#movie popsters

[vireeza09]

I was excited to start 2023 because of the line up of concerts. I love to travel, but being a mom with a toddler, I kinda feel like it’s so much hassle. And so what I do to unwind and enjoy - I go to concerts. I love music. It’s about 2 hours of entertainment singing along to your favorite artists - live! :D

First up in January - NeYo. I was supposed to go with my cousin, however she had to attend to personal issues and so I went with my friend Jay. Can’t help but sing and groove to the R&B hits, the Classic Classics,as NeYo put it. But tell you what, the crowd went ecstatic when he also sang songs that’s not his, but those that he composed himself. What a talent, NeYo!

February - The Legendary Backstreet Boys!!!

Watched my childhood right there. They may have aged, but they definitely still have the move and the voice and the voice we loved way back. Almost 30 years of BSB. I feel so old! 😆

Fangirl mode on especially when Nick sings solo. 🤣

An epic night with my fellow Batang 90s, my cousin Jed and friend Jay.

May - The Pop Princess Sarah G!

I’m not really a Popster - as what fans call themselves, but I like Sarah. Went to her 20th Anniversary concert with my coworkers. We took a half day off. Hahaha. She’s not named the Pop Princess for no reason. She’s so good and I admire her humility. 😊

August - Alanis Morissette

One of my faves! Been listening to Alanis for a long while. I was even more amazed watching her live. She was a total perfomer. Amazed by her high notes and head bangs, and was so amused by her “ikot-ikot” moments. Hahaha 😂 My cousin and I’s 90s hearts are totally happy! This concert will always be memorable because it was a treat from someone special. Thank you! 🥰❤️

August - Harry Potter in Concert: HP and the Chamber of Secrets

It’s still a concert so might as well add this, too. 😁

I watched the first installment to this series back before the pandemic, and as a huge Potterhead, I will not miss this for sure. Still a whole different experience watching this with a live orchestra. My HP heart’s so so happy! 🥰

October - Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

So even if this isn’t the real deal, and it’s just a “movie concert” I still added this because why not?! 😂

Watching the movie, I completely understood why she can’t have her concert here in the Philippines. We really do not have a huge venue to accommodate her masterpiece of a concert. Been a fan since her first album, though I somehow wasn’t able to follow through her most recent ones, I still know some of her songs. I brought my daughter with me when we watched, and oh my - now, she already knows her songs just by listening to them! I now have a future concert buddy. 🥹❤️

October - The Corrs

Another band I grew up singing to their songs. I remember watching their tours when I was in grade school. It was pirated CDs then (don’t judge! Uso yun dati Hahaha 😜) And even after 20+ years, they’re still all sooo good! Like they didn’t age a bit! Jim on Keyboards, Caroline on Drums (damn! Ang angas parin!), Sharon on Violin (iba din talaga! chill na chill lang) and the one and only Andrea on Flute and Lead Vocals (urgh! Only got better through the years🥰)

A bit sad that they did not sing some of my faves, (All the Love in the World, At Your Side, Irresistible) but still had fun for the first concert I went solo 😁

Was surrounded by Titos and Titas singing along to the hits back then. 90s, Baby! 😉❤️

That rounds up my 2023 Concerts! Thank you, 2023!

To more and more concerts in 2024 🙏🏻🤞🏻

Excited for January because Coldplay is first up! 🥹❤️

[movie--posters]

[artofthechristianninja]

Can You Guess the Movie from the Terrible Poster? (Weird Wednesday!)

These are some of the best worst movie posters you will ever see! Can you guess which movie it is if the title is blurred out? I promise you'll be stumped by some of them!

New, Funny YouTube Video! These are some of the best worst movie posters you will ever see! Can you guess which movie it is if the title is blurred out? I promise you’ll be stumped by some of them! This segment was recorded during one of my Weird Wednesday Livestreams where I find and share some of the craziest stuff on the internet. You should join us! Livestreams:…

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Saturday, December 18th

SPIKE: I hope it's just dirt you're after. If the spell calls for anything more than that, you're into zombie territory & that's bad news. DAWN: Spike, I wasn't... SPIKE: I know good & well what you're up to. That book you've got is infamous. DAWN: Please, don't tell Buffy, I just... I have to get her back. I have to... SPIKE: Not gonna tell, Little Bit. I'm gonna help.

