to him also. Babyface was a pioneer of New Jack Swing in the 80s, before setting up LaFace with old mucker Antonio 'LA' Reid to give the world TLC, Usher and Toni Braxton under their guiding hand. There's barely a prominent artist in the genre he hasn't worked with, and as a result he's clocked up a mammoth 26 R&B number ones."

Discography

Studio albums

Lovers (1986)

Tender Lover (1989)

For the Cool in You (1993)

The Day (1996)

Face2Face (2001)

Grown & Sexy (2005)

Playlist (2007)

Return of the Tender Lover (2015)

Collaboration albums

Power and Love with Manchild (1977)

Feel the Phuff with Manchild (1978)

Street Beat with The Deele (1983)

Material Thangz with The Deele (1985)

Eyes of a Stranger with The Deele (1987)

Love, Marriage & Divorce with Toni Braxton (2014)

Accolades

On August 30, 2006, Babyface was honored as a BMI Icon at the 6th annual BMI Urban Awards. Throughout his career, Babyface has won the BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year trophy seven times and a total of 51 BMI Awards, which includes Song of the Year for his Toni Braxton hit, "Breathe Again", in 1994.

Babyface was honored with the 2,508th star of the Hollywood Walk of Fame on October 10, 2013. The star is located at 6270 Hollywood Boulevard.

On October 18, 2018, he was conferred with an honorary doctorate degree from Indiana University Bloomington in recognition of his illustrious career in music.

[tisthenightofthewitch]

The Whispering Walls of Tobias Forge

“I am all eyes

I am all ears

I am the wall

And I’m watching you fall

Because faith is mine.”

From “Faith” by Ghost

What is the path to Satanism?

I must confess to knowing next to nothing about Satan, and therefore very little about how one may come to practice Satanism.  My most vivid image of all things Satanic is being terrified watching Robert DeNiro’s portrayal of Lucifer in Angel Heart (1987). And I suspect DeNiro’s depiction is consistent with many people’s view of Satan – an entirely evil being whose sole purpose is to tempt humans to commit horrific acts, and then revel in the sadistic pleasure of being able to torture their immortal souls for eternity.

Yet as I researched the concept of Satan further, I found that Satan may take on different meanings for different people. For some, Satan is something of a cautionary tale -- a tragic figure whose own ambition caused him to be thrown out of Heaven. Others view Satan as more of a spiritual concept – the tendency for humans to be tempted by their own natural instincts such as lust, hatred or greed. And still others view Satan as almost a sad, comical and cartoonish figure – something to be laughed at rather than feared.

But for Tobias Forge, the lead singer and songwriter of the Grammy-nominated band Ghost, Satan came to represent something very different – a symbol of a rebellious libertarian-style individuality and non-conformity. As such, Forge sees his path to Satanism as a celebration rather than a condemnation of his humanity.

To understand Forge’s journey to Satanism, it is important to consider what appears to make him tick – a seemingly non-stop lust for imagination, exploration and creativity. And perhaps just as Satan was considered by many to be the highest of all angels in heaven, so Forge was initially in awe of Christianity as a spiritual vehicle.

Forge explained how his mother was instrumental in fostering his open-minded approach to the world. “My mom is very liberal. She has never been religious … spiritual but not religious. However she worked in art, and had a very avid interest in art and culture. So she presented church to me as more of an archeological or more museum-like institution … more from a historic perspective,” Forge told me. “She took me to Paris for example. And in addition to going to the Louvre and seeing art, we definitely went to Notre Dame and places like that because it was part of the art experience. And I was always very in awe of … all of those churches … So from my mom’s side that whole thing was very interesting and enthralling and very enticing.”

“Religion was more of a fictional art explosion.”

One church in particular that inspired awe in Forge was the Linkoping Domkyrka. “Even in my hometown of Linkoping where I grew up … the Church we had was very lavish – very boasty. So it ticked most of the boxes of big imposing Christianity. And I love being there if I’m in town … because it’s just this haunting place,” Forge explained. “The walls are just whispering there – literally because people engraved things in the stone. It goes back to the 1700’s when kids were in there for Bible school and you see someone engraving his name and it says something like ‘June 3rd 1772.’

