You don't know you're beautiful? Listen to these.

There is a type of song that I absolutely love, and that type of song would be the girl power song. I know I know I am one of those penis carriers. I shouldn't even listen to these songs as they aren't for my kind - the men. However they clutter my iTunes. There is something so beautiful about them, these music icons are putting aside their own dramas and lives to write and sing songs that let their young female fans know that they aren't alone out there. For every insecurity they have and every issue they are currently dealing with they are letting their fans know they aren't alone. These fans can bond over this and maybe just maybe listen to these songs and find the courage to face their demons and live. So, as I do I have written a short list of some of my favourite acts that sing some kick ass girl power songs:

1. Destiny's Child - Story Of Beauty/Independent Women Part 1/Survivor

This band can be described as a true champion of women. They have written a few songs for woman to chant, fist bump and scream too. My favourite girl power song would be 'Story Of Beauty'. It tells a story of a young girl who doesn't know her worth after she has had a troubled life.

Favourite lyric - 'I hope one day she realise and sees the beauty in her eyes. All she needs is prayer and strength because she is beautiful'

2. TLC - Unpretty

This has to be an anthem for a generation of girls who never felt pretty enough. Instead of being condescending they sing about feeling the same way. TLC have always been about girl power, mainly about how girls are not be messed with and they are just as strong as men - so it must have been comforting for the female fans to know that Left Eye, T-Boz and Chilli also have their insecurities.

Favourite Lyric - 'Why do I look to all these things, To keep you happy. Maybe get rid of you and then I'll get back to me'

3. Little Mix - Little Me/Change Your Life/Wings

Instead of singing about boys and love, these girls came running out the gate singing about girl power. First song 'Wings' was a marching anthem for all girls to know they can fly and do what they want. For young girls these girls are great, as we have watched them from the audition stages we know they are four average lasses who achieved the impossible. Favourite girl power song of theirs would be 'Little Me' - it sings about being who you are and not being afraid, the catch is the song is actually written to their younger selves.

Favourite Lyric - 'You gotta speak up, you gotta shout out, And know that right here, right now, You can be beautiful, wonderful, Anything you wanna be'

4. Christina Aguilera - Beautiful/Fighter/Can't Hold Us Down

Everyone knows 'Beautiful' and most will know the words. Its an amazing song about feeling beautiful in ugly situations. Fun fact about this song is that the released version is the first demo she did, the writer liked the rawness and organic feeling it had, she didn't want another version. This is definitely a song that young girls need to hear and take in.

Favourite Lyric - 'We are beautiful in every single way. Yes, words can't bring us down, oh, no. So don't you bring me down today'

5. Jessie J - Who You Are

If its not her killer vocals that slay you then its the message of this song. It tells about the struggle to just be you. Its hard to express one's self sometimes, Jessie captures the thoughts of so many of us in the song. It is one my favourite songs of all time (and also one of my favourite songs to scream along to when home alone, or when I want to piss off the twin). For the past 4 acts I have picked favourite lyrics, but basically every word is perfect - but to keep the flow I have chosen one.

Favourite Lyric - 'Its okay not to be okay'

6. Selena Gomez - Who Says

This is one of those songs that we would love to shout at our bullies. She is basically calling out her tormentors and asks them why, whilst also talking to her fans about how they are entitled to feel beautiful even if others pull you down. I love the message of this song, I mean it is so right. Who says we can't be what we want to be? No one has that control.

Favourite Lyric - 'I’m sure you got some things. You’d like to change about yourself. But when it comes to me I wouldn’t want to be anybody else.'

7. P!nk - Fuckin' Perfect

If theres one thing that I love about P!nk its her brutal honesty. She sings about what she wants and does what she wants. This song didn't come as a shock because she has always been a champion of the underdog. This song is just fucking perfect. The video made me weep like a hungry child. This is one of those songs that you know helped a lot of people.

