I know I post a lot of music-related stuff on my blog, so I've decided to make a playlist of my current favorite songs on YouTube and share them with you because if you're looking for good music and have a semi-indie taste like, chances are you might love this playlist! If you guys want me to do one for K-Pop I'll gladly do so, but these are all English songs, so I hope you enjoy my small pick of the songs I've currently got on replay~
They might be a little mainstream, they might be old or new, but these are songs that I can't let go.
I don't have an introduction to this other than LISTEN TO THIS AND FEEL THE FEELS FIRST.
Something Big (Audio) by Shawn Mendes (2014)
Lately, I have just been really into Shawn and his music and his story and HIM in general. He's a great personality and he's coming to New York City and having a concert here, which is pretty exciting, even though I might not be able to attend ;;-;;
Anyways, he's IN NEW YORK CITY RIGHT NOW AND I AM SO EXCITED OUT OF MY MIND BECAUSE HIS CONCERT IS ON SATURDAY AND I AM CRYING BECAUSE I MIGHT BE ABLE TO GO LIKE WHATTT~~~
So most of you reading this may be going like "What? Who the hell is Shawn Mendes?" Well, to all you seemingly oblivious readers (I'm only joking), Shawn Mendes is a sixteen year-old Canadian singer-songwriter dude who is growing now and emerging from Vine and YouTube as a singing sensation. He's not super big, but he's well-loved by all his fans and a really nice person. And did I mention that he is super handsome and amazing? Well he is. He's six feet, all muscle, and strong-jawed. His EP, The Shawn Mendes EP, is amazing and you guys should definitely check him out. I will link a YouTube Audio playlist below if you want to go check that out :)
Music-wise, I just love this song. I wasn't expecting something so upbeat and amazing, I was actually leaning more towards the acoustic-ballad like "Life of the Party" or "The Weight" because I really liked that side of Shawn, so "Something Big" really took me by surprise. I love this song, bought it the minute came out, and haven't stopped listening to it the minute it came out. I was really depressed in the beginning because not a lot of people understood my feels for him and then I met these two girls who totally get my feels which is amazing and now we just run through the halls and slide down the escalators of our school screaming the lyrics (okay, I might be a little extreme but you get the point). I love how this song is super upbeat, and definitely portrays accurately how everything is getting bigger and so many incredible things are happening to him right now. He's just come off the Austin Mahone tour and starting a tour of his own and his first full album will be dropping soon and everything is just so amazing for him right now and the fact that he's so open and shares so much with his fans just makes the experience all that more exciting.
The instrumentals are brilliant and as usual highlight his voice and I love the whole "African-beat" thing going on and I thought it wouldn't work but it definitely does. The song is amazingly catchy and I played it for my younger brother and even he began singing along after awhile because the song is just so catchy and easy to follow. I can't wait to see him perform it live, it's going to be amazing and definitely a highlight! I can just imagine his smile and everything, it's just going to be amazing.
So, this post was basically a rant about how brilliant Shawn Mendes is. I hope my fangirling sparked some interest for him within you, so definitely check him out~ I'll post his media links now:
I heard about this not too long ago, and I actually saw the video of it on Facebook, and I just want to address all this. I am not okay with this behavior, and I am also very much against racism, and this just fired me up on this cursing, angry rampage which I usually am not a person to do.
Let me tell you what happened.
It actually happened a few moths earlier, this incident. During Paris Fashion Week, G-Dragon, the leader of Big Bang, attended the Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) fashion show. While he was walking in and out of the show, there was a guy slurring "Ching Chong" and "ni hao" at him.
Well. Here is where I begin ranting.
Let me just say that I do not tolerate racism whatsoever. Doesn't matter for who or for what or whatever, I just really despise it. It does not mean that I'm not racist sometimes, but I try not to. Racism just brings more labels into society and we already have enough labels going around. I hate how it's even possible for people to judge others based off skin color; just because you are one skin color doesn't mean you are inferior or superior to someone of another. And I especially hate it when people act on their racism to insult and hurt others. I mean, everybody has been racist at some point, but that does not mean you have to openly express racist thoughts onto others.
