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[username-1121]

My Vedic Astrology Thoughts💭

These are all my random Vedic Astrology thoughts and things that I have noticed while studying different charts. These are my observations but nothing written down are things that I’m a 100% sure about, so I’m open to discussing any of these thoughts in the comments :)

- Sun conjunct Jupiter can achieve success in their respective career fields. I also notice that it could possibly indicate a need to indulge which may lead to weight gain. (Eg: Trisha Paytas, Adele)

- People with prominent 3rd house placements tend to be extremely sexually attractive to the masses. Eg:

1st lord in 3rd house

3rd lord in 1st house

3rd lord in 3rd house

3rd lord in 10th house

Atmakaraka in 3rd house

Or having lumanries in 3rd house

These are placements that I see a lot in sex icons and heavily sexualised celebrities. (Billie Eilish, Megan Fox, Rihanna). In Vedic astrology 3rd house is known for sexual magnetism due to it being 8 houses away from the 8th house.

- Another indicator for sexual magnetism is definitely Mars aspecting your 1st, 2nd, 7th or 10th house. It’s a very potent planet that can really seep into one’s energy. 1st and 2nd house is more physical appearance and 7th & 10th is more energy wise, but either way it’s very apparent.

- The dignity of your Mahadasha/Antardasha planet is SO important. If the planet isn’t strong in the D1 and D9, or atleast receiving aspects from beneficial planets then you won’t be able to reap the full benefits of the planet and it’s associated yogas.

- People with prominent Venus nakshatras and Rohini nakshatra, look really good in pink. Specifically this pastel pink, it really increases their attractiveness. Dressing in pink/pastel colours with makeup remaining light but still angelic using light blushes and soft eyeshadow, is a style that really suits them.

- Vishakhas truly do have this duality to their personalities that can of of course manifest in their appearance.

One example is Dove Cameron (Vishakha moon), she was initially known for her blond hair and innocent persona on Disney. Then for her music career, she decided to fully embody this dark persona by dying her hair black, using darker makeup shades and even adapting a more sexual way of speaking.

This really highlights the fact that Vishakha embodies both the energies of Libra and Scorpio, and they need to learn how to find balance between these two personas in order to achieve fulfilment. Or else they constantly find themselves see sawing between these two energies, thus never finding 100% fulfilment.

- Having Saturn transiting your 4th house in your D1 or from your Mahadasha sign may mean that you’ll be forced to stay at home more often. No matter how hard you try, travelling and seeking out new adventures will be restricted due to Saturn forcing you to deal with your inner karmas in an isolated space.

- Odd ascendant signs (1,3,5,7,9,11) are more likely to actually pursue the career that they desire. Eg: we all know many people who would love to be in the limelight, whether that’s a singer or actress, but not many people are able to pursue it because it is not their destiny. However this is not the case for odd signs, if they wake up and say “I want to be a singer ” then they will because that is their path in this life. This applies to any career that they are interested in.

(Many celebrities have odd sign ascendants. Lady Gaga who’s known for wanting to become a famous singer and then becoming one successfully, has a Gemini ascendant)

- When it comes to the even (2,4,6,8,10,12) ascendant signs, it does not matter if they would like to become a doctor or singer or whatever they desire. They will not be able to follow that career path if their destiny (9th house) does not align with it. These are the people who often thrown into the “limelight” and are uncomfortable by all the attention, or someone who’s forced to take a normal 9 to 5 despite them wanting to desperately follow their dreams.

(I got this technique from Dr. Dharmesh Mehta Ji, who explained it very well on “Exotic Astrology”’s channel.)

- Movable and cardinal signs are often successful in the entertainment industry because their 10th house are not in a fixed sign.

In order to pursue an artistic or freelance career, you need to have indications of an “unstable” career in your chart. Actors, singers, artists, never know when they’re going to get their next paycheck which is why it is associated with movable signs. Actors are always playing different roles, not certain if they’re even going to get their next job. The same goes for singers and artists who are constantly trying to make a living. Nothing is certain or “fixed�� which is why having moveable signs in your 10th or aspecting it, is important if you want to successfully pursue this career field.

-This is one of the reasons why Moon or Mercury in 10th house or connected to 10th house is such a prominent indicator in artistic career charts. Because Moon and Mercury are both fast moving planets which can be associated with “instability ” in whatever house it is placed in.

- As for cardinal signs, they start their career off “unstable” but eventually climb the ladder to a more fixed and stable career. Think of rags to riches. Whereas movable signs constantly have to face changing their careers, depending on the Dasha.

- Dasha sequence: When you go through your 2nd, 4th, 6th Dasha period and it being a positive planet Venus, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter. You are more likely to experience an extremely favourable time in your life. I expand more on this technique in my Rise and Fall of Career Success post.

(All the main techniques above are from Dr Dharmesh Mehta, so I would highly recommend you check out his channel on YouTube if you are interested in a more in-depth understanding)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Thank you for reading ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[jinkookspencil]

stay | jjk

jungkook is drunk out of his mind, belting pop ballads in the middle of the night.... you had to check in on him

description/tw/tags: ~4k words / jungkook x (f) reader / one-shot / angst and fluff / friends to lovers / inspired by jungkook's recent lives!! i just had to :') / includes drunk, flirty jungkook and mentions of alcohol and drinking / oc stays sober / jungkook gets so drunk thinks he's having a steamy dream with oc gone wrong / feedback is always welcome and it's appreciated!! it's been a while since anyone really told me their honest thoughts on my fics 💗

Celine Dion’s voice blasting through your phone was not what you expected when you got a call from Jungkook, but it was enough for you to know exactly what he was doing. It was an odd thing, you realized. Jungkook never had never admitted to listening to Celine Dion, Taylor Swift, Adele, or any other musical queen you adored - he never protested when you blasted their songs through the car radio or when you belted out their songs during karaoke nights, but he never, ever sang along or reacted much either…. except for when he was drunk… except for when he was too drunk. And it was only ever when he was drunk and alone or drunk and with you. In front of his friends or to you when he was sober, he still pretended he couldn't name a Celine Dion song besides "the Titanic one." But you knew better. Between her iconic vocals through the phone, you could hear Bam’s dog collar jingling, Jungkook’s all over the place but still excellent singing and humming, and finally… sniffles. In the blink of an eye, you were in a cab on your way to his place, not hanging up and listening to him sing “My Heart Will Go On” and "All By Myself" over and over until you got there. Right at the brief moment of silence when the song ended, you knocked on the door, extra loudly and in your signature pattern, so he’d know it was you - but it seemed to only signal Bam, who obviously knew it was you before Jungkook did, jumping up and down even before his owner opened the door in confusion.

“Bamie-,” you giggle against the dog’s nose while he licks yours, Jungkook still disoriented when you look up at him.

“H-hiiiiii,” he forces a smile on his face after realizing you were actually there. “What are you doing here?”

