#teenage music awards
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chappell roan at the 2024 VMAs
#chappell roan#wlw#lesbian#lgbtq#the rise and fall of a midwest princess#trafoamp#good luck babe#school nights#kayleigh rose amstutz#drag queen#vmas 2024#mtv vmas#vmas#mtv#music awards#grammys#hell is a teenage girl#joan of arc#red carpet looks#girlblogging#coquette#tumblr girlies#this is a girlblog#2014 tumblr#cinnamon girl#lizzy grant#queer women#female musicians#women in art#women in music
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“how’d you like to be MADONNA ???!!! :3
so much fun to be MADONNA !!! >.<
ohhhh, how’d you like to be MADONNA ..? >:3
you say you’d rather dieeee… :p”
#madonna#courtney love#madonna and courtney love#1995 mtv music awards#1995#mtv#coquette#coquette aesthetic#fiona apple#girl blog aesthetic#hell is a teenage girl#girl blogger#girl blogging#girlblog#girlblogging#kurt cobain#lana del rey#nirvana#this is a girlblog#SoundCloud
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grammys 2025 is about to be the messiest day in history
#taylornation#girlhood#cinnamon girl#coquette#girl interrupted#girl interupted syndrome#girlblog#girlblog aesthetic#hell is a teenage girl#just girly thoughts#lana del rey#girlblogging#sabrina carpenter#justin bieber#billie eilish#ariana grande#arianator#chappell roan#beyonce#charli xcx#taylor swift grammys#grammy awards#pop music#music#cillian murphy#music show#girls#coquette memes#celebs
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Man i didn’t even know 21 Pilots had haters, I thought you were either obsessed with them or never cared. Seeing all these people come out of the woodwork after their game awards performance declaring they’re retiring from haterdome is so funny like what did they ever do you?
#to be clear I know the answer is that people just hate when teenage girls like things and it never had anything to do with the band itself#also Stressed Out got overplayed but that was like 10 years ago dude get over it#I believe only weak-minded people hate things because of their audiences no matter how bad#game awards#music#arcane
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Katy Perry | iHeart Music Awards | 2024
#my edit#edit#katyperry#katy perry edit#katy perry icons#katyperryedit#queen#iheart music awards#witness#teenage dream#one of the boys#photo#photography#kitty cat#celebrities#celebrity#hot celebs
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KATYCATS Katy is nominated for best residency at the IHEARTRADIO MUSIC AWARDS let’s keep voting she deserves this award !👑✨ you can vote writing this on Twitter 👇
I'm voting for #KatyPerry for #FaveResidency at the #iHeartAwards
Or you can vote on this link too 👇
http://ihr.fm/iHRAwards
#iheartradio#music#awards#IHeartRadio music awards#katycat#katy perry#katycats#my edit#katy kat#picture#artist residency#pop queen#pop star#singing#singer#fireworks#teenage dream#songwriter
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Books and songs about Cassie Bernall and Rachel Scott circulated widely — especially among teenagers in suburban churches, as I and many others can personally attest. They prompted not just teenage soul searching but also that other teenage phenomenon: aspiration. Rosin described a “kind of teenage hysteria, a Christian-sanctified death wish” that the Columbine martyrdom mythology had inspired.
A teenager named Tina Leonard, Rosin reported, told a Southern Baptist news service that “God has laid it on my heart that I'm going to be martyred. When I told one of my friends, he said, 'That's awesome. I wish it could happen to me.’”
That might sound horrifying. But for many Christian teenagers in the late 1990s and early 2000s, it made a strange kind of sense. If you were a Christian teenager during the period of time following the era of the grunge-and-flannel dropout Gen-Xers, following your faith was preached to you as a radical act. “Extreme” and “radical” and “fully sold out” were common terms in Sunday school curriculums, at youth rallies, and in teen-focused devotionals and study Bibles. Teens were supposed to be “sold out for Jesus.” Anything less and you were a bad Christian.
Those who guided Christian culture in the ’90s were on the hunt for teen-specific ways to inspire young people to stay true to their faith. Conferences, teen-focused books and publications, music that sounded like mainstream music but had Christian lyrics, and T-shirts and other cheap commercial products splashed with sayings like “WWJD” (What Would Jesus Do) and “FROG” (Fully Rely on God) abounded. Though youth groups had been around for decades, they exploded as centers of not just spiritual growth but also social life for teenagers across the country.
An enormous part of Christian teen culture in the years before Columbine was standing up for what you believed — the power of prayer, the existence of God, the wrongness of premarital sex — in the face of people who might make fun of you for it. You might be ostracized, but by standing up for your beliefs, your faith would only grow stronger.
One of 1995’s most popular Christian albums was from the musical group DC Talk (whose styles have ranged from rap to alt-rock to, today, something like stadium rock). It was called Jesus Freak — a phrase gleefully borrowed from a derogatory term used for hippie Christians in the 1970s — and its title track, which contains some echoes of Nirvana, was about not caring if people made fun of you for your faith. The (extremely catchy) chorus mused, “What will people think / When they hear that I'm a Jesus freak / What will people do when they find that it's true / I don't really care if they label me a Jesus freak / There ain't no disguising the truth.” The song won three Dove Awards.
The album was followed in 1999 — the year of the Columbine massacre — by Jesus Freaks: Stories of Those Who Stood for Jesus, the Ultimate Jesus Freaks, a book co-authored by DC Talk and the advocacy group the Voice of the Martyrs (which supported Christians in closed and oppressive religious regimes around the world).
The book built on one of the most revered texts in the Christian faith: Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, published in 1563. It told the story of people who died for their faith, all the way from Stephen (whose stoning in the Book of Acts led to the conversion of the Apostle Paul) to contemporary teenagers in religiously oppressive regimes who had chosen death rather than conversion to a faith other than Christianity. Several companion volumes have been released since then, including one tellingly titled Live Like a Jesus Freak: Spend Today As If It Were Your Last.
And it’s no accident that the late 1990s and early 2000s were the heyday of Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins’smega-best-selling Left Behind novels, which mix elements of thrillers, adventure stories, horror tales, and conspiracy theories to dramatize the end of days, in which millions of people from around the world suddenly disappear in an event called “the rapture” and the events foretold in the Bible are set in motion, including the rise of the Antichrist. (Left Behind depends on one way of interpreting the Bible known as dispensationalism, which has its roots in the 19th century and is particularly popular among evangelicals.)
