Meeting Al Calderon & IM5!

Yay! This internship at Popstar! Magazine has been so much fun. I've gotten the chance to do such exciting things and meet some awesome people! Last week, I went to Jake Miller's NYC show at Best Buy Theatre. He was sooo good! The crowd was going wild for him (thankfully I got to watch from the balcony and not general admission!) and I was super impressed. I recorded some videos & posted them on Popstar!'s instagram account: (@popstarmag) so follow them for videos/pics from events! You can also follow mine! (@xonessa) Anyways, I got to hang with X Factor cutie, Al Calderon at the show! He was such a sweetheart, always walking around singing *swoon*. I wish I recorded that! But, here's the photo of Al & I (right). He was really nice to all his fans which I loved seeing! He stuck around and took pictures with as many people as he could! I do know that Popstar! loves Al so hopefully I get to do something with him again soon! :) I'll upload some of the Jake videos I have to YouTube and add it here once it's up! ♡

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Last Sunday I got to go to Fall Jam in NYC! I met some incredibly cool and talented people! I got to interview IM5 for the magazine and they were such sweethearts! Here's my picture with the band:

I kept the interview short and sweet because it was so hectic at the venue! Here's some footage I edited together of the band! 

Overall, it was an awesome week!  The next event I'll be going to is Heffron Drive's pre-concert party on 12/2 at Planet Hollywood in NYC! :)

Alexz Johnson- Live at SubCulture, NYC (Review)

On Thursday, I went to Alexz's last NYC show of the year. It was my second time seeing her live and I was just as blown away as the first time. This girl has such a phenomenal voice, and it just seems so effortless for her. She's one of those people who can sing the names out of a phonebook if she wanted to. I already wrote a post about Alexz (click here to read it) where I went on and on about my love for her (lolol yes I'm obsessed). I've been following her music career ever since Instant Star and she's really the person who inspired me to make music a part of my life. She's just such a raw, genuine talent and honestly the music speaks for itself so LISTEN TO HER. :)

 Anyways, this is supposed to be a review... The concert was incredible (of course). She sang songs off her Skipping Stone EP and debuted a bunch of new music (which is gonna kill on her new album)! I recorded "Walking", "Skipping Stone", and "Thief" so I'll post that below this! Her opening act was Katie Costello and she was so amazing! She was one of those girls that you feel like you can easily be best friends with! Her voice was so incredible that I bought her CD at the merch table! I'm definitely a new fan. (Ugh I love when the opening act is just as good as the main act, it makes me fall even more in love with music). Overall, 5/5 stars for this concert. It reminded me of what true musicianship really is.


these are the videos I recorded! :)    these are some awesome vids I found on YouTube from other fans at SubCulture!
What Alexz tweeted me after seeing the blog post I wrote about her! :) 

Interviewing Victoria Justice & Sweet Suspense!

As part of my internship with Popstar! Magazine, I got to sit down with Victoria Justice and interview her in NYC while she kicked off UGG Australia's "Feels Like Nothing Else" campaign! (11-7-13) It was my first one-on-one interview with a celebrity so I was extremely nervous. When I got there, Vic had the warmest smile and was so easy to get along with. (I kinda felt like we were bffs for a good ten minutes....is that weird?) I talked to her about her new MTV pilot "Eye Candy" *fingers crossed that it gets picked up* and found out some really cool stuff about her character and the show's storyline. Think Pretty Little Liars meets Catfish.... crazy, right?! It's definitely an edgier and more mature role than the one she had in Victorious, and I'm so excited to see her take this on! Since it was an UGG event, I asked her which were her favorite pair and she said it had to be the Dandelion booties she had on (which were so cute omg) and she talked a bit about how she likes to style them up. (I don't want to go too into detail because you can see/hear all this in the interview video!) Since Popstar!'s next issue will be the Jan-Feb one, I asked her if she had any cute or embarrassing photos about Valentines Day & without saying much, I'll just say she had an adorable story that involved a boyfriend and a mixtape! I recorded the interview and edited a video with awesome behind-the-scenes footage. It's now up on Popstar!'s YouTube Channel! Check it out! :)



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Last night (Friday) I got to do a phone interview with X Factor's girl group Sweet Suspense. At first I thought "okay, a phone interview should be a lot easier than face to face, there's no problem..." Well, yes, it was easier but it was just as nerve wrecking! The good thing is that these three girls were so nice and humble about the whole X Factor journey that it was so easy to talk to them! We talked a bit about them working so closely with Simon, being fans of Fifth Harmony, the feedback from the judges, etc. I'm not sure where this interview will end up (maybe in the next issue?) hmm, I'll keep ya'll updated! Best of luck to Sweet Suspense, I'll be rooting for you girls! ♡

Be sure to tune into  X Factor every Wed|Thurs at 8 PM EST on FOX-tv.

"Tenerife Sea" - NEW Ed Sheeran Song

Unfortunately, I didn't snag tickets to Ed Sheeran's three nights at MSG... but this video sure as hell makes me wish I did. He sang his new song "Tenerife Sea" for the first time live for the crowd. He makes it so, so easy to fall in love with him... WHY ED, WHY?! The lyrics are crazy beautiful but what else is new? I wonder who he's talking about? My guess is the model that Taylor Swift hooked him up with. Either way, I love hearing him sing happy love songs :) And I love how goofy and genuine he is in this clip. It's so great that he asks the crowd to quiet down, that way we all get to experience this magical song. This already sounds like a studio version.. I don't know how he'll make it any better! But I can't wait to watch him try. Congrats on the MSG shows, Ed! ♡

Fifth Harmony's Billboard Debut!