“I heard Celine Dion, so I came,” you say, ruffling Jungkook’s long hair and plopping down on his living room couch. He’s still standing by the door, trying to realize the situation. “You must’ve drunk-called me while trying to choose a song, idiot. Or maybe you were trying to call someone else.” You push away the thought. “Anyways, I’m here to make sure you’re okay. And to see the secret Taylor Swift setlist later.”

“Ahhhhhhhhhh. I actually called you….” Jungkook nods, trying to remember if he did while you figure out what he meant. He chuckles, clicking his tongue before offering you the gigantic, half-filled stein in his hand. “Do you want some beer?”

“I’m here to make sure you don’t do anything crazy, Koo. Don’t make me a problem, too.”

Jungkook holds back a smile while grabbing a second microphone and dramatically turning around, his long hair twirling behind him. “It’s me. Hi. I’m the problem. It’s me.”

“Oh god, Jungkook,” you shake your head backwards. Were your persistent efforts at trying to get him to listen to Taylor Swift worth it if he was going to make such cheesy jokes? When you look up and see his scrunched-up nose and proud smirk, you have your answer. It was.

“Nah, I’m not done with my girl Cel-Celine Dion. You know, she’s a very good singer.” It’s only now, when Jungkook says the most obvious statement, do you notice how slurred his voice is. “I still haven't done these songs, yet. ‘The Power of Love' and 'It's All Coming Back To Me' - my… my drinking songs, join and let's GO!”

You watch Jungkook pace around his living room, belting out the song while holding his beer glass with an iron grip, and you can’t help but think about the floppy-haired boy in front of you rather than the not-so-careful steps and chugs he took mid-song, ignoring the mic in your hand. You could never count the days and nights you spent with Jungkook. It all started with the ‘Netflix and Chill’ nights. When he suggested it, you’d panicked until he insisted he meant actually chilling and watching Netflix - and whether it was cuddly, commentary-filled K-drama sessions or drunken fried chicken and reality show nights, you enjoyed every minute of it…. but more so when those nights evolved. As cute as though nights may be, they were topped. The caring, vulnerable nights where you’d slowly unravel a new emotional layer of yourself to the other and the moon - with no one else in the know… those were the ones that destroyed you and put you together again, all at once. You doubted Jungkook even had a deeper side to him until you both laid yourselves out in front of one another - little by little and without judgment or fear. You dreamed of the days the unraveling happened physically as well. When you’d see him during the days, and whether it was just the two of you or with your friends, it seemed as though the sun had an inkling of the bond that formed while she was away, shining a little brighter every time you saw his face, casting her beautiful golden rays onto the boy that shined just as brightly.

A confession forever rested on the tip of your tongue, ready to slip out whenever he flashed his bunny-toothed smile, scrunched up his perfectly round nose, or jokingly teased you. And yet… you never could say anything…. especially since you think you already did. It’s the real reason you vowed never to drink with Jungkook again - you could barely remember anything but the fleeting feeling of his lips on your forehead, being in his arms, and waking up in the morning in your underwear to see him shirtless on the floor beside the bed you lay on. Jungkook’s bed, you later found out - after a party he threw. You mainly remember walking into the kitchen and seeing his roommate and bestie Taehyung preparing breakfast in silence, which only made the morning more unbearable, given his god-awful cooking skills. You fled in minutes and, to this day, had no recollection or idea of what actually happened. Jungkook never said anything either, so you were certain you dreamt the entire ordeal. He stayed relatively the same, save for a few arm grazes that shocked you to your core - a little more than they used to. You almost consider forcing him to watch a K-drama or a horror film - just for the cuddle he'd end up giving you.

But you were here, watching him passionately wrap up a ballad and wiping away a tear that formed in his eye. He was unbelievable.

“I didn’t think she could make you cry.”

“Yeah, well, she sang the Titanic song too, didn’t she? Don’t you know me?”

“I do, Koo,” you whisper into the microphone he had handed you.

“It’s all coming back to me too. It all ends when I'm with you. And my heart will go on, Celine... You get me, Celine,” he utters as he plops down beside you, his hand outstretched behind you as he selected a song, neglecting Bam by his legs.

“Bam wants attention.”

“He always gets my attention,” Jungkook says, eyes fixated on the TV in front of him.

“I’m gonna use that line on you the next time you give me the eyes he’s giving you now.” Jungkook was always a master at pouting and the classic puppy-dog eyes, and in the split second he looked confused, you begin to wonder if it was never intentional. But he quickly looks at his pet and babies him when catching the dog’s neediness, giving you the freedom to grab the remote and pick a song.

“Remember, only pop queens,” he insists in a baby-like voice, his eyes and hands still on Bam. And you found just that - a playlist of nothing but tracks from pop queens, most on your regular playlist. Meaning you knew almost every word, and so did Jungkook. Two hours of singing later, Jungkook’s honey voice and your scratchy one both grew tired. Music videos it’d be, you thought - still in total control of the remote. By the third music video, you were bored - you’d seen them all before, while Jungkook - or more specifically, drunk Jungkook - was mesmerized. And in a flash you neglected the screen altogether, staring instead at the boy right beside you. With your hand on your chin, you study him. You never could when he was sober - his eyes would immediately find yours, and one of two things would happen next: you’d look away in embarrassment, or he’d would pull a funny face. But this was different. He was focused, well, as much as a drunk person could be, softly humming along or murmuring something about the camerawork or costume design - you could barely hear whatever it was he said. Sure, his face looked puffy and drunken, even in his dimly lit apartment…. but he was beautiful. He was beautiful in his side profile, his stare and concentration, the fluffiness of his hair, and the gigantic, soft, muscled arm he flexed beside you. He had no idea just how beautiful he was—just being.

You must’ve been staring for too long because Jungkook turns, catching you - as he always did. You expected it and waited for him to stick out his tongue jokingly, scrunch up his nose, or wiggle his brows… something goofy. The last thing you expected was the softest smile that crept up on his face - the wonder in his eyes remaining, the way you’d been looking at him. And just like that, you look away again, thinking you’d be able to stick it out this time and ignore his presence entirely or make a funny face of your own. You want to frown, but the stinging in your cheeks hurts too much from smiling at him.

“What’s up with you?” he giggles for a very brief moment before repeating the question with that same damn smile on his face. In your periphery, you see him ruffle his hair and you dig your nails into your skin to stop you from reaching out and doing the same.

“Nothing,” you let out, feeling his gaze on you as you looked towards the screen and Bam sleeping just beneath it. A whole music video later, the feeling of his eyes on you grew unbearable. He didn’t even look away when he continued to drink from the glass in his hands.

“Find something better to do, Koo,” you say, folding your arms and mustering up the courage to look at him.

“Hmmm?” the drunken, dazed smile on his face was goofier and sweeter than ever.

“I want a glass of water,” you say, looking towards the fridge, hoping he’d be a good host and stand up to get you one, finally breaking his gaze in the process.

“Well, I want you.”