The first installment of the Left Behind series, also titled Left Behind, was published in 1995. Fifteen more books followed. Book 10 debuted at the top of the New York Times best-seller list in 2002, and seven other novels in the series reached the top of the charts.
The books follow a core group of characters who were “left behind” after all the Christians on Earth vanish. Some of them quickly become Christians and start an evangelization movement. Some also become involved with plots to protect believers and resist the globalist one-world government, which eventually requires citizens to take the “mark of the beast” in order to be able to participate in trade and obtain food. The believers are largely forced to operate underground, working to convert as many people as possible until time runs out, always in the face of danger and death.
Reading Left Behind, revering martyrs throughout history and around the world, rocking out to “Jesus Freak,” weeping to “This Is Your Time” — alone, none of these activities necessarily lead to the martyrdom hysteria Rosin reported and many people who were teenagers then remember.
But combined with the potency of real (or real enough) homegrown martyrs like Rachel Scott and Cassie Bernall — ordinary teenagers who thought about boys and struggled with their faith and were “sold out” for Jesus — it’s easy to see how a teenager like Tina Leonard might feel like God laid it on her heart that she’d be martyred. Maybe not at school. Maybe not on the mission field. Maybe it would only be during the dark days before the rapture takes Christians away from the days of tribulation. But it would happen, Leonard believed. And it was going to be “awesome.”
— After Columbine, martyrdom became a powerful fantasy for Christian teenagers
#alissa wilkinson#after columbine martyrdom became a powerful fantasy for christian teenagers#religion#christianity#evangelicalism#dispensationalism#psychology#sociology#martyrdom#teenagers#music#school shootings#columbine high school massacre#cassie bernall#rachel scott#hanna rosin#tim layahe#jerry b. jenkins#foxe's book of martyrs#left behind#dc talk#gma dove awards#voice of the martyrs#jesus freak
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TV Shows
Gods, angels, demons, dragons, vampires, and a bunch of first responders in LA.
Gravity Falls +56
Hazbin Hotel
Good Omens -2
Doctor Who +11
Interview with the Vampire +12
House of the Dragon +13
9-1-1 +18
Bridgerton +37
Percy Jackson and the Olympians +31
Supernatural
The Owl House -9
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles -7
Avatar: The Last Airbender +19
Danny Phantom +4
Stranger Things -12
Dead Boy Detectives
Hannibal +9
Our Flag Means Death -12
Fallout
House MD +43
The Bad Batch +23
Loki +13
Ninjago +24
The Eurovision Song Contest -8
Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir -18
Adventure Time -17
Agatha All Along
Star Trek: The Original Series +51
Steven Universe +12
Criminal Minds +37
Lego Monkie Kid +7
The Umbrella Academy
Merlin
Arcane +14
Heartstopper -15
The Last Of Us -32
Obi-Wan Kenobi +12
Star Wars: The Clone Wars +17
X-Men '97
The 2024 US Presidential Debate
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine +20
Smiling Friends
Game of Thrones +23
Young Royals -13
The 81st Golden Globe Awards +20
The Bear +30
Phineas and Ferb +44
The Acolyte
South Park -13
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
Outer Banks +19
Sonic Prime -19
The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish
Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake -43
The Boys
Yellowjackets -29
The Muppets +12
The Sandman -29
Succession -51
Gotham +29
The 96th Academy Awards +7
Blue Eye Samurai
The Terror
Voltron: Legendary Defender
The Untamed -7
Buffy the Vampire Slayer +22
Invader Zim +33
The Sanremo Music Festival +29
Shadow and Bone -56
Total Drama
Ninjago Dragons Rising
The Dragon Prince -33
The 2024 MTV Video Music Awards
The Mandalorian -60
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
What We Do In The Shadows -53
Community +5
Teen Titans
Young Justice
The Walking Dead +16
The 76th Primetime Emmy Awards
Metalocalypse -43
Transformers: Prime
Star Wars Rebels -11
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia -25
Teen Wolf -49
Supergirl +7
The Witcher -67
Pit Babe
The 66th Annual Grammy Awards -3
Classic Doctor Who
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
Breaking Bad -43
Super Bowl LVIII
Amphibia -20
Abbott Elementary -50
The Simpsons -23
My Adventures With Superman -47
Twin Peaks
Over the Garden Wall
The number in italics indicates how many spots a title moved up or down from the previous year. Bolded titles weren’t on the list last year.
Love Hazbin Hotel? There's a Community (or 50) for that.
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𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘵 summary: where he has an interest in a certain pop singer, and he doesn't try to hide it. note: believe me or not i’ve been listening hip hop since Im like 15 y/o, soooo why not do an M&M’s fic?? Let me know if u want part 2! xoxo
The lyrics of Mr Eminem's new song being mostly about you? That was something you definitely didn't expect.
I get so weak on my knees
Lose all control
Damn, her silhouette
So hot
Fuck bein’ a gentleman
I'm going to fuck her instead
The red carpet at the Grammys has always been a dream for you, you had already won a couple of awards, today... you were excited to be the presenter of one of them.
Best Rap Album.
To say you were excited is an understatement.
You've loved this genre of music since you were a teenager, Tupac, Fifty, Snoop...to name the most classics.
The camera flashes were the only thing you saw, accompanied by many voices that stunned your ears just by hearing your name.
"Y/N! over here!" A reporter called you, without hesitation, you approached.
"Hey how are you?" you asked with a big smile.
"Incredible! How are you? I imagine you're very excited for tonight" he smiles.
"Don't even mention it! I can't wait to call the winner on stage!"
"Do you think Eminem is nominated? He's been on everyone's mouth lately with his latest song..."
Here we go.
"Yeah... well, I'm sure he'll be nominated, I mean, he's fucking Eminem, it would be like a sin if he wasn't, right?" You laughed a little awkwardly.
"What do you think about his last song, about his comments towards you? 50% of people are upset calling Eminem a degenerate..." you didn't let him finish speaking.
"Well...I really like him, I mean, I've always been his fan and it's an honor to be named in one of his songs. Plus I also think that...we all know how he's like, if you don't like his way to be, to think, to speak, the lyrics of his songs, just don't listen to it and that's it, problem solved, I don’t see the point in hating so much on something you can just...ignore" you laugh looking at the camera "Just take things more lightly, not everything is fighting and bad intentions."
