#i love ballrooms of mars so much its so gorgeous

[thedancingsoldier]

My Top Songs of The First Half of 2019

⚠️Long Post⚠️

⚠️The Songs I’m writing about we’re more than likely not in the top 40 on the music charts (some might have)⚠️

1. Jax Jones & Years & Years: Play

A lot of these songs I fell in love with on the first listen. This song was one of them. It’s very generic pop with a tropical house beat that’s, for me, very hypnotizing. The song talks about someone falling in love with someone else over song that their dancing to. It’s very, love at first sight. But it works. And the cartoon that goes with this song is so cute!

2. Charity: Millenials

Even though this song was released in October of 2018, I first heard this song in January of this year (thanks Spotify). This song struck a chord with me, with it being so relatable. The songwriter talks all about the struggles millennials are going through and basically telling us we are not alone. All of this over a R&B/ Gospel beat that’s the glue of the whole song. I won’t tell my whole story of what I’m dealing with right now, but this song is basically tells about 70% of my story.

3. Judy Garland: Come Rain Or Come Shine

This song is one of many songs that was released before 2006 that I have’nt heard about until this year. I love it when little gems like this song is revealed to me an any way. This song was revealed to me via RuPauls Drag Race All Stars Season 4 the makeover challenge. The whole episode was Judy Garland themed. I thought I was cultured until I saw that episode and I was like, “I know nothing about Judy Garland.” This song is just one of many thing I’m learning in the way to being the ultimate scholar in LGBTQIA+ history. This song is very quiet in the beginning but the build-up is to die for! It’s like marriage vows, “I’m gonna love you come rain or come shine.” The song says. It’s basically someone’s marriage vows. The trumpets bellowing in the background is the cherry on top and the orchestra itself, is everything. If you know what I’m talking about, thank you Naomi Smalls for introducing this song and immortalizing this song for me and millennials everywhere who just found out about the song when you did an epic lip-sync performance to this amazing song.

4. John Legend: Preach

This song is truly EVERYTHING. Over a slow-tempo pop ballad instrumental, the lyrics tell a story. He talks about, he can’t just preach. Preaching is not enough, there has to be more he can do, to help the problems that this country is facing. With so many shootings happening across the US, there has to be more we can do. I love this song so much. The meaning is so heartfelt and genuine and John Legend just comes through shining and being motivational. I highly suggest this song if you are looking for new songs to listen to. It’s universal, it’s for everyone.

5. Jonas Brothers: Sucker

This song is catchy. It’s everything I love about the Jonas brothers and their recent release of music after their hiatus. It’s a perfect mix of DNCE (Joe Jonas and friends) and Nick Jonas’s style of music. It’s very Alternative rock and generic pop fused together. The lyrics talk about their wives (all of the Jonas brothers are married), and basically being so in love with them that their own personal rules, they break them, for them, because they’re so in love. It also helps that my foot can’t stop moving when I hear this song 😅

6. Kehlani: Buttlerfly

This song is soft and inspiring at the same time. Over a soft R&B/Soul vocals and beat that don’t come in until the second chorus, the lyrics talk speak about a metaphor. Comparing the butterfly, to the feeling you feel your stomach when you’re in love with someone, to finally expressing that love to that special someone. It doesn’t help that the outer of the song is exposing how Kehlani understands this feeling when it comes to virgos and how they process this. It’s chill, slow and the vibe is top notch.

7. Toni Braxton: You Mean The World To Me

This song was released in 1993 but I first heard this song this year as well. I was curious one day, because I’m a big fan of Toni Braxton, I just pressed shuffle on all of her music one day and this song started playing. I just started smiling from the groove and her voice that seemed to float over the instrumental. And the lyrics are EVERYTHING! To avoid being redundant and rambling on about what this song does to me, let’s just say is just wedding vows being recited in the best way possible with Toni Braxton singing.

8. Dash Berlin & Jonathan Mendelsohn: Locked Out of Heaven

This EDM song was definitely made for the club. And it’s music to my ears! The fact that is a Bruno Mars cover that’s mixed in with a whole beat symphony basically is everything. The beat mixes in tropical house & dubstep so well. Dash Berlin did a great job with this one.

9. Beyoncé: Sorry - Homecoming Live

This song is in the list because of 2 reasons:

1. Beyoncé released her 2 performances she did at Coachella as a fabulous documentary this year and she released lemonade on Spotify this year FINALLY.

2. Beyoncé did a mashup of this song with “Me, Myself, and I” at Coachella which she released on her 1st solo album “Dangerously in Love”.

I love this version even more because the marching band being the bulk of the beat in the back is genius, having a skit in the middle is great little break if you want a laugh and some motivation all at the same time. I don’t have to summarize the song for y’all, but for the 10% of people who don’t know this song: The song describes a lady catching her partner cheating, and the lady herself moving on with no regrets. It’s the perfect f**k you song is you in your feeling about your significant other.

10. T. Murray & Dr. Maya Angelou: 1:19 AM

This song is pure poetry. PURE POETRY. The groovy R&B poetry slam beat in the background is such a vibe against the poetic voice that is T. Murray. This song is very inspiring. The writer talks of her soul flourishing after a break up. And then asking for everyone else to spread love and not hate. It’s so powerful and groovy and the epitome of soul.