You can’t help but roll your eyes. As if you weren’t being tortured enough by his adorableness already... did the flirty side have to make an appearance? But it wasn't a surprise. Jungkook flirted all the time, definitely more than usual when he’s tipsy. It was so excruciating that you damn near scolded Jimin and Chan, the friends he’d picked up the flirting from. All you wanted to say was that you wanted him too, but he’d never mean it the way you did. The giggle he let out when you rolled your eyes proved it - he just liked seeing you all riled up.

“I’m thirsty, JK,” you whine, but he keeps giggling. “Yah, drunk boy - get me a glass of water,” you insist, poking his tattooed arm and letting your finger rest there - he winces between his little laughs, touching the skin and a little of yours.

“Jungkoooook. Don’t ignore me,” you pout.

You don’t know what it is, but something about those three words makes Jungkook jump up from his spot, his laughter fading quickly as he walked over to the fridge, covering his face with his hands.

“Don’t do that,” he mutters.

“Don’t do what?”

“Don’t…,” he starts before clearing his throat. “Don’t poke me like that. I’m old and sore now. Your Jungkook works hard in the gym and can’t handle it like he used to.”

Your Jungkook. If only you could send him off on another errand to make you forget about him and those words for a moment. But, alas, you were in his apartment. He was too drunk. Bam was stirring in his sleep.

Jungkook returns a freshly filled stein for himself, a glass of water for you.... and a pair of thin-rimmed glasses on his face. The ones he only ever wore at home, during your late-night visits, that none of his friends ever saw. The ones that always fed your delusions of the domestic days with Jungkook you wished you could have for the rest of your life.

“Sure, you don’t want a sip?” A frozen glass swings into your line of vision, snapping you out of your daze.

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

“…..Shame…” he whispers into the glass as he chugged down half of its contents before setting it down and hiding his face in his arms, folded on the edge of the couch.

“Don’t judge me for not drinking. Just look at the state of you.”

“I’m not. It’s… it’s a shame that that’s what you’re the surest of. What happened to being sure of yourself, hmm?”

You weren’t in the mood for one of your deep talks, which was unusual for you. You usually would jump at any opportunity to talk to Jungkook, even when he was drunk - like the time he spat out a life lesson he learned in the third grade you’d never thought of in your entire life. He was the only person who ever made it safe enough for you to express your deepest fears and insecurities. His honest and supportive advice pushed you through. And you longed for the soft embrace he always gave you afterwards. It’s been weeks since you had one of those talks, days before the night/morning that was somewhere between a dream and a glitch in the matrix. But you couldn’t go there. You couldn’t bear to. Not tonight. Not with a drunk, floppy-haired, adorable, and out of-his-mind Jungkook that was adorable as ever, laying next to you singing pop ballads for hours. It’d have to wait.... even if he didn't want to.

“Tell me, what happened to being sure of yourself? Your thoughts, your ambition….your desires and feelings…” he slurs, waving his arm.

“I don’t know, Kookie,” you let out, grazing his arm. You can’t tell him that you’re sure you love him in more ways than one and that you’re not sure what to do about it.

“If you’re sure of something, act on it. If you’re not, still do it. Better to live with regrets with lessons learned than to never know,” he murmurs, his face resting on his elbow.

“So, can I commit a crime then?” you try to joke and change the mood.

“If you want to, sure. Oh, wait, don't. You've already committed one. I almost forgot," he nods, taking another sip of his beer. "You stole my heart."

"Fuck off," you laugh, reaching out to pinch his thigh instead of the arm he told you to avoid... "We'll talk about this another time, Kookie. Give me actual advice then."

"Okay, but I'll tell you some now. Try being sure of what you want in life. Act on it. Start that business you always wanted to. But I’m thinking.... start with.. a smaller step. Get that tattoo you always talked about. I’ll take you,” he says with a clear voice now, smiling as he looked up and brushed the inside of your arm, where you’d always talked about getting a tattoo. “I’m sure of what I want.”

“As always,” you say with a laugh. “What is it this time?”

“I told you. I want you.”

“Oh shut up,” you say, lightly shoving him this time, but he doesn’t budge, not even a little bit, nor does he giggle as he did earlier, just continues to stare at you and try to hold back…. something. You assume it’s a joke.

“Jungkook, stop - this isn’t funny.” You reply before you could even realize the words he’s saying.

“I’m not being funny.”

You stop and finally look at Jungkook’s face. He desperately tries to avoid your gaze but soon can’t help but look into your eyes - his were dilated and red from all the alcohol.

“You’re drunk,” you spit out, repeating the words softly.

“I am. But I’m sure of it when I’m sober, too,” he says, fidgeting with his fingers before playing with yours. “I’m sure that I want you. I was always sure. And I’m sure I want to hold your hand.” You can’t explain why you allow him to do so, knowing his state, and soon, his fingers find the ends of your hair and the base of your neck, grazing the skin there while his thumb rubs at your cheek. “I’m sure I want to -” he whispers against your lips, and you can’t help but jump at the very instance you feel his breath against your lips.

“Jungkook, no,” you lean back, holding the tears in your eyes and hoping he doesn’t feel the goosebumps on your skin. “Jungkook, you’re drunk.”

He immediately lets go of you, and you feel the world crumble in that brief moment, in fear you’d thrown away the only shot you had at the only thing you were sure you wanted, clinging onto the hope that he'll forget it all in the morning. But instead he shakes his head and looks… confused.

“It doesn’t go like this. This is weird,” he drawls, looking at his hands, you, Bam, and the rest of the apartment.

“What?” you say, just as confused as he seems to be, ignoring a sinking feeling in your stomach at the idea that Jungkook was confused his attempts at kissing girls never went “like this” - with a rejection that you didn’t want to give him.

“It doesn’t go like this! I’m… And you’re…. You’re here, but…. you’re not wearing any clothes. Why am I? Did we not get to that part of it yet?”

“Part of what?”

But Jungkook takes a look around the apartment again before quietly murmuring to himself. “This is a weird sex dream.”

Oh. OH.

He continues, thinking he's asleep.

“We’ve done this so many times, and it never went like this. I… Can’t you at least want me back in my dreams? Why… why is this dream different?”

”Jungkook…”

“Shhhh,” he lazily brings a finger to your lips. “Let me recap. It’s the same. My apartment’s the same. Why is Bam here? He’s usually in the other room. I’m here. You’re here. Wait…. are you?”

“I… I am, Jungkook.”

“No you’re not. You won’t be when I open my eyes.” he pouts, hiding his face in his elbow again.

“It’s like… It’s like that time I put you in bed when I found you drunk in your underwear in the corner at my party after you just… what did you do? Didn’t you say you just wanna dance in your underwear or some shit? Then you… said you wanted me to see you like that. I tried so fucking hard not to look. I put you to bed, and I at least expected to get some reality of waking up beside you, but… you weren’t there.