“Seeing that when you were a kid was like, ‘Wow a message from ancient days.’”

Forge’s cultural experience included film and books that often offered an alternative and darker perspective on spirituality. “Not only did we read a lot at home, we also watched a lot of films. So I had already seen a lot of films that were about the crucifixion and the temptation of Christ, like Bible history and the Ten Commandments – stuff like that,” Forge recalled. “And I started watching horror films and you obviously have the Devil very present – The Exorcist, The Omen – all these dark powers … And religion – and more specifically because I grew up in a Christian country, Christianity – was of interest.

“Because it was just a fantastic story and it was ancient and it was filled with a lot of drama.”

More, Forge had access to music – particularly rock music – at an early age. Forge credits his brother with his music education. “My brother gave me my first records when I was about three or four years old, because he bought a lot of records. And he was very nice because he gave me the records he thought I’d like more. My first records were Kiss’s Love Gun, Twisted Sister’s Stay Hungry, and Motley Crue’s Shout at the Devil. That had immense influence on me,” he described. “When I was 8 years old I was already very interested in music. I already had my own records. I already had my own guitar. I already played guitar. I was already into many of the things that to this day I’m still deeply influenced by… a lot of 60’s music – the Doors, the Kinks, Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones … You can go to a galaxy far, far away. And you can go into the Pink Floyd world and you can travel to Hyde Park in 1969 and watch the Rolling Stones pay tribute to Brian Jones.

“And it was a bigger, tasteful, stronger world that was so far away from the world that I lived in.”

And so it was that at an early age Forge viewed the world as one giant place to celebrate his free spirit – to explore, imagine and create. And he saw religion as a potent vehicle – along with various art forms – of nurturing his curiosity. But things changed for Forge when he encountered people whose practice of Christianity seemed geared more towards smothering rather than facilitating his spirit.

“I regarded certain people in my life … and school as handicapping … limiting. Throughout my childhood there were examples of the Christian people that I met – people who were in one form or another were devoted to any church or congregation. They were more often than not -- not very nice people. They were actually quite mean and condescending,” Forge explained. “Whereas I found my stereo and my VCR and my mom and the comfort of our home was this great universe of imagination where you can tap into whatever.”

“That made me look for other religious elements.”

Forge described his encounter with a teacher whose approach to Christianity felt more like servitude rather than support. “My first teacher … she was extremely strict, mean and deeply religious. I don’t think she followed the school curriculum – how many religious hours we were supposed to have … I remember reading a lot of Bible history.  She was definitely a very authoritative woman. And she liked discipline. And she didn’t like rebellious cursing kids,” he explained. “I was pretty foul mouthed. I was rebellious … and I questioned things. So I think we collided at first. She didn’t like me and I did not like her. And that pretty much screwed up my whole school, because I lost interest. Not in learning – but in going to school.  I didn’t like the idea of teachers … and she was against me and everything that I stood for. I was looking for freedom … and she was against that.

“And she definitely became the symbol for Christianity and not being very nice.”

Unfortunately, Forge had a similar experience with his stepmother, who Forge feels resented him as interfering her relationship with his father. “When they got together, he had this newborn kid. I was in the way of course. And she was deeply in love with my dad. And when you’re in love with someone you want to get on with the rest of your life together as soon as possible – no obstacles. And I was an obstacle,” he described. “She was also a symbol of the not-so-nice Christian society. In one way they were proclaiming to be advocates for being nice, and kindness and understanding, whereas I saw nothing of that.”

“And that started an interest in looking for the dark side.”

Soon, Forge started exploring Satanism as a form of spiritual rebellion against what he considered the oppressive behavior of some of the Christian people in his life. As Forge tells it, he was in many ways primed for this path not only by being open-minded and imaginative in general, but also specifically by the music that he listened to throughout his life.