America's girl group, Fifth Harmony, has officially landed themselves their first top 10 album! The "Better Together" EP debuted #2 on iTunes on its release day and premiered #6 on Billboard's top 200 in its first week! Crazy, right? Their chart debut marks the highest charting effort from any act out of the X Factor U.S! The girls have been working super hard and have an awesome announcement! They have FOUR EPs on the way! That's right, four. Their spanish EP "Juntos" and "Juntos Acoustic" will be available Nov. 11. Their "Better Together Acoustic" EP will be available Nov 19, followed by "Better Together Remixes" on Nov. 25. ALL versions are available for pre-order NOW, so go order em'!

In other exciting news, 5H has joined an exclusive list of esteemed artists who have been featured as part of VEVO Lift's campaign. However, they're the first to be chosen by fans! Harmonizers, being the hardcore fan base that they are, helped the girls win with no problem. As a prize, harmonizers will be privileged to exclusive music video premieres, interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and more! It'll be through a dedicated page promoted on all of VEVO's apps and web platform. It'll launch in early November and run through the new year. Yay!

At the moment, the girls are headlining their own club tour in preparation of next year's "Neon Lights" tour with Demi Lovato! Sheesh, talk about a busy schedule. Did you get your tickets for them yet?

P.S to read my review on their "Better Together" EP, you can click right here. To watch videos of them performing at the NickRadio Launch Party with Cody Simpson, you can read this post OR visit my YouTube Channel for some cool concert footage!

Congrats, Fifth Harmony! I'm sure this is just the beginning of a long lasting music career. I can't wait to see what else is in store!

OH.. AND DID YOU CHECK OUT THEIR SPICE GIRLS COVER OF "WANNABE" ?! It's such a cute cover and former Spice Girl, Mel B, even tweeted out her love for them! Girl power is still alive, guys! Watch it now:

One Direction's MIDNIGHT MEMORIES Album Release Party

I know there are millions of Directioners (me included) out there who are just so excited for their new album, MIDNIGHT MEMORIES. If you have't already pre-ordered the album (set to release Nov 25,) then you're not doing it right. And by 'it' I mean life. So, pre-order it right here! :) Their single "Story Of My Life" was just recently released and I don't think I've stopped listening to it since... the vibe of the song is so different than anything the boys have put out before. I feel like it's a mix of Mumford & Sons and Phillip Phillips, (which are two of my favorite artists) so it definitely sounds like a hit to me! The music video is set to premiere 11/3 and I couldn't be anymore excited. Have you seen the teaser vids they've released?! It's kind of intense, don't ya think?

Watch teaser video #2 right here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUpSIL2wvt4 But ANYWAYS, lets get to the good part. Ryan Seacrest is set to host the boys album release party in L.A's iHeartRadio theater on Nov. 25th. The exclusive event will include performances of new songs, as well as a Q&A with Seacrest about the making of the album, EXCITING STUFF RIGHT?! The release party will stream on the Yahoo Screen (http://screen.yahoo.com/music) on Nov. 25 at 9 p.m ET. In addition, the party will also be recored and televised on The CW Network on Dec 9, at 9 p.m ET. What Niall has to say about the party: "We're really excited about the album release party with iHeartRadio. We're really proud of the album and can't wait to perform tracks from it. And what's more, we get to hang with Seacrest.... It's going to be a great day!!" Yay! I can't wait to watch. Will you be tuning in?
UPDATE: (11/5) The video has been released and it's incredible, duh.

Emblem 3's Take On "What Does The Fox Say"

Admit it, you've been running around lately singing "What Does The Fox Say" to whoever will listen (or if you're too ashamed of liking this song, you're probably belting it out alone in your car..) Well, Emblem3 has no shame. They got together with Ryan Seacrest and recorded this video of themselves performing Ylvis' song. They even kinda dressed up as foxes... how freaking adorable are they?! I can't.

 

Emblem3 is currently on tour with Selena Gomez in support of their debut album, Nothing To Lose. Be sure to watch their music video for "3000 Miles" and here's the acoustic version.

Internship Update/Meeting Cody Simpson/ NickRadio Launch Party

Me, Cody Simpson, & the lovely ladies of Popstar! 

Just wanted to leave a quick update on my Popstar! internship..  Monday was my first day and I can already say that I never want to leave the Magazine (like, ever.) I got to spend the day in the office reading through Twitter and updating the site's blog. (How awesome is that?!) I wrote a few posts on popstaronline.com if you want to check that out! The posts included Emblem 3's acoustic video of their single, "3000 Miles", CeCe Frey's cover of "Wake Me Up" and some cool other things. :)

On Monday, I got to tag along to the interview of Cody Simpson! I went to his #WelcomeToParadise book signing (why am I hashtagging?) in Paramus. He was such a sweetheart and his accent is just the cutest! He personalized my book and I'm excited to read it. Overall, it was a great experience. I'm so grateful to Popstar! Magazine for the opportunity and for the opportunities that'll come. The only way is up!

Thursday, (10/24) I went to the NickRadio launch party where Fifth Harmony and Cody Simpson performed! They were both so great. Fifth Harmony sang a couple singles off their "Better Together" EP and Cody did an acoustic set with a bunch of new songs, even some throwbacks. To be honest, it was the first time I really sat down and listened to Cody's music and all I can say is oh.my.god. Where have I been this whole time?! Cody's so, so good. The acoustic set was perfect. *swoon* (wait, am I even allowed to swoon? he's only sixteen..) Take a look at some pictures/videos I took!