And I wanted to confess last night during karaoke, with all your favorite songs but... I didn't think I actually called you. It was just practice. Then I was so nervous I drank way, way too much, and I must've passed out. And now you're not even naked in my dreams - well, tonight's dream anyway... Is it because of the stress? And wait, why am I wearing glasses? I don't have you OR perfect vision in this dream?!" he pouts, taking off his glasses and throwing them across the couch before resting his head on his elbow, in his hands, and all over as he struggles with the realization.

Jungkook stays like that for a good minute, giving you time to take in the situation. Firstly, you’d never drink unsupervised at a party again because what the fuck… But you quickly remind yourself that it didn’t matter too much. He put you in bed. He saw you in your underwear and knew that you - or at least a part of you - wanted to be with him in that way. And not only that, he wanted to see you that way too. He wanted to wake up next to you. And Jungkook, awake and drunk, thought he was in a regular sex dream he had… with you…. and was upset at the idea of waking up without you beside him…. again. He wanted to confess. If his hands on your skin hadn't ignited your skin, the touch of him lingering there, you’d be certain you were dreaming too. He… he must’ve really been sure. Who were you to doubt that? He’s Jungkook.

Your hand reaches out to touch his face, not even knowing what you were about to say to him, but it didn’t matter. By the time you look back at him, he was already passed out, the pout still on his face, buried in his arms. Still beautiful. Any gentle attempt at waking him up proved to be futile - and more for you than it was for him. The cheek grazes, the head scratches, the arm squishes - finally yours to touch after he’d been flexing in his short-sleeves all night long. There was no way it hurt like it said he did. Standing up and tugging his arm until he got on his feet nearly did it, and you had to help his drunken and dazed self all the way to his bed. He was just awake enough to lie down on his own.

You stare at him on the bed below you, and with the quiet chirping of the birds outside his window and the early sunlight streaming in below his curtains…. you knew this was the most peaceful moment you had ever experienced in your life, so you took it all in. He'd forget about this tomorrow, but you'd remember it for the rest of your days.

When you suspected Jungkook finally drifted off to sleep again, you reluctantly turned away from the scene and made your way to his bedroom door.

“Stay.”

You’re unsure you heard correctly, but he repeats the word.

“Stay…. please.”

Turning back, you see Jungkook’s tattooed arm outstretched toward you. Inviting you in.

With the serenity of it all and your heart laid out in front of you, it was an offer you couldn’t refuse. Especially since he wasn’t the only one that was up all night. You turn over the covers, holding Jungkook’s hand before gently snuggling into his arms…. and just like that he passes out for real, a soft moan and a snore escaping him instantly. You could dash out. You could run, try to forget the night and hope he does too. But you don’t. Because he’ll wake up. Because he's sure. And because you’re sure too. And you’ll be there to tell him.

[black-arcana]

"It felt like I’d known her forever." Symphonic metal icons Sharon den Adel and Tarja Turunen on hearing each other's bands Within Temptation and Nightwish for the first time

The Within Temptation frontwoman and former Nightwish singer would eventually team up for a blockbuster single

(Image credit: Press)

Symphonic metal icons Sharon den Adel and Tarja Turunen have discussed the first time they became aware of each other's music in an exclusive new interview with Metal Hammer. The Within Temptation frontwoman and former Nightwish singer were trailblazers in 90s and 2000s metal in a time where there were precious few prominent female artists in the scence. Speaking in Hammer's new issue, the duo explain that it was a relief to find kindred spirits in each other.

“We often felt like the strange duck on the festival bill because there was a woman in the band where most bands had male singers,” Sharon says. “Plus, I wasn’t really from the scene when I started out – I was a big grunge girl!”

“I started out in classical music so I was a complete weirdo in metal, too!” Tarja adds. “Though I never let that experience bother me. I felt the embrace of the crowd, but also our colleagues were really nice, so I never needed to grow balls. Although, maybe I got used to it, because I had two brothers at home and was the only girl in my primary class. Six years with nothing but boys! Urgh!”

Though two distinct bands with very different approaches to their craft, the fact that both Within Temptation and Nightwish were part of the European symphonic metal scene drew some inevitable comparisons, and ensured that the two bands would quickly become aware of each other.

“When I first heard Within Temptation, I was like, ‘This woman has such an angelic voice’,” recalls Tarja. “We must’ve still been working on that first Nightwish record, so I’ve been aware of them from the very beginning, really!”

“The first time I became aware of Nightwish, we played a festival together,” says Sharon. “People were  really excited about the band so we went to see them. We were blown away by Tarja’s presence onstage. It was so powerful... so diva!”

“It felt like I’d known her forever,” Tarja later notes. “I kind of felt that connection even before we met; Sharon must have gone through so many similar things to myself. We could recognise each other.”

[fromtenthousandfeet]

The fact that people only talk about Euphoria and still with you for JK but for Jimin every army knows the roster of lie, serendipity, filter and promise. I genuinely do not care which member is the "most famous" because for example currently Sabrina Carpenter is more famous than Olivia Rodrigo but OR will surge up again with her next album release and in the end I enjoy listening to them both. This comparison stuff is idiotic. But I genuinely laugh when people say JK is better than Jimin - because by what measure? Jimin has better songs and has more iconic performances. I guess people could say JK has better vocals but I'm gonna be honest that's highly subjective. It's not like we're dealing with a Beyonce or an Adele here. JK's level of vocals can be found in any SM groups vocalist. I'd say Jimin has the edge with vocal colour and JK's vocals are getting more bland with every passing year (why's his voice on still with you better than anything on golden?) while Jimin's getting better and better with vocal control which was the only area JK had a clear edge over him. Man is coasting by because he's the company favourite and has 11 years of company narrative pitching him as the main character but somehow Jimin's still keeping up with half the tools and half the support.

I suppose JK has a bigger army of femcels who want to f*ck him as fans and loser kpopies are also by his side. Poor Jimin missing out on that demographic of fans - very sad. But JK better hide his girlfriend better in the future because his crazy brood of fans may lose it if he ever decides to get into a public relationship. Ask kth on how quickly your fans turn on you for the cardinal sin of not being single or screwing your bandmate.

Old asks! This one is from August 5th.

Hmm. What to say? I don't like Jungkook's voice. I just don't. I didn't like it in Dynamite, and I don't like it now. When listening to BTS songs I find myself waiting for Jungkook's parts to end. I'm not sure what it is about the quality of his voice that bugs me, but it started long before I lost all respect for him during chapter 2. It feels too forced, maybe? He tries to use power to make up for a lack of emotion? A little too nasal? (Pro tip - address your food sensitivities to clear up your allergic rhinitis). My dream is for someone who is good with Garage Band, or another music app, to put JK and Justin Bieber singing the same notes side by side. I think the difference in quality and tone would be interesting.