“As a young teen, Satan, and the idea of some sort of world that you could be in touch with that could empower you was very much the symbol for freedom … “I guess more so than I had already been introduced to by Motley Crue and Gene Simmons and Darth Vader,” he said. “When adolescence was knocking, there are another set of emotions that come into play. And the idea of the Devil and the idea of dark powers from beyond that continue in any way or form is a very interesting thought for a twelve year old who wants to lose his virginity, and who would like to defend himself against the bigger kids and who is also a big worshipper of rock music. And it couldn’t have been more of a fitting marriage. Everything sort of coincided.

Forge’s interest in Satanism coincided with a cultural trend towards more extreme forms of metal – particularly black metal in which the themes were more overtly Satanic. “I think in 99.9% of every so-called Satanist in the last 50 years, you would find that the vast majority of them have been introduced to the Devil via music. And it usually happens at a certain age as well. And I would say that comes from bedazzlement,” Forge said. “And it was also the early 90’s – so that was the rise of the death metal and black metal movement in Europe and in the world I guess. Especially in Sweden and Norway, it was a big thing. And it was just right up my alley. And it became such a powerful way of expressing myself, and how to not only deviate and differentiate myself from the norm and normal people, but just like hand in glove with my way of seeing the world.”

As time went on, Forge felt that his issues were more with organized religion, which he appears to shun, as compared to spirituality, which he embraces. “Most people that I know that have been in a similar mindset. It’s definitely grounded in the will to expand and not implode. And I think most of us – people like myself – are leery of linear, organized religions because it’s limiting,” He described. “Those people that tried to tell me the order of the world from a religious point of view – they tried to steer me away from believing. They tried to steer me away from feeling those feelings that I want or should have -- feelings that I got through Dee Snider – “I Wanna Rock,” “We’re Not Gonna Take It.” Or “Shout At The Devil” -- Motley Crue. They tried to steer me away from that – they didn’t want me to believe in anything other than what they said. It goes against imagination. You’re not supposed to have imagination.

“You’re supposed to read up on someone else’s imagination.”

Forge makes it clear that he does not dismiss religion outright – and in fact still struggles with understanding many of the religious concepts he learned as a child. “I am not against the idea of believing. I am not an atheist … The whole institution of Christianity being based on that book, being based on the premise that he was conceived out of nowhere -- it’s kind of hard to believe,” Forge described. “But on the other hand, I do believe in the idea of a historic person named Jesus that was a kind of chill dude who was just telling people to chill and be nice to each other. And he got penalized for that. So I’m not dismissing the whole thing as bullsh*t. But I definitely believe that tormenting other people because of the Bible and for that to be – for lack of a better word, Gospel.

“I think that is not very nice.”

For now, Forge is content exploring much of his Satanic spirituality through his work with Ghost – often taking on confrontational stage personas as “Papa Emeritus” and “Cardinal Copia.”  These challenging themes are so present in Ghost’s music and live show that the band has been labeled “occult rock.” As Ghost has just released its fourth full length studio album Prequelle and is in the midst of a world tour, Forge is aware of how he is now walking in the footsteps of the bands that had so deeply influenced him.

“It’s funny how the apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree. I’ve gone full circle being in a shock rock band nowadays, running around shouting at the devil and telling people to stay hungry and shooting love guns.”

All rights owned by PsychologyToday.com

[dontgobreakingmyart]

Fanfiction: Why Is It So Popular?

As someone on tumblr, you probably know what fanfiction is and know why it is popular. My AP Literature teacher, however, wasn’t so informed. 

My senior year, we were required to write a research paper about a trend. Some people did the rate of divorce, others did the increase of body modification and someone even did the death of Pokemon Go. 

Our teacher recommended that we chose a topic that we were familiar with, and my first 2 thoughts were fanfiction and anime. I had already had a friend that had done anime the year the before, so I thought “why not?”

And thus, my senior paper was born:

March , 2018

Fanfiction: Why Is It So Popular?

