Listening to: One Direction I discovered this awesome band, by a pure stroke of what I like to call luck. And no, this is is not the reason that I like them. But, apparently, Taylor Swift dated Harry and therefore, that is how I found out about them. I think they're pretty awesome! For a person who listens to deep, melancholy music 80% of the time, it's good for me to enjoy 20% of light-hearted, fun songs to expand my taste in music. They have some beautiful, serious love- songs too, not just pop songs that are fun to dance too. My adorable little brother has also taken quite a liking to them. I love all of their personalities- funny, charming, smart & serious etc. The members are as follows, in the picture below, left to right, Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik. Four of them are from Britain and Niall is from Ireland( I love their accents too- always loved English & Irish accents:) Although I love all of them, I have a soft spot for the curly-haired one and the cute Irish lad:)They also have some very nice, good voices. My favorite songs by them are " Little Things" and " You &I". Little Things really resonated with me, as I have struggled with an eating disorder in the past. the song is about a girl with a bunch of insecurities about her body, voice, etc and really touched my heart. I'm so proud to say I've been their fan for almost 2 years now and have gone to a concert- once-in-a-lifetime AMAZING EXPERIENCE BY THE WAY!! I had loads of fun, dancing, crying, and singing my heart along with tons of crazy, emotional teenage girls like myself:) I hope you guys like it as much as I did!
Pictures From MY Concert! And no, I did not get as close- these were taken by a professional, if you couldn't already tell:)
Louis' baby Freddy- SO ADORABLE!
God, he's so cute
my boy- he is the best!
he's so sweet and cute!
help, that smile is melting my heart! love you Liam!
i don't think I'm breathing right now- his smile is life!
I'm officially in love. Her music just gets better and better, the more I hear of and download:) These songs are so relatable, beautiful and thought-provoking.
When I first saw Lea Michele in the New Year’s Eve film, I was instantly intrigued and fascinated by her. I wanted to know more,even though at the time I had no idea she was actually a singer: and that she could actually sing as good as was portrayed in the movie. Not long after looking into her a bit and buying some of her songs, I was intensely fond of her songs and her honest,open personality.
Ironically, at the time, I was going through a difficult time in my life where I was giving in to irrational fears and lies about myself. I was terrified and and didn’t know what to do, in the midst of severe anxiety and emotional stress.I just happened to turn on Lea’s “Cannonball” song that I’d purchased that week and before I knew it; I was feeling calmed, relaxed, and totally at peace about my future. I realized that the fears and apprehension I’d been giving in were completely fake, a facet of a tormented mind. And I realized that I needed to let them go and to open my heart up to life again.
As with Christina Perri, Lea spoke the words I needed desperately to hear. If I didn’t happen to hear that song during that time, I honestly don’t know what I would have done. I would have made myself sick with worry and gone down a narrow road to live a life dominated by fearful what ifs. I would have lived life locked in a cage I’d trapped myself in. I don’t know how to ever properly thank Lea for that song. I know it also had a profound impact in her own life as well and helped her to move on from things.
Some of the reasons I love Lea Michele are that she is humble and real. She doesn’t and never did try to conform herself to the image people wanted of her. When many girls in her high school were getting nose jobs, she refused to do so. She was content with the way her face was, even when she was told she should change her nose; because it would make her more beautiful. Instead, she remained authentic and honest and didn’t care what people thougt. In her songs, that is exactly how she is. She sings about the pain of tragically and unexpectedly losing her boyfriend and how it made her stronger and braver.
After a year of listening to Lea’s songs, they began to have a even more special place in my heart, when life began to grow cold and lonely. Instead of feeling on top of the world while singing Cannonball, I was crying my way through songs like” Thousand Needles” and “The Bells”. Without these sad, contemplative songs, I would have felt completely lost and alone; I wouldn’t have known how to properly express myself. I began to understand some of what Lea must have felt;even though my own experiences paled sharply in comparison to her tragic story.
Lea is a very inspirational person. She is an avid believer in being yourself and not letting other people’s actions influence your own. She remembers what it was like to be an insecure teenage girl and therefore, encourages them immensely. She tells them how important it is to be focused on school( not boys) and to not let others tell you who to be or how to live.I've keenly taken this advice to heart recently. I've found myself spending too much of my energy and time trying to get boys to like me/getting a boyfriend. I haven't spent enough time planning and preparing for my future/career. This is a valuable, extremely important lesson that I can't thank her enough for teaching me.
Lea is down-to-earth and doesn’t act like she’s better than others, just because she is a celebrity. She loves life and inspired me even more than I already was to take care of myself. She challenged me by her own healthy,active lifestyle to be the best I could be; to soak in every beautiful,imperfect moment of life, to love people around you as much as you could, and to fight as hard as you could.
As she says,” I think it’s so important to live life to the fullest, to love as hard as you can love, to fight as hard as you can fight, and to live as hard as you can live. Because we are only given one life.” I keep a list of her life tips on my mirror each day, so I can remember my goals and the things I need to keep myself motivated and encouraged.
1. Be You. It's so cheesy, but there's no one better at being you than you. Don't slough off the things that make your special just to fit a mold- Your story is the most interesting thing you've got going for you, so use it!"
2. Be Proud Of All the things that make you different, and flex those distinctions, where you come from and your family, as your biggest strengths.
3. Remember your role models and keep them in your mind, as signposts for everything that's possible in life. Whether you're fifteen or fifty, it's always good to surround yourself with people you find inspiring and from whom you believe you can learn.
3. Keep the people who love you, like your family close. They made you who you are, so don't neglect them on the road to achieving your goals. Assuming they're supportive, use them as a resource for strength and guidance. That's what they're there for!