I've said this a million times already, but the US is NOT lacking in exceptional singers. This country isn't suffering from a Jungkook deficiency, or a K-pop deficiency for that matter. What made BTS stand out in the first place was their original music and the impressive choreography/performances. Jimin's lovely, clear singing voice (plus the growls) and insane dance skills have always been central to BTS' success. There is definitely a precedent and passion for performers like Jimin, though. We love a good song and dance man!

Based on the few photos I've seen from JK's exhibition in Seoul and the upcoming I am Still, it looks like HYBE is leaning hard into the sex symbol concept. Lots on naked chest and abs. Lots of tatted, pierced bad boy stares. And what else is there? There's no artistry to focus on, unless you're super into his dancing style. I hope that works out for Jungkook and HYBE. Like you said, there's a demographic within the fandom that's completely down with lusting after him. To each her own, I guess.

Jimin will shine no matter what. He has integrity, artistry, sex appeal, and sings with emotion. Don't sweat Jungkook. He'll have his fans, of course, but I don't think he'll ever have the loyal, committed following, let alone the media attention, Jimin naturally attracts. Look no further than the difference in their birthday celebrations in Korea. One is a national holiday, the other is definitely not.

P.S. OMG, I can't wait for Jungkook's girlfriend reveal. A good chunk of the fandom will need psychiatric help.

[broadwaydivastournament]

Movie Musical Divas Tournament: Round 2

Dorothy Dandridge (1922-1965) Carmen Jones (1954) as Carmen Jones | Porgy and Bess (1959) as Bess Dubbed by Adele Adison in Porgy and Bess, and Marilyn Horne in Carmen Jones.

"The second Black actress to be nominated for an Oscar. She worked at the Cotton Club, was married to a Nicholas Brother. Ms. Dandridge did not want to take on the stereotypical roles offered to her at the time, which limited her career due to the racism of the film industry. Nonetheless, the roles she did take on remain incredibly iconic." - anonymous

Moira Shearer (1926-2006): The Red Shoes (1948 - Victoria Page) | The Tales of Hoffmann (1951 - Stella/Beauty/Olympia)* Dubbed by Dorothy Bond.

"A dancer and not a singer (Dorothy Bond sang her vocal parts as Olympia in Tales of Hoffmann!), but what a dancer she was! Her films with Powell and Pressburger are all incredible. She's the technicolor ballerina of my dreams and she is not nearly as recognised as she should be. I'm linking my personal favourite of her numbers: Olympia in Tales of Hoffmann! Automata ballets are the coolest." - anonymous

This is Round 2 of the Movie Musical Divas tournament. Additional polls in this round may be found by searching #mmround2, or by clicking the link below. Add your propaganda and support by reblogging this post.

ADDITIONAL PROPAGANDA AND MEDIA UNDER CUT: ALL POLLS HERE

Dorothy Dandridge:

"Dorothy Dandridge is THEEEE iconic musical woman and she DESERVES this." - anonymous

Photos submitted by: @mygreatadventurehasbegun | Video submitted by: anonymous

Moira Shearer:

Photos and video submitted by: anonymous

[switchypanic]

Take all the time you need! You come first. So not to related but with all the music, what kind of music do you think they enjoyed when they were alive? I can see Angel Dust enjoying Sinatra being the icon Italian American crooner (unless I’m wrong and Sinatra only became a thing after the time of Angel’s death)

Just to add a little extra flare, I combined what they would have listened to when alive with what they would listen to now! Also, since we don't know if Vaggie was born an angel or not in the show's canon, I left her out of this.

Angel Dust

→ When he was alive, Angel was a TOTAL SIMP for Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland. Now? He'll still listen to them, sure, especially when he wants to feel nostalgic and closer to home, but he's a TOTAL Kesha and Lana Del Rey fan.

Husk

→ When he was alive, Husk probably would have been a fan of Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles and Creedence Clearwater Revival. He isn't the biggest fan of modern music, but every now and then he'll find something that suits his fancy; he's taken a liking to Hozier specifically as of late.

Alastor

→ When he was alive, Alastor was a big fan of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong (ONE thing he has in common with Husk). While he states he despises modern music, Angel exposed him to Adele, and now you can catch him listening to her on occasion (he also becomes a pretty big fan of Michael Bublé).

Nifty

→ When she was alive, Nifty was ABSOLUTELY an Elvis Presley girl, okay? And when she gets introduced to MODERN music, you can bet she will latch onto any boy band she can get her hands on. I can also see her being a fan of Melanie Martinez.

Sir Pentious

→ When he was alive, there weren't really bands or singers to obsess over, so Pentious likely just listened to classical music. Mozart, Beethoven, stuff like that. At first, he would have been staunchly opposed to listening to any of that "modern noise" as he calls it, but only one Celine Dion song later the man is OBSESSED.

[a-moth-to-the-light]

Most-Listened of February 2024

[last month]

Out of all the releases I've been interested in these past two months, I feel like I've listened to barely any of them :( But I've really, really loved the ones I've gotten around to checking out, so I've been having a great couple months of music anyway! My music taste is in its seasonal transition--plenty of bleak winter stuff this month, but I've been craving big heartstopping pop anthems, too (G-IDLE's "Revenge" isn't on here, but I've been loving it lately).

1. Ahora y Aquí -- Ramon Mirabet, Bely Basarte

So I keep saying I'm tired of the 80s-inspired synthpop trend that's taken over our post-"Blinding Lights" world, but here I am with this at the top of my list. No but this one's DIFFERENT, SHE'S NOT LIKE OTHER SYNTHPOP. As with most tracks blessed by Bely Basarte, the vocals are what elevates this for me--they're unexpectedly gritty for a sleek pop track like this, and when both singers let it all out in that last chorus, I understand what it means to go feral. It has all the uncontrolled chaos of a real dance party, and I love it!!

2. Lejos -- Andrea Santiago

This is a pretty by-the-numbers Andrea Santiago song, but even the most average of her music is a world of its own to escape into. I'm not sure how to feel about this new album--something feels really off about the production--but "Lejos" is absolutely hypnotizing! Definitely going to be bringing this one out at karaoke sometime, because it's exactly my type of angst (and the chorus jumps are SOOO fun to sing???).

3. Turning Tables -- Adele

I sulked to this song all month, and I don't regret a minute of it.

4. Goodbye, My Danish Sweetheart -- Mitski

Do I win sapphic points for having Mitski in the top 5?

5. Is It Over Now? (Taylor's Version) -- Taylor Swift

LETS FAST FOWARD TWO THREE HUNDRED TAKEOUT COFFEES LATER !!!!!! Yeah I'm completely obsessed with that line. Taylor Swift always releases songs that are just SO fun to sing along to, so I'm running around my apartment like YOU SEARCH IN EVERY MODEL'S BED FOR SOMETHING GREATER, BABY !!!! This song is such an off-balance mix of humor and agony, so like I don't really understand it but I can't take my eyes off it. And that intro is GORGEOUS.