~~Forever~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

The Nature of Vengeance (Anya/Buffy, T) by kitkatt0430

When it Rains... (Buffy & Dawn, Marvel movies crossover, G) by pprfaith

scheherazade (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by Trevino

[Chaptered Fiction]

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Shadowed Suspicion, Chapter 227 (Ensemble, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure crossover, T) by madimpossibledreamer

The First Months, Chapters 1-3 (complete) (Buffy/Giles, E) by rip24

Change of Hearts, Chapters 1-5 (complete) (Drusilla/Spike, Doctor Who crossover, T) by MercurialMagpie

Bring Out Your Dead, Chapter 18 (Dawn, Silmarillion crossover, T) by Grundy

The path to redemption, Chapter 86 (Scoobies, T) by Aragorn_II_Elessar

Shadow Over Hellmouth, Chapter 46 (Buffy/Tara, E) by Tuxedo_Mark

144 Days Chapter 93 (Buffy/Spike, T) by violettathepiratequeen

Slayers and Trollhunters, Chapter 38 (Scoobies, Tales of Arcadia crossover, T) by Starfox5

Yvette, the Vampire Slayer - Arc 2, Chapter 32 (OC Slayer, Castlevania crossover, G) by TheSovereigntyofReality

Athena Luthor - Vampire Slayer, Kinda, Chapter 16 (Buffy/Clark Kent, Smallville crossover, not rated) by Hermione2be

Marmelade Skies, Chapter 16 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Popsy

You Can't Fight Fate - But You Can Decipher Him, Chapter 20 (Dawn, Batman crossover, not rated) by Hermione2be

Buffy's Father Chapter 62 (Ensemble, Stargate SG-1 crossover, T) by Vidicon666

Stolen Moments, Chapter 4 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Feanix88

Changes, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Jws1993

You Can't Fight Fate - But You Can Bitch About Him, Chapter 36 (Buffy, Young Justice/DCU crossover, FR13) by Hermione2be

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork: Spike - Original illustration (worksafe) by ZirconaWorks

Artwork: Spuffy comics incorrect quote song lyrics lockscreens (worksafe) by demolitiondarla

Artwork: Spike (worksafe) by sunnyhellcalifornia

Artwork: BTVS “Every Outfit” “the Pack” part 1 (worksafe) by whatshisfaceblogs

Fanvid: spike & buffy - paradise by edensraven

Fanvid: Westwood: A Buffy the Vampire Slayer Fanfiction Intro by Elizabeth Johnson

Fanvid: Faith Lehane - The Dark Slayer (Bad Reputation) by Popster Poppy

Fanvid: Buffy & Dracula || Undisclosed Desires by xXVenomsGloryXx

Fanvid: Faith: The Vampire Slayer by Elizabeth Johnson

Fanvid: Buffy & Angelus - Scare Me To Death by Diego Vega

Fanvid: Buffy & Angel / The only way is up by darkswordfish7xx

Fanvid: spike & buffy - the coast by edensraven

Fanvid: Angel/BTVS || I'll Be Good by moonheartx and rising okami

Video: Buffy the vampire slayer - Walk through the fire (remake) by Philippe Grenier

[Reviews & Recaps]

Buffy: The Last Vampire Slayer by oveliagirlhaditright

S7E15 -Get it Done- by you-were-mythtaken

S7E16 -Storyteller- by you-were-mythtaken

Angel Season 4 is a beautiful mess by sezduck1

Video: Imaginative But Highly Flawed | Buffy The Last Vampire Slayer #1 by Joe's Geek Show

Podcast: 6.4 – "Flooded" by Beep Me Pod

Podcast: Episode 67: Fear, Itself by Myth Taken

Podcast: Gingerbread by Buffy the Vampire Straya

[Recs]

Fanvid rec: Buffy & Spike | From Hate to Love by GossipVal1 recced by girl4music

[Community Announcements]

Solstice Free-for-All Announcement! by Seasonal Spuffy

Solstice Free-for-All Announcement! by Seasonal Spuffy

[Fandom Discussions]

Forever is about a lot of things and is also about the limits and constraints and shortcomings and yearnings of the nuclear family structure by chasingfictions

[Buffy and Dawn shifting into their new roles in Forever] by chasingfictions

[Spike just wants to be seen] by chasingfictions

[About Spike helping Dawn in Forever by chasingfictions

[All the times Spike yells at the Ghora demon aren't in the shooting script] by chasingfictions

Buffy headcanons by firemanwhenthefloodsrollback

never gonna stop defending season six by firemanwhenthefloodsrollback

[The overall impact of Buffy Season 4] by girl4music

How Faith conflates being killed by Buffy with being loved by Buffy by herinsectreflection