INTRODUCTION:

Generally, the word “fanfiction” conjures an image of lonely hermits, obsessive fans, or even dangerous flirtation with copyrights, but lately, fanfiction has been given a new face―a face of validity, expression, and even publication. Since January 2012, the amount of fanfiction for just one fandom (a collection of fans supporting a certain medium) has increased an astonishing 1,154% (Pellegrini). Objectively, fanfiction is a fan-made story that contains strong elements of the original work, generally using the same characters, themes, and other various components. For example, there are numerous works based off Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, continuing on the story of Mr. and Mrs. Darcy; in fact, there has been a recent increase of published novels based on Pride and Prejudice of 32% since 2015 (“List of Literary Adaptations of Pride and Prejudice”). Why? Because fans were not satisfied with the original content; they wanted to see more of Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship or they wondered what the characters would do in a zombie apocalypse or any other variation of “what if?” Fanfiction allows “amateur writers” to express their love for a book, tv show, game, etc., and whether it’s because of the lack of LGBT themes in most published works or the increasing ease of sharing their fiction, fanfiction writers are not likely to stop any time soon (Knorr).

BACKGROUND / HISTORY:

Although it might seem very unbelievable, fanfiction did not just start recently, or a couple decades ago, or in the 70s with that one Star Trek fanfiction. In fact, a good amount of older literature is fanfiction. If fanfiction is being defined as “any work of fiction that borrows major elements of another work of fiction,” then works such as Shakespeare’s Hamlet could technically count as fanfiction; Hamlet was originally an “ancient Scandinavian folk tale . . .[known as] ‘Vita Amlethi’ (‘The Life of Amleth’)” that Shakespeare not only re-wrote as a play, but inserted his own, personal experiences (Clark). The Iliad, The Odyssey, Oedipus Rex were all orally-told, Greek myths that someone decided needed to be written down. The only reason theses works are not recognized as “fanfiction” was because copyright was not as strict in that time and practically did not exist; after all, no one knows for sure who the real Shakespeare was because he did not officially claim his work. 

Fanfiction didn’t really become a label until Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes in the 1880s and with the birth of the internet, the famous Star Trek fanfiction. Officially, “the actual term ‘fanfiction’ was coined in 1939” and was used as an insult towards crudely written sci-fi fiction (Reich). In the late 90s and early 00s, rather than the “all-purpose” fanfiction cites today, “fans carved out their own little homes on the burgeoning internet. Star Trek fans here, X-Files fans there, Frasier fans somewhere else” (Hill). Most of those sites, however, have since died and have been replaced with the “all-purpose” ones like fanfiction.net. One of the most infamous modern fanfictions is E.L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey. Although it is technically a published novel, James has admitted that her novel was simply a Twilight fanfiction that she had written and aftered so that she wouldn’t break the copyright (Morrison). The largest development to the world of fanfiction, however, was the birth of Archiveofourown.org in 2007, a fanfiction website that “promised stronger resistance to legal challenges” to fanfiction writers unlike other, previous websites such as fanfiction.net (Burt). With the creation of this site, older ones have begun to die out just like the fandom-centric ones of the past.

#1 REASON:

Over the years, fanfiction has morphed from a shameful pass time to a socially acceptable medium of expression. Published authors have been, in fact, recommending fanfiction as a positive way to start writing. The author of the Princess Diaries Meg Cabot came out about her fanfiction writing, saying, “I myself used to write Star Wars fan fiction when I was tween. I think writing fanfiction is a good way for new writers to learn to tell a story” (Romano). And many other famous authors have made a contribution to the fanfiction community: Cassandra Clare, author of Mortal Instrument Series; Orson Scott Card, author of Ender’s Game; S. E. Hinton, author of The Outsiders; Neil Gaiman, author of The Sandman Series, and so many others (O’Brien, Kovach). 

While visiting a Writing Workshop, the published author hosting it, Pamela Thibodeaux, encouraged me to begin writing and posting fanfiction in order to start a healthy fanbase, so that when I go to get a book published, the transition is much smoother. Writing fanfiction is just as stimulating as writing an original novel. In a CNN article about fanfiction, they explicitly stated that “even if the subject matter is a little blue [writing fanfiction] is a positive form of self-expression,” compelling parents to “encourage writing” (Knorr). In fact, the main difference between the two is that writing fanfiction “takes the pressure of world-building off” which allows the writer to explore their writing style without getting tangled up in creating something from scratch (McQuien). In a way, fanfiction is the box of cake mix in the literature world―it helps amateurs to take the first step of baking without getting too overwhelmed, but in the end, it can taste just as good.