P.S majority of these can also be found on Popstar!'s instagram! (@popstarmag)
If you want to follow mine, it's (@xonessa)

There's a bunch more that I took of Cody & 5H over on my YouTube channel!
Overall, it's been a great week!
Should I make weekly internship updates? Hmm, probably, idk, stay tuned!

Fifth Harmony/Katy Perry Album Review

What a great day in music! Fifth Harmony's "Better Together" EP and Katy Perry's "Prism" were released on iTunes and are both in the top two! (Katy Perry at #1, and Fifth Harmony following at #2.) Not too shabby, eh? Considering the fact this is only 5H's EP, not even a full-length album! (Goes to show how hardcore the Harmonizers are!) As for Katy Perry, this is the first studio album she's put out in three years, and a debut at #1 is absolutely incredible.

Take a look at their track lists:

Better Together EP:

1. Don't Wanna Dance Alone
2. Miss Movin' On
3. Better Together
4. Who Are You
5. Leave My Heart Out of This
6. Me & My Girls

Being a Harmonizer myself, I love the girl-power feel of the group and their music. Individually, they're all mega talented and thanks to Simon Cowell, they're unstoppable together as a group. Their talent is indisputable (no really, check out any of their YouTube covers, and you'll think the same thing.) The "Better Together" EP is the first official thing they've put out (except individual singles) and within 40 minutes of it's release, it climbed right up the charts to that #2 spot. (I honestly believe that if Katy's album didn't come out the same night, the girls probably would have taken the throne on the iTunes chart!) But still, charting over Drake, Miley Cyrus, and Lorde, is very impressive. The EP starts off with "Don't Wanna Dance Alone" which kinda has this cool, old-time feel to it? It's very different than anything that I've heard on the radio recently, which is awesome. "Miss Movin' On", (their debut single) follows and is still just as catchy as the first time I heard it. (Don't you love those kind of songs?) It's followed by "Better Together" which is the classic "i want you back" love story that I think shows off the girl's vocals so nicely. "Who You Are" is the power ballad of the EP and it gives me goosebumps each time I hear it. (Dinah really shines in this song!) After that track, comes "Leave My Heart Out of This" which kinda has this Demi Lovato vibe, which I love! (it's perfect considering that they'll be joining Demi on tour this winter for the Neon Lights tour!) And lastly, theres "Me & My Girls!" (fun fact: my three year old niece is absolutely obsessed with this song which I think is SO adorable! I recorded a little clip of her dancing to it!) The studio version makes you wanna get up and shake it, and the stripped down, acoustic version, really shows their vocals off. Overall, I give this EP 5/5 stars. Talent speaks for itself, and these ladies are about to take over the music industry! P.S Check out this video I recorded of Dinah singing "Who Are You" on their recent tour with Cher Lloyd!

P.S as a part of my internship with Popstar! magazine, I'll be seeing 5H tomorrow as they promote and celebrate their new EP! I'll post about that tomorrow, if you have a question for them, let me know asap!! You can comment it, or tweet me.

Prism (Deluxe):

1. Roar                                                                9. Ghost
2. Legendary Lovers                                        10. Love Me
3. Birthday                                                        11. This Moment
4. Walking On Air                                            12. Double Rainbow
5. Unconditionally                                            13. By the Grace of God
6. Dark Horse (ft. Juicy J)                              14. Spiritual
7. This Is How We Do                                     15. It Takes Two
8. International Smile                                     16. Choose Your Battles

The album starts off with the self-empowering anthem, "Roar", that you can't help but sing along too. (I haven't stopped since it's made it's radio debut!) It then goes into a powerful love song, with lyrics like: "Go down in history, go down together." & "I never knew karma could be rewarding and bring me to your life." (How sweet!♡) It's then followed by a bunch of feel-good songs, that I'll definitely be blasting in my car. I lovelovelove how Katy manages to have such upbeat pop songs and never forgets to include meaningful lyrics along with them. She definitely embodies true musicianship. The song "Dark Horse" is kind of like this dark/fantasy-like, but still beautiful, song. (does that make sense?) I don't know, but I love it so much! I'm not gonna go and describe each song because I think they're all worth checking out for yourself! (Buy the album, you won't regret it.) My favorites at the moment are definitely "By the Grace of God", "Ghost",  and "Legendary Lovers." (I'm sure I'll have new favorites each day but that's the beauty of music, right?)

Which album did you like best? Comment below with your favorite track! Or, if you're currently obsessed with an entirely different album, let me know too! I love listening to new things! :)

CMJ Music Marathon 2013 NYC

Conner Molander & I

If you were in NYC Oct 15-19, I hope you checked out a night of the CMJ Music Marathon! The lineups were incredible this year, and it's crazy how many talented bands there are out there. I went to two nights of CMJ, [Oct 17- ICM Showcase at the Gramercy, and Oct 19- Paradigm Showcase at the Bowery] All I can say is that nights like these are what reminds me why I love music so much. These artists are true, genuine musicians who do it for the love of the art. I love being in the same room with people like this because - let's face it, who doesn't love being surrounded by talented, ambitious people?!

If you want to read about the ICM showcase, check out that post right here. It includes a bunch of pictures and videos of Neon Hitch and a free download link to NGHBR's EP, "Hellomind."