How ineffectual all the other vampire antagonists have been up to [Spike and Dru] by july-19th-club

The symbolism when it comes to buffy and willow scenes in bedrooms by lqvewillow

The reason that Angel and Spike aren’t with Buffy in “Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer” by oveliagirlhaditright

[Cordelia turning into a Mary Sue and acting too old in AtS S3] by deanscarlett and we-pay-for-everything

How evil is Spike vs Angelus? by cherrycranberries

S5 E1 dracula, is a great insight into buffy's future turmoil by ilily

Angel earned a life, could Willow have done the same? by UmadSummers

Did Buffy know about Connor by depthlikeshallowness

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

Video: Buffy the Vampire Slayer with Steven DeKnight by Bulletproof Screenwriting

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

Join the editor team :)

[hayleysstark]

Broppy and Branch for the ask meme?!

sdgbhytrfgbhgfrdfgbfv yOU ASKED,,,,,,,,,, ABOUT MY OTP,,,,,,,, AND MY LOVELY SASSY SULKY SON,,,,,,,,,,,, I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH,,,,,,, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY,,,,,,,,, TO SCREAM,,,,,,,,,,,

dfggfvbvb okay okay 

When I started shipping it if I did: I kind of knew they’d be endgame from the trailers alone ((Brooding Boy/Gentle Girl trope vibe was STRONG w/ them. like. come on. i saw it coming a hundred goddamn miles away. y’all saw it coming a hundred miles away. King Peppy himself saw it coming a hundred miles away.)) and that was admittedly kind of ://// for me at first but I gave it a shot anyway because hey, the character designs were fun, eighties’ music, which is Objectively the Best Era for Music Ever, don’t fight me on this, and Dreamworks usually puts out cute stuff, so I was like whatever, obvious ship is obvious. i was kinda prepared to hate, i admit, bUT THE SKATING RINK SCENE HAPPENED AND I LOST MY GODDAMN SHIT. LIKE BRANCH???????? RECITING LOVE POETRY AND SMILING AT POPPY?????? VERY GOOD. I’LL TAKE 1000000000+. GIVE ME THAT PINING!BRANCH JUICE ALL DAY EVERY DAY.

My thoughts: fuckin,,,,,,,,,, really adorable, but also so much potential for angst, too??? I also like their friendship just as much as I like their romance, if not more, which is definitely a first for me with a romantic ship. I like that they’re really snarky and sassy and just generally assholes to each other, but also support each other unconditionally and aren’t afraid to be affectionate with each other and look out for each other. I like the balance of the gentler and quieter side to their relationship vs. their constant banter and teasing, and how both are portrayed as genuine ways of showing affection. Would die for the way they bring out the “best” in each other - e.g. Poppy lifts Branch up when he gets too down, but he helps her bring her down to earth when she lets her optimism and imagination run away with her. Love how they’re shown to be complete, unyielding opposites from the outset, and they learn, right alongside the viewer, that this isn’t the case at all. After the first touch of common ground has been established, they become a lot more tolerant of the other, and slowly uncover more and more similarities. Also like that they both get to save each other multiple times. good shit. 

What makes me happy about them: They’re so cute and flirty and bouncy??? and just good in general???? love how well they play off each other whenever they’re put on-screen together.

What makes me sad about them: w h e r e was the mutual pining. w h e r e.  the entire MOVIE was a solid hour and thirty of Branch pining. poppy? the popster??? the goodest girl???? practically nothing. i am a SLUT for mutual pining and i THOUGHT thats what i was signing up for with Trolls, damn it!!!!

Things done in fanfic that annoys me: o o f this fandom is very small, I feel like I’ll be targeting someone specific if I say anything, but I’m seriously not trying to??? I guess I just don’t like,,,,,,,,,, the “Soft Kids” trope some fics do??? like. these fuckers will ruthlessly, mercilessly destroy each other. don’t. don’t take that away from me. aLSO WHERE IS MY MUTUAL PINING A G A I N GOD THEY ARE SO RIPE FOR IT WHY DOES NO ONE BUT ME THINK THAT

Things I look for in fanfic: fhjtrfthfhfgv i,,,,,,, am,,,,,,,,, GARBAGE but any and all fics where Branch is Irreversibly Convinced that Poppy Will Never Love Him and he Does Not Deserve Her and he Must Never Tell Her. Never Let It Show. Conceal Don’t Feel. g o o d s h i t omg. also fics where Poppy falls in love w/ Branch before the film!!!!!!! very extremely good content right there!!!