#2 REASON:

As the overall acceptance and validity of fanfiction has increased, fanfiction has found its way into the publishing world, being branded as actual literature. Time-honored novels such as Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice have several published, fan-made additions and recreations of the original tale like Pride and Prejudice II: The Sequel by Victoria Park and Seth Grahame-Smith’s Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which was turned into a filmed phenomena in 2016 (“List of Literary Adaptations of Pride and Prejudice”). Although there have been many literary adaptations of this novel spanning as far back as 1932, there has been a 32% increase of published fanfictions just for this fandom (“List of Literary Adaptations of Pride and Prejudice”).

 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has also witnessed this movement with his iconic Sherlock Holmes series, especially with the popular television series Sherlock, a “modernization” (or modern au [alternate universe] in fanfiction jargon) of the classic cases between Sherlock Holmes and John Watson (“8 unconventional Sherlock Holmes adaptations”). These published fanfictions have been able to keep the trademarked names of their beloved characters, but many novels had to undergo extensive editing to cross the line of “fanfiction” into “literature.” 

One of the most famous, or rather infamous, examples of this is how E. L. James’ 50 Shades of Grey was originally a Twilight fanfiction (Morrison). Another, perhaps not as well known, is L. Stoddard Hancock’s Cruel and Beautiful World, which was heavily based off of J. K. Rowling’s beloved Harry Potter; in fact, her novel indulges the ship [romantic pairing] of Hermione and Draco, fondly known as “Dramione” in the Harry Potter fandom (Sarner). While some fanfictions have to undergo a facelift in order to be published, their true identity still remains intact: they are still devoted extensions to the esteemed works of another author.

#3 REASON:

Fanfiction has evolved greatly throughout history, and how to post fanfictions and share them with the world is just getting easier and easier. As mentioned prior, the creation of Archive of Our Own revolutionized the world of fanfiction with its promise of legal support, but how? In 2002, there was a great purging of fanfictions on the original fanfiction posting website, fanfiction.net, shaking the fanfiction community and dissuading writers from posting their fanfics (Silver). It was this sort of mass-banning on works that encouraged the creation of Archive of Our Own and its legal branch the “Organization of Transformative works” where they “clarify the legality of fanfiction, champion fan-created works whenever they were legally challenged, and provide fans with legal resources in case they were targeted by copyright claims” (Silver). In short, Archive of Our Own gave fanfic writers a safe place to share their fanfictions. 

Because of this difference with websites, despite the age difference and advantage Fanfiction.net may have with it, the increase of Harry Potter fanfictions on Archive of Our Own, for example, have increased 795% more than those on Fanfiction.net since 2010 (Pellegrini). Not only that, but Archive of Our Own has many other unique features that makes both writing fanfictions and reading fanfictions much more convenient such as tagging (Romano). Speaking from personal experience as a user of both Fanfiction.net and Archive of Our Own, although the first is not a bad place to read fanfiction, it is not nearly as user-friendly. For example, if I wanted to read a Harry Potter fanfiction, I could easily do so on both sites, but if I wanted to read a Harry Potter fanfiction that had the ship “Dramione” or had “zombies” or where Fred didn’t die, I can only specify those tags on Archive of Our Own to find that perfect fanfiction. And fanfiction sites are still continuing to expand, to shape, to mold themselves in order to fit the preferences of the ever-evolving writers that post on them.

#4 REASON:

The world of literature is a diverse melting pot of ideas and people, but even with this diversity, there are many minorities that are pushed to the side such as the LGBT community―in the world of fanfiction, however, they are the majority. Seeing LGBT often connotes inaccurate concepts, especially in literature, where one thinks “gay” when they see LGBT and then “the label of ‘gay’ often overshadows the important elements of the story/author, often tarnish[ing] the book before it can be read” (Guy). The LGBT community is so much more than just “gay,” and those different branches are very rarely explored in published literature, but in fanfiction, they florrish. 

