Stefani’s Solo Album Comeback is all about Feelings

Generation Y and the Millennials can definitely remember Gwen Stefani as either the muse of the alternative rock band No Doubt or that fancy, talented blonde who popularized the song Sweet Escape with Akon. Throughout the years, one thing that never waned is Gwen Stefani’s ability to lure in more and more fans whenever she steps into the limelight and opens her mouth to sing.

Going on and off the radar made Stefani a relatable artist, surging from the broken and happy pieces of her personal life and juggling her musical journey together. Despite the seemingly long absence for putting up a studio album, the warm reception of her current offering leaves us wondering why we love Gwen Stefani so much. The answer is comprised of just a few words: she is an awesome and passionate musician.

Ten years after The Sweet Escape album which left us bouncing with the tracks comprising it, Gwen Stefani performed a major overhaul upon the release of her third studio album entitled ‘This is What the Truth Feels Like.’ Managed by the firm Interscope Records, this offering will channel much of Stefani’s experiences over her recently broken marriage and the start of a new romantic relationship.

Many album experts swear by the raw and real emotions Stefani herself put into the tracks of this album, making it more sellable to the singer’s plethora of fans that never left her side despite the lows in her career. Originally, This is What the Truth Feels Like was supposed to be released in 2012, but Stefani scrapped the idea altogether when she reached a roadblock, making it difficult to release her creative juices and craft tracks to be included in the album.

The vibe of the album leaned on the sorrow, joy and sarcasm of a recent break-up, tackling all possible human emotions that can be felt in between the stages. Themes of betrayal, disappointment and pure hurt coincide with the hope of loving again and the tedious process of moving on.

Tracks such as Baby Don’t Lie and Spark the Fire have been released prior to the album itself. However, the weak commercial reception was a deciding factor to postpone the album’s release until March 18, 2016.

Genres included in the album include dancehall reggae, pop and R&B, with rawness and stills from Gwen Stefani’s personal losses and triumphs. The album’s lead single first aired in October 2015, and Used to Love You is one of those songs you’d play when you’re about to step out of despair, but get pulled back by your heartbreak’s joyous past.

Some of the other tracks meant to make you adore Gwen Stefani’s musical talent even more include Misery, You’re My Favorite, Where Would I Be, Make Me Like You, Truth, Send Me a Picture, Rare and Me Without You. For its reception, This is What the Truth Feels Like debuted at number one in the illustrious US Billboard 200, with 84,000 units sold as of March this year.

The United Kingdom received the album with a lukewarm welcome at first, but eventually came to realize how relatable the album is and sales have been unstoppable since then. Professional ratings from different firms also affirmed how valuable this album is for Stefani’s solo career, with Rolling Stone giving it a 3 out of 5, Slant Magazine with a 3.5 out of 5 and Entertainment Weekly grading it with an A-.

http://laurenceourac.com/stefanis-solo-album-comeback-is-all-about-feelings/

Pink wrote the soundtrack for the movie ‘Alice through the Looking Glass’

The Rabbit Hole together with famous fictional characters Alice and Mad Hatter will once again open its gates on the big screen through Disney’s latest offering Alice through the Looking Glass. But before the beloved story of Alice is shown before our dreamy eyes, a catchy soundtrack would first tease us which is written by none other than Pink.

The singer of ‘Just Give Me a Reason’ is having her comeback by engaging in a project where she penned and sang the latest soundtrack for the new motion picture from the powerhouse production company, Disney. Pink has officially joined the ranks of singers like Sarah McLachlan who sang Toy Story 2’s soundtrack When She Loved Me and Frozen’s Let It Go as performed by Idina Menzel.

A Disney soundtrack plays a big role in the success of the movie paired with it and Pink is given a chance to continue the tradition by sharing her talent in one of the most followed classics of all time.

The teasing and chasing is over as the track ‘Just Like Fire’ was officially released to grace the new Alice in Wonderland installment. Aside from the stellar cast that includes A-listers Johnny Depp and Anne Hathaway, the hype and anticipation towards the movie became even more frenetic as the music video nudges us about the characters’ looks in the film. The visual appeal blended well with the song’s semi pop, semi punk vibe with a hint of rap on the side.

Of course, the theme is all about empowerment and conquering challenges. As the movie’s general plot is about 19-year old Alice’s return and pursuit to vanquish the evil works of the Red Queen, the song’s message is tailored to the core meaning of the film. It is a tough job for our dear Alice, but we’ll let the movie do the storytelling for you all.

Pink admitted that this project is a welcome call for her. Aside from the main soundtrack, the singer was also involved with the trailer’s theme, White Rabbit.

http://laurenceourac.com/pink-wrote-the-soundtrack-for-the-movie-alice-through-the-looking-glass/

Looking at Good Charlotte’s musical voyage

Mentioning Good Charlotte will pull you back to the early 2000s when the music scene was mostly dominated by bands from pop to rock. It was a time when the vibe of the mainstream industry had a balanced flavor of anything and everything. The diversity of genres made available in this epoch was a buffet of various pallets that fed the different wants of people who grew up at this time.