Favourite Lyric - 'Pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel like you're nothing, you're fucking perfect to me'

8. Lady Gaga - Born This Way

This song isn't just about girl power, its about humans. It is written for all of us. It is a song we can raise a fist too and scream at the top of our longs if we ever feel like we can't be us. Don't apologise for not been like someone else. We are who we are. She does a lot for her fans with making them feel special and I feel like she encapsulates in this song. If she was to leave this earth tomorrow that would be her legacy.

Favourite Lyric - 'No matter gay, straight, or bi, Lesbian, transgendered life, I'm on the right track baby, I was born to survive. No matter black, white or beige Chola or orient made, I'm on the right track baby, I was born to be brave.'

9. Demi Lovato - Skyscraper

She recorded this song after a very dark period of her life. This song was her coming out song if you like, she didn't let her illness bring her down. It is a beautiful song with even more beautiful vocals behind it. It sends a message that if your truly believe in yourself you can do whatever you want.

Favourite Lyric - 'Go on and try to tear me down, I will be rising from the ground, Like a skyscraper'

10. Kelly Clarkson - Stronger/People Like Us/Mr Know It All/Miss Independent/Dark Side

Our Kelly sure knows how to belt a powerful song out. Her voice is flawless and really can make you stop in your tracks sometimes. My favourite songs of hers are always her positive anthems. The power of her voice really reflects the power of the message she tries to tell. My favourite is probably 'People Like Us', this song came and went rather unnoticed which was unfortunate as it says a lot that people should hear.

Favourite Lyric - 'People like us, we've gotta stick together. Keep your head up nothing lasts forever. Here's to the damned, to the lost and forgotten. It's hard to get high when you're living on the bottom'

Honourable Mentions

Beyonce - Pretty Hurts

One Direction - That's what makes you beautiful

Ke$ha - We Are Who We Are

Alicia Keys - Girl On Fire

Nicki Minaj - Fly

Katy Perry - Firework

Glee Cast - Loser Like Me

30 Seconds To Mars - The Edge

Kellie Pickler - Don't You Know You're Beautiful

Aretha Franklin - Respect

Des'ree - Gotta Be

Keri Hilson - Pretty Girl Rock

The VMA's Restyled By Me

To say the least I was disappointed by the fashion on the red carpet at this years MTV VMA's. It was boring or weird. There was no happy middle ground. If I had to pick some of the best dressed it would be Katy Perry, Ciara and Ellie Goulding. I respected Rita Ora's choice because she chose to go with a bang - nothing says bang like a 20 foot feathered train. 

When it comes to some of these events there are certain people we look out for; these are the fashionable, edgy, cool, classy girls who pull something out of the bag. They may not shock us but they let us know that they are fashion aware and know how to dress. I was hugely disappointed with Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Miley Cyrus.

Miley Cyrus
What she wore - Dolce and Gabanna
What I would have put her in - Chanel Fall Couture 2013

She is trying too hard here to bring the 90's trend back. It's over the top whilst still being simple. I have a thing against leggings - don't like them and I never will. Pairing them up with oversized gems just angers me. Her hair looks stupid and I am a huge supporter of her new shorter do - but what the hell are those small buns all about? They only looked good on Scary Spice.
I put her in a silver dress from Chanel. I picked this because it keeps her looking youthful aswell as having a bit of a 90's throwback with the smaller skirt over the longer skirt. The length would be perfect on her and allow her to play with footwear - I would consider a shocking pink platform pump. Her shorter hair would also go flawlessly with this look, but instead of buns I would scrape it all back and add some volume on top.

Selena Gomez
What she wore - Atelier Versace
What I would have put her in -  Dior Fall Couture 2013

Lets all remember she is only 21. These are the perfect years to have fun and experiment fashion wise. It looks like she pulled this out of an ageing american soap-star's closet. It's tacky even for a 40 year old woman. I appreciate the playfulness of it with the revealing of undergarments, but there is no shape to it; where is her waist? It's so blah that even a revealed breast doesn't help it. Also full length sleeves should only be worn by women ashamed of their upper arms - I doubt she has this problem.
I put her in this cute Dior dress. The colour is a much more fun and a youthful blue than the one she chose. It's a bit risqué with the slit down the front of the middle of the dress, but it doesn't cross the line into trashy. The length is great for her as she doesn't have the longest of legs, so having it end above the knee will definitely create length. I am also in love with the material manipulation which gives the dress a seamless appearance.