I come from a Chinese family. And being the traditional, old Chinese people that my parents and grandparents are, they are racist. They don't like blacks or Hispanics because they have strong belief in the stereotypes of those people being bad. That's very common, and I understand why they feel that way, but at the same time it is very wrong. I hate how they immediately say no when I ask them if I can go hang out with my friends and there's Hispanics or blacks in the group. But I can't do anything to change their minds, and instead I decide to be a more open person myself to not believe in those stereotypes. I know lots of great, intelligent people who are all different races! Just because they are a different race doesn't mean they are not amazing people with eye-opening ideas!
One main point about the G-Dragon incident that really pisses me off is the fact that he's not freaking CHINESE. Not all Asians are CHINESE okay?! Sure the majority of Asians are Chinese, but just immediately assuming he's Chinese and calling him "Ching Chong" is mad whack. The "ni hao" was also freaking unnecessary. Is going "Ching chong! Ni hao!" to an Asian the first thing that comes to your mind when you see an Asian person? Don't you think that maybe if they are in PARIS and attending a famous event that maybe they know how to say "Hi"? .-. Some people are just so stupid and never think before speaking.
I got really mad over the fact that people thought it was okay to just throw out racist comments towards somebody. It's completely disrespectful and shows how uneducated you are. And to add on, G-Dragon is an amazing person, and I'm pretty sure if they had actually known who he was they wouldn't have said that. It just really pissed me off. I would be cursing right now, but I do not like having cuss words staining my posts. Those people are just stupid little *insert colorful words here* who don't know how to treat others because obviously they don't understand the whole "treat others the way you want to be treated."
So that was my small rant. Ugh. I can't even think of how to end and what to say right now; those people have really disgusted me.
Okay, so Taeyang has come out with a new album~ OH YAS. HE'S MY BEAUTIFUL HUSBAND OF THE FUTURE BIG BANG BIAS AND HE'S THE GREATEST PERFORMER EVAARRRR~ So excited for his new performances and hope it may beat Wedding Dress... even though nothing could possibly beat Wedding Dress, 'cause... Oh come on it's Wedding Dress. That song was and still is the death of me :P
After experiencing the album:
...AHHH OH MY GAD WHAT OH MY LORD WHAT THE HECK IS LIFE WHY IS HE SO DAMN GORGEOUS WHY ARE ALL THE SONGS SO BEAUTIFUL WHY OH MY GOD HE IS SO DFLSBNFHIGJKSFKJGUAHIDHGNGLMNNFJSOIJFOHIDF OH MY GAD OH MY GAD OH MY GADDD~~~~~~~~~
Basically, I was a mess. I couldn't think properly, I was kind of out of my mind, and the only thing running through my head was:
YG DOMINATES 2014 FEELS. ONE HUNDRED FREAKING PERCENT.
Seriously, with Taeyang and 2NE1... YG is spilling out wonderful songs, albums, performances and everything this year. Last year was definitely SM, with EXO just taking the whole industry by storm with "Wolf" and "Growl." However, EXO has been having some troubles lately and have begun touring, and as much as I love me some f(x) and Henry for the summer, there new albums don't have as beig of an effect on me as the YG ones have. In fact, YG is on FIYAH. I looovvee EXO's "Overdose" album, but Taeyang absolutely blew me away. He picked me up and threw me into a pit of feels. And I don't feel like getting out c:
I really want a Big Bang comeback. No, let me rephrase:
I need a Big Bang comeback.