You finished your conversation with said reporter and simply headed to your designated seat.
On the other hand, a certain blonde boy was also being attacked with questions regarding his controversial lyrics.
"She's here? Shit, I want to see her," the blonde rapper said, showing a small, very small, smile, turning his head around with the intention of catching some sign of the hot pop singer, you.
"Yes! In fact she will be the one to present the award for best rap album!"
"No shit! Damn man she's here" Em turned around and said to his best friend, Proof.
In a few minutes everyone finished settling into their seats and you both were surprised when you looked at each other, just a few seats away.
You were five seats to the right and three to the back, so you caught him every time he turned his head back a little to look and smile at you.
Until, soon...your moment had arrived, you got up from your seat to head backstage.
By the way, when you walked past the rapper, he didn't try to hide the fact that he couldn't take his eyes off you for even a second.
"And the Grammy goes to..." you created some tension "EMINEN!" You blurted out the name more excited than you should have.
The rapper's reaction might not have been very expressive normally, but he couldn't contain his smile when he knew who would be the one giving to him his award. The rapper and his friends got on stage and it was inevitable that you felt nervous as you watched him walk towards you, with a playful look, as if he knew what he generated in you.
"Congratulations," you whispered when he was close enough to you, taking the grammy as you felt the soft brush of his fingers against yours, he did it on purpose.
You didn't expect him to give you a hug.
"That's all I get?" He whispered back to you, keeping your faces close and your noses touching, his hands on your waist pulling you closer to him as if he didn't want to move away from you.
A great bustle from the public was heard, and it took them both out of the small cloud in which they were.
This was definitely going to stir the waters.
You both walked away, while you greeted and congratulated the rest of his friends (Proof winking at you in the process).
"Wow, shit, this is crazy, thank you so much to everyone who made the production of this album possible, Dr Dre, who always had my back, I will be forever grateful...and my god, damn, thanks to whoever the fuck is that put this beauty in that dress..." he turned to look at you and winked "Y/N Y/L/N ladies and gentlemen, the source of my inspiration for Heat Seeker"
Obviously, you blushed.
The entire audience was applauding, probably already starting to gossip among themselves about the little show between you and Eminem.
Like a gentleman he offered you his hand as he watched you walk down the steps of the stage with great caution. "Thank you," you whispered. “Any time” he smiles at you.
´Til the end of the awards you continued to connect glances from time to time, you also noticed how his friends bothered him every time he turned his head to look at you.
"Hey, Y/N! wait!" listen to yourself behind your back. "Hey," you looked at him softly, "whats up?" He shook his head quickly. "I just wanted to…I mean, normally I wouldn't give a shit, but, I wanted to make sure that the song didn't offend you, it wasn't to upset you…" You interrupted his attempt to apologies "Don't worry, I understand it was just the song, I didn't take it personally, actually, I loved it" you laughed. "You did? I'm glad you're not like the rest and laugh instead of being offended." His attempt to hide his smile failed completely.
It just slips away from him.
Just with you.
A few seconds of silence took over the situation, though it wasn't uncomfortable, your eyes connected and you didn't seem to realize that you had been staring at each other. "Uhm, I was about to go to my hotel," you pointed behind you, "I was gonna change for the afterparty."
"Can I go with you?" He asked you, but before you processed the fact that he wanted to go with you to your hotel, he interrupted your thoughts "I mean, just so then we can go to the party together, if you want" he scratched the back of his neck.
You didn't even need to think about it "Yeah, I would like that" you smiled.
The two of you walked together towards your limo, captured by several cameras, so neither of you doubted that tomorrow you would wake up to a bunch of articles about how Eminem and Y/N left the Grammy's together. But none of you care about it.
#eminem x reader#marshall mathers x reader#eminem fluff#marshall mathers fluff#eminem imagine#marshall mathers imagine#eminem fanfiction#marshall mathers fanfiction#fluff#shay's requests
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there is something so incredibly vile about the fact that lady gagas doing paparazzi at the 2009 VMAs didn't win the award for 'most iconic performance'. like what. you're telling me roar won over one of the most influential live performances in pop music history. this is ridiculous and that's coming from someone who loves both artists.
#little monsters#katycats#lady gaga#stefani germanotta#paparazzi#katy perry#teenage dream#california girls#vmas 2024#mtv vmas#vmas#music awards#pop music#queer pop#women in music#female musicians#iconic#live performance#music opinions#grammys#most iconic performance#girlblogging#coquette#hyper feminine#tumblr girlies#this is a girlblog#lana del rey#2014 tumblr#cinnamon girl#lizzy grant
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TEENAGERS —MTV's Europe Music Awards (2007)
#gerard way#my chemical romance#mcr#teenagers#mcredit#gerardwayedit#my edit#userangelic#usermaguire#useriselin#usercy#usertiny#useroaks#usernaysa#tuserrobin#tusermichi#Save me EMA's Gerard... EMA's Gerard save me...#scheduled
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𝓣𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐆𝐎 ୨୧ 𝐋𝐇𝐒
(𝓹airing) ── lhs x fmr ꣑୧ 𝓮xes to lovers ? ; idol au, angst, & fluff (𝔀ordcount) one thousand 𝓹eng's note. abrupt ending & not proofread oops 𝓫ookshelf
𝓼ynopsis. the idol life was what tore you and heeseung a part, but now you reside under the same label
lee heeseung is everywhere you go.
both of you are idols under companies under hybe. it’s not a rare occurrence to see your ex-boyfriend walking down the same halls, music shows award shows, flights, and every place imaginable.
it’s not unbeatable of course.
you are used to it, while it seems lee heeseung has erased you out of his memory.
acting normal, cordial, when you bump each each other in the elevator.
it’s like you never existed, like you never were a chapter in his life, but it’s not like you can do anything about it now.
