My Holiday Playlist - 12 Songs of Christmas

Since 'tis the season, I made a list with my favorite 12 Christmas/Holiday songs for me to listen on my iPod. Christmas is all about sharing, isn't it? Or is that Thanksgiving? Whatever, I'm sharing my playlist here...There are 8 different artists (yes, I'm playing favorites) and they are mostly the people I listen to year round, with a few exceptions. The order of songs was not accidental, I tried to keep a pace and theme, with a warm opening and a grand finale. Here it goes:
1. "Joy to the World" by Dolly Parton - like I said, a warm opening. This song is more about the spiritual aspect of Christmas, and it's so beautiful. Dolly sounds flawless, there's so much soul!
2. "Bjällerklang" by Agnetha Fältskog and Linda Ulveaus - this is actually the Swedish version of Jingle Bells, sang by my beloved Agnetha with her then little daughter.
3. "Marian Poika" by Tarja Turunen - another foreign language; this is the Finnish version of Mary's Boy Child, sung by metal goddess Tarja. I love this version of the song, but I don't like it in English as much. Maybe it's her voice?
4. "Let It Snow" by Jessica Simpson - this is the first of the exceptions... I don't listen to Jessica Simpson at all, but I love this version of the song and it takes me back to my first winter in the USA... good times...
5. "Happy New Year" by ABBA - of course any list I make must have an ABBA song. This is such a beautiful song, with really depressing lyrics, it's like an after party song. I've been listening to it at midnight on December 31st for the past 8 years, and it's my own personal tradition.
6. "Kuin Henkäys Ikuisuutta" by Tarja Turunen - so, Tarja released a Christmas album in 2006, I believe, and it's my favorite Christmas album ever. That's why there are a bunch of songs from it in this list. This one is her own composition and it means something along the lines of "like a breath of eternity". It's a really beautiful and touching song, you don't even have to understand the words to get its meaning. 
7. "All I Want for Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey - if I had to make a list of my least favorite artists, Mariah Carey would be high up in there. And yet I love this song! It's another exception for me, I never listen to her music any other time of the year, but I got to admit that this song is just... awesome. 
8. "The Eyes of a Child" by Tarja Turunen - seriously, go check this lady out. She's a soprano metal diva who can also sing opera and loves Christmas songs. I love having this song playing in the background as I'm doing something (like writing on my blog). Her voice soothes me. For reals. 
9. "The Little Drummer Boy" by Dolly Parton - I also love Dolly's Christmas album, and this is another good one in there. It's a classic, we all know it, but Dolly's version is the best there is. She even has a choir!
10. "You Would Have Loved This" by Tarja Turunen - this is a really sad song about spending that first Christmas after losing a loved one. Well, there has to be a downer somewhere... but it's hauntingly beautiful and touching, and probably one of my favorite Christmas songs.
11. "White Christmas" by Michael Bublé and Shania Twain - who doesn't love a Christmas duet, right? I never liked the song White Christmas, it's so depressing, it makes me want to eat a bucket of ice cream and go to sleep. But Michael Bublé did a great job making a classic his own, turning it into an upbeat and fun little tune. Of course, the Shania factor is the reason it's on my list, but it's a great song regardless. 
12. "Walking in the Air" by Nightwish - a lot of people might know this song, but this version from Finnish metal band Nightwish is way more awesome. It's the grand finale to my list, and it's a great song with a winter feel to it. Go check it out. 

Track-By-Track album review: Lady Gaga - ARTPOP

Lady Gaga released her third studio album, ARTPOP, on November 6, 2013 and I have been listening to it nonstop ever since. It is a great album, personal and very artistic, as the title suggests. Gaga has been promoting the album with constant use of social medias, as well as a music video for the lead single, "Applause", performances on TV and award shows, and the upcoming Artrave: The Artpop Ball Tour (set to start in May 2014). She also has her very own app, and more music videos were promised. In this album Gaga tried new styles of music and new collaborations which include the artist Jeff Koons, who designed her album cover. Here is an album review of all the songs in ARTPOP:

Album cover

1.       Aura – the album opens with a middle-eastern kind of sound in a song that uses a catchy chorus and electronic effects to mask very powerful lyrics. Aura is about Gaga killing her former self and liberating her new self. It touches on the issue of Muslim women who are viewed as oppressed because they "have to" wear burqas and are "assigned one man to love". Gaga takes this taboo and mixes it with passion, sexuality, individuality, freedom and feminism. The lyrics are edgy, but the song as a whole can pass as simply fun and catchy if you don't want to dig deep in its meaning. Gaga also states the themes of the album in this opening song, which are dance, sex, art, pop, and tech, so we know what we are in for.  
2.       Venus – at first I didn't like this song, mostly because I didn't get it, but it got to me soon enough and now it is my favorite song in the album. Venus, as you probably know, can be the Roman name for Aphrodite, goddess of love, or the planet in our solar system. Well, Gaga managed to write about both. As I see it, it is about a love experience so intense that it feels out of this world. She mixes both themes well, complete with a list of the planets and a pun with Uranus. For me the song has an ethereal feel to it, which intensified in my mind after I saw Gaga performing it half naked, with that big hair, dancing as if in a trance. Venus was supposed to be the second single of ARTPOP, but they postponed its video release and decided to go with another song for the next single. Pity, if you ask me, I was excited about this video. 
3.       G.U.Y. – there is a perfect transition from Venus to this song, keeping consistent the theme of planets and love, this time focusing on "Eros, god of sexual desire". G.U.Y. stands for Girl Under You in this song, which is what the speaker wants to be, and make her lover the G.I.R.L. which is Guy I'm Romancing Loves... nice play on words and gender roles, suggesting that being the G.U.Y. would give her full control of the relationship, her being the guy wearing the tie (showing dominance) and at the same time being underneath him (showing submissiveness). Gaga provides a message for women liberation in this song, using sex as a metaphor for being in charge of her life and not always needing to be on top to do it.
4.      Sexxx Dreams – this techno song fits well with the album, keeping the rhythm consistent. Gaga sings the chorus with a sweet voice that reminds me of the The Fame era. The lyrics, as I interpret them, are about internal conflict and guilt about having sex with someone who isn't single. Whether the speaker went through with her desires or it was just kept in her head and her dreams isn't much clear to me, but the conflict between the guilt and the pleasure are very evident; one voice is refusing acting on these impulses, alternating with the other voice saying all the "nasty" things she wants to do, causing an uncomfortable sexual tension that is also fun. 
5.       Jewels N' Drugs (Feat. T.I., Too $hort and Twista) – Gaga partnered up with three rappers to make this song (two of them also co-wrote it) to explore a new music style and possibly reach a new audience. I don't like rap, never have and probably never will. That said, this is my least favorite song of the album, and I usually skip it when it comes up. I love Gaga's part, she sings it with such a beautiful voice, but honestly, was it really necessary to have three different raps? It feels like Gaga is a guest musician on the song instead of the main star. But it is her album, though, and this song feels a little out of place. But I must give her credit for going out of her comfort zone and exploring something new, keeping her music fresh. I'm not hating, it's just not my cup of tea. 
6.        MANiCURE – this song also seems to touch on the issues of gender roles. It talks about the superficiality of women going to a beauty salon to get all the work done in order to be "man cured", as well as a girl being addicted to the way the love of her man makes her feel, and that she needs to be saved and healed. Nice play on words here, goes almost unnoticed the first time you hear the song.
7.       Do What U Want (Feat. R. Kelly) – the song chosen to replace "Venus" as the second single is definitely one of the best songs in ARTPOP. Gaga once again explore the downside of fame, a recurring theme in all her albums from the very beginning. She sings about all the negative stuff the media has said about her, and how they can do what they want with her body, but they don't own her voice, her mind, and that all this negativity can't stop her. The part that R. Kelly sings hints Marilyn Monroe, who Gaga always refer to as someone destroyed by fame. This is a great collaboration song, it's a catchy and easy to like pop song with its background beat, but it also has an intelligent message that may arguably have a double meaning.
8.       ARTPOP – with a constant beat and an ethereal, beckoning voice Gaga explains the concept of her album and its title. She says that art and pop can belong together, and that this hybrid, ARTPOP, can mean anything. She has been saying that this word can mean anything ever since she announced the title of this album, so its meaning is open to interpretation, just like art. Genius. 
9.       Swine – this is a very personal song for Gaga. As she said during a performance, she has met many "pigs" once she got into the music business and she talked about her disgust towards them, and that is what this song is about. I think there is also a reference to drugs as an escape, as a way to do something the speaker is not too thrilled about doing. It's an intelligently written song with deeply personal lyrics and an electronic and somewhat scary sound that at moments remind me of the Saw movies. The whole pig imagery helps a little, too, and makes me think the connection was intentional. 
10.   Donatella – this song seems to be a satire about the frivolous high-end gay lifestyle, what with the references to dieting, spray tan, designer clothes, hard partying, and everything being so fab. The inspiration for the song, obviously, is Gaga's friend Donatella Versace who is so thin, so rich, so blonb and so fab, as she sings in the song. The song sounds unique, even for Gaga; there is a slow-paced bridge leading to an explosive chorus, keeping things interesting.
11.  Fashion! – a short piano melody leads the way to a repetitive "looking good and feeling fine" uptempo chant that gives way to a slower second verse, and the formula is repeated. Gaga plays with some lingering notes later in the song, but repetition is the rule in this song about being a slave to fashion, which works well, painting an image of fashion "slaves" being automatons doing what they have to do in a robotic manner. Wait, did I just hear a reference to "Marry The Night"?
12.  Mary Jane Holland – this is clearly a song about marijuana and its consumption. It has a party and fun feel to it, with an underlying dark and twisted theme that highlights the dangers of being addicted to this drug, the troubles it can bring to families, and how the user can be oblivious to all the damage she's causing. The song slows down at the very end, with the sound of a lighter being ignited, leading up to the next song.
13.   Dope – this song has the same theme of the previous one, consumption of marijuana. It's pretty much a heartfelt letter from Gaga to her fans, confessing her struggles with addiction, apologizing for "living high for so long" and saying how much this addiction hurts her and that she needs her fans more than she needs dope. She has talked about her struggle with drugs in recent interviews, and that is definitely a strong theme in this album, being especially highlighted in this song.
14.   Gypsy – definitely an autobiographical song from a woman who lives in hotels all over the world and doesn't even own a house. One of my favorite songs from the album, it's upbeat and fun to listen to, and it has my favorite line in the whole album, "I don't wanna be alone forever, but I can be tonight". It has a message about living the present, not worrying too much about the future when one has the whole world in front of her to explore. She makes the gypsy life sound like a such good idea I just might pack my bags and join it.
15.   Applause – is there anything I can say about this song that hasn't been said yet? Well, it's the first single of ARTPOP and it was released well before the album was, so we all know it by heart. It's a great song, really, an obvious choice for lead single. It's catchy and fun and as Gaga as it gets. She explains her need for the applause, how she lives to perform and to make her audience happy. She closes the album with this manifesto which ties up all the themes she explored musically in the other songs and visually in her performances and the album promotion. It's a fun and commercial way to summarize what her new album is all about.