6. Easy -- Le Sserafim

I didn't get the hype for "Perfect Night", so I didn't particularly care either way about this comeback--until I heard it. And oh my god "Easy" got me on first listen. ("Smart" has been working its way up my On Repeat playlist, too.) Le Sserafim stole all my new-release energy this month, but my appreciation for "Easy" still hasn't died out. A silky-smooth song like this is perfect for my mood right now--their delivery is so casually confident, contagious enough that I can't help but feel stronger when I listen to it; but it's not so energetic that my poor gloomy winter-brain is overwhelmed. The production is really crisp, too, complimenting the vocals well and making for some really iconic moments. And yes i'm aware this is gg "Sticker". I still can't listen to "Sticker" (it gives me a headache), but this version isn't too annoying for me, I guess?

7. Unstoppable -- Sia

I actually don't have a real explanation for this one? I remembered this song existed mid-month (after having forgotten about it since 2016), had a crisis with it as a soundtrack, and now it's in the playlists.

8. Roaring 20s -- Panic! At The Disco

Burnout anthem?? Burnout anthem.

9. Outta My Head -- Jeon Somi

My commentary on every Somi song ever is just "Somi sing so pretty SQUEEEEEEEE". So, that's my review for "Outta My Head". I don't know if people still like this one, but my love for it hasn't died since "Birthday" era!

10. Budget (feat. Latto) -- Megan Thee Stallion, Latto

@shyreol got me with her Megan Thee Stallion agenda! I don't think I'd ever cared for a Megan Thee Stallion song before this year, but "Ungrateful" and "Budget" have me HOOKED.

11. Now That We Don't Talk (Taylor's Version) -- Taylor Swift

I don't know, I just really like it when the title drop goes BOOM !!

NOW THAT. WE DON'T. TALK.

12. Tinnitus (Wanna be a rock) -- TXT

WHOOOOO AFROBEATS !!!

13. There Will Be Tears -- Faux Paz

Faux Paz is back for round two on my 2024 monthly lists! They're my favorite holdover from my acappella days--their arrangements always hit hard, and there's something about the really gloomy, and also cathartic, acceptance in the phrase "there will be tears" when its repeated by this giant wall of voices? It really gets me. This isn't my favorite Faux Paz cover, but it's a song I can't look away from.

14. Escape Room -- fromis_9

I'm a gg stan, so this was going to show up on here eventually. Next up, Chung Ha's "Roller Coaster" ?

15. Hold The Girl -- Rina Sawayama

Stole this rec from @nayeonline a while ago (thank you for sharing!!), and it really hit this month :) This song goes all out with the angst, and Rina Sawayama has more than enough vocal power to do it justice!

Five-Star Songs (& Albums) This Month:

Ahora y Aquí -- Ramon Mirabet, Bely Basarte (bely basarte is two-for-two in 2024's five-star songs lists, and wow is it deserved)

DNA -- Yena (i have no idea what about this song makes it so perfect for me, but i love it 100x more than "good morning" for some reason?? it just hits SO hard)

Pirate Radio* -- Jean Dawson (okay i'm actually not a huge fan of dawson's voice, but this instrumental is too wonderful to leave off the list. i watched & enjoyed school spirits on netflix this month, and this is by far my favorite from the soundtrack! string instruments make my heart go BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ and this song is just a delightful confection of them !!)

Vision -- G-IDLE (a sixth star added for that layering where someone's murmuring underneath the whispery vocals in the chorus??????? like it should NOT sound as good as it does but here we are ?????)

Prenderle Fuego a Todo -- Andrea Santiago (i want to start including albums on here, mostly to get myself to listen to more albums all the way through! i've been obsessed with a few songs from this album for years now, but i finally listened to the whole thing this month--and it's even more wonderful as a complete set. the CLOSING SONG ?? I CAN'T BELIEVE I'VE SPENT YEARS OF MY LIFE IGNORING IT. when i'm listening to andrea santiago's music, i see the world with completely new eyes, and this album captures that wanderlust, an emotion i've actually never felt without help from music, even in its slow moments.)

[the-eclectic-wonderer]

when you get this you have to answer with 5 of ur fav songs and then tag your mutuals to do the same :) (no pressure <3)

Thank you to @valentinaonthemoon for the tag, check out her amazing song list here (and check out her blog in general, she's amazing herself!)

Into the Groove - Madonna [ youtube | spotify ] TBH the entire Celebration album could fit here, they're all iconic songs from a legend of music, but Into the Groove really gets me in the mood to dance. It also reminds me of the music in the original Ace Attorney trilogy, which is a fun perk.

De Selby (Part 2) - Hozier [ youtube | spotify ] The Irish man has done it again, folks. I've been listening to Unreal Unearth way too much since it came out, and it's a magical experience every time. Once again, the entire album could fit here - De Selby (Part 2) wins the race thanks to its spectacular bass line.

Our Day Will Come - Julie London [ youtube | spotify ] I'm a big jazz fan, and Julie is my absolute favourite jazz singer (which is no surprise, given my adoration and admiration for contralto voices). This one in particular makes me feel like I'm laying on a tropical beach and watching the sun set over the sea. (Also, how lgbtq are the lyrics? This is a queer joy anthem to me).

Strangers by Nature - Adele [ youtube | spotify ] My absolute favourite from her latest album, 30. That beautiful moment when the "chorus" begins gives me chills everytime. Whenever I happen upon this song I have to stop whatever I'm doing and just listen to it - it takes me to another world entirely. This is what falling in love sounds like to me.

Ride Home - Ben&Ben [ youtube | spotify ] This is one of the most recent additions to my music library! I happened upon it while building a playlist for a road trip and loved it immediately. It's sweet, energetic, and fit to be sung at the top of my lungs during a car ride - basically everything I look for in a song.

And this is five songs already?!? Oh, dear, I was set to go on for a while more! Thanks again @valentinaonthemoon for tagging me, this was really fun!

I don't normally tag anyone specifically in this kind of post, but this time around I'd like to know what @hecatesbroom, @hershellaytonlovespuzzles, and @myreignoveryou are listening to (if you'd like to have a go at it, of course!). And anyone else who wants to share their favourite songs - use this post as a free tag to do it!

[hiphopvibe1]

Adele reveals that she’s engaged to Rich Paul while performing at Germany concert [VIDEO]

Adele, the iconic British singer and international superstar, has officially confirmed her engagement to sports agent Rich Paul, marking a significant milestone in their three-year relationship. The news broke during Adele’s concert in Munich on Friday, August 9, when she candidly revealed her engagement to an enthusiastic audience. The moment came as Adele responded to a fan who proposed…

[dutifarandula]

Adele says she will take a 'big break' from music

[x--daughters-of-darkness--x]

WITHIN TEMPTATION's SHARON DEN ADEL: What I Learned While Supporting IRON MAIDEN On Tour

In a new interview with Canada's The Metal Voice, WITHIN TEMPTATION singer Sharon Den Adel was asked to name something she learned when her band supported IRON MAIDEN on the fall 2022 North American leg of the "Legacy Of The Beast" tour. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, they've been around since we were kids. [We were], of course, inspired by IRON MAIDEN, but also bands like them because IRON MAIDEN was also a band that we love to listen to. And the biggest compliment [was] being asked to go on tour with them in America because we do well in America and in Canada, but they do quite different venues than we do normally, of course… So it was, for us, a compliment to be with them and to go on tour with them. But what I learned mostly is their love for music."