Now about the Paradigm showcase.. the talent was mind-blowing. I originally went for the band, "Half Moon Run" (I'm pretty much obsessed with them) and since they were last on the set list, I watched a few bands before them and they were so great. I especially loved MisterWives because their energy was so infectious and the lead singer had such a unique and cool tone to her voice. She sang a cover of Drake's "Hold on We're Going Home" and that totally sealed the deal for me - I can't wait to listen to the rest of their music and to catch them live again on their next tour! (video below)

Dylan Phillips & I!

I was so, so happy that I got to meet 2/3 of the Half Moon Run members (Dylan and Conner! I couldn't find Dev anywhere before the show. Sigh.) They were super sweet and such humble guys. The paradigm showcase was their last US show, so now they're off to Europe and then a few shows up in Canada. Hopefully they come back to NYC very soon- I can't get enough of this band! Check out this acoustic video of them!

POPSTAR! Magazine Intern!

Woohoo!

Hi all, I am officially the newest intern of POPSTAR! Magazine!! I'm so excited for this new chapter in my life and am so excited to continue working on this blog because it was a huge part in me getting the spot! I can't wait for all the fun adventures this internship holds for me & I'll be sharing it with you all here :) Stay tuned & follow me on Google+, or subscribe to the blog by email! Yay!!

twitter: @vsalles_
instagram: @xonessa

Neon Hitch (NYC. ICM/CMJ SHOWCASE)

After waiting for what seems like forever, Neon Hitch is finally releasing new music! I've been a fan of her for a long time now, so I was super excited when I heard that she was performing at Gramercy! It was a part of the ICM Showcase (10/17/2013),  which had a lineup of six artists (AJR Brothers, Wild Child, NGHBRS, Neon Hitch, Joywave, and Diane Birch.) I might've actually just shown up twenty minutes before Neon's set (oops) so I didn't catch any of the artists before her.. BUT, I did hear the last two songs that NGHBRS performed, and they were awesome, so quick shout-out to them! The lead singer was all over the stage and so into the performance (looooove those type of performers, they just radiate their love for music!) and you couldn't help but rock out with them. (click here for a free download of their EP "Hellomind" as well as all of their other unreleased tracks) Bummed I didn't get to see them after the show, but I'll be sure to catch them live again, real soon!


Neon announced that she's dropping an EP fairly soon and already has an entire album recorded that she's really proud of! The album is still untitled but she shared some new songs with us, including "Colors" which is an anthem for being who you are and not caring about what society has to say about it. She called the song "some inspiration for anyone who needs inspiring." :) She also sang her hit, "Love U Betta" but gypsy-fied it a bit for us. (it was even better than the original version!) Another fan-favorite was "Ass Back Home," the entire crowd was singing along. Of course I can't forget, "Some Like it Hot," which will be featured in her upcoming EP.


I think the main reason I love Neon Hitch so much is because she's fearless. She shares her story with us all, and her fearlessness is what's got her so many fans - they all find something to relate to in her lyrics. I don't know if she wants to be super mainstream, but I love the direction that her music is currently going in and I'll always be a supporter! I got to meet her after the show, and she was such a sweetheart, which makes me admire her even more! Her vocals were amazing and she's a true example of raw, genuine talent. True musicianship, for sure. Pics & vids below!

XFactor USA 2013 Top 16

If you've been keeping up with XFactor this year, you know how incredible the top 16 is. I'm so, so happy for everyone that made it through to the live rounds (even though it meant saying goodbye to a few of a my favorite acts. *sigh*) BUT, XFactor IS having a "WildCard" this year, meaning the fans get to bring back one act they thought should never have gone home. (They did the same thing last year with contestant, Diamond White.) In case you missed any of their auditions, I made a playlist of them all on YouTube, so you can click here and get all caught up!

Now you know I can't blog about XFactor and not bring up who my favorites are.. Although they are ALL insanely talented, there are those who I'll be voting/rooting for no matter what.

(Groups) Alex & Sierra- (DUH.) They had me hooked since their audition video, and if you check out their YouTube covers, you'll fall even more in love with them! & Restless Road- Ugh, I'm a sucker for country music and these three (very, very handsome) boys are gonna be HUGE in the country world, mark my words guys.

(Girls) Khaya Cohen- Her voice is so unique and her rendition of Bruno Mars' "Locked Out of Heaven" sealed the deal for me.

(Guys) TIM OLSTAD! Like Kelly said at his audition, his voice is like a blanket of love :) I love all the other boys but I think Tim is such a sweetheart and deserves all the fame he's gonna get from this show.

(Over 25) Jeff Gutt! I was so disappointed when he didn't make it through Bootcamp last season. I thought his vocals were incredible and I was SO happy when he tried out again this year. Thankfully, like Simon said, they didn't let him get away this time. :)

*MY WILDCARD PICKS*

GIRLS UNITED- These girls have such style and are so talented. I honestly think they have the power to take over the industry and be a huge, internationally known girl group. Here's their cover of "Pink Champagne" by Ariana Grande! I love it! (and take a look at their xfactor journey!)
  JEFF BRINKMAN- This guy's voice had me hooked the second after he sang the first line in "You Are So Beautiful." The tone, the raspiness, everything about his voice just makes me so happy. I was super bummed when he was sent home, so I'll definitely be voting for him to come back!
Others I'd like to see come back: Al Calderon & Rylie Brown. (links to their audition)   I'll be happy if either of these people make it back to the competition! I'm not exactly sure how the WildCard voting works but if you tweet @thexfactorusa and hashtag your favorite act as your #wildcard, they'll have to do something about it. ;) Vote away, guys! I know I will be.  P.S the top 16 still have to perform on the first night, and one act from each group will be eliminated. Fans don't have a say in this first elimination because voting only starts with the top 12! So keep your fingers crossed that your favorite gives an awesome performance!