THAT’S JUST THE WAY THINGS GO.
you dated heeseung for most of your teenage years.
as corny as it was, you thought he was the one and spend your whole lives together.
that you would end up marrying your first boyfriend.
you both shared the same dream, to become an idol. thus leading to the two of you auditioning for the same companies and picking one since you both got in.
heeseung and you practiced together in secret.
though he got ahead first, from nearly making it into txt and being picked for iland, heeseung was ready to debut.
on the other hand, you still had to wait a couple of years before hybe would consider debuting a girl group.
so you both agreed to break up in the midst of heeseung leaving to film the survival show.
it hurt, it did, but you spent all the remaining weeks together. a sort of final goodbye dragged out as the both of you didn’t want to let go of your relationship just yet.
it was a weird limbo stage.
the handful of friends who knew of your relationship were informed you two had parted ways while you two stayed glued to the hip in secret.
the morning of your last day with heeseung, you cried in his bathroom while he was still asleep.
you tried not to wake him and let him see you in such a state but he heard you. sliding down on his floor to take you into his arms as you cried.
neither of you talked during your last day together. some whispers of one-word replies every couple of hours but most of the time was solely about being close to the other. basking in each other's touch and presence for one final time.
you knew everything would be different after this survival show.
lee heeseung had everything, he was perfect, he was debut-ready. there was not a single doubt that he wouldn’t win the show and become a beloved idol.
even if there was a sliver of a chance he’d lose, his public debut even as a trainee would garner a fanbase waiting for his debut at another time.
when heeseung inevitably placed fifth overall you were watching in your room. a bittersweet feeling washing over you when you remember this means that it was the official end of you and heeseung. your chapter in his life coming to a close.
the last time heeseung contacts you was two days after the finale of iland aired.
a simple, text wishing you debut soon, that he is going to cut contact due to his dating ban, and needing to focus on his career.
you want to hate heeseung.
to yell at him over the phone and scream in his face about how he can’t just leave you behind like that. say that he can’t just forget about you after everything you’ve been through together.
but the other part of you wants to hope. to beg for him back. whether it meant in the future when you hopefully make your debut and he’s in the clear to date or secretly dating now.
alas, you congratulate him and say only time will tell.
THERE’S SO MUCH LEFT TO SAY, I GUESS I’M JUST THE BIGGER GUY.
now three years past you’ve debuted and are thriving as one of hybe’s newest girl groups.
gaining in popularity with the latest release of your group's first full-length studio album.
which comes with the hectic schedules of filming music shows, variety shows, collaborations tiktoks, and more.
unfortunately or fortunately, enhypen just so happened to have a comeback at the same time. even promoting at the same music show on the same day.
when your manager told you that you were set to make a video with an enhypen member you felt sick. there was a one in seven chance it would be heeseung.
though you had no say whether or not you did it.
nobody knew of you and heeseung’s past and it was planned to stay that way.
as you walked up to the shooting spot the air in your lungs slowly disappeared. nearly choking when you saw heeseung standing there watching your group's dance as he went over it in his head.
“hey,” heeseung whispered shyly when you quietly stood next to him.
you offer him a bow, as he was now your senior, not the boy you spent years loving.
it’s too quiet when you finish filming the tiktok challenge. rewatching it with heeseung after taking one final shot and bowing goodbye.
though after you notice the camera for both of your groups' behinds stop rolling and your manager doesn’t whisk you away just yet.
the amount of staff slowly disappears and you are about to follow after when you feel a grip on your wrist.
tugging you back towards himself, heeseung wraps his arms around your waist and holds you close.
“heeseung?” you question, words coming out airy.
“____,” he whispers, nuzzling his head into your hair, “i missed you.”
“you’re going to get us in trouble,” you mutter, though truthfully you just want to melt into his embrace.
“it’s okay,” heeseung’s grip loosens, only to spin you around in his hold. he looks down at your confused face, “i asked for some privacy with you.”
“why?” you whisper, his mere touch after years of yearning making goosebumps arise on your skin.
“i miss you a lot,” his arm rests around your waist. the other cradles your head and pushes it to rest on his chest, “please, i’m finally able to try us again.”
“i’m still on dating ban,” you frown, finally surrendering and hugging your ex-boyfriend back.
“i talked to your manager,” heeseung holds you tightly, “i took care of everything. please give me a chance again.”
it might be three years later, but for you, lee heeseung can wait thousands of years.
AND I DON’T MIND THAT THAT’S THE WAY THINGS GO.
# ૮꒰ “ . . ꒱ა ♥︎ #🐹 — 𝖧𝖤𝖤𝖲𝖤𝖴𝖭𝖦#enhypen#enhypen heeseung#lee heeseung#heeseung#enhypen fluff#enhypen oneshots#enhypen imagines#enhypen scenarios#enhypen drabbles#enhypen x reader#enha fluff#enha x reader#heeseung lee#heeseung fluff#heeseung imagines#heeseung oneshots#heeseung scenarios#heeseung drabbles#heeseung x reader#lee heeseung x reader#heeseung x you#enhypen x you#enhypen au#heeseung au#heeseung fanfic#heeseung x yn
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When I think back on the Speak Now album, I get a lump in my throat. I have a feeling it will always be that way, because this period of time was so vibrantly aglow with the last light of the setting sun of my childhood. I made this album, completely self-written, between the ages of 18 and 20. I've spoken about how I feel like those ages are the most emotionally turbulent ones in a persons life. Maybe when I say that, I'm really just talking about myself.
I think they might just be the most idealistic, hopeful years too. At this point in my life, I had released my second album, Fearless. It became the breakthrough moment I'd always dreamt of, one that catapulted my career to new realms of success. It had brought with it a tidal wave of pressures and pitfalls and growing pains. All the while, I was encountering the milestones and checkpoints of normal teenage growth. I had cataclysmic crushes and brushes with heartache. I moved out of my parents' house and set my bags down in a new apartment. I hung photos on my own walls and decorated the space where I would sob and cackle and shatter and dream. Sometimes I felt like a grown up, but a lot of the time I just wanted to time travel back to my childhood bed, where my mom would read stories to me until I fell asleep.
In my darker moments, I was tormented by the doubt that swirled loudly around my ascent and my merits as an artist. I was trying to create a follow up to the most awarded country album in history, while staring directly into the face of intense criticism. I had been widely and publicly slammed for my singing voice and was first encountering the infuriating question that is unfortunately still lobbed at me to this day: does she really write her songs? Spoiler alert: I really, really do.
In the years since, I've developed a thicker skin about public criticism and the cynicism with which some people approach the music I make. At that time, it leveled me. I had these voices in my head telling me that I had the perfect chance and I blew it. I hadn’t been good enough. I had given it all I had and been found wanting.
I wanted to get better, to challenge myself, and to build on my skills as a writer, an artist, and a performer. I didn't want to just be handed respect and acceptance in my field. I wanted to earn it. To try and confront these demons, I underwent extensive vocal training and made a decision that would completely define this album: I decided I would write it entirely on my own. I figured, they couldn't give all the credit to my cowriters if there weren't any. But that posed a new challenge: It really had to be good. If it wasn't, I would be proving my critics right.