Although majority of fanfiction does involve romance and a good amount of it involves couples of the same sex, that is not the only layer as is with most “gay” literature. In fanfiction, everyone is represented―if you want to read a fanfiction where the main character is asexual, where the main character is genderfluid, where there’s a polyromantic relationship, where someone is aromantic, bisexual; no matter what it is you want, I can almost guarantee it’s out there somewhere. The fanfiction website Archive of Our Own found that only 38% of their users were heterosexual, meaning that at least 62% belong to the LGBT community and more people identified as genderqueer than as male (Hu). Everyone wants to be represented in media, to have someone to relate to. 

The little gay literature that is there, is only just now being reprinted, falling out of print since the 80’s, and a good amount of it is being banned (Healey). For example, Amazon refused to sell a gay Victorian novel, claiming it was “pornagraphic,” yet they have an entire section for “erotic” fiction such as 50 Shades of Grey (Healey). With fanfiction, writers don’t have to worry about labels, whether a couple is straight or homosexual or genderqueer or whatever. Writers care about the stories, the chemistry between the characters that make them a dynamic duo, and with fanfiction, writers can share that.

CONCLUSION:

Fanfiction has existed for centuries with Sophocles's Oedipus Rex and Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes and Star Trek and it shows no sign of stopping now. In fact, the amount of fanfiction hasn’t just increased because of its acceptance or its publication or the ease of posting, but because of new and continuous material. 

Before the release of BBC’s show Sherlock, there were fanfictions based on the original book, and the addition of the show allowed Sherlock Holmes and John Watson to become more familiar, and thus, more fanfictions to be added to the overall fandom. The same occured with the Harry Potter fandom. When Jack Thorne’s play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (a published fanfiction continuing J.K. Rowling’s original series Harry Potter), fanfiction writers exploded with new material, new ideas, and new fanfictions; a total of 1,682 fanfictions concerning Harry Potter and the Cursed Child have been posted on Archive of Our Own since the play’s release date in 2016 (Search Results for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child). Due to the recent release of Voltron: Legendary Defender in 2016, there has been a staggering 5,054% increase of fanfiction for the show originally from the 80’s (Search Results for Voltron). 

With every reinstatement of a show, a new generation of potential fanfiction writers are exposed to it, adding on to the classic mediums other fanfiction writers wrote about before them such as Star Trek or Sex in the City, where there are still significant increases of 8,600% since 2005 and the show ended in 2004 (Kneale). Fanfiction increases because more and more people are being exposed to that world. Just as there will always be incoming literature and TV shows and movies, new fanfictions will be trailing in afterwards like a relentless shadow.

Works Cited

“Archive of Our Own Beta.” Archive of Our Own, www.archiveofourown.org/works/search?utf8=✓&work_search[query]=Harry potter and the cursed child.

“Archive of Our Own Beta.” Archive of Our Own, www.archiveofourown.org/works/search?utf8=✓&work_search[query]=Voltron.

Burt, Stephanie. “The Promise and Potential of Fan Fiction.” The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2017, www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-promise-and-potential-of-fan-fiction.

Clark, Cassandra. “‘Hamlet’ Origins: The Legend of Amleth.” Shake It Up, 28 June 2017, sfshakes.wordpress.com/2017/06/28/hamlet-origins-the-legend-of-amleth/.

“Eight Unconventional Sherlock Holmes Adaptations.” The Week - All You Need to Know about Everything That Matters, 29 Feb. 2012, theweek.com/articles/477729/8-unconventional-sherlock-holmes-adaptations.

Guy, Lauren. “What's the Point of LGBT Literature?” The University Times, 16 Oct. 2016, www.universitytimes.ie/2016/10/whats-the-point-of-lgbt-literature/.

Healey, Trebor. “Early Gay Literature Rediscovered.” Huffington Post, www.huffingtonpost.com/trebor-healey/early-gay-literature-redi_b_5373869.html .

Hill, Mark. “The Forgotten Early History of Fanfiction.” Motherboard, 3 July 2016, motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/4xa4wq/the-forgotten-early-history-of-fanfiction.