She continued: "I hope to be like [IRON MAIDEN bassist and founder] Steve Harris when I'm his age or older, still loving music so much. He breathes it, he eats it, he speaks it. He's constantly busy with music. And every show that we played on stage during that tour for three weeks, he was every time behind our gear looking at our show, and he apparently does that with all the support acts because I think he picks them. And so [if] he really likes a band, then he asks them on tour. And he loves to see, I think, also the interaction of being a little bit thrown to the wolves, or the lions, whatever you wanna say. [Laughs] It's, like, okay, you have to convince an audience that is only there for IRON MAIDEN, to convince them that you are worthy to be their support act. And it is a nice chance. I love that underdog position myself as well because you have to reinvent yourself, just feeling the atmosphere of the venue, like, 'Okay, what's what's the mood? What's happened just recently here?' and just being prepared before you go on stage. 'Okay, I'm in this city, and this happened just now. What am I gonna say to people? How am I gonna get them on our side as well? How am I gonna win their hearts?' And that's the struggle, which is always very cool to have as you're opening up for such an iconic band as IRON MAIDEN, of course. And I think [Steve] loves us to see that."

[allthedesiredusernamesaretaken]

📷 Annie Leibovitz

Happy birthday to the iconic singer-songwriter

[black-arcana]

"Oh my god, there was so much talk: ‘I bet there’s a real rivalry going on!'" How Within Temptation and Tarja Turunen formed the ultimate symphonic metal tag team for blockbuster single Paradise (What About Us?)

Two symphonic metal icons united for this powerhouse 2013 single. Sharon and Tarja tell us how it all came together

(Image credit: Press)

When Within Temptation and Nightwish released their debut albums in 1997, there wasn’t a name for the kind of music they made. Within Temptation’s Enter, released in April, took obvious influence from gothic metal bands like Paradise Lost, but its grandiose, elegiac compositions and symphonic undertones hinted at the direction the band would eventually take. Conversely, Nightwish’s Angels Fall First, released in November, approached metal from a different direction, drawing more directly and heavily on folk and classical music. Ultimately, both bands would spearhead the symphonic metal movement of the early 2000s. But, anchored as it was around two charismatic women – Sharon den Adel and Tarja Turunen respectively – history tells us surely there must have been some rivalry. Symphonic metal’s answer to Blur vs Oasis perhaps, or Mustaine vs Metallica?

"You look so beautiful, Sharon!” beams Tarja, as her counterpart joins a Zoom call. Erm... maybe not then.

Hammer is speaking to both vocalists more than a decade on from their collaboration on the Within Temptation song Paradise (What About Us?), the lead single from 2014’s Hydra. As soon as Sharon joins, any notion of tension is quashed. Tarja’s expressive face lights up and the pair chat animatedly.

There’s a clear camaraderie between them as they joke and discuss new developments. Which raises the question, was the ‘rivalry’ just a load of bollocks?

“Oh my God! There was so much talk, like, ‘I bet there’s a real rivalry going on between you and Sharon’,” Tarja says, hissing like a cat to illustrate her point. “I was just very happy to see more girls singing in bands. It made me feel really proud of the movement. I still am!”

“We didn’t even really become aware of the idea of ‘symphonic metal’ until later when journalists started giving it a name,” Sharon admits. “I don’t think there was much overlap between Nightwish and Within Temptation. The music was very different but because there were some similarities, people had to give it a name!”

Those similarities were enough to turn Within Temptation and Nightwish into leaders of the burgeoning symphonic metal movement, however. Sharon and Tarja were soon upheld as inspirations for a subsequent wave of symphonically inclined artists that included Epica, Leaves’ Eyes and Delain, dispelling the notion of metal as a boys’ club.

“We often felt like the strange duck on the festival bill because there was a woman in the band where most bands had male singers,” Sharon says. “Plus, I wasn’t really from the scene when I started out – I was a big grunge girl!”

“I started out in classical music so I was a complete weirdo in metal, too!” Tarja chimes in. “Though I never let that experience bother me. I felt the embrace of the crowd, but also our colleagues were really nice, so I never needed to grow balls. Although, maybe I got used to it, because I had two brothers at home and was the only girl in my primary class. Six years with nothing but boys! Urgh!”

Although separated by more than 2,000 kilometres, it wasn’t long before the pair became aware of each other’s work.

“When I first heard Within Temptation, I was like, ‘This woman has such an angelic voice’,” recalls Tarja. “We must’ve still been working on that first Nightwish record, so I’ve been aware of them from the very beginning, really!”

“The first time I became aware of Nightwish, we played a festival together,” says Sharon. “People were really excited about the band so we went to see them. We were blown away by Tarja’s presence onstage. It was so powerful... so diva!”

However, the bands’ chances to cross paths proved surprisingly few and far between. By the end of the 2000s, Within Temptation were undeniably still symphonic metal scene leaders. They’d also grown tired of the tag. Both 2004’s The Silent Force and 2007’s The Heart Of Everything had topped the charts in their native Netherlands – as well as charting internationally – but the group were getting increasingly itchy about where they could go next. 2011’s The Unforgiving was a sprawling, multimedia concept record that saw the band incorporate more pop influence into their music. Now the pressure was on to reinvent themselves again.

“Hydra was our most difficult album,” Sharon acknowledges. “We were very much searching for direction, because we’d already achieved our biggest sound. So it wasn’t like we could go much bigger than that, particularly in terms of symphonics. We were searching for a way to evolve and take inspiration from something new.”

It was an exciting time, but the creative tumult meant some ideas almost got scrapped entirely.

“Paradise (What About Us?) was one of the few more typical Within Temptation songs on that album, but that whole record took a lot of searching,” Sharon remembers. “I actually wrote it with our keyboardist, Martijn [Spierenburg], and when I first looked back on it I was like, ‘Urgh, this is too much!’ It was Robert [Westerholt, guitars and Sharon’s husband] who insisted it was really good, and he wrote the song’s main riff. I had originally written it with just lines on the piano, but he added a whole different flavour to it that really worked. Otherwise Paradise might’ve ended up in the waste bin!”

During the writing process for the record, Within Temptation decided to reach out to a number of guest vocalists, feeling they could add unique flavours to the music. They signed up former Killswitch Engage vocalist Howard Jones, Soul Asylum’s Dave Pirner and even rapper Xzibit, but by far their biggest coup was enlisting Tarja to sing on lead single Paradise (What About Us)?.

“There were two reasons we wanted Tarja for Paradise,” Sharon admits. “Not only for her voice – we felt like she could really add something – but also because in a more literal sense we figured it would be paradise for the fans! Ha ha ha!”