American Music Awards 2013 - Nominees

First off, how awesome is this infographic on the left?! It was created by Ryan Casey. (creator of award-winning celebrity webcomic But You're Like Really Pretty!")

Anyways, the nominations for the AMAs are finally in and I could not be any more excited for this event! Based on the list of nominations, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis look like they won't be leaving the show empty-handed; They duo tops the list with six noms: Artist of the Year, New Artist of the Year, Favorite Rap Artist, Favorite Rap Album, Favorite Pop/Rock Band or Duo and the newest AMA category, Single of the Year for "Thrift Shop." Following close behind in the nomination department are Justin Timberlake and Taylor Swift (each with five noms.) Florida Georgia Line, Robin Thicke, and Rihanna are all up for four, while Bruno Mars and Imagine Dragons are nominated in three categories. (Mars, Timberlake, Swift, and Rihanna all join the rap duo in the fight for Artist of the year. Personally, I think Bruno or Justin should take home the award..)

I think it's awesome how artists can be so diverse in genres, like Justin Timberlake for example. He became the second artist in 2013 to have two no. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 with both parts of "The 20/20 Experience." His diversity and wide appeal earned him nominations in the pop/rock category and the soul/R&B one.  Same goes for Taylor Swift, who's nominated for Favorite Female Artist in pop/rock and country. "Red" (Swift's latest album) is up for both favorite country and pop/rock album.

One category I'm super excited about is New Artist of the Year. I just so happen to love each and every artist nominated so I'll probably be spreading my votes amongst all five. (BUT, I might be showing former American Idol winner, Phillip Phillips a bit more love just because I think he deserves a bit more recognition for all his awesome talent.) However, I'll be okay if Ariana Grande takes the award home because, let's face it, the girl can sang and her career is about to blow up. 

*Check out Phillip's site for tour dates/info while he's opening up for John Mayer! & buy his debut album here for $7.99.

Buy Ariana Grande's debut album, "Yours Truly."

Now for the fun part: the AMA stage is sure to get real interesting with Miley Cyrus set to perform at the ceremony. (maybe she'll reveal the new single?) Imagine Dragons is also set to be performing and more performers/presenters will be announced closer to the awards.

The nominations were announced by Kelly Clarkson and Will.i.am in NYC, yesterday, Oct 10. The awards are determined by fans so if you want your favorite artist going home with an award, make sure you vote! (voting is live now at AMAvote.com.) But that's not the only way to vote! For the time ever, the AMAs are allowing fans to vote for the fav artists via Twitter.

Who has what it takes to win?

                        The awards will be held on Nov. 24, at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, CA. It'll air on ABC. Tickets are actually available for purchase if you live in the area! Get them while you can!

For a full list of the nominations, click here. (via Billboard)

P.S Vote Pitch Perfect for top soundtrack! Let's make it the winner, aca-bitches!

Comment with who you think will win what category! :)

#BANGERZ - Miley Cyrus (Album Review)

Whether you have love for MC or not, you have to admit that Bangerz was one of the most anticipated albums this fall.. So this is where I stand on all of this: SHE DID NOT DISAPPOINT. If you already went straight down the track-list, your thought process was probably something like "wow... YAAS... oh... hmmm... okay yes, get it girl" No? Just me? Well anyways..

The ballads are e v e r y t h i n g on this album. There's no way disputing her talent and I could listen to her voice for hours on end. The deluxe version includes a few more songs, which are all SO good. "Rooting for my baby," & "Someone else" are my favorites from the bonus songs. As for the regular track-list, I have too many favorites. (does 'the entire album' count as an answer?)

AS FOR THE LYRICS??? The lyrics are crazy powerful (for the most part) and I can't help feeling they're all directed to ex-hubby Liam Hemsworth? *sigh* There's so many references to marriage, and a love that's falling apart.. But hey, they do say that a broken heart is a musician's best tool. Aside from all the emotional songs, there's also the ones that make you want to get up, dance, and scream the lyrics outloud. All I know is, Miley's voice sounds better than it ever has. The soothing and sultry tones in the album makes it one that you can run through without ever wanting to skip to the next track.

Bangerz tracklist (deluxe version):

1. Adore You                                                       9. Drive
2. We Can't Stop                                               10. FU (ft French Montana)
3. SMS (Bangerz) ft. Britney Spears             11. Do My Thang
4. 4x4 (ft. Nelly)                                               12. Maybe You're Right
5. My Darlin' (ft. Future)                                13. Someone Else
6. Wrecking Ball                                               14. Rooting For My Baby
7. Love Money Party (ft. Big Sean)               15. On My Own
8. #GETITRIGHT                                           16. Hands In The Air (ft. Ludacris)

Click here to buy BANGERZ.

Listen to the full-length album in this video: (via Bangerz YouTube channel)

P.S If you missed Miley's SNL performances of "Wrecking Ball" and "We Can't Stop," do yourself a favor and watch it here.. Miley k i l l e d it.

That's all for now, I'll let the music speak for itself. Comments are encouraged. :) And a big congrats to Miley Cyrus, for already having the #1 album on iTunes!

Best TV Series of Summer 2013

If you're a TV-show junkie like me, you know that this summer was full of incredible series premieres/ new seasons. I for one, have been choosing Netflix over real time TV but there are, of course, the exception for these shows!

