Ashley’s Blog

Ariana Grande is one of the most popular artists right now and nobody can deny that. Her new album definitely proves that statement. Thank you, Next, hit #1 of the charts almost immediately after it was released and she became the first solo artist to have the top three songs simultaneously. The only other artist to do that was The Beatles. 

Her album as a whole had a very different vibe from her previous albums. Not only was her sound different but also her lyrics. This album seemed to focus on self love and emotional growth, and this was definitely highlighted in the title track, Thank you, Next. Before it was released, Ariana Grande said that this album would be all “feminine energy and champagne and music and laughter and crying.” I’ve listened to the album multiple times and I think this is a pretty good summary. When you listen to the album in order, it tells a story. From “Imagine” to “Fake Smile” and then “Ghostin,” it paints a clear picture of a relationship that starts off great but slowly falls apart over time and the aftermath of the breakup. As someone that has listened to Ariana Grande for many years now, I feel like this album truly feels more personal and it seems like her real emotions and stories are being presented. 

I personally loved this album and it feels like the start of a new Ariana Grande. Although it’s definitely a different turn, I really like where she is heading. I wouldn’t say I’m a diehard Ariana Grande fan, but I do love her music and definitely respect her as an artist. Although she can’t really get any higher on the charts, I believe her career will keep climbing to new heights. 

The halftime show is one of the most anticipated events of the super bowl. Every year, the NFL invites one of the year’s biggest and most popular singers to perform on that stage. This year, Maroon 5 had the opportunity to headline the halftime show. Their performance definitely got a lot of people talking, but probably not for reasons they had hoped. 

The NFL has been known for it’s controversy surrounding Colin Kaepernick and other players who began taking a knee during the national anthem as a way to draw attention to black oppression in our country. Many singers had turned down the offer to perform at the halftime show in support of Colin Kaepernick and because they did not want to get involved with the controversy. Maroon 5 finally accepted the offer but not without receiving some backlash.

As for the actual performance itself, I did not think it was bad, but at the same time I didn’t think it was great either. I personally really enjoy some of Maroon 5’s songs and you have to admit they have a lot of radio hits. They performed some of their most popular songs along side Travis Scott and Big Boi. While Adam Levine did a pretty good job with his vocals and Travis Scott and Big Boi did a great job hyping up the crowd, it did not seem to match well together. It felt like they just threw the artists on stage without trying to combine their different styles of music in a way that made sense. A few years ago, Beyonce, Bruno Mars and Coldplay joined together for, what I consider, one of the best halftime shows in recent years. They were able to achieve a seamless performance despite having very different style of music. That is one of the things that this year’s show lacked. 

Overall, I didn’t think it was a terrible performance, but it definitely didn’t live up to the standard of previous years either. But was the blandness and average-ness of this performance actually what the NFL was trying to achieve? Some articles state that maybe the NFL wanted to make the halftime show as “anodyne” or uneventful as possible in order to counteract all of the controversy and gossip surrounding the NFL. If that was their goal, then this performance was definitely a victory. 

With the Grammys just around the corner, there has been a lot of recent talk about the nominees this year. To be honest, I usually don’t keep up with these types of award shows, so I wasn’t aware of most of the nominations. Every year, the extent of my awards show knowledge usually comes from reading a couple articles here and there or seeing what people post on social media about the previous night’s winners. Despite not being highly involved with awards show news, I was aware that in previous years, the Grammys have been heavily accused of failing to recognize many black artists and performers. That’s why I was extremely surprised and intrigued by a New York Times article I recently came across.

One of the categories this year, contains an all black nominee list. That category is best music video/film. I had actually only watched 2 out of the 5 nominees and those were “Apes***”, by The Carters and “This is America,” by Childish Gambino. Although I had not heard of the other 3 songs, I knew they must be really good if they could hang among the ranks with those two iconic songs. The article included all the music videos with a small analysis about what they trying to convey. After watching each video, I understood why all of them were nominated for a Grammy. Although each song was great on their own, the music videos added a whole new level to the song. One of the videos that stood out to me was “I’m Not Racist,” by Joyner Lucas. The song addresses the issues of racism and highlights the fact that it stems from misunderstanding and being unable to put ourselves in other’s shoes. The song is powerful on its own, but the simple, yet creative, music video is what really drove his message across. I highly recommend you watch this video and all the others, if you have a chance. 

I realized that all of these music videos had a common theme. They all try to convey important messages that relate to current social justice problems. Some of the topics may be controversial and hard to talk about, which is why there are people who do not think they deserve a Grammy. However, I believe the artists’ goal was not to completely solve these issues but to start a conversation about them. These music videos were especially effective in starting important conversations about our society, which is why I fully support their Grammy nomination. I’m curious to see which of these videos wins the Grammy award. I’m also excited to see what will be nominated for this category in the future, since the article also stated that “this category should be seen as an opportunity to embrace a whole new breed of musician.” It once again speaks to the fact that music is such a powerful art form that can affect the entire nation, and combining that with visual arts will only increase its ability to move people.

Article link: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/30/arts/music/grammy-awards-music-video.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Farts&action=click&contentCollection=arts&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=6&pgtype=sectionfront

For this blog, I decided to focus on music! The main reason that I chose this as my topic, was simply because it’s something that I love. I listen to music when doing homework, before volleyball games, before I fall asleep, when I’m running/exercising and even in the shower. One of the things I love most about music is its ability to comfort and relate to the listener. There are so many different genres of music and an endless amount of songs, so there is always a perfect song for every situation. When you’re sad or upset, sometimes you just need a song to remind you that there are other people in the world that feel this way too. When you’re super happy, blasting a song you can sing and dance along to is a great way to express your excitement. I believe music is one of the most powerful forms of art. There are so many different aspects of music that fascinate me, so I know I will have lots to blog about within this topic.

I plan on writing about certain songs or albums I’m interested in, popular music artists and any other current events that involve music and singers. I want this blog to be a place where everyone can share their favorite songs and introduce new music to each other. I’m starting to get bored with my current playlist and if anyone has any recommendations, I’m always open to suggestions!