5. Don't let stress derail you; Don't forget to check in with yourself every night.
On top of all this, Lea Michele is a ridiculously talented singer; who sings good, meaningful tunes that provoke thought and bring comfort.
My next post on this gorgeous Saturday is about the brilliant, beautiful Christina Perri. If you haven't already heard her songs, you are missing out!! Never will you hear music & lyrics more unique, romantic, or authentic than Christinas! She is a one talented and cool chick! I first heard ," A Thousand Years" almost 2 years ago and instantly fell in love! On my 16th birthday, I purchased " Lovestrong" And " Head & Heart" and became officially obsessed! One of the main reasons I love Christina's music is I deeply relate to her lyrics. We have so many things in common and have been through the same experiences. We both love music, have taught ourself to play songs on the piano, been in plays, & read books in high school. Neither of us were super popular in high school, and were more introverts who were a bit strange( & different from all the other girls).
Christina made me feel like I wasn't alone in my sorrow and pain, and that she'd been there before too. She held my hand, through her music, as I cried my way through songs like, "Tragedy" "The Lonely" and "Sad Song; which literally expresses word for word my experiences last year! She makes me feel like I could talk to her about anything and she'd completely understand. Christina Perri is beautiful inside- and out, smart, talented, down-to-earth, and a kind, gentle soul. Her smile is full of warmth and her spirit sweet, because she has been through so much in life.Not to mention she is a badass piano & guitar player! Instead of letting her horrible experiences made her bitter and cold; she has used them to help and bless so many people like me. If you are ever feeling discouraged and broken, listen to her song ," I Believe". I guarantee you will be feeling so much more hopeful and encouraged when you finish listening to it!
Let it be your anthem and you will find, like me, that life will slowly take a turn for the better. Her words will begin to prove true, as she says, ' I Believe tomorrow is stronger than yesterday, I believe your head is the only thing in your way, wish that you could see your scars turn into beauty, I believe that today it's ok to not be ok."
I had the most surreal, once in- a life time night going to her concert last July! I paid $90.00 for the tickets and it was a small place, without seats. So, I got to get only a couple rows back from the stage, so close to her! She was everything I knew she'd be! She wore a cute, appropriate white dress and keds and danced around carefree and happy! Her music was even more enjoyable on stage, as was Rachel Platten's.
if you ever are feeling low or feeling lonely, pick her music! You will leave, releasing you are not isolated or alone in the crazy journey of life we are on. and there is always hope for you!
Today I wanted to devote a post to the beautiful, charming, and talented Rachel Platten. This amazing girl's music has done so much in my life, more than she'll ever understand or know. Last summer, I was going through a really difficult, lonely time. There were a lot of family problems, arguments, and fights going on in my home and I was just really broken and worn out my all of it. I'd made so many mistakes and hurt the ones I love, as well as being hurt by their actions and words. Well, after almost 9 months of this, I heard Rachel Platten's " Fight Song" on youtube.
After listening to it, I was surrounded by an intense feeling of encouragement and hope for the future. I felt happy, self-motivated, and ready to put my life back together. I started working out again ( to the tune of this awesome anthem, I might add!) and wrote a letter to my parents, expressing my apologies and heart to them. Since then, Rachel's heart-felt, meaningful lyrics have continued to bless, strengthen, and help me through life's many curves and bends. Her genuine heart shines through in not only her physical, but inward beauty. She's kind, gentle, and real about her struggles, problems, and difficult journey to becoming a singer.
She understands and sympathizes with girls who've had their hearts broken, by men, but also understands the hard times that everyone in general goes through. She pours her heart out through her music and has blessed so many people with "Fight Song". You totally should check out her newest album, "Wildfire" which I recently bought. It is the bomb! My current favorites are" Speechless" Hey, Hey Hallelujah" and "Superman." Not only is there an abundance of serious songs, but also a few fun dance melodies perfect for your workout jam:)
I hope you love and appreciate the lovely Rachel Platten as I have come to:)
So, I heard Ellie Goulding lots of times on the radio and seen her on magazines and stuff. But I never really took much interest, or listened to her stuff until recently. I think she is a one cool chick with a super awesome-sounding voice! My current favorites are the songs above, especially, " Love Me Like You Do'. It sends goose-bumps up my spine- I adore how emotional, raw, and romantic it is. The perfect combination of beautiful lyrics and music is so wonderful! I'm going to learn how to play it on the piano, because I love it so much.
I've cried myself through Ellie's songs in my darkest hours and she's really encouraged and blessed me with her relatable, heart-wrenching songs. I can't thank her enough for her music, which was such a friend to me during the current season of my life.
One thing I really like about Ellie is how humble and genuine and real she seems, inspite of her roller-coaster ride to fame. She's played for Prince William and Kate Middleton, for crying out loud! And yet she just acts like a normal person, is open about her problems and panic attacks, and encourages girls tremendously. I love how she is proud of how strong and beautiful a body she has and how she inspires me to love who I am and the body I have; without starving/depriving myself. She takes care of her body, by working out and eating healthy, but isn't above a cheat now and then.
For me, that is the ideal, perfect balance to find in life.
As an aspiring singer/songwriter, I find is so refreshing the journey of hard work and passion she took to becoming one. Ellie was the first person in her family to attend University and applied herself whole-heartedly to make her parents proud of her. Then, she taught herself to play guitar and didn't give up, playing gigs constantly throughout college.
I honestly believe that if more women acted like Ellie, the world would be a better place:) I hope you enjoy her music as much as I have. Check out "Delirium" if you haven't already- it's pretty badass!
Louis' baby Freddy- SO ADORABLE!
God, he's so cute
my boy- he is the best! 
he's so sweet and cute!
help, that smile is melting my heart! love you Liam!
i don't think I'm breathing right now- his smile is life!