Hu, Jane. “The Revolutionary Power Of Fanfiction For Queer Youth.” The Establishment, The Establishment, 16 May 2016, theestablishment.co/the-importance-of-fanfiction-for-queer-youth-4ec3e85d7519.

Kneale, Heidi. “Final Staff.” The Appeal of Fanfiction, July 2005, www.irosf.com/q/zine/article/10165.

Knorr, Caroline. “Inside the Racy, Nerdy World of Fanfiction.” CNN, Cable News Network, 5 July 2017, www.cnn.com/2017/07/05/health/kids-teens-fanfiction-partner/index.html.

Kovach, Catherine. “7 Authors Who Wrote Fanfiction.” Bustle, Bustle, 20 Mar. 2018, www.bustle.com/articles/160939-7-authors-who-wrote-fanfiction-because-its-actually-the-best.

“List of Literary Adaptations of Pride and Prejudice.” List of Literary Adaptations of Pride and Prejudice, ipfs.io/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknFiJnKLwHCnL72vedxjQkDDP1mXWo6uco/wiki/List_of_literary_adaptations_of_Pride_and_Prejudice.html.

McQuein, Josin L. “My Bloggish Blog Thing.” Novels vs. Fanfiction, 18 Apr. 2012, 12:53 PM, josinlmcquein.blogspot.com/2012/04/novels-vs-fanfiction.html.

Morrison, Ewan. “In the Beginning, There Was Fan Fiction: from the Four Gospels to Fifty Shades.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 13 Aug. 2012, www.theguardian.com/books/2012/aug/13/fan-fiction-fifty-shades-grey.

OBrien, David. “Famous Authors Who Began in Fan Fiction.” AUTHORS.me, 27 Oct. 2016, www.authors.me/famous-authors-began-fan-fiction/.

Pellegrini, Nicole. “FanFiction.Net vs. Archive of Our Own.” HobbyLark, HobbyLark, 15 Feb. 2017, letterpile.com/writing/fanfictionnet-vs-archive-of-our-own.

Pellegrini, Nicole. “FanFiction.Net vs. Archive of Our Own.” HobbyLark, HobbyLark, 15 Feb. 2017, letterpile.com/writing/fanfictionnet-vs-archive-of-our-own.

Romano, Aja. “10 Famous Authors Who Write Fanfiction.” The Daily Dot, 9 Mar. 2017, www.dailydot.com/parsec/10-famous-authors-fanfiction/.

Romano, Aja. “Is It Possible to Quantify Fandom? Here's One Statistician Who's Crunching the Numbers |.” The Daily Dot, 24 Feb. 2017, www.dailydot.com/parsec/toastystats-ao3-fandom-statistics/.

Sarner, Lauren. “This 'Harry Potter' Fan Fiction Author Adapated Dramione Into A Novel.” Inverse, 18 July 2016, www.inverse.com/article/15572-dramione-fandom-harry-potter-fan-fiction-romance-l-stoddard-hancock-broken-wings.

Silver, Farasha. “How Archive of Our Own Revolutionized Fandom.” FAN/FIC Magazine, 26 Mar. 2017, fanslashfic.com/2015/11/01/how-archive-of-our-own-revolutionized-fandom/.

Times, J.E. Reich Tech. “Fanspeak: The Brief Origins Of Fanfiction.” Tech Times, MENU$(".Topsearchbutton").Click(Function(){ $(".Srcframe").Toggle(); }); $('Input[Type="Search"]').Keypress(Function() { $("#Srcform").Submit(); });TechScienceHealthCultureReviewsFeatures, 25 July 2015, www.techtimes.com/articles/70108/20150723/fan-fiction-star-trek-harry-potter-history-of-fan-fiction-shakespeare-roman-mythology-greek-mythology-sherlock-holmes.htm.

[matt10bth]

Thank You, 2021; Welcome, 2022

GOODBYE, 2021

December 24 11:14 PM

December 31 12:58 AM

December 31 5:52 PM

I’m starting to write this early because this year is so impactful to me that it really bends me and molds me to a different kind version of myself.