My needs as a V.I.P have never been more strengthened. The revival of my inner V.I.P is never good for my feels and especially for my bank balance ;-;
So, usually I talk about a few songs that I liked the most, but considering the fact that every single song on this album was so damn amazing, I don't think that's possible. Every song hit me some where, and I really can't express how much admiration and love I have for Taeyang. Seriously, just look at this guy:
I mean, look at him and tell me he isn't handsome. Look at that wonderful face and that kind smile. GAH. And then you see this...
Yeah. He's quite the drool-worthy star.
Taeyang is simply amazing, and he makes the music he wants to make. He's truthful, dedicated, and hardworking, and never disappoints in his performances. His personality is also warm and comfortable and what girl would not fall for this. Why is he so perfect ;-;
SO. ABOUT THE ALBUM.
I actually bought the physical copy of it. I saw in K-Town and the first thing that went through my brain was:
I need that. Regardless of price.
I had downloaded the full album the day it came out, and have loved it ever since. It is the one album that I replay over and over and over again, everywhere. I'm on the subway listening to this, I'm doing fanart listening to this, I'm sleeping listening to this, I'm messaging my crush listening to this... I think you get the point. I am crazy in love with this album.
The first time I listened to "Eyes, Nose, Lips," I was immediately tossed back into the world of Taeyang feels. I've been waiting four years for this album, and finally it is here and I am not disappointed. I don't regret spending thirty-four dollars on this album; it was a hundred percent worth it. Now, away from my fangirling and onto the reviews of this album.
1. Rise [Intro]
I loved this intro. Normally, I don't really like the intro songs to K-Pop albums because I feel like they're a waste of time, not as well made as the songs, and is unnecessary. However, when I was listening to this, all I could do was breathe. The music was amazing, and really highlighted Taeyang's voice. The lyrics are sung in the English, which is amazing because he doesn't really have the Korean accent and it feels really natural with his tongue. And here's a glimpse at the lyrics:
"Alone in the darkness.
It's so cold and crazy. And everybody's heartless. Got no one to save me."
One verse. In Taeyang's voice. And it just BLEW. ME. TO. THE. FLOOR. Just listening to the introduction made me so excited for the rest of the album, something most intros don't make me feel .
This song, when I first heard it, kind of brought me to tears. The simplicity of the music helped to highlight Taeyang's voice, and I really loved that. His voice is just so heart-meltingly sweet~ And his falsetto. Don't even get me started. It's just so beautiful. I've grown used to Taeyang producing songs that have spectacular choreography and a strong beat. I'm pretty sure that a song like this was unexpected by a lot of people, and I'm glad it was well received and loved. This song gives me the feels. I have had it on replay since it came out- I waited for this MV and this album and HIM for so long ;-; "Eyes, Nose, Lips" is about how he recalls the memories he had with his past love but now has to leave them behind and move on but he can't. As usual. I love this song because it is bursting with sincerity and it just shows how real Taeyang is about his music and again, the genius composing of YG. Seriously, all their songs are bomb right now. This just made me fall even harder for him, all over again. This and the rest of the album.
"Eyes, Nose, Lips" Music Video
A few things about the video (Please watch it first):
God, isn't he just so hot in this music video ;~; His bodyyy. Although I do not appreciate the hair net, it doesn't really matter does it .-. If I wasn't all over the song during this music video, I was all over his body c: What? I'm a hormonal teenage girl, it's normal.
A video with no switching sets, no female lead, nothing- just a basic video. No cars, no wild lights, no crazy outfits. This video helps bring out the song so well, because aside from Taeyang, that's the only other thing to concentrate on. Which is great. Usually, K-Pop music videos have so many things going on: A dance, a storyline, crazy outfits and cliche/weird sets. That is basically what most K-Pop videos are (I am thinking about Infinite's MVs). I think that a video like this, so simple and yet so powerful, is what we need. He really knows how to come back after four years. I really loved this song and the music video to go along with it.