Unknown to many, while the majority were singing along with the Goo Goo Dolls and rapping with Eminem, identical twins from Maryland were jumpstarting their career to become one of the most remembered rock bands the world has ever heard by far. Brothers Joel and Benji Madden may have grown up surrounded by domestic problems including their parents’ separation, but the two kept holding on through their strong inclination towards music.

Mostly influenced by rock artists like Green Day, The Smiths, The Cure, etc., the duo’s style and song writing eventually flourished. The two had a first-hand encounter with what was once considered the haven of bands who were just starting out. After high school, Joel and Benj received a plane ticket from their mother as a present and this gave them a chance to visit the East Bay club where some of the bands they look up to established their early music.

Other members eventually joined the band like Paul Thomas, Billy Martin and Dean Butterworth. The band was not always present or complete. They must have created quite an impression when their self-titled debut album was released live 11 years after they were introduced, but fans were given somewhat sad news when it was announced that the band will take some time off in September of the year 2011.

With five albums under their belt, the band is returning with their newest album entitled Authority.

The members admitted that their rest from the spotlight allowed them to rekindle the drive and creativity that withered during the course of their career.

The hiatus also allowed them to focus on their personal lives including the marriage of Benj with the actress Cameron Diaz back in 2015.

http://laurenceourac.com/looking-at-good-charlottes-musical-voyage/

A Must hear: Needed Me by Rihanna

Rihanna continues to prove that she’s one of the best female singers out there. We know how the song Work flirted with our imagination as she and Drake delivered the teasing track right before our eyes and gave us an ear-gasmic experience that screams sensuality and fun.

Gone were the days when Riri gave us mystery as she proved that made it as seen in the progress of here even better looking career. No more drama and scandals like what happened between her and former boyfriend Chris Brown. Our girl from Barbados has risen even stronger and bolder, evident in the ventures she has engaged in not only in the field of music, but within fashion as well.

Clearly unapologetic and rebellious in a sense, the singer successfully transcended stereotypes and maintained the public’s interest when we all thought things were over after the much talked about scandal she had with her former boyfriend. There were even rumors circulating that she’s been spending time with actor Leo DiCaprio lately. Now that’s what you call bouncing back.

If Work lets us peek into Rihanna’s alluring charm, then another single from her album Anti entitled Needed Me gives us all access to her sheer nakedness and soul mixed together to come up with a narration that’s interpreted by director Harmony Korine.

Watching the video is like watching an installment of a gangster inspired movie. There’s violence and some explicit scenes that are not supposed to be seen by kids. With a gun in her hand and bloodshed in the latter part of the vid, it will not be a surprise if the singer would land a cameo role in a mafia film in the future.

The song is probably her last offering before jumpstarting the Anti World Tour scheduled to commence in the month of May.

http://laurenceourac.com/a-must-hear-needed-me-by-rihanna/

Music Played Smart and Passionately by Allan Kingdom

Aside from sheer talent and the passion to maintain a music career, it is very important for artists to have a strong connection to the people around them. It can be with their managers, their growing fans, the people they work with or other artists in the same genre. No matter what it is, time has proven that being in good terms with everybody is beneficial.

You might not be the strongest suit now, but if there’s an unmistakable development of talent through prolific releases and if one is tightly connected with someone else’s prominence, then success is certainly attainable. That being said, here is an artist named Allan Kingdom, and by the looks of it, he will be staying longer than he’s expecting.

Born as Allan Kyariga, Allan Kingdom was raised in Winnipeg, Canada and has a strong desire to please people through music. After a rigorous yet normal life, Allan Kingdom moved a notch up by mastering his passion in music by studying at the revered Minneapolis Institute of Production and Recording.

Here, Kingdom was exposed to how the industry works as a whole and managed to learn what it is like once viewed from the inside of the canopy. He started out his venture in mainstream music as a record producer in 2011 and from there, he established a strong reputation as a serious and passionate musician.

During his production phase, Allan Kingdom did not seem to like the idea of just being behind the stage, so he worked his way up as a rapper. It can be remembered that Allan Kingdom was part of the rap group Thestand4rd together with equally-talented artists like Spooky Black, Bobby Raps and Psymun. With this mighty squad, Allan Kingdom got his hands on their first self-titled album in 2014, which received a plethora of accolades and praises from the music industry.

In his early years as a musician, Allan Kingdom experimented with different screen names such as The Northern Gentleman, Peanut Butter Prince and King Kyariga. After all these years, the name ‘Allan Kingdom’ is what he is most famous for.

Kingdom attributes his unmistakable inclination to music from artists such as Kid Cudi, Pharrell Williams and Kanye West, treating them as inspirations during the course of building up his confidence to be on the spotlight. Allan Kingdom has also been known through his ventures in crafting head-bopping mixtapes that surely appealed to those who have loved the rap genre from the start.

Some of the most famous mixtapes released by Allan Kingdom include Trucker Music (2011), Talk to Strangers (2014), Future Memoirs (2014) and just recently, Northern Lights.