I accepted that I’m disappointed to myself because I give up to my church, but I still trust my God that he will never leave me on my journey, and whatever happens to me he will always be there.

I remember last year I’m just listening to “August” and “Willow” by Taylor Swift, and it is so good to me. I went vacation on Batangas I stay there for about almost 3 months. I have learned so much, how to deal with pain. I also composed so many songs in April. I met new friends online until I have known the church that teaches me how to serve and worship God. In September, God teaches me to be humble by losing my faith and hope and slowly gaining my faith again until November. In December my anxiety got worst again, and I decided to leave the church.

This year is a journey to know my values and morals if they are aligning to the teachings of my God. I feel the pain again, the pain that I don’t want to feel, the pain that makes me want to die, but in the end I survive.

I break down a lot, cry in front of my loved ones. I have learned their pain and understand more what I’m going through. I realize that I needed to change and to revert to my old self. I realize that there is no perfect human, they will have their limitations, and, in the end, they will give up on you. Only God is the one who can tolerate you and always brings you back to the right path.

I’m very sad right now because it feels that I’m leaving all behind the moments and happenings in 2021, and I’m very happy that I met those people in life but at the same time I’m sad because I’m leaving them all behind and I need to move on, to start again, to be strong again.

 Artist of the Year

My artist of the year is still Taylor Swift. I love her mentality, every time somebody puts her down, she just keeps on rising, defeating herself. I relieve my 14 – 16 years old experience and memories after she releases “RED” and relieve what happened to me Grade 5 - 6 after she release “Fearless”. I’m just tired of listening on too many songs because I’m still not over to “evermore” and “folklore”, but still grateful that I will anticipate new album and songs of her after every 5 – 6 months.

 Game of the Year

League of Legends, peaks at the highest. I’m playing this game since 2014 but it really changes my life after meeting so many people that influence and change my life.

 Creative Fiction of the Year

“Girl that can see it” teach me to endure the nightmares that I have encountering in life. Even though I’m experiencing difficulties, I still need to be a light to other people. I also learned to be not judgmental because, we need to learn the full circumstances first, and in the end to show love, mercy, and forgiveness to other people.

 Song of the Year

My most played song of the year is “Willow” by Taylor Swift, there are two favorite lines on the song. “Wreck my plans” and “Comeback stronger than the 90’s trend”. The interpret the first line, we can have so many plans in our life, but until the moment we met the love of our life, all our plans will be shattered and will makes us realize that is not the important as we think it is. The second line, I interpret it as the moment Taylor Swift’s reputation died, and the moment she came back stronger after that, is a proof that she is stronger than any trends.

 Movie of The Year

“Tick, Tick... Boom!”, this movie teaches me to be patient, to not give up when every circumstance is telling me to give up.

 HELLO, 2022

I really don’t know what is going to happen to me. If my plans will continue to be a plan. I just want to trust God until the end of my life. I just want my anxiety and worrying to be lesser. I know my journey will be so hard, now that I’m not with the church anymore but I know that everything will be alright because God is so patience and kind to me that every time I went down, he lifts me up.

God give me more patience to myself, and to other people that surrounds me. I want to be humble and accepts my mistakes.

Things I want to accomplish this year.

1.      Finish the chords and lyrics of “Like and don’t”.

2.      To upload more videos on YouTube.

3.      To finish my resume.

4.      To finish my portfolio.

5.      To finish the outline of “Living Paradox”.

6.      To lose 10 Kilograms.

7.      To be intermediate in Piano

8.      To have a job.

My list is much shorter compared last year because I want to be a realist, lower my expectations to myself, so I will not be pressured and disappointed if I don’t finish my list.

I plan to wake up very early in the morning, to start to work on myself at least 5 – 8 hours a day.

I really don’t know what to say anymore, because I plan to give everything to God my “2022” and let him control what happened to me. I don’t want to be in despair anymore of controlling everything that is happening to me. I don’t want to be obsesses ingenuine perfection but rather to what is good, real, and beneficial. I love you God, and I lay all the rest on you.

December 31, 2021 5:50 PM I finished writing this entry.