I really loved this song, just like I loved every other song on this album. The minute I heard the song, from the very beginning, it became one of my favorite songs on the album (if I had to choose). The whole song has this vibe to it, that bittersweet feel. I don't know how to explain it, but it gets you moving. The instrumentals are extremely well made and the composition was really good. It's like a song you listen to at night while driving or sitting on a rooftop. The lyrics especially reached for me; I felt somewhat able to relate to the lyrics. In this song, Taeyang is singing about how he wants to move on, yet he is always reminded of "you" (he's singing about a woman). I'm pretty sure he's had a break-up because the song talks about his friends comforting him and telling him it'll be okay. However, he still loves her. Funny how Taeyang went from needing a girl to wanting one back. He always sings of losing girls, god, he has so many at his hands WHY.
"1AM" Music Video
Okay, since we have established that Taeyang is officially the hottest guy alive, I'm not going to spaz over how hot he is because I've probably said it a thousand times and you guys are probably sickof it c: Instead, I'm going to talk about how hot the female lead is, because guys, that girl is fine.
The female lead of this song is played by Min Hyo Rin, a South Korean actress. I have been her fan for a really long time, and seeing these two do a music video was simply fantastic. Even though you might hate Taeyang kissing chicks other than you, you gotta admit: That girl is freaking gorgeous. God, she's perfect *_* Guys, please go watch the video. She is hot.
People said that the bed scene "was not steamy enough." Okay, I don't know what to say about this, but I did think that there was going to be some more... action. I mean, I get that Youngbae is quite the shy person and doesn't really go all out in 18+ scenes, but still... However, the whole time they were on the bed, all I could watch was his hand go up her back. Oh my god those arms. I need a breather.
I can't say this is my absolute favorite music video by Taeyang (How can you beat Wedding Dress, that song is the best, seriously), it is very well-made. I understand what is going on, and I can feel his emotions through the video. Overall, this song was well produced and well promoted, and the music video is really amazing.
Let me just say that G-Dragon and Taeyang together is unstoppable in my world. ah. They be so gorgeous I can't even breathe normally. What I love about this song is the groove the song has. If you don't know Korean, it sounds like a cheerful song (I think), but when in fact the song is about wanting the girl you love to stay with you. It's a great song, and GD's rap is on point as usual~ Their voices together really is a great combination. I could feel Taeyang's smile as he was singing this song, and I just love his smile c:
Here's the live performance of "Stay With Me" if you want to watch the two hotties~
"Stay With Me" Live Performance Featuring G-Dragon
They are so wonderful together c: And Taeyang's blond hair... oh my God. Even though I feel like his original hair color suited him the most, the blond is really nice as well. Well, anything on Taeyang is nice. It's Taeyang.
I really love these kinds of songs, especially from YG Artists. It shows that they can have fun, and it's a really free song. This is a dance song that I can really like, and I'm usually not that big on Dance Pop. I tend to go for songs with a slightly depressing feel or are really sad (Hence my obsession with "Lies" and "Haru Haru"). This kind of reminds me of "Tonight," possibly because I'm listening to that song right now and there is that vibe. I don't know. This is just one of those really fun songs you here at parties. It gets the crowd moving, and definitely the performer Taeyang's type of song. The composition of the song is excellent as usual, and I love it xD Also, CL from 2NE1 is featured in the song, and she sings a part of G-Dragon's "Crayon," I think. The song is about how he thinks your body is beautiful. Seriously. He repeats the phrase "Your body's so beautiful" like a thousand times in this song. It's so damn awesome and it's just a great happy song.
The live of "Body" will be included in the Wonder Live performances at the end of this review.
Now, if you listen to K-Pop, you probably know this song. If you don't, you have some problems. This song was so popular and people are still playing it everywhere. Taeyang released this song as a single in the fall of last year, and it was everywhere. I'm serious. "Ringa Linga" is really catchy, really addicting, and shows off one thing:
Taeyang is the best dancer. Who can dance better than that? No one.