I had no idea how much this pain would shape me. That this was the beginning of my series of creative choices made by reacting to setbacks with defiance. That my stubbornness in the face of doubters and dissenters would become my coping mechanism through my entire career from that point forward. This exact pattern of enacting my own form of rebellion when I feel broken is exactly why you're reading these very words, and I'm re-releasing this album now.
I went through my first worldwide scandal (the mic grab seen around the world). I experienced the weirdness of trying to get to know a boy while a swarm of paparazzi surrounds the car. Media contacting my publicist for an official statement on why two teenagers broke up. These are weird experiences to have at any age, but even more surreal when you're 19.
I had the nagging sense that in the most intense moments of my life, I had frozen. I had said nothing publicly. I still don't know if it was out of instinct, not wanting to seem impolite, or just overwhelming fear. But I made sure to say it all in these songs. I decided to call the album Speak Now. It was a play on the speak now or forever hold your peace' moment in weddings, but for me it symbolized a chance to respond to the chatter and commentary around my own life.
Some of these emotional revelations were surprising to people. Some expected anger and instead got compassion and empathy with 'Innocent'. Some expected a kiss-off breakup song but instead got a hand-on-heart apology, 'Back to December. It was an album that was the most precious to me because of its vast extremes. It was unfiltered and potent. In my mind, the saddest song I've ever written is 'Last Kiss'. My most scathing is 'Dear John' and my most wistfully romantic is 'Enchanted'.
I'll be forever proud of setting a goal and seeing it through. I'lI always feel shivers all over when I remember singing 'Long Live' to close the show every night on tour. The outstretched hands of those bright and beautiful faces of the fans. Their support was like an open palm that reached out and helped me up off the ground when others were, frankly, mean.
These days I make my choices for those people, the ones who thought I had been good enough all along. I try to speak my mind when I feel strongly, in the moment I feel it. I'm still idealistic and earnest about the music I make, but I'm less crushed when people mock me for it. I know now that one of the bravest things a person can do is create something with unblinking sincerity, to put it all on the line. I still sometimes wish I was a little kid again in a tiny bed, before I ever grew up.
I always looked at this album as my album, and the lump in my throat expands to a quivering voice as I say this. Thanks to you, dear reader, it finally will be.
I consider this music to be, along with your faith in me, the best thing that's ever been mine.
Yours,
Taylor
#taylor swift#speak now (taylor’s version)#speak now tv#sntv prologue#speak now taylor’s version#sntv
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superstar
pairing: jenna ortega & reader
summary: you're a singer, and jenna thinks you're a superstar
word count: 1.6k
Jenna had always been adamant in interviews and podcasts that she wasn't looking for a partner.
The notion of opening herself up to someone, of sharing her most intimate and vulnerable sides, was terrifying to her.
She'd often say that the industry was already a whirlwind, and adding a relationship into the mix seemed like a recipe for disaster.
Her words resonated with a certain conviction, leaving fans and followers convinced that Jenna was dedicated solely to her career and personal growth.
Hence, when news broke that Jenna had met someone, the world was taken aback.
And her family, who had long accepted her stance on relationships, were particularly stunned.
What made it even more astonishing was that her partner was not just anyone but a singer. The very idea seemed to clash with everything Jenna had previously expressed.
If anyone had expected Jenna to find love, it would have been with someone far removed from the spotlight, someone who could offer a grounding presence amidst the chaos of fame.
Yet, there she was, completely enchanted by you, whose life was as much in the public eye as hers.
Your talent and passion had pierced through Jenna's carefully constructed walls, revealing a side of her that no one had ever seen.
It was an unexpected connection, but it was real, and it transformed Jenna in ways she had never imagined possible.
You were her age, having started singing at a tender age, your voice a gift that quickly became your solace.
From the early days of strumming a guitar in your bedroom to performing on small stages, your journey was one of both talent and resilience.
Your songs were deeply personal, often touching on themes of mental health, a reflection of your own struggles since your teenage years. The raw honesty in your lyrics resonated with many, turning your pain into a source of comfort for others.
Jenna admired you not just for your musical prowess but for your courage.
In a world where vulnerability was often masked, you stood as a beacon of authenticity. You spoke openly about your battles with anxiety and depression, both in your music and in interviews.
Your willingness to share your story in hopes of helping others, struck a chord with Jenna.
She saw in you a kindred spirit, someone who navigated the complexities of fame with a heart wide open, unafraid to show the scars that came with it.
The openness, the fearless confrontation of your inner demons, was what drew Jenna to you.
It was no surprise that the two of you had found each other, you were both well looking and had surprisingly more similarities than anybody would thought.
Your fame had skyrocketed over the years, just like hers had.
Sold-out arenas, chart-topping albums, and countless awards had become part of your daily reality.
You were recognized wherever you went, your face gracing the covers of magazines and your name trending on social media.
Just like Jenna; two of the biggest stars in the entertainment industry to end up together was something nobody had expected.
Despite your immense popularity, you remained grounded, always remembering the humble beginnings that shaped you.
The magnitude of your success was undeniable.
Fans across the globe found solace in your music, drawn to the sincerity of your lyrics and the powerful way you connected with your audience.
Your concerts were not just performances but communal experiences where people came together, united by the themes of your songs.
Interviews and talk shows frequently featured you, not only to discuss your latest projects but to delve into the deeper conversations about mental health that you championed.
Jenna couldn't help but be captivated by how you balanced the pressures of fame with an unwavering commitment.
It was this genuine openness, this ability to remain true to yourself amidst the chaos of fame, that drew Jenna to you like a magnet.
Despite your hectic schedules and the constant media attention, your relationship flourished in the quiet moments away from the spotlight.
There were times you often found yourself on set with her, quietly supporting her through long days of filming.
Whether it was bringing her coffee during early morning shoots or simply being there to listen during breaks, you made sure she knew you were always by her.
Likewise, Jenna joined you on tour, even if just few times. Those moments were rare but cherished, her presence bringing a sense of calm amidst the chaos of your busy life on the road.
She would watch from the wings as you performed, a proud smile on her face, supporting you in the way only she could.
At home, the connection between you two deepened in ways Jenna never had anticipated.