Track-By-Track album review: Cher - Closer To The Truth

After more than a decade without releasing an album, living legend Cher released her 25^th studio album, Closer to the Truth, on September 20, 2013. It’s about time for another album review, so let’s dig into Cher’s music for a bit. I love this album, it sounds current and Cher-like at the same time. It debuted at number 3 in the US, becoming her highest-charting solo album, beating even her ground-breaking 1998 album Believe! She is supporting her album with music videos, live presentations, TV interviews and the upcoming Dressed to Kill Tour, set to start in March 2014. The 67 year-old diva can still kick some serious butt, and all I can say to this new generation of pop divas is, in Cher’s own words, “Follow this, you bitches!”

Album Cover

1.   Woman’s World –A dance song about female power, this is the first single from the album. It’s catchy, as all singles should be, and it does have a nice message about women (in the club, in the world, whatever) coming together to show their strength and “rise above.” The promo video also has this message, with women of different shapes, color and age dancing next to Cher, who wears her now famous newspaper wig, among other hair and wardrobe changes. 
  2.       Take It Like a Man – another catchy dance song, which provides a smooth transition from the opening song to the rest of the album. Aside from the suggestive title, this song is about a woman who seems to have been damaged by previous romances, and now needs someone strong enough (pun intended) to prove that he is worth of her love, before she falls for him. The vocals here are the trademark Cher-effect, the robotic auto tune voice we all know and love. I’m glad she is using her signature sound 15 years after she made it popular (look it up). Oh, and this song has a line that says “It’s all or nothing now.” Yep, it’s Cher.
3.       My Love – in this love song, the speaker highly esteems a man and wants to provide him with all the security he needs to pursue his dreams. An “I got your back” kind of thing. Cher’s vocals are deeply explored here, starting with low notes in the first two verses and then exploding into a faster rhythm with higher notes on the chorus, without the use of a lot of effects. It’s a beautiful song, and it’s also pop enough to be enjoyed by all.
4.       Dressed To Kill – Cher’s upcoming tour was named after this song, which shouldn’t surprise anyone since she co-wrote it! It’s about a super confident woman who knows she is irresistible. It paints an image of this sexy femme fatale kind of girl who will mess with your mind and break your heart. It’s an upbeat song with lots of vocal effects, and a great one to open a show (fingers crossed).
5.       Red – this is my least favorite song of the album, but it is a fun song. The lyrics are quite poetic, really, with some interesting imagery and using colors as metaphors for feelings, even though all the speaker can see is red. It’s an end-of-relationship song, from the perspective of the person who was dumped, in an enraged yet hurt tone.
6.       Lovers Forever – another one co-written by Cher. This one seems to be from a goddess’ perspective, asking someone to surrender to her so they can be lovers forever, and in exchange she will give him more than any human could ever desire. For some reason the tone of the speaker’s voice and the rhythm of the song makes me imagine a really seductive and destructive Eris-like woman who can put up a good fight.
7.        I Walk Alone – this song was written by P!nk, and it’s about knowing that there is a time for everything and knowing when that time is, even when it’s time to be alone. I like this song, but I’m not sure it’s right for Cher. She sang it beautifully, and it is a great song, but I think it’s more P!nk than Cher. But I have to give her credit for going out of the box with this one, singing something different from what we are used to hearing from her, and it does work harmoniously with the rest of the album. Also, the name of the album comes from a line in this song, so I guess it's there for a reason.
8.       Sirens – my absolute favorite song in the album. It’s just so beautiful; it reaches my soul and embraces it lightly. Cher’s voice is at her best, it is sweet and powerful, and added to the occasional strum of acoustic guitars and the constant drumming in the background, it creates a soothing and dream-like sound. Let me just emphasize the fact that Cher’s voice is heavenly and as perfect as it gets in this song.
9.       Favorite Scars – this song compares love to a dangerous adventure that is worth the while. It has the power to destroy a person, but like a good adventure, it leaves “favorite scars.” It’s a nice ballad; I really enjoy the drums on this one.
10.    I Hope You Find It – this is the second single of the album, and Cher has been going hard about its promotion, performing it live everywhere. This song was originally recorded by Miley Cyrus for the soundtrack of The Last Song, but I think it’s safe to say Cher’s version is way better (it’s my blog I can write what I want and I won’t stop). It’s a simple song, but it is beautiful and touching and powerful, with great vocals which Cher is proud to prove is her own voice and not mechanical effects. I expected the second single of the album to be another dance song, but Cher went on a different direction, and I’m glad. This song has the potential to be another one of her timeless classics.
11.     Lie To Me – another P!nk song, but this time it sounds perfect for Cher. It’s a slow, melancholic love song, which may not be the greatest way to end an album, but somehow it works. It’s also another raw-voice song, once again showcasing the goddess of music’s amazing pipes. I hope one day she performs it live, it would be incredible. 