The shows I've obsessed over this past summer:

These six shows top my list for the best series of summer 2013. If you haven't seen them, pick one and start your binge-watching! (OITNB's entire first season is available on Netflix, Ray Donovan & Dexter are available OnDemand or on SHO Anytime, Suits & Graceland are available OnDemand or on the USA Network site, and Twisted is available OnDemand, or through the ABC Family site/app.)

The good thing about TV is that there are always new premieres each season... which means there are already shows to start obsessing over this fall! :) Take a look at some shows that I already love/am super excited for!
1. The return of "New Girl" (probably my favorite show at the moment.)
2. The return of "The Mindy Project" (Mindy Kaling is hilarious. Not to mention, the line-up of guest stars for this season looks so good! James Franco, Kendra Wilkinson, Josh Peck, etc. And congrats to Adam Pally, former Happy Endings star, for being casted as a new series regular!)
3. "Dads" (so funny!)
4. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Adam Sandberg. That's all you need to know.)
5. Super Fun Night (set to premiere on ABC 10/2 with the hilarious Rebel Wilson as the star! I'm so excited for this - watch the trailer right here.)
6. Ravenswood (set to premiere on ABC Fam on 10/22, right after PLL's halloween episode!)

P.S I know there are a ton more great shows out there, so feel free to comment/suggest anything! Click here to follow me on twitter.

Dexter - Series Finale

*THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS*

Okay, so if you follow me on Twitter, you probably saw my endless tweets/rants about the series finale of Dexter. For some strange reason, I have zero friends who watch this incredible show and so I had to take my thoughts/heartache to to my followers. It was a pretty intense season and honestly, I had no idea how it would all play out so it was pretty shocking. I didn't watch the finale in real time last Sunday, but I did watch it last night and it mainly consisted of me yelling out my frustrations to the TV. Did Deb really have to get shot?! AGAIN?! Not to mention how she ended up BRAINDEAD after telling Quinn she loved him. (UGH) I had been rooting for their reunion as a couple for so long, and was completely devastated that they couldn't end up together. Debra Morgan was a huge favorite of mine, I always wanted things to work out for her. As for Dexter, I WISH HE KNEW HOW INCREDIBLE HE REALLY WAS! I get the whole "blaming yourself for every bad thing that happens" bit but I sincerely don't think he was a danger/threat to his loved ones, why couldn't he see that?! *sigh* The last scene of the finale completely shattered me (along with the Dex/Harrison goodbye scene at the bus stop AND the final "i love you" on their last phone call, of course.) By that point, I was already in tears yelling out "Don't you dare do this Dexter! Do not leave your child behind!!!!" But, we don't always get what we want unfortunately.
After the finale, I looked to twitter to see what people in the twitterverse were thinking. Majority seemed 100% unsatisfied with the way things panned out, and thought it was a horrible ending to a great show. I disagree. Yes, I'm heartbroken over the way it ended and the fact that it's all over, but I do feel like it fit the show. After eight seasons of ups and downs, there's no way Dexter could have ended on a happy note. It just would've felt too fake, you know? This finale made people feel things - whether it was heartache or anger. Isn't that what all great shows aspire to do? Provoke emotion? Plus, the controversy made it a topic that no one will ever stop talking about. Great job, directors. And of course, phenomenal job, cast. Michael C. Hall, you are legendary.

P.S If it seems like I'm overly attached to this series and the characters, it's because I am.
So goodbye Dexter, you will be missed.

(Thank God for OnDemand & the SHO Anytime app so we can all relive this glorious show whenever our heart desires.)

• An NYT critic says "the 'Dexter' finale had one of the saddest endings ever on a primetime show." Click here to read more about that.
• If you're interested in reading an alternate ending to Dexter, given by former show producer, Clyde Phillips, click here. (It sounds like an awesome idea but it still would've left me just as heartbroken..)

Thoughts? Opinions? If you're a fellow Dexter fan, feel free to comment this post. Unless it's too soon... I get it guys, take your time to mourn for this show.

Cher Lloyd's "I Wish Tour", NYC

Cher Lloyd's "I Wish" tour hit NYC last Saturday (9/7/13) and the Queen of Brats did not disappoint. She had three insanely talented acts open up for her which included Swedish singer Zara Larsson, Cali native Jackson Guthy, and XFactor's fan favorite Fifth Harmony. The different sounds/style from these artists are what made the show so fun to watch! I had never heard of Zara before that night, but I am SO glad I got to see her perform. I'm totally in love with her voice, style, and overall persona. (she's definitely an artist to watch!) Unfortunately, her EP isn't available in the US iTunes store just yet, but you can go to her official YouTube channel and check out her music! Jackson Guthy is such an adorable performer - he hyped up the entire crowd with his music & awesome dancers! (Totally bummed he didn't sing 'Roll' though..) Fifth Harmony slayed the stage, as a l w a y s. They sang some new songs that are expected to show up in their upcoming "Better Together" EP (available for Pre-order here) If you haven't already ordered it, do it now! It's less than $5 and totally worth it. As for the main act, the queen of the brats - Cher Lloyd, I couldn't have been more impressed. She never fails to show off her genuine love for music and her incredible vocals. She played some new songs and announced that her upcoming album will hopefully be available in November! She sounded flawless and was so interactive with the crowd- it was impossible not to have just as much fun as she was! The little speech she made at the end of the show about how grateful she was for her fans was the most sweetest thing! Here's some of my videos/photos from that night! ♥

  

Slideshow of pictures available! (: 

Alexz Johnson

Let's bring it back to 2004 real quick, if you watched "The-N" (now known as TeenNick,) then you knew/loved the show "Instant Star." The show followed the career (and all the struggles that came along) of a girl who was catapulted into superstardom after winning a singing contest. Since the show revolved around a singer, we got new music in every episode. Alexz, as you'll hear in this clip, has some serious vocals and, in my opinion, is one of the most underrated artists. Even though the show ended in 2008 & her Instant Star days are long behind her, I still listen to this show's soundtrack like, religiously. Here's a list of the show's greatest hits; If you've never heard of Alexz or the show, just give the music a chance.