There were nights when she'd sit on the edge of the bed or curl up on the couch, watching you play your guitar and sing just for her.
The closeness of those moments, your voice soft and full of emotion, always sent a thrill through her.
More than once, she'd found herself unable to resist you, her desire building until she was straddling your lap, the vibrations of your music moving through her.
Which had ended up in her getting off on your thigh multiple times as you played, your voice serenading her into bliss.
Jenna loved you in a way she'd never loved anyone before. You were everything she didn't know she needed, the only person who truly understood her.
She often marveled at the thought that you were all hers, unable to fully grasp how someone as incredible as you had chosen her.
Whether you were strumming a guitar at home or belting out lyrics on stage, you captivated her completely.
You were the only one she wanted, the only one who made her feel this intensely.
When you performed was when all of those thoughts overflowed.
On stage, you were magnetic, your voice powerful and sultry, sending shivers down her spine. And when you danced, it was as if the music lived in your body, every movement fluid and mesmerizing.
Jenna couldn't take her eyes off you.
She adored the outfits you wore—revealing pieces that clung to your body, accentuating every curve.
She understood why you chose them; the heat from the lights and the crowd demanded something breathable, but there was no denying the allure they added to your presence.
She found your voice captivating, sexy almost, whether it was the soft croon she heard at home or the commanding, electrifying sound that filled arenas.
Each note you sang and every step you took drew her in deeper, reminding her that despite all the eyes on you, you were hers alone.
Jenna admired you fiercely. Every time she watched you perform, she fell a little more in love, unable to understand how she was lucky enough to have you.
The way you owned the stage, the way your voice and dancing wrapped around her heart, left her breathless.
She loved watching you perform. For reasons that went beyond the obvious.
It wasn't just for the music or the energy of the crowd. There was something deeper, more personal, in the way she observed you on stage.
How deeply you connected with your audience, but even more so by how much of yourself you gave in each performance.
She knew every movement, every note came from a place that only understood. And that knowledge made it all more thrilling.
But what really drove her wild was what came after.
The sex afterwards was incredible.
You'd come of stage, still pulsing with the energy of the performance, and she could feel the heat radiating off you.
The way you'd pull her close, your hands exploring as if you couldn't wait another second. Your touch demanding and urgent, made her knees weak.
Those nights, when you were still on fire from the adrenaline, were her favorite.
If something hadn't gone the way you wanted; a missed note, a technical glitch, or someone who'd pissed you off backstage — Jenna knew she was in for it.
You'd take that frustration and channel it directly into her, the way you'd push her against the wall, not wasting a second, your intensity making her shiver with anticipation.
She craved those moments, the way your hands would be rougher, your kisses hungrier. The way you'd take control, leaving her breathless and utterly consumed by you.
Jenna loved every second of it, the raw unapologetic need that you unleashed after a show.
It was the side of you that only she got to experience, and it was addictive.
After every show, after the adrenaline had faded and the passion between you two had cooled to a gentle warmth, it was the quiet moments that Jenna cherished the most.
Lying in bed together, your bodies tangled in the sheets, she would trace the lines of your face, marveling at how someone so fierce on stage could be so tender with her.
It was in those moments that she realized just how much she loved you—not just for the superstar the world saw, but for the person you were when it was just the two of you.
No matter how hectic your lives became, no matter the miles between sets and stages, the connection you shared remained unshakeable.
You both had your own worlds, your own battles to fight, but in each other, you found a refuge, a place where you could be completely yourselves.
And as she drifted off to sleep beside you, Jenna knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, nothing could change the way she felt.
You were a star, but more importantly, you were her star, and she wouldn't trade that for anything in the world.
#jenna ortega x reader#mabel x reader#tara carpenter#tara carpenter x reader#vada cavell x reader#wednesday addams x reader#melissa barrera x reader#sam carpenter#ask#sam carpenter x reader
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—You’re the kind of person they write rock songs about
-modern!au Viktor x fem!reader warning. not proof read, swearing, might be OOC
part one || part two
‼️A/N. if anyone wants to be added to the taglist for this fic, let me know!! ‼️
'Taste me, you will see
'More is all you need..'
You were an art major with dreams of becoming a performer—a passion that stuck to you during your high school years. It wasn’t always a dream of yours; as a child, you’d imagined yourself as a ballerina or a doctor saving hundreds of lives but everything changed when the gates of high school and teenage drama opened up to you.
In your sophomore year, you and a few friends stumbled upon a shared love for music and decided to form a small rock band. Powder, your best friend, took the lead as the singer. Her stepsister, Isha, played the drums, while Ekko, Powder’s boyfriend, handled the bass. You took on guitar duties and backup vocals. The band quickly became a big part of your lives, and you weren’t half bad.
By the time you all made it to college—except Isha, who was in her senior year of high school—you were performing at local bars and small venues. The gigs didn’t pay much, but they weren’t a loss either, and your parents were proud of your dedication.
You got more of a recognition when the principal assigned you and the band to play some of your own songs or whatever covers you deemed fit for the occasion and even got an award which earned you the title of the ‘schools rock stars’ by most of the people who attended that day and it quickly spread and stuck until graduation.
The journey, however, wasn’t always just rainbows and sunshine. Learning guitar and perfecting your singing skills took patience, and there were moments of frustration.
Your forgetfulness and stupidity often kicked you right in the ass—or well, fingers— having to buy a new guitar pick every few days leaving your fingers bloody and sore. On a particular night performing at the Last Drop your guitar was left bloodied after you thought it would be an absolutely genius idea to play Metallicas ‘Master of Puppets’ which luckily went great! The crowd went wild however it did earn you quite a scolding from Vander as he carefully put band aids on each of your fingers. However he could tell by the proud look on your face that you thought it was worth it, people coming up to cogratulate you on your performance, suggesting songs or giving you sweets they bought as a sort of reward and all Vander could really do was laugh at his daughter’s best friends foolishness.
While you immersed yourself in music, Viktor—a double major in physics and engineering—navigated a completely different world. His close circle of friends—Vi, Powder’s older sister; Jayce, Mel and Caitlyn, Vi’s girlfriend—shared little in common with your bandmates, yet you crossed paths by chance from time to time. Viktor knew of you mostly through Vi and Jayce’s stories or from the few times he happened to see your band perform.