Watch Cher's video for the album's first single, "Woman's World":

Meeting Nightwish

It’s been a year since I last saw Nightwish live, and even though I’m still in “mourning” due to them parting ways with Anette, it’s probably time to take a stroll down memory lane and relive my happy days with the band. As I mentioned in a previous post, I went to see the Finish metal band in Worcester, Massachusetts, on September 2012. I had VIP tickets and I got to meet the whole band and get autographs. I also got a spot in the front row, from where I experienced one of the happiest moments of my life. This post won’t focus on the concert itself, but on my interactions with the band members. When I first saw them in 2008 I got to talk to Tuomas Holopainen (keyboards) after the show when he came out of the tour bus to have a cigarette. He signed autographs and hung out with me and a few other fans there. I remember that I barely spoke English back then, and that plus being star struck didn’t help me carry an interesting conversation, but I was happy regardless. That day I didn’t get to meet the other members, and I did see Anette Olzon (vocals) walk behind me as I was busy taking a picture with Tuomas, but she entered the bus and didn’t come out. Five years later, I wanted to meet the other band members, especially Anette, so I paid a little extra for those VIP tickets. When I got to the Palladium, where the concert took place, I saw Tuomas and Marco Hietala (bass and vocals) hanging out at the venue’s back door, but Tuomas went inside as soon as I reached them. Luckily, Marco stayed outside, and I got to take a picture with him. He was super nice, and I told him I’d see him inside at the meet-and-greet and he said “see you soon!” Once inside, the whole band walked past the fans that were in line waiting to meet them, to add on to our excitement. At the meet-and-greet, the band sat behind a long table as the fans lined up to talk to them. When it got to my turn, I had a flag for them to sign, and they all did. Marco said he remembered me from a few minutes ago, and I told Tuomas that I met him 5 years before that and thanked him for being back. Emppu Vuorinen (guitars) was busy with other fans taking pictures with him, but he greeted me politely and signed my flag. Jukka Nevalainen (drums) wanted to know what country the flag was from and unfolded it after signing, and once he saw it was from Brazil he told me he was excited to go back there. And then of course there was Anette… she was so nice to everyone, always smiling and trying to attend to everyone’s demands for pictures and autographs and with me it was no different. She was having trouble saying the name of the town (Worcester) and I told her not to worry because I myself couldn’t pronounce it, and she laughed as she signed my flag. Then I said “you are so beautiful”, and she smiled and thanked me. I wish I had time to explain to her that unlike any other famous person I’ve met so far, her beauty up close is even more striking than in professional photographs and videos, she is such a gorgeous woman! I asked her if I could take a picture with her, and she agreed. I was smiling like a fool, so happy to be in the presence of all these amazing musicians and getting to interact with them. During the concert Tuomas waved back to me, Emppu threw his guitar pick at me when I gestured him asking for it, Marco recognized me again and pointed at me and smiled, and Anette smiled and waved after I blew her a kiss. After the concert I got to be around Marco again, as he greeted fans (I stepped aside and let other fans have their moment and was happy to just observe) and their guest musician Troy Donockley shook my hand and gave the fans an update on the band’s upcoming movie. So that is my experience with the members of Nightwish. That memory has now become a bittersweet one, but I look back at it with a smile on my face, and I feel blessed and lucky to get to enjoy the Imaginaerum World Tour at its best and enjoy Anette’s angel-like voice one more time. I don’t know what the future of the band will look like, but all I can say is that I’m happy to have witnessed them at what I consider their finest formation.

Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton reunite in "You Can't Make Old Friends"

In 1983 Kenny Rogers invited Dolly Parton to record “Islands in the Streams” with him, a now legendary song that became a huge hit and is considered one of the most successful duets of all time. Now, 30 years later, Kenny once again invited Dolly to record a new duet, “You Can't Make Old Friends”, for his upcoming album of the same name. I just saw the promo video a few minutes ago, and I’m still trying to find words to express what I’m feeling. Watching Kenny and Dolly together is always amazing, they have such a strong chemistry between them it almost jumps out of the screen, and to see these two living legends working together once again pretty much takes my breath away… The song is simple, yet touching, it talks about a friendship that has lasted a lifetime, about the memories they have shared and how new friends, although welcome, could never take the place of an old one when they are gone. In the video Kenny is singing alone in an empty theater  and Dolly sings her part in front of a mirror, with some occasional old footage of the couple. At some point Dolly stands up, looking gorgeous as always, and walks in the theater to meet Kenny, where they finish the song in a visually stunning scene. It touched me, really, because their friendship is not just a front, it is a life-long partnership that began professionally and progressed into a personal relationship that to this day give gossip magazines something to talk about. I admire Kenny’s voice, and I love everything about Dolly, and although they are both amazingly talented in their solo careers, together they make the most charismatic partnership in show business since Sonny and Cher. Those who know me can testify that I’m a sucker for old stars, which is true. I admire people who love what they do, despite money and fame, and legends such as Dolly and Kenny are high on my list of favorites. This collaboration is a landmark for country music and I’m super thrilled with this new video. I just hope Kenny and Dolly don't wait 30 years to make another duet, though. 