11. Leikeli47: Post That

“Hit that pose, take that flick, check your angle, post that s**t.” Instagram models everywhere, this is the song for you! That line is everything, this song is everything. I swear I get my life every single time this song comes on. By the way, be prepared to “Naomi Campbell walk” down the hallway my fellow gays when this comes on 🥰

12. Todrick Hall: Glitter

This song rang in my soul when that chorus came in. This song has a disco remnant in it that just has me lost in time. The lyrics have a metaphor in it comparing glitter to love and basically he wants all the love from that special person. Just like glitter, he wants it all. When this song was released it was February or March of this year when it was released, but I didn’t hear it until pride month when Todrick released a whole ep: Haus Party Pt. 1. The whole album is a bop, but this and 2 other songs stuck out and I can’t enough of them. This song is definitely timeless, to me at least I don’t know about y’all. Y’all have to listen to it to determine your decision of course.

13. Todrick Hall: Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels

Todrick has placed this song in the LGBTQIA+ hall of fame as the LGBTQIA+ anthem of the year basically. This song oozes with fierceness with that house beat and the lyrics are everything, “I don’t dance ,I work, I don’t play, I slay”, is just a taste of the lyrics. Todrick also wanted to make a song where if you couldn’t to the dancfloor fast enough for the first 2 minutes of the song the last minute will definitely have you on the dance floor. He wanted to make a “Get Me Bodied” replica if you will, and he succeeded and then slayed us all. YAS.

14. Todrick Hall: I Like Boys

This is me, this is all me. I already came out, im not coming out again, but if I ever did, I would just play this song, because it’s basically describing me and what I like ☺️ It doesn’t help that beat is infectious and works so well with the lyrics.

15. Diana Ross: Swept Away

I was swept away, if you will, when I heard this song fully for the first time. I heard part of it on “Pose” on FX. During the first season of the show, which highlights the underground ballroom scene in 1980s New York, 2 groups were doing a dance battle and this song was playing in the background. I didn’t notice it that much the first time I watched that scene, but the second time I was enthralled by it. I “shazamed” the song and it was love ever since then. Ms. Diana Ross slayed with this song and the scene in “Pose” immortalized the song for me as well. The song has this infectious 80s Pop beat in the back and Ms. Ross’s voice just floats over the beat. It’s entrancing, really.

16. Chloe x Halle: who knew (from Grown-ish)

This song is so smoooooth. Chloe and Halle’s voices just floats in this song so well! When I first heard this song I was in a trance listening to this song, just swaying back and forth. Ugh! It’s so good! The beat is a mix of R&B/Soul and African drums, but slow. The lyrics talk about a girl unknowingly falling in love with another person. It talks of fate bringing the 2 people together.

17. Sabrina Carpenter: In My Bed

This song got me by its beat in the chorus, and then the lyrics got me as well. The beat is a good mellow pop beat to start and then it picks up but mellows out even more during the chorus. It’s so chill but so powerful and relatable as well. The lyrics talks of a situation that gets stuck in your head and when you wake up your still thinking about it and your blowing it out of proportion at the same time. It could be a positive or a negative situation, either way she’s still still blowing it up to a size that it’s not meant be. It’s so relatable because I do that so many times and I’m sure a lot of other people do too.

18. Lebo M.: He Lives In You

To be honest I have heard this song before, but this is the first time I’ve heard it in the Zulu language. This song is absolutely gorgeous, powerful, chilling, and goosebump-making. The fact that Lebo M. decided to remake this song in Zulu, is amazing in so many ways. I want to thank Lebo for remaking this in a native African language, and for having The Lion King full of pan-African languages and references. It’s so powerful that Lebo decided to bring this song to life again and make even more inspiring in 2019. This song I recommended that everyone listen to.

19. Jade Novah: Show Out

I didn’t even know this song existed and I’ve been listening to Jade Novah for 3 years now including obsessing over her debut album last year. This is song is so underrated, and I use that word very loosely. This one is truly underrated. It’s melody and core of the song is a circus-inspired string of notes and over that is a hip-hop that’s infused to perfection over that. The lyrics are no-less than perfection. It’s inspiring using the circus to say show us what you got that’s so awesome. It’s telling you to show out. To show the world what is so special about you, what makes you different. I’m still obsessing over this song. And probably will forever obsess over this song.

20. Beyoncé: BIGGER

The fact that Beyoncé released a lion king inspired album and put a bunch of voice-overs from The Lion King itself in between songs to introduce the next song is absolute perfection. And she has African influences all over this album. Furthermore, this song is no-less than perfection and African inspired. The intro that came before is perfect for the introduction of this song, and this is the first song on the album. And it’s the perfect 1st song on an album like this. It’s powerful, chilling and, inspirational. The beat first and foremost, has African drums in it, which is appropriate. Over the drums is Beyoncé vocalizing in the background and a orchestra that melds so beautifully together to create this masterpiece. “Life is your birthright, they hid that in the fine print. Take the pen and rewrite it.” EVERYTHING. The lyrics seem personal to Beyoncé but also relatable to our lives as well. I almost cried listening to this song for the first time. This song could save a few lives. I’m so serious, this song could save lives. “You are a part of something way bigger.” And we are. Our lives, our problems are nothing compared to what’s happening around us, and our world. Look past, from what you see in the mirror. Look outside up in the sky, the universe, that’s you, the Stars, that’s you too. That’s us, all of us. We are all meant to do big things. Step outside of your little box and thing bigger. You might be surprised what you find out.

Even though some of these song I said already I recommend you listen to, all of these songs are worthy of at least one listen. Some of these a couple of listens. Well that was my top 20 songs of the first half of 2019. There’s so many songs I was unable to just strip it down to 20 songs of the whole year. Plus 40 songs at one time, is way too long. So, enjoy, and remember to always:

Eat

Slay

Live

Love

Laugh

&

Repeat.

💞💞💞