One such instance was prom, where he watched you take the stage with confidence. Another was a night at The Last Drop, where Viktor had ended up by chance when Vi dragged the group into the establishment for a few drinks.
Today the bar was as lively as ever. The dimly lit bar was packed, and the familiar hum of chatter and clinking glasses filled the air before the first note was played. “Are you ready?” You half screamed into the mic as a roar of cheers and claps bounced through the walls. You strummed your fingers along the strings of your guitar, gifted to you not long ago by your friends since your old one was pretty wrecked however it still had it’s place and on display in your bedroom as a symbol of where you first started while Isha got into the beat of ‘Can’t stop’ by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
You saw a few faces light up but most didn’t quiet recognize the song but still looked like they were enjoying themselves as the chatter slowly died down, all eyes and ears on your performance.
Viktor sat in the corner with Vi, Jayce, and Caitlyn, his attention flitting between their conversation and the band on stage. He wasn’t one for loud, crowded places, but something about your music intrigued him. He knew of the rock genre because of Jayce being quite a fan of System of a Down and many other bands he would need a whole notebook to name however Vi had a big part of the introduction herself but he adjusted to the change of genre he wasn’t quiet familiar with before he met his dear friends.
There was a passion in your performance that resonated with him, though he couldn’t quite explain why.
After the set, you stepped off the stage, sweaty and exhilarated. Powder gave you a playful nudge, her eyes twinkling with pride. “Killed it as always,” she said with a grin.
“Thanks, Pow,” you replied, wiping your brow. Your gaze swept across the room, catching sight of a group you vaguely recognized—Vi’s crew. As if on queue Vi averted her gaze from the group and caught your attention, waving you over, and though you hesitated for a moment before you all made your way to their table. “Hey, Rockstar!” Vi greeted, giving you a playful smirk. “Nice set tonight. You finally learned how to tune that thing, huh?”
You rolled your eyes at her teasing. “Thanks, Vi. You still can’t keep a beat, though, can you?”
The group laughed, and you found yourself pulled into their orbit. Introductions were made, though most were unnecessary—you already knew who they were. When it came to Viktor, however, there was an awkward pause.
“Viktor,” he said, offering a polite nod. You smiled and gave your name in response and decide to strike up a conversation with the man. “Thanks for sticking around! You don’t seem like the type for these kinds of outings.” You say truthfully and chuckle nervously.
“It was... impressive,” he said after a moment, his voice quiet but sincere. “You’d be correct on that last part. I don’t often attend these kinds of events, but your performance was captivating.” His accent was foreign to you yet it was a cute quality, making your stomach flutter with butterflies. The compliment however caught you off guard. You weren’t used to that kind of earnest praise, especially from someone who seemed like they’d be more of the jazz or pop type. “Thanks,” you said, a bit bashfully. “Glad you enjoyed it.”
The conversation shifted back to the group, but Viktor’s words lingered in your mind. Something about his quiet demeanor fascinated you, and you couldn’t help but want to know more about this mystery of a man.
That night when you all went your seperate ways once you got to the college dorms, Powder noticed how lost in thought you were; basically just lying on the bed and looking at nothing. “Okay, what’s with your teen spirit Cobain?” She chuckles at her own joke and you look at her with a ‘really?’ face, letting out a giggle of your own. “So many other jokes out there and that’s what you come up with?” You push her shoulder playfully and sit up from your bed, facing her. “Okay, okay.. enough shaming my stand up comedy, what’s wrong Y/N?”
“That Viktor guy from your sister’s group.. with the accent and shit?” You start as a smirk sneaked onto her lips, kicking her feet in the air as she lied on her stomach. “Yeaah?” “Well I don’t know, something about me just.. makes me want to get to know him you know?” You sigh, throwing yourself onto Powders bed, lying on her stomach. “He’s such a nerd though! From what Vi told me over the phone a few times he’s like a workaholic but ten times worse girl. And he looks like he has a couple conditions.. probably should get that checked.” She mumbled to herself, making you giggle. “Come on Pow that’s just straight up mean.”
“But look who’s giggling.” She flicks the side of your head and joins in on your laughter.
You remember the cane he had, the golden details and carvings and the way his under eyes were darker then the rest of his pale, almost sickly skin. His jawline was sharp with a straight nose and an almost unnoticeable underbite. He was pretty cute.. He was probably a cool person to be around so you wondered if you’d have the chance to maybe hang out with him.
“Do you think your sister would be up to hanging out? You know, our group and hers? We have that show next weekend we can invite them there and spend the rest of the night doing whatever!” You suggest and quickly get a nod of approval from your blue haired friend which only made your excitement rise.
Next weekend it is.. Maybe he’d be up to a one on one hangout once you have the chance to ask, maybe even over the phone if you’re lucky enough to get his number or socials. Until next weekend all you could do was practice and imagine every sort of scenario of how it would all go.
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another thing that's weird about adults who make an identity out of reading children's books is what they hold up as representative of the values they find in YA/young reader's fiction. They typically bring up wish fulfillment fantasy, morals and clear cut lessons, adventure stories with mild peril, strong centering on friendship and found family, and stories that make them "feel good" and are extremely light on genuinely challenging themes or ethically dubious situations.
Meanwhile when I was neck-deep in YA as a kid in the 90s and early 2000s this was the kind of stuff I was reading, other kids were reading, and that was winning awards, being highlighted on shelves and recommended by librarians:
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, in which a teenage boy survives a plane crash and is stranded in the Canadian wilderness and forced to survive on his own for months. He is ultimately rescued but is permanently altered by the experience. His navigating the drama of (I believe either currently separating or recently divorced) parents is also a major plot element.
Virtual War by Gloria Skurzynski, where real-life wars have been eradicated and instead are fought virtually, (inspired, if I remember correctly, by the disastrous results of a previous nuclear conflict) by specially chosen champions who are trained in combat strategy from childhood. Throughout, the three child champions are forced to question and push back against what the government has told them is the truth as well as against their own prejudices, including toward one of their own who is considered a "mutant" due to his dwarfism; it also details the grueling hours-long "war" in which the kids watch thousands of little 3D soldiers get blown up and dismembered and leaves them feeling genuine guilt for participating in.
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George, which focuses on a teenage Inuit girl who is orphaned, forced into marriage and sexually assaulted, then runs away and ends up lost in the Arctic and survives by befriending and living with a pack of wolves.