Don't believe me? Well, the choreography for this song is incredibly complicated, and although it might look simple it's quite hard. You need feel, and considering I can't dance to save my life, would be impossible for me to learn (I'm exaggerating, I'm actually the best dancer ever :P). But yeah. "Ringa Linga" actually won the "Best Choreography" Award last year at the Soompi Awards.
Now let's move on to the videos.
"Ringa Linga" Music Video
Yep, that's G-Dragon in the car with Taeyang. And yep, Taeyang went blonde. It's hot. The music video is the classic YG/Big Bang style nowadays (forget the 'Lies" and "Haru Haru" MVs... this is all about freedom of expression and abstract art now). It's quite the video, huh? I honestly don't know what to say about it other than the fact that it's creative and a bit crazy. I actually prefer the older music videos, so I don't really watch this one a lot. I think I've only watched it once, to be honest. But, the dance version of the song I have watched WAY more....
"Ringa Linga" Dance Performance
This is what I was talking about when I said mind-blowing choreography. MMM. The only thing that is wrong about this video is the dreadlocks. Please, no. No dreadlocks. It didn't look very flattering on Kai, and even though you are TAEYANG, it still isn't super attractive on you either :P Sorreh.
If I had to choose a current favorite from this album right now, it would be this song. I have been playing this for days. It is the best song to listen to when you want some calming or saddening song in your life. Considering the fact that it is another quiet song and I have quite the knack for these kinds of songs, it is no wonder that I fell in love so easily with "This Ain't It." But this song again has that simplicity factor that I love when there is just concentration on Taeyang's voice. I technically fell for his voice first. And to this day, that is what I love the most. The lyrics are especially touching (at least for me). What else am I supposed to say when he starts the song off with "I still love you"? That ex-girlfriend of his is/was mad lucky. Seriously though, this song just makes me want to hug him.
I seriously suggest looking at the lyrics. You'll see what I'm talking about. He's basically singing about how he still loves her and knows that he needs to get over her now, but it isn't working. He's still stuck on her, and he still "misses her more than he hates her" for leaving him. Seriously, I can't take the feels from this song. It actually brings back some memories for me personally, and listening to this song makes me relive them and feel what he feels. It's a personal song for me as well.
This song... ah. The intro music is really good. And when you first hear his voice, it sounds reaaally hot. I love this song, obviously, and the part leading up to the chorus is especially pleasant. The chorus itself is meaningful even if you don't know what the hell is he singing about. Taeyang is singing about how is letting go of the roughness and the act of being tough, and how he would never let go if he was with his love. He is singing about how he was used to the loneliness in his life before but now he is throwing that out. It's a meaningful song, and something I think everyone can relate to when they fall in love, the feeling of needing to let go of the past in some sort of way. Release.
The song itself has a really good build and climax layout and it is effective in conveying the emotions Taeyang wants to express in the song. You can feel his emotions as if he was singing to you, which he is, in a way.
And we have reached the last track on this album, which happens to be a great great GREAT song. I can relate to the lyrics, although they are a bit exaggerated, and how the song is about still loving someone despite not receiving the love back. This is a pretty sweet song if you think about it, and the song itself is good. The melody is nice, really nice. It's smooth and easy to feel. I just love the whole song in general oh my god it's so wonderful. When I first heard the album, this was the song I kept playing while making fanart because I concentrate so well with his voice. It's somewhat strangely comforting, and he keeps singing "I'm gonna love you to death~" and I'm like "Yes, please do. I'm gonna love you to death as well~"
Okay. Weird. The beginning guitar is amazing by the way. Instrumentals are so great, in all of the tracks. I am going crazy over the instrumentals, I swear. It's like "Take It Slow" off his previous "Solar" album... I lived for the instrumentals.
So that was my review of the "Rise" album. Quite long, wasn't it? Well, I'm not done yet~
Album Jacket Design
With me being the crazy Taeyang-obsessed fangirl I am, I went straight to the store to pick up the physical album. and let me just say that the album design is amazingggggg~ here are photos that I took of my album (I desperately need to get it signed):
*Please ignore my reflection on the shiny surfaces of the album*
The cover. The black material is very smooth and fine, and can get marked quite easily.