2012-In PA.

2011-NJ.

               She's definitely one of the people who've inspired me the most, musically. I seriously admire her so much for always keeping her music true to herself, and for all the honesty that she puts into her songwriting. The first time I met her was at a concert in NJ where Jimmy Robbins was playing - Alexz had tweeted that she might "make an appearance" and so, on the off chance of meeting her, I bought tickets. I ended up spotting her at the merch table and it doesn't seem like a big deal, I know, but it was huge to me: meeting the girl who inspired me to make music a part of my life. The second time I met her, my sister had driven us all the way to PA (after begging her, of course.) It was the first time I got to actually hear her sing live, and honestly, it's incredible how flawless her voice is. You know those people who can belt out any note and not even look like they're trying? That's Alexz. Her setlist included songs from her Skipping Stone EP, and her stage presence was amazing. The only thing that could have possibly made it better was if she sang an Instant Star song (I think the whole crowd would've died) but it was still one of the best shows I've gone to. I could honestly go on and on about my love for this girl but the music speaks for itself. Here's some videos I recorded from the 2012 show!

And to anyone wondering, Alexz is working on an album now! She also announced a 2014 European tour, so if you're an international reader - CHECK HER OUT. (:

Indie/Underground Music

If there's one thing I love more than music itself, it's sharing it with people. I'm constantly (and by "constantly" I mean everyday) looking up new bands and listening to all of their music. Naturally, when I come across something so good, I feel like I need to share it with everyone I know.. which means I go ahead and spam my friends with YouTube links! Whether or not they lie about actually watching it, I'll never know. So, to save us all the hassle, I thought I'd post everything here instead. Although most of these artists aren't mainstream (which is my favorite thing about them) they've already managed to build loyal fan bases! Hopefully, there are some serious music lovers out there who can help promote these insanely talented bands. I'm a huge supporter of anyone who's out there trying to make things happen for themselves - and so I sincerely wish these bands all the best. These are some of the artists/songs I discovered this week. Enjoy :)



P.S I know some of these bands aren't necessarily "new" but they are to me. If this video playlist doesn't work for whatever reason, or you just want to hear even more music, feel free to click and listen to my Songza playlist. There are alot more indie/underground songs on it, and you can stream it all for free :) And of course, if you know any cool bands I should listen to, comment or tweet me!

Celebrities You Didn't Know Have A Twin!

Maybe it's just my fascination with Hollywood, or the fact that I think twins are awesome, but I found all this to be super interesting! We all know Tia & Tamera, Dylan & Cole, Benji & Joel, and of course, Mary-kate & Ashley.. but did you know these Hollywood stars are also a twin?! There's actually so many more but I narrowed it down to my top 15! Enjoy :)



(click a thumbnail or hover over a picture to read the description.)

P.S I know this post has zero substantial writing in it, but I thought this was a quick and easy post to share with you all!

Fifth Harmony

What I love most about 5H is that every single member can hold their own. Individually, they all have power-house vocals that could take them far as solo artists. But together? They have something special: the power to shake things up in the music world and really make their mark. (I mean, wouldn't you rather get on this crazy fame roller-coaster with four other talented girls and not have to face it all alone?) Ultimately, these five girls have what a lot of artists are missing now a days: raw, genuine talent & heart. If you listen to any of their covers on YouTube, the talent speaks for itself. Buy their single 'Miss Movin' On' & check their vevo page for the M&MG video!

But enough about all that.. now that I'm done rambling, I want to write about my experience meeting these lovely, lovely ladies! If you live in the NYC area, you heard about their TopShop meet&greet a few months ago.. it was insane seeing how many fans had shown up for them. A friend & I had shown up a couple of hours ahead and the line of fans was already nearing the 150 mark. Luckily, we had won guaranteed entrance into the venue from that promo contest they had! When we were finally let into the store, we could see the girls posing happily for the paps cameras and waving to all of the fans.  (Is it weird that in that moment I felt like such a proud mom?) When it was my turn, I rushed to Camila's side (don't get me wrong, I absolutely adore all of them but Cams is my favorite) She was super sweet, and gave me a big hug! After the picture she turned to me & said, "you're so beautiful omg i love you" *um, cue the massive fangirling* I did have a quick chance to say hi to the other girls as well, who were also sweethearts. You can tell they're all so genuine and real; it's so easy to feel like you could be best friends with any of them!

Who knew they could sing?

Turns out some of Hollywood's biggest names are more than just on-screen talent & actually have a set of pipes on them. I don't know about you, but it's such a fulfilling moment for me realizing that an actor I admire is actually a wonderful singer as well. How these people can be so incredibly talented in such different areas is beyond me. Take a look at the ones who've impressed me the most. (Multiple links are provided, click away!)

Zooey Deschanel & Joseph Gordon-Levitt:

Although she's better known as an actress, Zooey's never kept her vocals a secret. If you're a fan of New Girl, you hear her sing every week; and then of course, there's her indie-rock band, 'She & Him.' Joseph, on the other hand, hasn't had many roles requiring him to sing. Shame because he's actually got a beautiful voice. These two sound great together, and have posted a bunch of adorable videos on her YouTube!