An EP entitled ‘Pinkspire Lane’ was also released in 2012, garnering him more followers as it cascaded through the whole music realm. Allan Kingdom also gained some exposure through guest appearances in music videos, especially when he showed up on Kanye West’s ‘All Day’ track in 2015.

http://laurenceourac.com/music-played-smart-and-passionately-by-allan-kingdom/

Hustling Up the Ladder to Musical Fame – Erik Hassle

Okay, so we all know that Sweden is now a country sought-after in the music industry due to the prevalence of artists hailing from there, making big waves in fame on the EDM genre. We have seen one artist after the after, conquering the music food chain with all the necessary talent and usually winning it after some mainstream exposures.

But after all the EDM acts spawned from Sweden since early 2010, here comes another artist who wants to prove that there’s more to the country than just jumpy tunes and modern beats. Now carving his name as an artist to watch out for in 2016’s third quarter, Erik Hassle is set to dominate not with synthesizers and boosters, but just with his vocals.

The 27-year old Katrineholm, Sweden child is a well-known advocate of pop since he started out his career within his hometown. Erik Hassle focused on this genre from the very beginning since he knew full well that this is a giveaway ticket for him to reach stardom.

Aside from his bold approach to pop, Erik Hassle’s talent in songwriting is a plus as a full-pledged musician. It was in the year 2005 that he humbly began his journey and all throughout these years, Hassle’s career has been handled by different music firms like the TEN Music Group, Roxy, Island and Universal Republic.

Like any other artist who loves to enrich his hometown’s musical inclination, Erik Hassle dominated the Swedish charts with songs such as Hurtful and Don’t Bring Flowers. Quite expectedly, Hassle’s ventures in Sweden paid-off as he’s now a known pop icon within the limits of his country.

His reach has also expanded to as far as Denmark. Using the two aforementioned singles, he expanded his vision and broke borders, reaching the United Kingdom together with his first studio album entitled Hassle.

Later on, Erik Hassle became the talk of the town due to his inclination to pop music, alongside songs that he personally wrote. In early 2010, he toured with international pop artist Mika as a supporting act, which generally increased his market value and made him reap more admirers along the way.

He prolifically produced more music until worldwide streaming firm iTunes introduced him as an upcoming pop artist and from then on, he amassed a huge chunk of streams and music downloads. In 2012, he put forth his third studio album entitled We Dance which has been patronized in Sweden, the United Kingdom and Denmark.

As for extended plays, some of the most popular under Hassles’ belt include The Hassle Sessions: Volume One, Taken, Mariefred Sessions and Somebody’s Party. In singles, Erik Hassle can be remembered through tracks such as No Words, If Your Man Only Knew, Natural Born Lovers, Talk About It, Grace, Are You Leaving and Stay Away.

http://laurenceourac.com/hustling-up-the-ladder-to-musical-fame-erik-hassle/

Blossoms is Certainly Not Just another Band from England

England is such a music-rich country that whenever acts or artists hail from this country, we all try to witness how awesome they will be. The healthy music industry which is contained within the country itself is viewed as somewhat beneficial to the ‘gifts’ brewing inside the musicians residing in the UK.

English acts are now known as purely talented folks who mean the industry no harm, and the charm that any British artist cascades has been irresistibly good to patronize. Now that we’ve known soloists like Adele and group acts such as the Spice Girls, another band is yet to conquer the music arena and they call themselves ‘Blossoms’.

If you’re thinking that Blossoms is an all-female group, then erase that notion as the band is pure testosterone. Hailing from the humble city of Stockport, Greater Manchester, Blossoms is out and about to offer nothing but the best musical styles and unmistakable talent to entertain.

Be delighted to know that this band is directed to perform tracks within the genres of indie pop, indie rock and alternative rock. Many music analysts have connoted that Blossoms’ fresh input to these seemingly old genres is just as bold as their ultimate dream to reach a worldwide audience.

Currently, Blossoms is under the experienced wing of musical firm Virgin EMI Records. While their fame is concentrated in the greater United Kingdom, Blossoms is slowly carving its name onto the mainstream music scene since they started out in 2013.

This English indie pop band is comprised of a gifted quintet, namely Tom Ogden (main vocals, guitars), Josh Dewhurst (lead guitar), Charlie Salt (bass, secondary vocals), Joe Donovan (drums) and Myles Kellock (keyboards). With this roster, Blossoms is an all-out band meant to provide their listeners with high-quality music and insurmountable energy when deployed on stage.

The name ‘Blossoms’ is actually derived from a public house which is situated in their hometown, specifically in the corner of Bramhall Lane and Buxton Road. At the start of 2016, Blossoms was luckily included on BBC’s Sound of Music List, a citation for budding artists and acts that will definitely make it big if given the right amount of exposure and opportunity.

As soon as 2014 kicked in, Blossoms managed to deliver a couple of extended plays such as Bloom, Blown Rose, Charlemagne and At Most a Kiss. Just this year, they managed to release their first self-titled major studio album. Some of the tracks that made Blossoms’ journey interesting include You Pulled a Gun on Me, Blow, Cut Me and I’ll Bleed and Getaway.

http://laurenceourac.com/blossoms-is-certainly-not-just-another-band-from-england/