The back of the cover.
The photobook cover- it came with sun stickers like the ones on the cover.
All three photos above are of the CD case, which has a holographic Taeyang on it. If you move it around, he makes a turn.
The back design of the CD Case
Once you open the CD Case, you are faced with this lyric book pictured above. It is actually attached to the holograph, so you can take it out and it's a lyric book. However, the lyrics are in Korean.
This is the CD. It's rose gold-coloured and black. Really pretty, believe me.
If you take out the CD, this is what's behind it. It's just a really nice design so I took a picture of it.
Thoughts:
It's so beautiful ;-; The black and gold theme of the album is extremely smart and chic, and the simplicity of it is beautiful. The design of the sun is really awesome in this album, so props to the designers c: And may I just say that the photobook is amazinggggg... Just staring at photos of Taeyang all day. That's my life, basically. The album is pretty pricey in the States though. I don't know how much it is online, but I bought this album for thirty four U.S. dollars, and there are many things you could do with thirty four dollars. With tax, I think the total was around thirty seven dollars. That is almost forty dollars. Oh my.
But who cares? Taeyang is worth it~ (I'm crazy)
So that was my small album design review. Following this is a set of performances that Taeyang performed as a guest on Wonder Live, and he performed some songs from his new album as well as some old favorites~ Please check out Wonder Live by Taeyang below~
*English subtitles are accessible by hitting the CC button*
"Wonder Live by Taeyang" Episode 1
"Wonder Live by Taeyang" Episode 2
So this concludes by extremely long blog post about Taeyang's new album. I'm a diehard fan of Big Bang, and I hope they come back real soon with an album to knock everyone off their feet~
EXO's Kris wants to terminate his contract and leave EXO. To be honest, I don't blame just S.M.
Yes, not JUST the
agency. I think it's both S.M. and Kris's fault. If you're reading this, you're
probably judging me, but I honestly don't care. This is MY opinion, MY logic,
MY comprehension on the situation, and most of all, MY blog post. So if you're
going to bad mouth me, let me just say that I don't give a shit about what's
going to come out of your head because I have my own beliefs and we don't all
think alike.
I love
EXO as much as the next fangirl. I have been of theirs for a LONG time, and
although I didn't love them the MINUTE they came out, I loved them a long time
ago and I still love them now. They're my ultimate bias group, and even though
groups like B.A.P and Got7 are slowly tiptoeing into my land of K-Pop kings,
EXO still rules the place. I do so many things a fan: I buy their merchandise,
I buy their albums, I like and save pics of them, I watch all of their videos,
I watch their fan cams, I use EXO "language," I write fan fiction
about them, I listen to their songs every single day, I cheer for them on every
award or concert or whatever even if they don't win or not as awesome as I
expected.
So
normally, hearing about Kris's decision to terminate his contract with S.M.
Entertainment should fire me up and blame the company, right? I mean, S.M. has
had so many of these issues in the past: Jaejoong, Junsu, and Yoochun of DBSK,
Hangeng of Super Junior. You'd think they learned to treat their artists better.
Lots of fans right now are probably going "F*** you, S.M!" or
"S.M. YOU SCREW OVER." And as an EXOtic, a part of me wants to do
that, too. But there's another perspective you should view this from to get a
bigger picture.
Don't
you think the company WANTS to treat their artists well? I mean, the artists
bring in the money, bring in the consumers, and give the company a good name.
And judging from their previous experiences, S.M. has plenty of reasons to want
to improve. I think the thing that's going on right now is the idea that you
have to work hard for your goals, you should never be satisfied at just being
at the level you are, and that you should always strive to improve.
S.M.