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: anyone for Poppy, tbh. she is Too Beautiful and could have literally anyone. oh, wait, no, not Smidge. she and Smidge are SISTERS and that is BEAUTIFUL and i will NOT let anyone take their friendship away from me. but yeaH. Queen Poppy could have her pick. she is the biggest catch in Troll Village and you can fight me on that. but tbh Branch,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, it’s Poppy or nothing. who else would want to date this dude anyway. he drinks his own sweat. literally. who would date that guy besides Poppy

My happily ever after for them: give me old-ass Branch and Poppy with wrinkles and streaks of grey in their hair just like,,,,,,, sipping tea by the fire in a cottage by the sea. done with all the adventure. done with all the fighting. all the quests. all of it. give me older Branch and Poppy just. chilling. a quiet life. they deserve it. after all the excitement of their youth, they more than welcome it. Branch more so than Poppy, but Poppy’s kind of an adventure all her own, and life itself is enough for her nowadays.

Who is the big spoon/little spoon: listen,,,,,,,,,,, liSTEN,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,it’s branch. branch is the little spoon. y’all know this. Poppy likes him to be the little spoon because it lets her give him the affection she feels he didn’t get when he was alone and grey. he says he doesn’t need it. says he doesn’t even like it. he does. he really, really does.

What is their favorite non-sexual activity: dancing tbh!!! intimate, but not overly so. 

fhjtrftghbfdfgb im SO SORRY THAT BECAME,,,,,,,,, A GODDAMN NOVEL DHFRGFDFGV ONTO BRANCH!!!!!

How I feel about this character: y’ALL FUCKIN???????? KNOW HOWI FEEL????? WHY YOU DRAGGIN ME LIKE THIS ANON. WHY YOU DRAGGIN ME LIKE THIS. BRANCH IS,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, SUNSHINE,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, IN A PERSON,,,,,, AND I WOULD FIGHT AND DIE FOR HIS RUDE SNARKY GRUMPY PARANOID ANXIOUS ASS.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Just Poppy!!! im a basic bitch

My non-romantic OTP for this character: GIVE ME BRANCH AND GUY DIAMOND BEIN BROS AND JUST BROIN’ IT UP IN BRO TOWN. oooh also really likin Branch and Smidge, Branch and Bridget, and Branch and Gristle as friends, too!!!! Branch and Smidge would bond b/c they’re both tough and touchy and quick to anger, Branch and Bridget because they’re both hopelessly in love with royalty lmao, and Gristle because he’s just. he’s just a fun guy. he’s got a wicked sense of humor, and he’s not as affectionate or demonstrative as a troll, so Branch feels more comfortable around him than some of his own kind. once they get past the ‘one nearly ate the other’ issue ofc r i p 

My unpopular opinion about this character: why does everyone want to fuck him i dont understand

One thing I wish would happen/had happened with this character in canon: can i get some uhhhhhh more info about his family maybe???? also just his past in general like how’d he slip through the cracks so bad when trolls look out for each other so much??? why did literally every adult in his life drop the ball??? wHY WASNT HE PUT WITH A PROPER FAMILY AND LIKE ALSO MAYBE GIVEN SOME THERAPY THIS DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE PLS. 

My OTP: P O P S T E R 

My crossover ship: dfhgdgfdgffb i feel,,,,,,,,,,,,,, weird abt interspecies shipping so im gonna have to say no one????

A headcanon fact: really really into science. esp meteorology. 

sdfghgfrghgfg thank you,,,,,,,,,,, for asking,,,,,,,,,,, ‘tis fun to scream abt my faves.

send me a character/ship

[jadeamber14]

Can’t forget this film! I want a reunion movie..🥰🥰🥰 #jcdiaries💜 #ashlloyd😍 #popsters #moviefan #chapter7of12🌺 #repost https://www.instagram.com/p/CgkUSN-BXARazgagHE8ekRLplKV9XpxiTy8wYg0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[sarahgadeeks]

Dear Future Husband

Ya’ll!!! We waited FOUR years for their comeback movie & we finally GOT IT! I’m so excited for this & I can’t wait until they start filming. Apparently end of January beginning of February is when they are supposed to start shooting but all is good... as long as they don’t rush this movie everything should be fine. To all my fellow Official & Non Official Popster friends lets try our best to make this another blockbuster hit, another one for the books. I will support you guys from afar. 2017 THIS OUR YEAR!       