Watch the "You Can't Make Old Friends" Video:

"I remember where I was on 9/11"

That’s one thing everyone will always remember. I don’t talk much about 9/11 because after I moved to the US everyone else had all these crazy stories, which make sense because they experienced that traumatic day in a much greater scale than I, who at the time lived in Brazil. But I want to take a moment to write and reflect about my experience on that day. I remember waking up to see all TV channels focused on what was happening in New York City, and sleepy 10-year old me couldn't really grasp the seriousness of the situation just yet. My mother, however, was distraught, frantically trying to call my father who was working in Boston. You see, when you’re from another country you don’t really care to learn a foreign country’s geography, and the United States for us was just one big thing, none of us realized that New York and Boston were far apart. Anyway, seeing my mother’s desperation I finally understood that something really bad was happening, and I turned my attention to the TV. Yep, it was bad, and scary, and unbelievable. I always saw the US as a huge and powerful giant, so seeing it attacked and so vulnerable made me truly confused and afraid. Then I started to worry about my dad, but he contacted us to assure he was alright and to explain that he was actually far from New York, and that gave my family some comfort. I kept watching the news throughout the day, and for the next few weeks that is all we talked about in school. Teachers kept telling us about the importance of peace, while the news kept talking about war and terrorism. It was a dark time, even for a little kid in South America. However, my experience with 9/11 is overshadowed by what I hear from my friends who were in the US at the time and who are the same age as me. I couldn't even try to comprehend what went through their young minds, seeing their country in full desperation, and watching so much death and destruction so close to them. Today is a day of remembrance and prayer, and that is why I wanted to write a post about it. No one will, nor should, ever forget September 11, 2001 and the lives that were lost that day. It’s been 12 years, and we all remember that day as vividly as if it were yesterday. I hope everyone takes a moment to remember the victims and say a prayer to the families who lost loved ones that tragic day, and God bless America.

Meeting Roxette

I never believed that the Swedish pop duo Roxette would ever come back, or that they would make a new album, or go out on a new tour. I didn't believe it when Marie joined Per onstage for a surprise performance in 2010, or when they released the album Charm School, or when they announced the American leg of their world tour, and much less when I saw that they were coming to Boston on September 4, a year ago. I only allowed myself to believe that one of my biggest dreams was coming true a few weeks prior to the concert, when it was announced that the American fans would have the chance to win meet-and-greets with Roxette. I had to move fast, and I participated in a bunch of different contests available, and I won the banner contest for the Boston concert.

On the day of the show, I headed to the House of Blues with my best friend, and I was a nerve wreck. I met up with the winners of the other contests, and like me they couldn't believe what was happening. We were led to the side of the building and upstairs, where we waited for about half an hour in front of a door, behind which our idols prepared to receive us. After the wait was over, we were ushered into a small room, where we stood in silence and excitement. Then Marie Fredriksson walked in. Her presence seemed to bring light into that dim little room, and she proceeded to greet the fans, always smiling and making small talk. When it was my turn, we greeted each other, and she signed my flag which I had brought for that purpose, and then I asked her if I could give her a hug. She responded by hugging me tighter than I expected. I was taken by surprise and couldn't believe it, and she didn't let go for a while. After the hug she kept holding my shoulders and smiling at me, thanking me for coming, and she even grabbed my silver necklace and said she loved it. I was star struck, seeing that face I knew so well, the owner of the voice I heard nonstop throughout my teenage years. It was surreal. By that time Per Gessle had walked in and was greeting the fans in front of me. He got to me, signed my flag, and I got a handshake and a quick hug. He wasn't as affectionate as Marie, but he was very polite and nice to everyone, and I was happy to meet this musical genius. After every fan had a chance to individually interact with both Marie and Per, we were allowed to take one group picture. I tried to be as close to Marie and Per as I could, and I walked over to her. I stood next to her, in front of Per, who was holding her shoulder. Marie held on to a fan’s hand, and she looked at me, grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to her for the picture (which is seen above, but I cropped out the other fans, sorry). After the shot, she kept holding me and the other fan, thanking us and smiling, only letting go when we were told to leave the room. We were led downstairs, where my friend had saved me a spot in the front row, and there I told her about my amazing experience meeting Roxette, and waited for the show to start.

The concert was amazing, of course, especially seen from the front row, and that night was definitely one of the highlights of my life. I was the happiest person in the world, having met my idols, getting their autographs, a picture next to them, and seen them perform live. It has been a year this week, and thinking about that night still brings a smile to my face. I don’t think Per and Marie could ever understand how happy they made me that night, and how much their little actions meant to me, and I can only thank them for that unforgettable moment.