Entertainment has a lot of competition in the K-Pop industry. They may be a big
name, but big names don't come from just anywhere. The artists created the hype
surrounding the company, gave the company its financial support, and live their
dreams through this company. Just being an S.M. Artist shows that you are a
determined, hardworking person because S.M. isn't the easiest and nicest
company to work for. Competition in the company is far fiercer than the
competition outside. Competition to be the best, competition to live your
dreams, and competition to achieve. So naturally, even after you have left the
trainee days and entered the world of K-Pop stars doesn't mean your workload is
going to lessen. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's going to increase.
Being a
K-Pop star is way harder than what normal people think. Most just think that
you just have to learn a dance and a song, record some songs, and do
promotions. In reality? The work NEVER ends.
Learning
and perfecting a dance takes at least a month to memorize and create. Each day,
a typical eight hours of practice. Diets to make sure you don’t get too fat and
ugly. Learning a song is even harder and recording an album? Not everyone can
do that. You need more than just singing ability. You have to be able to make
that song YOURS, and becoming your song is harder than just singing it. This is
why I have respect for all the artists who write their own songs, because it
shows that they care about what they present and that they have a say in their
concept. And it also shows just how educated somebody is, and how creative they
are. It shows that they are real artists with something to say.
Promotions,
what a joy ride. If you're a hugely popular group like EXO, promotions are
probably the hardest part. Promoting includes performances, appearances in
programs, fan greets, and photo shoots/interviews. EXO does lots of promotion,
as you probably saw with their twelfth win with Growl and all the
advertisements they've been doing. Huge masses of girls go to see EXO
practically everywhere, swarming masses of people sticking cameras and phones
and pens their faces. Screaming your name, which starts to sound awful and
never ending. People would think that somebody would enjoy the popularity, but
in truth, popularity is like a Frappucino from Starbucks: refreshing at the
moment, but slowly stales and dulls in flavor.
Living
as a K-Pop star isn't that fancy either. It makes sense that financially EXO
would have problems because a) they have twelve members b) their company also
needs a share in profit c) their living costs sky-rocket. There are twelve members;
just feeding one member per month should amount to over 1,000,000 won per
month. That is 12,000,000 won. They also have to pay living expenses like their
clothing, skincare, medical expenses, and send money home to their parents.
They also have to share their profit with the company, and they have to pay for
many other factors. All in all, having a twelve-member group is expensive as
hell. So no wonder they would have financial problems. It's not that the
company doesn't give them enough or doesn't distribute the money fairly; money
is usually distributed individually, so the more number of programs you attend
the more you earn. For example, if you are an actor in a drama, you are going
to earn more than your members, who are not participating in a drama.
Sometimes, groups decide to split the money equally amongst themselves, but
it's up to the group to decide. We don't know anything about EXO's profit
distribution outlines.
Kris
himself also has to take some of the blame. If he feels that the company has
violated his civil rights or whatever those damn news reports state, then it is
actually his fault. I'm not siding with S.M., but he probably knew about the
whole incident with Super Junior and DBSK before he signed with the company. He
actually signed in 2008 or 2009, when all this happened. Surely he knew about
it, and if he saw this then it was his decision whether or not to continue on
at S.M. with the possibility of this happening to him or leaving the company.
He chose to stay, because he wanted to live his dreams. That means he should
have the determination and the persistence to go on. Backing out right now and
attempting to terminate his contract shows that this persistence has worn thin.
If he thought that being a daesang idol was going to make his life easier, boy
was he wrong. At the height of your popularity is when you get the least amount
of rest.
Speaking
of popularity, EXO has recently come back. Not that long ago, even. Kris's
timing is especially bad, because not only will this make their comeback less
spectacular, it will blacken the company's name and highlight even worse fan
activity. "Overdose" is a wonderfully crafted concept, both visually
and musically. I'd hate to see it go to waste and get overshadowed by this
conflict.