[abhaynart]

MOVIE POPSTER DESIGN

[ggillettvc]

Movie Poster Inspirations

These are some of the posters I’m taking most inspiration for my Movie Poster Assignment. The concept is still be worked on so it remains to be seen fi ti will work out or not. I love movies and movie popster so I have a few other ideas in the pot. 

[sarahgeronimoknights]

-------------------------------------------- #SGTPQOP #12072020SG 👑 @JustSarahGPH #SarahGeronimo #SarahG -------------------------------------------- LATEST UPDATES about Sarah G? VISIT: sarahgeronimoknights.blogspot.com -------------------------------------------- The Queen of Original Pilipino Music The Queen of Asian Pop Music #QueenOfPop - #DisneyPrincess #MovieQueen - #BoxOfficeQueen The Pop Princess Is A Disney Princess Iconic Movie Queen of Philippine Cinema -------------------------------------------- Scream: WE LOVE YOU SARAH!!!! #PopstarRoyalty #PopstarPrincess #ConcertQueen #CoachSarah #PopPrincess #GoddessOfPop #Popstar #IconicMovieQueen #Popsters #PopsterKaKung #AshMatt #AshRald #AshLloyd #AshBoo #AshLo #BestAsianArtist #TeamSarah #TeamGoodness https://www.instagram.com/p/CCiLE7hMftg/?igshid=dfqbp6fse4rw

[casandra03]

While cleaning all my stuffs from PI. Waaaah. Bigla kong namiss yong manood ng concert ni @justsarahgph . Wish I could turn back time sana dinala ko din yong kauna unahan kong album ni #SarahGG cassette tape (yon pa ang uso nun) na araw araw kong pinapakinggan hanggang sa napapagalitan na ko ng tatay ko kasi puro daw ako sarah sarah sarah ang pinapakinggan tapos sasabayan ko pa ng mala tunog lata kong boses saulong saulo ko lahat ng kanta nya kasi kapag wala akong ginagawa yon lang pinapakinggan ko. Hahaha. Tanda ko pa nun nung naputol yong tape ko (popstar a dream come true ata title nun) iyak na ko pero pinilit ko pa ding ipag dugtong tapos mag ja jump dun sa naputol. Hahaha. Tapos lahat ng teleserye at movie nya pinapanood ko tapos mag aaway kami ng tatay ko kasi sabi nya iyan na naman pinapanood mo tapos ako naman iiyak na. Hahaha. #mema #popsters https://www.instagram.com/p/B-P2C2FFQwSMk7okp0QnhfztkkTm2Dz-sAvzWU0/?igshid=1wwf2i9jw56s0

[ellenmcelroyixd]

Olly Moss

Graphic Designer Oliver Johnathan or “Olly” Moss was born in the UK in 1987. He is best known for his reinvention of movie posters. I particularly like his designs for ‘The Jungle Book’, ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Dirty Harry’.

‘The Jungle Book’ has always been one of my favourite films as a child and I love how he has brought live to it again with this bright, lively poster design. One of the main things I really liked about this popster is the use of transparency in the colours to create lots of shadows and develop a really interesting pattern on the tigers body instead of a basic orange and black stripe theme. I love the transition of the stripes into the shape of trees on the tigers body and the hidden details in the design such as Mowgli and Kaa are actually in the centre of the design but can be easily missed at first glance. 

The ‘scrape’ effect at the bottom of the tigers body is interesting as it ties in with the whole storyline of the movie as Shere Khan (the tiger) scratches Kaa’s nostril in the film. Lastly, the colours all work particularly well together as a colour theme, instead of using typical tiger colours like black and orange, he mutes the black making it slightly more purple and sticks to the red/orange/purple theme which I love. 

Again, ‘Harry Potter’ has been a big part of my childhood and I think these posters represent the films perfectly. Each poster summarises the storyline of the movie. The colours also relate so well to each storyline which shows he obviously did a lot of research. Like ‘The Jungle Book’ poster, Moss uses the transparency tool so well to create the different 3D effects for the posters to look so realistic. The font also caught my eye as it is simplistic, it's easy to read and it stands out which are some of the main aims of a font on any poster. 

I also really like the way he has only changed a little bit about each poster which makes them work so well as a series. Lastly, I like the beige/cream colour he has used in the backgrounds and for the boarders of the posters as this gives them a sort of rustic/authentic effect. 