Chris Pine

Star Trek's leading man actually has the voice of a country angel. (after hearing this, that's the only comparison you'll be able to make too) He showed off some very impressive vocals in 2010's Small Town Saturday Night, where he played Rhett Ryan, an aspiring country singer. As much as I love staring at him on the big screen, I definitely wouldn't mind hearing this sweet voice on any country radio station.

Ryan Gosling

Ugh. As if he wasn't already flawless, he sings too. A lot of people don't know that he's even released albums as part of a folk-rock duo who call themselves 'Dead Man's Bones.' Now, if you're wondering why you haven't stumbled upon this before on any Ryan Gosling google searches, (we've all done it) it's because he has an alias. He goes by the name Baby Goose. If that doesn't make your heart melt, I don't know what will. Enjoy/obsess.

Scarlett Johansson

If there's one Hollywood star who's got it all, it's Scarlett. She's got the looks, the awesome career, had Ryan Reynolds, and if you didn't already know, she has one stellar voice, so smooth and jazzy. She's recorded two albums: Anywhere I Lay My Head & Break Up (a collab w/ Pete Yorn.) In 2012, she was even nominated for Best Original Song at the Oscars for "Before My Time," heard in the documentary, Chasing Ice.

Pretty Little Liars Cast

Union Square - 2013

Times Sq - 2011

As much as I love the show and its characters, I love the actors even more. It's awesome to see how humble and down to earth someone can be while being on a hit TV show. PLL's fanbase has grown throughout the years (possibly even each week) and I love seeing how sweet and dedicated these actors are about showing their fans as much love as they can. I had the chance to meet Lucy Hale in NY (who's such a sweetheart) and even made some cool new Haler friends! I've met Tyler Blackburn (AKA Caleb) at a meet & greet he had in Macys for his online series: "Wendy." He was super nice & signed autographs/took pictures! Another person I got to meet was Shay Mitchell at her Seventeen Magazine cover signing. She was incredibly nice to all the fans that showed up and took her time having conversations with everyone and posing for silly pictures. Before their winter premiere last year, I saw all the girls (minus Ashley Benson) in Times Square - Troian Bellisario is flawless in person, just an fyi. (Didn't manage to get a picture with her since the girls seemed rushed to go to another interview.) P.S Marlene King (PLL creator) tweeted out that we will all know if Ali is alive or dead by the end of the summer!! Xo

Tyler Blackburn & I!

Shay Mitchell & I!

Best Movie Soundtracks

I admit, I'm one of those people who think the music behind the scenes are what makes the scenes worth watching. Don't get me wrong, the acting makes the movie - but what's a good movie without the perfect love song during a romantic scene? There are countless movies with awesome soundtracks, but I thought I'd mention a few of my absolute favorites. If you haven't watched/ or don't plan on watching any of these movies, just give the music a chance: (Click links provided to buy soundtrack/ hear samples) Suggestions are always welcome/encouraged. Enjoy! Xo

"Dear John" gets 5/5 stars from me, especially because of the amazing soundtrack. Big artists like Joshua Radin, Fink, Rosi Golan, 311, & even Amanda Seyfried herself are part of the musical contribution. If you want to listen to some mellow music with great lyrics, this is the soundtrack you want. (My favorites include "Little House", "This is the thing", "Think of Me", "Paperweight."

One soundtrack I had on repeat was "Country Strong" (and no, you don't have to be a huge country fan to like these songs!!) What I love about this soundtrack is the fact that the cast sings it (A+ acting btw) My favorites include "Me & Tennessee", "Timing is Everything", "Words I Couldn't Say", "Summer Girl", "Coming Home" & topping the list, "Give Into Me."

"Burlesque" is A+ everything. With Christina Aguilera & Cher what else can anyone possibly want?! The soundtrack is packed with feel-good songs and some kick-ass vocals. My favorites include: "Bound To You", "Tough Lover" & "But I am a Good Girl." If these vocals don't give you goosebumps, watch a live performance of 'Bound to You", that'll do the trick.

J.Mac? Yes please

Let's rewind to the year 2004: If you were anything like me, you were either:

1. Watching Jesse McCartney on "Summerland" or,
2. Listening to Jesse McCartney's debut single "Beautiful Soul"

It seemed like he was just about everywhere, and no teenage girl was complaining..

Today,  if you're still a J.Mac fan like me, you're definitely thrilled about his current tour with the Backstreet Boys! I went to their NJ show just two days ago and I can honestly tell all of you that post-concert depression is a very serious thing. If you're a concert junkie, I'm sure you know the feeling! I got the chance to meet him before his show and the 12 year old inside me could not stop jumping up and down with excitement. He was such a sweetheart, a total babe, and just everything you'd expect him to be! He gave a flawless performance on stage & looked beautiful in a blue tux! *swoon* He sang all the crowd favorites including: "Shake", "Body Language", "Leavin", his new single "Back Together" (which is available here on itunes) & the song I was waiting all night to hear live, "Beautiful Soul" *fangirling*  Just when I thought things couldn't get any better...  he announced he'd be releasing a new EP this month! [NEW JMAC SONGS THANK THE LORD ABOVE] I know I'm not alone in my JMac love and so I hope this post brought you all a nostalgic need to listen to all of his old albums and a whole lot of excitement for his future work. Read more to see some concert pics! Xo