Quick post on tonight's VMA Awards

  Lady Gaga opens with a geometric nun habit, and then strips to a basic, but sparkly, stage outfit. She made  bunch of wardrobe changes right on stage, making nods to her previous looks from The Fame with the short blond wig and the iconic “Poker Face” hand gesture, and The Fame Monster with the yellow wig with dark roots, until finally embracing the ARTPOP look, which consisted of almost nothing.  Then there was Miley Cyrus – I’ve never been a fan of hers, but I always defend her when people criticize her for being edgy. Well, edgy doesn’t begin to describe her performance, twerking against Robin Thicke’s crotch and doing suggestive moves with the baseball number one glove. I loved it, she stole the spotlight from everyone else. I was never a fan of N sync either, but that was a spectacular performance. Justin Timberlake kills it every time. But that was way too long, felt more like a halftime show than a VMA performance. This was Justin’s night, no doubts about it, what with his performance and all his awards. Katy Perry’s very first performance of “Roar” was great, out of the box like everything Katy does. I love that song, it’s catchy and fun, fabulous way to end the show. It didn’t top the 2009 VMA Awards, nowhere near that, but it was cool to watch. Can’t wait for the Grammy’s, now.

Holy Plumbob, it's The Sims 4!

 

Earlier today in a press conference at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, EA Games released a first look at The Sims 4. The video included a short gameplay, showing the new and different features of the highly anticipated game.
The Sims is the best-selling PC franchise in the world, selling over 150 million copies since its original release in 2000, and every year since then the game has been outdoing itself with every new expansion pack and sequels. The current game, The Sims 3, brought as its main difference from the previous games an open world where for the first time players could bring their Sims out of their houses and into the town without the loading screen, and that was beyond simmers’ wildest dreams. All the freedom brought by The Sims 3 with the open world as well as in Create-A-Sim and the unlimited customizing in build and buy mode made me question what else could the developers do to make The Sims 4 stand out. Well, the answer is in the first look video; they took Create-A-Sim to a whole new level.
The player can now change the sizes of shoulders, thighs, buttocks, waist, and the belly alone without having to change the whole body. That’s new. Also, there is no need for sliders, the player can simply drag a specific body part, making it bigger, smaller, wider, higher, lower, or whatever look one can imagine. “It’s like playing with clay”, said the VP and Executive Producer Rachel Franklin at the press conference, and in the video that’s exactly what it looks like, making it possible to create Sims of ANY shape and size! Not a lot was said about personality and traits, but now the player can select different walking styles. I like how the developers didn't aim to make Sims look more and more like digital human replicas, but like a game character. The general appearance of Sims make them look like something in between Sims 2 and Sims 3, and not like something evolved from Sims 3 as expected. They do have a lot more facial expressions and details, though, and they look amazing.
The gameplay seems to have changed its focus, as it always does with every new game. Emotions seem to be a huge part of it now, and the player can control them not only with interactions, but with the objects as well, such as the décor around or objects you can manipulate. The player can make a Sim furious using a voodoo doll and then blow off steam by hitting a punching bag, for example.
Building seems to have evolved a little. I’ve never been a builder, but it looks like building will be way more fun this time. It looks simpler and easier, giving the player more freedom by dragging rooms around to expand and resize them. Players can also move rooms around, furniture and all, that’s new and super cool. Maybe they took their previous blueprint idea and expanded on that. The first look video says building is faster than ever, which is relief to me, always took me forever and a half to build a small house.
As for the world the game will take place in, nothing was really revealed, but two Sims are shown in the video taking off on a rocket. Will Sims be able to go to space? Earlier in the year there were rumors about Sims going to the moon, so is the rocket a hint that the rumors were true?
The Sims 4 will be released in 2014, and as a long time Simmer, I am beyond excited and looking forward to that. Watch the first look video below.

Lady Gaga's "Applause" video is out!

This morning Lady Gaga premiered the video for “Applause”, the first single from her upcoming album ARTPOP. Soon after that, the video was uploaded to her official YouTube page, getting thousands of views in its first minute online.
The video is heavily inspired by performance arts, fitting to the tile. Such inspiration is shown in the now iconic smudged clown makeup, as well as in Gaga coming out of a magician’s hat with occasional colored smoke effects, and in Gaga holding a leg-shaped bouquet as she walks a sort of runaway amidst a cloud of sparkly confetti to the sound of loud cheers, looking like a Tim Burton version of Miss America. There’s also an overpowering reference to theatre, in special her Kuroko-style outfit, which she wears throughout the video. The part that intrigued me is the scene where she is in a cage, wearing a yellow wig reminiscent of the Fame Monster era, with a crazy expression on her face, possibly showing a downside to fame. Not to mention her head on a black swan… is this her reference to ballet and dance?
As a longtime fan, I can say that I am pleased with this video. To tell the truth, I was a little nervous after the Born This Way phase, which brought the not-so-pleasant video to “Mary The Night”, and don’t get me started on the disappointing “Edge Of Glory”, but Lady Gaga never ceases to surprise me – or the world. I won’t go as far as saying she outdid herself, because she didn’t; she did not go over the top and clearly did not try to shock the world, as she usually does. Her outfit, makeup and hair styles lately have been simple and elegant, nothing too extravagant, very unlikely of her. I’m sure the world expected her to come back to the music scene riding a dragon, wearing Oprah as a hat and an outfit made of 50 live pandas, but she seems to be going in a different direction this time. Still, it’s too early to tell.
ARTPOP looks good so far, and I’m hopeful this time around. I don’t know what to expect, and over the last couple of years I learned not to have any expectations when it comes to Lady Gaga. I’ll just enjoy her new material and hope she does her best. I’m happy she’s back with new music, regardless of what the sales or charts will say, and can’t wait to hear her new album!