I have never seen the movie ‘Dirty Harry’ but it still really caught my eye. The main reason being the use of negative space. He uses the space around the gun to look like a face which I thought was very creative and interesting. I like how centred the design is and the placement of text works really well against the shape of the gun.

I like how he has used basic shapes to form the structure of the design and he has also stuck to using only 4 colours which reminds me of some of Saul Bass’s work.

[fayewonglibrary]

FAYE ACCOMPLI (2000)

With a new album and a younger beau, Faye Wong again is the centre of media attention. She talks to Life! about her family, daughter, and the paparazzi

By YEOW KAI CHAI

FAYE WONG is a curious, unique and fascinating phenomenon in the Chinese entertainment scene.

Hers is one lit by sacred mystery, slavish fan-dom and marketing savvy – a kind of meteorite which makes an impact on pop consciousness that is felt years later.

Just last week, several incensed Faye-natics wrote to Life! to complain about the less-than-positive review of her latest album, Fable. The letters burned with an unbridled intensity reserved normally for matters of life and death.

Faye is a diva, and divas are infallible even when they falter, these correspondents insisted.

While the bigger Western pop market has always loved its fair share of staunch, individualistic visionaries, ranging from loose cannons like Courtney Love to weird, elliptical New Age daughters like Tori Amos, the East had preferred its female singers decked out uniformly in pretty frills, smiling coyly and oozing saccharine.

The entry of Faye changed all that.

THIS EMPRESS DOES HER OWN THING

A*MEI can belt better, CoCo Lee can shake her bon-bon with more fervour, but Faye – who moves very little on stage, makes scant eye-contact, and banters very poorly – is Queen. Or Empress, if you go by her Chinese name, Fei.

She is the Anti-Entertainer made good, the kind of gauche, strangely-riveting drama unfurling on stage.

Faye as a proposition came at the right time in the Internet era, a child of the global village, where the twain finally met.

As Life! music columnist and “I’ve-never-stopped-being-angry” singer and DJ Chris Ho once told this writer, he fancies the “idea” of Faye Wong, somebody who does her own thing without a care in the world for social approval – never mind whether her songs are good or not.

How many of Singapore’s unloved “indie” rockers would love to have that kind of clout.

Here is a goddess who subsists on both flaws and gifts alike – her lousy media relations, superb style sense, and her talent in out-copycatting her Hongkong counterparts in choosing smarter, more revolutionary musicians to filch from.

All these add up to an irresistible package.

Last weekend, on the popular Taiwanese variety show Super Sunday on the TVB-S channel (Ch 54), Faye was the guest.

She was gorgeous and smiling all the time, but was otherwise in typical Faye mode. She did not play to the crowd, or banter needlessly. She just spoke when she needed to.

Tellingly, the usually-riotous team of Harlem Yu, Huang Chi Jiao, A Liang and premier veteran compere Chang Hsiao-yan wound down their antics and became less irreverent.

They kept calling Faye tian hou (Heavenly Queen), and spoke to the 31-year-old, 1.72-m tall singer in clearly deferential tones.

The more senior Chang, usually quick and particularly ruthless, even gave way to her guest in a contest.

The singer, on her part, looked bemused by the surrounding plebeian inanities, a placid self orbiting at her own pace.

A COOL ONE FOR GENERATION NEXT

THE name Faye, at the cusp of the new millennium, has become synonymous with Attitude and Coolness personified for Generation Next.

Just last month, an impressive turn-out of 500 journalists from China, Hongkong, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore flew to Shenzhen. Faye, as part of a promo tie-up with Head &Shoulders Shampoo, was scheduled to emerge from a helicopter in a golf buggy and perform three songs from Fable on an aircraft carrier.

Alas, due to rain, the gig was brought indoors, and she stayed for only about 15 minutes to field questions from the disgruntled press before being whisked off.

It was all in a day’s work on Planet Faye.

MEANING BEHIND THE SONGS

FEELINGS: A diva speaks

On the lyrics of her songs “(Lyricist Lin Xi said) it is to do with the various love stages and incarnations. Sounds very deep…’

On a message to her listeners ‘No, there is no special message. For this album, it’s basically an expression of certain moods.’

On the paparazzi "There has to be a decent limit. I feel it’s immoral for the paparazzi to snoop.’

On negative news reports "I just treat the reports as if they were about someone else.’

On movies she enjoys "I like to watch movies from which I can get some enlightenment or inspiration.’