I love
Kris, I love EXO, and I love S.M. Even though I feel like this conflict is such
a failure of both Kris and his company, I will whatever happens. I'm just
really disappointed, because I thought it was always going to be one. I thought
S.M. was smarter now, and that Kris was a stronger person. I'm not so sure
anymore. Although I'll support EXO in the future, I'm not so sure the EXO I'm
seeing now was the EXO I fell for. I love them all. I treasure the
fangirling moments, the merch, the feels.
No matter
what happens, we will always be supporters. Because that's what fans do. They
support. Fans shouldn't be wreck less. Fans should respect, because that's how
they get respected. Fans should never get too blinded, because then they lose
sight of what they truly fell for. Fans can only pray for the best. The best
light to end this darkness.
Feel free to comment your thoughts on this matter.
I am not going to review each and every song, only selected ones. The ones that are my favorite, that is. To be honest, I do not really like rap music, so some songs like "Backwards" and "Fight For You" I avoided, but I did hear parts of them and the songs aren't that bad. The following are some of my favorites:
Find You- Zedd [ft. Matthew Koma and Miriam Bryant]
I am a fan of Zedd. The first time I heard one of his songs was in an H&M store, where there was mix of "Clarity" and other artists like One Direction and David Guetta and Pitbull and blah blah blah. I was looking through the shoes when the song came on, and I remember stopping for the whole time the part of "Clarity" was playing. Then I searched it up. My favorite Zedd songs are "Stay the Night" (ft. Hayley Williams) and "Spectrum" (ft. Matthew Koma). Zedd's songs all have the same kind of vibe, and I kind of brand his music as "Shiny music." I don't actually know why, but the music is just really really well-made and he is just a genius. I'm not that big of a fan of Skrillex, but I think that Zedd has a more metallic, cool, starry feel. Whatever it is, I like it.
This song fits Divergent so well. After getting the books, I read them all listening to this song. Just listening to the chorus makes me have Fourtris feels. "I want to make the best of what is left, hold tight" DO YOU KNOW HOW SADDENING THIS LINE IS WHEN READING ALLEGIANT??? I ALMOST CRIED. OH MY HOLINESS (Although I am not holy). "And I'll be leaving in the morning in the white-wine bitter sunlight" Yes. Like the time Tris slipped out of Tobias's arms? Readers I know you feel with me. The lyrics are so beautiful, and although I'm not that big of an Ellie Goulding fan, she captures the feeling of the trilogy and the film so well listening to the song for the first time silenced me. "I just want to be by your side".... I am totally going to do a lyric post for this song.
I Won't Let You Go- Snow Patrol
Listen Here~
I am a huge fan of Snow Patrol. I loved them ever since first listening to "Chasing Cars" four years ago, and I still love them and all their songs. Their music is just perfect for the road, the subway-- everything. There's that feeling that I don't know how-to explain. Anyways, this song is just perfect. I can picture Four singing this, as he was always like, "Don't act rash" and "You die, I die".... you know. The whole "over-protective-hot-boyfriend" thing. This song just fits nicely into the mood of the series.
I'm going to declare this out loud: I AM A HUGE M83 FAN. My friends think I'm weird- most of them don't even know M83, but I love their music to death. It's weird how varied my taste is though... one minute I am blasting Marianas Trench and then I'm crying softly to Davichi. I guess its the artistic side of me. Anyways, this song is perfect for the ending. It is also a great road song. I was in the taxi this morning, and the song is really good on the highway. It has this therapeutic, serene feel and I just love songs like these. The instrumentals are freaking gorgeous in my opinion, and I also think that the lyrics and the kind of singing M83 is associated with just work so well together. You just can't go wrong with this song. It is fantastic.
I love the soundtrack. It is really good. I actually bought it and preordered Four on Amazon. Who can't wait for the fourth book? I know I can't xD Tobias is just such a lovely character.
I probably should stop posting about Divergent. I probably sound like a obsessed fangirl or something. Anyways, later bros.