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse, in which the heroine lives with her parents on a failing farm as the Dust Bowl is beginning, accidentally sets her pregnant mother on fire resulting in her mother's lingering death and the death of her baby, and the girl herself being permanently maimed, after which she and her father become estranged and she eventually tries to run away.
Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene, which follows a young Jewish American girl on the WWII homefront who befriends (and falls in love with) a German POW, and when he escapes, hides him in her home for months; eventually the prisoner is caught and killed and the girl is sent to prison after being ostracized from the community and disowned by her parents.
The Ramsey Scallop by Francis Temple, where the heroine, engaged since childhood to her current fiance, is sent on a pilgrimage with him as way of working out his trauma from serving in the crusades. Neither of them feels ready to get married and the fiance is dubious about doing much living at all, but they're able to get to know each other and build trust on the road. It's been ages since I read it but I'm pretty sure there's a scene where a hot single guy who helps patch up an injury she sustained then offers to have sex with her, which she decides to turn down.
Music of the Dolphins by Karen Hesse, where a feral child who has been raised by a pod of dolphins is rescued and taken to a center for rehabilitation. The whole thing follows her progress at understanding to how to be human, and eventually her decision to reject it all and go back to her dolphin family.
The Last Book In the Universe by Rodman Philbrick, whose hero is a teenage orphan living in a purposely abandoned dystopia, ostracized by his community for being epileptic, whose only friends are an old man who is the last literate person in the community and a monosyllabic feral child. The split between the have-nots and the haves, who live in sheltered futuristic cities, and discussion of privilege (one of the main characters is a girl from the cities who comes out to do charity work in the dystopian district) are major themes, and violence is a regular occurrence, including toward the finale when the boy's mentor is murdered by a mob while he watches.
(And of course there's Among the Hidden and its sequels by Margaret Peterson Haddix which I never read, but my sister did, and I know at some point a whole bunch of child characters are massacred by the government because it upset my sister so badly she cried.)
And I couldn't forget The Dear America series, which includes:
character who is finishing high school as the Vietnam War begins and watches her social circle split nastily over the issue, lives through classmates and friends getting drafted, and ends up working at a hospital as volunteer where she is assigned to help disabled veterans
character whose mother (and I think siblings), as well as numerous fellow travelers die while traveling alongside her on the Oregon Trail, and later accidentally poisons to death several of her friends after picking a look-alike plant for their dinner; only one survives, who she eventually marries
character who is kidnapped by a local native tribe and eventually adopted, then marries a fellow captive, only for him and other friends and family to be killed when the tribe is attacked by Europeans, putting her into a total crisis of identity and conflicting loyalties
character who is taken from her tribe to be put in residential school, during which she is forcefully acculturated, severely bullied by another classmate, and a childhood friend of hers is accidentally buried alive
multiple books about immigrants in the 1800 and 1900s which highlighted struggles with poverty, cultural pressures, and prejudice; one of them follows a pro-union factory worker who watches as multiple friends die in the Triangle Shirtwaist fire, and another whose father imports her to America at 13 to marry a coal miner
most of these stories emphasize the young protagonist ending up in situations were they are either on their own, or so alienated from the adults around them that they might as well be. The protagonists have to assume the adult duty of taking care of themselves, but also of thinking for themselves and making their own decisions and judgements about their lives and the world.
they are also going through big changes, often ones created by their parent's decisions, and which they frequently dislike or are straight up Bad for them. This contrasts with later, when the protagonists are able to make decisions for themselves-- often this comes through hardship and abandonment, but ultimately allows them to control their narrative going forward.
the setting and events are often harrowing, deeply unpleasant, and put the protagonist and their friends in danger of victimization by forces around them. Obviously this is exciting for kids to read, but it also allows them to see someone their age on their own, entering into Adult situations and taking on that role. It's also a break from the overtly positive or cartoonishly (but usually un-seriously) bad circumstances that dominate younger kids fiction and an introduction to the idea that life is just terrible most of the time, sometimes massively and unbelievably so. (It's going from the early childhood story of Madeline's thrilling adventures escaping forced labor in a factory, to the older kid's or YA story of seeing the protagonist work at one day after day, getting injured, having friends get sick, and then watching a girl's scalp get ripped off by the machine, something which creates not excitement but genuine horror and sympathy.) These plots also allow adolescents a chance to experience Big Emotions (like the ones they're about to fall head-first into themselves) in a stable, safe way. All of this aims to create a bridge from the juvenile reality to the genuine, adult one. Trite moral lessons are dispensed with in favor of allowing the child to go out and start thinking for themselves. And especially in stories like the Dear America books, it allows a look at things that happened in the past that we have, or should learn from, but also allows for a fuller emotional, ethical, and empathetic development.
often the introduction of sex is part of the story, from initial experiences of attraction (and the resulting self-consciousness, jealousy, etc.) but also sometimes actual sexual experience. Especially in the historical stories, marriage is also frequently part of the story-- either again, as a fantasy introduction to adult experiences, or as a realistic detail separating a child's historical experience from current ones and creating a better understanding of the hardships historical people went through.
and most include some form of rejection of prevailing authority and thought. Instead of blindly "doing what your parents tell you to" these protagonists must do what they think is practical or ethical. The boy in Hatchet cannot wait for an authority figure to guide him, he must figure out how to survive entirely on his own, while the kids in Virtual War are old enough to begin questioning the entire structure they've been raised in, and to develop empathy for figures that structure has deemed outsiders; the heroine of Music of the Dolphins decides the entire experience of being in human society is not for her, and returns to living with animals.
So these books offer harrowing circumstances, protagonists who are isolated literally or through moral or political alignment, and who must learn to live on their own and make decisions for themselves, often in defiance of prevailing attitudes. They usually emphasize finding one's place (even if that place is completely alone and unsupported), fostering understanding and sympathy with others, even with people who are considered "undesirable," who are different, or who have behaved badly to you in the past. And they frequently involve violence, budding sexuality, exploitation and abuse by authority figures/structures, and a heaping helping of death, including the deaths of beloved friends and family members. What is "feel good" and "unchallenging" about that? And like, I can't speak for what YA is bringing to the table now, but these people are overwhelmingly adults, they were reading YA at around the same time I was, I don't think it would be possible for them to have somehow missed the plethora of books with these hallmarks. So where did they get this idea that YA is some land of comfort where no complicated idea can ever reach you? Even Harry Potter is full of them, and we know they read that!
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