SO, OF course, we didn’t get the one-on-one interview or even a phone interview with this elusive mystery. But we were given the privilege of faxing her a list of questions. And here we have Faye’s answers, recorded on tape.

We cannot tell you what her facial expressions were, or what she was wearing, or what Singaporean make-up designer Zing had painted on her face.

We hear only the Beijing native’s mellifluous, Northern-accented Mandarin, punctuated occasionally by a peal of laughter.

She has ignored some of the more probing questions, preferring to spend precious reel on giving us a very detailed run-down on the mystical meanings of the first five songs, which she says are "all about love and its complexities, from the beginning of creation to modern times”.

Oh, okay. But which songs in Fable mean the most to her?

“The five songs I wrote are the songs I like more,” she declares, not very diplomatically.

“I asked lyricist Lin Xi what they mean and he said it is to do with the various love stages and incarnations. Sounds very deep, but that’s what he was writing. Anyway, people don’t really have to really listen to the lyrics. They can listen to the music.”

On the whole, what message does she want to convey to her audience with this album?

“No, there is no special message. For this album, it’s basically an expression of certain moods,” she offers in a typically-obtuse manner.

“When people hear the songs, they should be able to feel the moods. I only write lyrics and music when I am inspired. I won’t write for the sake of writing. I hope that people can find some form of emotional empathy. No big pronouncements.”

No big pronouncements. Such a casual statement of nothingness can only come from supreme confidence. Faye has come a long way since 1987, when she was an 18-year-old who had left Beijing for Hongkong, to take singing lessons.

Two years later, her singing teacher introduced her to Cinepoly, which released her first three albums, and marketed her as a cookie-cutter balladeer.

At the time, she went by the plain name of Shirley Wong Jin Man.

She was not happy. She was getting famous, but she was an introvert and she did not like the attention brought by fame.

She took a sabbatical and flew to America, where she attended some singing and dancing lessons.

The trip was an eye-opener. In New York, people in the streets dressed the way they wanted, and acted the way they wanted.

It proved to be the turning point in her life. She returned to Hongkong in 1992, more assertive and ready to steer her own ship. She reverted to her own name, ditched Shirley for Faye, and decided to record Mandarin albums instead, save for one or two novelty Cantonese tracks on each CD.

She made an about-turn away from the chart-friendly pop route and transformed herself into a canny alternative popster who spoke her mind and followed her heart. She dressed the way she wanted, and acted the way she wanted.

She struck gold.

Musically, the 1990s was an experimental era which gave free rein to Faye, who borrowed the fine (some say bad) points blithely from the leading female originals of the western pop hemisphere – Bjork’s sartorial and follicular sensibility; Sinead O'Connor’s nuanced vocal styling; and Liz Fraser’s unintelligible phrasing.

She covered the Cranberries, and mimicked Dolores O'Riordian’s yodelling. She even worked with the Cocteau Twins.

On the media front, she was no PR merchant, happily dissing reporters who dared ask her about her marriage/divorce to mainlander Dou Wei.

She would deflect intrusive questions with mystical monosyllables, which, depending on your ardour or the lack thereof, was either intriguing or just plain rude.

In short, she turned the rules of the game upside down. It was shocking, baffling – enchanting. She stood out.

The media and public, thrilled or repulsed by such blatant insouciance, lapped it all up. They trailed her every move, her elusive relationship with Nicholas Tse, who is 11 years her junior, and second-guessed her every new image overhaul.

It was a beneficial media-celebrity relationship for both parties: fuelling her cool, defiant stance and adding grist for publicity.

PAPARAZZI SUCH A HEADACHE

SO WHAT does she really think of the media, especially the paparazzi? How does one maintain the line between one’s public and private selves?

“Of course, I don’t like the gouzai dui (paparazzi)”, is her calm, candid answer.

“The paparazzi make the task of separating work and private life very difficult. There is absolutely no way for me to protect my own privacy. It is a headache!

Although I understand that as a public personality, my private life would be an issue of interest, I still think there needs to be some restraint. There has to be a decent limit. I feel it’s immoral for the paparazzi to snoop.”

As for the “negative reports” in the tabloids, Faye, a devout Buddhist, professes she has transcended frustration.

“Now, they don’t affect my state of mind that much. I just treat the reports as if they were about someone else. The report and my life are two different matters. I wouldn’t be bothered.”

It does seem that she has become less irascible, more at peace with her life and its inconveniences.

Asked what kind of movies she enjoys, she ponders, then offers, most beguilingly, “the kind of movies I don’t like”.