As it turned out, Tarja was delighted by the opportunity. She’d been trying to catch up with Sharon over the years, but their schedules had never aligned. Now they were working together, they could connect properly.

“It felt like I’d known her forever,” Tarja says happily. “I kind of felt that connection even before we met; Sharon must have gone through so many similar things to myself. We could recognise each other.”

Although they were bonding, there was still a distance between Tarja and Sharon – physically, at least. Tarja provided her vocals remotely from a studio in Buenos Aires, where she was living with her husband and infant daughter.

“I was bubbling with the joy of being a new mother and my family travelled with me everywhere, even to the studio when I recorded [2013 album] Colours In The Dark,” Tarja says. “I’d faced a lot of challenges of my own; I wasn’t really trusting in my abilities as a songwriter, for example. Paradise helped me so much, because it was so nice to even be asked about something like that. I think I had been waiting – without knowing – for something big to really happen. I didn’t doubt for a millisecond that this collaboration would be special!”

As it turned out, the distance also helped Tarja interpret the song, and gave her a bit of breathing room to work on ideas.

“I was really nervous!” she admits. “I think if Sharon and the guys had been next to me, that would have been something completely different. Because I was somewhere else, I could get into the song in my own way.”

“That’s also beautiful, because it means Tarja’s meaning for the song became its own thing,” Sharon adds. “For me, the song was about how we never learn from our mistakes as human beings. Because it’s such a big and cinematic song, Tarja’s voice added that enormity to it. She’s the empress!”

Released on September 27 2013, Paradise (What About Us?) finally united two of symphonic metal’s leading ladies. Predictably, the response was ecstatic from critics and fans alike, and to date the song has amassed more than 30 million streams on Spotify, as well as more than 100 million on YouTube. In turn, when its parent album, Hydra, was released on February 4, it quickly became Within Temptation’s most successful release to date, topping the charts at home in the Netherlands while landing a Top 10 position in the UK (No.6) and Top 20 in the US (No.16).

More than a decade on from its release, Paradise (What About Us?) feels like the moment Within Temptation drew a line under everything that had come before, saluting the original leading lights of symphonic metal while also elevating them beyond the genre and into arena-conquering territory.

“Doing a song together, when nobody expected it, was so positive on every level,” Sharon says. “We still have this connection after all these years, and our friendship has only grown from that point.”

“It gave me a new friend in my life,” agrees Tarja. “It’s a song of friendship to me. I’m so happy we could bring people joy and love by working on this together.”

Within Temptation's latest album Bleed Out is out now. The band tour the UK with Tarja Turunen in support this month

[danielg13]

Hi am Daniel G.meskel. I wanna tell you about me. I am from northern Ethiopia, Tigray region. And i am a second year student of Information Science in Mekelle university.

This is my first vlog exprience and my aim in near future is to graduate and work by the field that i'm learning.

I love listening music. And i'm a huge fan of Adele and Mahlet G.giorgis from my country. And from boy singers i love to listen Bob Marley and Abrham G.medhin singing.

I love(my hobby is) playing football, And i'm a huge fun of Barcelona and Manchester United.

Messi is the iconic player that i love watching him playing.(sorry for my grammer)

I don't have words to explain the feeling that i felt when Messi won the #Qatar world cup 2022(maybe the happiest day of my life).

And in Ethiopia(tigray), they are a lot of historical and holistic places that make you feel entertained. And i got the chance to go visit #Gerealta abune yemaita "gedam". It was a beautiful place to watch. I recommend you seeing it.

That is all for today. #CIAO#

[alarrytale]

Talking about H being a potentional new icon, do you think it’s actually possible? We live in a really fast times when nobody really cares about who was No 1. 20-30 years ago. H might has a potentional and he’s Sony’s current golden goose but there’s still huge risk that in 5-10 years there will be a new generation of male singers (and more than possibly not gay) and one of them will overshine H. So you think Sony might as well dump him and move on to someone else?

And also taking about HL, do you think Sony can still put a pressure on H to break up with Louis? Or he’s not a thread anymore because of bbg and so they let H live his private life whatever it is as long as he’s closeted and keeping his real long term relationship secret?

Hi, anon!

I'm not sure about the icon status. It depends. I think it's hard these days to become an icon if you're only good at one thing. Icons of the past has often been either exceptionally talented and unique or multitalented/multidisciplined, so i think that's why H is branching out to movies, fashion, beauty brands etc. He isn't on Bob Dylan level with his lyrics and he isn't on Adele level with his voice. So he needs to be accomplished in several fields. Like Elvis, Bowie or Cher.

I agree with you that the competition is rife and artists are fighting for the gps attention. As long as H keep doing the numbers he is and being a household name, and keeping and growing his fanbase i think he'll be very desireable for labels. I do think he'll struggle with becoming an icon, but that's more to do with him stunting an cheating his way to the top. I don't think history will treat people who've participated in PR relationships kindly. If you're talented enough you'll make it on merit alone. I also think his lack of social media presence, bad associations and lack of relatability will hinder him in becoming an icon. Times are different now. Anyone can be cancelled in the blink of an eye.

I do think Sony will try to milk H as long as possible and they need him straight, available and to be able to control him in order for his career to grow (their words not mine...). So i think they'll continue to beard him up and control L through bg. Sony can't actually stop H and L from being in a relationship, but it's a major inconvenience for them and probably cost them a lot of money.

[kickmag]

Fender Honors Raphael Saadiq By Naming Guitar After Him

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation honored Raphael Saadiq today with a limited edition Telecaster carrying his name. The singer, songwriter, musician, and producer has been innovating R&B music for more than three decades as a member of Tony! Toni! Tony! and as a solo artist. Saadiq has collaborated with D'Angelo, Mary J. Blige, Beyoncé, Whitney Houston, Adele, Stevie Wonder and many more. His Lucy Pearl supergroup with Dawn Robinson, Joi, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad was a brief but unforgettable music moment of the late '90s and early 2000s. 

The Raphael Saadiq Limited Edition Telecaster has a '59 "C" shaped neck, shiny red metallic finish, and a psychedelic custom-tooled pickguard inspired by his Instant Vintage album. The chrome hardware and black headstock add to the guitar's striking appearance. Saadiq was impressed with the instrument and shared his feelings in a press statement. 

"Fender truly went hard in the paint with my signature Tele. It goes beyond the richness and snap I love to play with. Thanks to mentors like the incomparable Tony Maiden, Prince, and Ray Parker Jr., Eric Gales, Rob Fonksta Bacon, I've learned to play the Telecaster to amplify sound like no other. Collaborating with the iconic Fender brand to introduce my own signature Telecaster is a great honor. I'm excited for young musicians to pick up this guitar, write with it, and take the stage with confidence."

Saadiq is the latest artist to be honored through the Fender Artist Signature Series. Go to Fender.com to find a retail partner in your area.