Watch the “Applause” video

Agnetha Fältskog’s disappointing "Dance Your Pain Away" video

On the day new singles from Lady Gaga and Katy Perry came out, not many people would be paying much attention to 63 years old former ABBA member Agnetha Fältskog’s new music video. Yesterday night it was announced that Agnetha’s new video would come out today, August 12, and it would feature Agnetha as well as the ten winners of a video contest in which fans from all over the world submitted videos of themselves dancing to her new single. I had been looking forward to it for a long time, and earlier today Agnetha’s official Facebook page released the video to her latest single, “Dance Your Pain Away”, from her 2013 album A.
The video does feature the winners of the contest, but Agnetha herself only appears for a couple seconds in images from Stockholm’s Pride Festival. No one bothered to make an exclusive new video, they just took some conveniently pre-made images and pasted them in an amateur-looking montage. Needless to say, the video disappointed fans everywhere. In a matter of hours, a wave of negativity came flooding on her Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages. It seems like what is making the fans so upset is that the single failed in the charts, therefore everyone was hoping for a pickup in the sales after the video release. Agnetha, and Universal, not working hard to promote this single shows disrespect for the fans and for the album as a whole. “Dance Your Pain Away” is definitely the most commercial song of the album, but it is catchy enough to help with the sales, but a mistake like this video was such an epic fail that it can really hurt the album and the artist.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Agnetha, her new album, and even this single, but I am truly disappointed with this video. I understand Agnetha had very little to do with this, but she is the artist and does have a say in the matter and could have done something to make it a successful single. Truth is, she didn’t.

Watch the "Dance Your Pain Away" video 

There's no place like Vegas

I had been planning my trip to Las Vegas for over a year, and it had a sole purpose: watch Shania Twain’s concert at the Colosseum. Well, my priorities didn’t change, but my plans did. My good friend wanted to take a little vacation after he graduated from college in the spring and before starting working in the summer, so we decided to go to Vegas together and actually stay a couple of days. We randomly started looking for hotel and airfare prices one night and BOOM we had bought our tickets and made reservations in less than one hour. It was spontaneous, but I had been saving for this trip for a year, and that same night I bought my ticket to Shania’s concert. I already made a post about the concert, but now I’m going to talk about the trip because, well, it was epic.
We stayed four nights at the Quad Hotel and Casino, which is affordable, comfortable, and conveniently located on the strip, near famous hotels such as Caesar’s Palace and the Flamingo. Our hotel’s attraction was Frank Marino’s Divas Las Vegas, which is a drag show where Frank Marino starts as Joan Rivers then introduces men impersonating the biggest divas of pop music. We had a guest discount and went to see it, and it was such a great show, definitely worth watching, I’ll always recommend it to anyone. Special praise to the guy who impersonated Cher and Celine Dion, his gestures and facial expressions were flawless!
My friend and I spent our days in Vegas sight-seeing and looking for cheap entertainment. We visited most of the famous hotels: we went in the pyramid at the Luxor, visited the Excalibur, rode the roller coaster at the New York New York, saw real flamingos at the Flamingo, watched the Sirens of the TI in front of the Treasure Island (it’s free, thank goodness, because it’s so silly), the Volcano eruption at the Mirage (free as well), visited the Secret Garden of Siegfried and Roy and Dolphin Habitat also at the Mirage, went on a Gondola Ride at the Venetian, saw the talking statues at the Forum Mall inside Caesar’s Palace, had a super fancy meal at the Eiffel Tower restaurant at the Paris, gambled a little (we stopped after we lost 3 dollars), enjoyed the pool at the Quad, and of course, we had to see and take a picture at the famous “Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas” sign.
Never has a city impressed and awed me as much as Vegas did. It is so over the top fabulous that thinking about it takes my breath away. Not even Rio de Janeiro or New York, both gorgeously amazing cities, had that effect on me. I had a great experience and would love to go back there. Shania’s concert on our last night was the cherry on top, of course, but the whole experience was simply surreal. I had to blog about it so I can come back and read and reminisce whenever I miss my days in Sin City.

Track-By-Track album review: Agnetha Fältskog - A

I’m going to write reviews of stuff artists I love do from now on, and the best way to begin is with ABBA’s Agnetha  Fältskog’s latest album, entitled A. I took my time to listen to this much expected album, that’s why I only wrote a review after almost two months of its release on May 10, 2013. I made sure I listened to every song carefully and repeatedly, after getting over the joy of Agnetha’s comeback to keep that from making me too biased. Well, here we go, a track-by-track album review:

Album cover

1.       The One Who Loves You Now – this is a nice romantic song that reminds me a lot of Agnetha’s 1983 album Wrap Your Arms Around Me. It’s a great way to open her extremely anticipated comeback album, with a little more modern take on the kind of song we like to hear from her.
2.       When You Really Loved Someone – the first worldwide single of the album was rightfully chosen. It is a great song, very current and unlike Agnetha’s usual stuff. The song is truly grand, fit for the diva that she is. The lyrics are simple and beautiful, perfect for her, and the melody is a little more up-tempo than I expected from her. I was pleasantly surprised.
3.       Perfume in the Breeze – at first it seems to be a pretty little romantic song, but after carefully listening to it, I realized it was about a one-night-stand with a stranger in the beach! How edgy! Totally unexpected from the melancholic blonde who sang “The Winner Takes it All”. Another upbeat song, fun to listen to, and shows a new side to this singer who is clearly trying to break away from her Greta Garbo image. Catchy chorus, too.
4.       I Was a Flower – the Agnetha trademark melancholic lost love kind of song. She sings it beautifully, and it’s a great song. As usual, she touches your soul with her angelic sad voice, making you pity her as she accuses someone of making her colors fade.
5.       I Should’ve Followed You Home (with Gary Barlow) – she reaches a new audience with her partnership with Take That singer Gary Barlow. Their voices go well together, but it is far from being my favorite Agnetha duet. Barlow co-wrote the song, which is great, makes it a little more personal instead of being an entirely commercial tune.
6.        Past Forever – it feels like another melancholic tune, but it has a note of conformation with the past. It’s more like a “shoulda coulda woulda” kind of message instead of the expected “oh no, it’s gone” kind.
7.       Dance Your Pain Away – a disco song by Agnetha in 2013? Yes please! It is great to hear a fresh dance song done by the girl from ABBA, the Dancing Queen herself. On the other hand, it is truly an attempt to reach the gay audience, and it has been said it was indeed intended as a gay anthem. It is a commercial song, no doubt, made for the sole purpose of selling records. It is the second single of the album, and it’s a great choice commercially.
8.       Bubble – Agnetha’s favorite song of the album. It is darker than most of her material and it has artistic value. It’s almost hauntingly beautiful. A nice song for a rainy day.
9.       Back On Your Radio – I consider this to be the silliest song in the album, but it is suggestive in the sense that Agnetha is “back on your radio”. It has a somewhat catchy chorus where she sings with a sweet voice that reminds me a little of ABBA's “Slipping Through My Fingers.”
10.  I Keep Them On The Floor Beside My Bed – she loves a long title, doesn't she? Well, I absolutely LOVE this song, not only for the fact that it is beautifully sung, but also because she wrote it. The fact that she made an attempt of composing a song makes me give her a standing ovation. She has always been a talented songwriter from an early age, and this song is no different. It is a rare gem of pop music, and my favorite from this album

Protests Happening In Brazil

I've been feeling more patriotic towards my homeland than I ever felt in my whole life, and this includes the World Cup seasons. The reason is that a lot of protests have been happening in Brazil. It all started with a 20 cent (about 10 cents in dollar) increase in bus fare in Sao Paulo, that was the last straw. People went out to the streets to express their indignation towards this, to show the government that it can’t do whatever it wants to the people, that they will no longer just sit and accept whatever injustice is thrown at them. Seeing the uproar in Sao Paulo and the violent response of the police against the peaceful protesters, the whole country decided to wake up and protest together as one.
But it’s not about 20 cents. Not anymore. The protests aren’t happening for just one reason, every city and/or state decided to pick their own reason to protest. But there are the main ones, which are as follow:In preparing to host the World Cup in 2014, Brazil has spent a ridiculous amount of money and taken absurd measures to accommodate tourists. Stadiums cost three times more than they should have, the biggest example being the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, which was completely reformed for the Pan American Games in 2007 and for no reason was completely rebuilt. Brazil has spent more money with this event than the last two World Cups combined! Also, people are being FORCED to leave their houses so new roads can be built for the World Cup. Yes, people are being kicked out of their houses just so some tourists can get to a stadium and have a couple hours of fun. The people have also turned against the biggest TV network in the country, Globo, which has been ruling the country for over 5 decades with its brainwashing news shows and award-winning novelas. The media coverage of the protests shown by Globo only showed the isolated acts of vandalism that happened in the protests, and highlighted that the protesters were being violent, as if they were the villains. There’s more, the same old situation of hospitals not being able to care for the crowds that line up their corridors every day. Doctors often tell patients to leave and look for another hospital on their own! And of course there is the good old corruption, which is a huge reality in the country, one that the people have revolted against as well.
The responses so far have been slow. The bus fare in many cities cut the increase, which was a small victory. Globo had to take their logo off the microphones of their reporters to avoid people jumping in front of the camera and yelling, which happened a few times. They are using national heroes such as Ronaldo and Pele to tell and convince the people that they should focus on soccer, on the World Cup, and forget everything else. Surprisingly enough, the people also turned against these heroes. The president, Dilma Rousseff, has proposed a pact, and met with every governor and the mayor of every capital in the country to try and reach an agreeable plan to deal with health care, education, and public transportation.
As we wait to see the result of the protests, we can be assured that the Brazilian government no longer mounts the people. As the slogan used in protests said, “the giant has awakened” and will not rest again until changes happen. I am extremely proud of my country and super excited about everything that has been going on. I’m outside the country, so the least I can do is to make some noise, publicly show my support to my friends and family, to show them I care about their fight and that I’m with them. There was a symbolic protest here in Boston to show support to the Brazilian people, and I was there (where the picture above was taken) doing what little I can to get the word out. I’m happy to see and be a part of a historic moment like this. #changeBrazil.