“War movies, period movies, I don’t quite like. Things that are distant from my present lifestyle, I’m not so interested in. I like to watch movies from which I can get some enlightenment or inspiration.”

To her credit, Faye thinks that Fable could have been better produced.

“The mixing for this album was done in England. We worked with an English mixer – I don’t know whether people who heard the album could tell that. I heard the CD, and it wasn’t as good as I had expected, but it has its fine points.”

For the next album, she will work again with longtime collaborator, arranger-producer Zhang Yadong, and find some famous European arranger/producer to arrange and mix the album, she says.

Unfortunately, as the singer points out, “the more famous producers are usually very expensive, and we have yet to settle the copyright issue”.

“It’s a headache, but I hope the plan will work out,” she adds, laughing.

HER SUCCESS AND ITS DOWNSIDE

REFRESHING it is to hear Faye, often typecast as wilful and artistic, considering a serious business matter.

At this juncture of her life, she may have achieved equanimity. She has learned how to enjoy success, and dealt with its downside.

Indeed, slavish adoration may come and go, but Faye has one basic guiding principle on how to live her life.

“My parents’ biggest positive influence is on my character. They are very upright people. They have integrity, and they are not fake or insincere.”

If all else fails, there is always her darling daughter. So, has Dou Jingtong inherited Mummy’s talent?

“Yes, she is sensitive to anything that has rhythm. She is acutely sensitive to music. I don’t think it’s all hereditary though. Maybe she was a musician in her previous life!”

As if surprised at her own elucidation, Faye chuckles, sounding truly embarrassed. And for a second, you think you hear beyond the Superstar, the Hype and the Fable, the wide-eyed girl who once marvelled at the things she had seen for the first time.

Fable is out in stores.

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SOURCE: THE STRAITS TIMES / LIFE

[sglove25]

Happy Happy Birthday to the most talented, beautiful and down to earth person I know! 🎂🎈 Thank you for sharing your talent and passion to the world. I wish you more blessings, healthy life, safety and security. We love you and congratulations on your new movie! With love, popsters ❤️❤️❤️

[daggerzine]

Business of Dreams- RIPE FOR ANARCHY (SLUMBERLAND RECORDS)

Man, Corey Cunningham seems to be dialed in no matter what musical project he’s taking on. With Magic Bullets he massaged his inner Scottish popster (think Orange Juice) while with Terry Malts he amped up the amps, if just a bit. Then, on that terrific Smokescreen record that was released last year, Used to Yesterday, he perfected the low-key jangle (that record was one of my favorites of last record). With Business of Dreams, he goes full on synthpop, specifically the 1980’s, and the results are very, very good (and this is record #2 as he had a S/T self-released debut a few years ago). Apparently he was dealing with the loss of a parent when he did that debut record and, well, the themes for this record aren’t anymore uplifting. The thing is, while the lyrics maybe explore themes of loss, disappointment and regret, musically it’s very melodic and upbeat (at times reminding me of a poor man’s Stephin Merritt…wait, I think Stephin Merritt is poor). Still Cunningham hits the trifecta right off the bat as the first three tunes are all wonderful pop nuggets: “Chasing That Feeling,” “My Old Town’ and the title track all hit that sweet spot that scratch that itch in just the right place. Oh and add the next song, ‘N.R.E.A.M��� to it as well. Let’s be honest here, Cunningham is one of the most unsung talents in America right now (it seems like if you ever told him that’ he’d totally scoff at you, but it’s true). Elsewhere, with a song title like “La La La La “ you assume that Cunningham has his tongue firmly planted in cheek but again the song is so damn good you wonder if he can write this stuff in his sleep (and don’t miss his Sparklehorse cover). The 80’s were a long time ago but Ripe For Anarchy make you feel like you’re right back in that decade when OMD and early Depeche Mode records were the talk of the town and John Hughes movies were as noted for their soundtracks as for their themes (both with good reason). www.slumberlandrecords.com

[motoko13]

1 year of #PIIT28 day 24 of June 2.0 today was leg day and boy am I sore. I have noticed my body gets really sore really fast lately and maybe not recovering enough by next day? I don't know, does anyone have any input or what I should maybe add to my diet to help? Also we went and saw the new pirates movie and it was super good. I was kind of doubtful that another pirates movie was going to be good. But I was wrong it's still kicking. #PIITPrincess #PIITsters #PIITfam #blogilates #piitcommunity #popsters #popsociety #POPfam #fitness #piitstagram