Lady Gaga
What she wore -  Prabal Gurung
What I would have put her in - Giambattista Valli Spring Couture 2013

This dress she chose was so lacklustre, there is nothing special about it and the material is way too shiny that all I see is trash bags. Its like an unconventional materials challenge on 'Project Runway' gone wrong. It looks badly made and the bow is just sad. For a woman who loves to push boundaries she just looks boring.
The dress I chose isn't that different to her choice. Its black, has a fishnet material and isn't too out there. I feel my choice just speaks better for Gaga. Its fun and unconventional whilst being fashionable and edgy. Also I deliberately chose to give her blonde/white hair as it just stands out more and completes the look - she doesn't look so much like Helena Bonham Carter's weird little sister anymore.

Taylor Swift
What she wore - Hervé Léger by Max Azria
What I would have put her in - Ellie Saab Fall Couture 2013

One word for the dress she chose was 'blah' - my god it is so boring, We all know Taylor is loaded so she could have bought any dress she wanted. In recent years she has made some great choices (see the Grammy's this year) but what happened? She has gone for a column dress which are normally reserved for a shorter gal as they give length - Taylor does not need added height. It completely leaves her shapeless and it is so boring. Paired with the hair she looks 20 years older easily - never mind being 22 try 42.
The dress I chose isn't out there because at the end of the day she needs to be comfortable. I chose this emerald green Ellie Saab dress as I think it is very her (especially in the direction she should be going in). Its classy with an added something. The added something is a bit of sparkle but not in a trashy way. The sheerness will keep the youthfulness whilst the 3/4 length sleeve and full length keeps it respectable. This dress has a dropped back so we will see a gorgeous back and profile.

Rihanna
What she wore - Muscle shirt with a picture of MC Lyte and skinny cropped jeans.
What I would have put her in - Bouchra Jarrar Fall Couture 2013

I'm stuck with this one; on one hand I applaud her for choosing to keep it cool and comfortable, on the other hand I really think she could have at least tried. She was obviously in a mood where she didn't give a shit and just came to watch the show, collect her cheque and get gone. She did however provide the best entertainment from the show with her amazing unimpressed expressions.
To keep with her easy laid back style I chose this complete look from Bouchra Jarrar. I decided to keep her in trousers as she has legs for days so she always look amazing in them, I chose a cropped top because she has the abs I would kill for and then a baggy layer on top to keep the street look she has perfected. However from this look I would get rid of the belt - its overkill.

P.S excuse the shocking photoshop-ing, its late and I really wanted to do this post.

Who Doesn't Love A Good Song And A Dance?

I really enjoy award shows, but the thing is I couldn't care less about the awards. Its the performances I love. The artists go all out and put on a 5 minute spectacle. The MTV Video Music Awards are showing on Monday and I am more than excited. With performances from Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus to look forward to. So I thought I would have a gander at some of my favourite past performances.

The best ones in my eyes are the ones that shock. With Lady Gaga on the roster we are almost guaranteed a few surprises. I am basing this on her record - once coming out dressed as her male alter-ego and another time where she appeared to kill her self on stage. Britney Spears doesn't come up short when it comes to the shocks. She has been known to dance with a python, strip off whilst singing a Rolling Stone's song and of course the kiss heard around the world with Madonna (everyone seems to forget Madge did the dirty with Christina Aguilera aswell). Justin Timberlake's face was my favourite bit from that entire performance.

Then there are the performance where artists take the opportunity to show what they got. Beyonce singing 'Love On Top' stopped me in my tracks - I think I even held my breath so I could listen with all I had. Eminem performing with Rihanna was also special - he will always be my favourite rapper. Also Eminem's debut performance with a hundred dopple-ganger's was something special.

Monday can not come soon enough. I am rather excited. I can't wait to see the red carpet. Most importantly you know the performances are going to be epic. Gaga and Perry are both using this opportunity to sing their new songs for the first time. Yay.

Check below to remind yourself of some special performances.

Fingers crossed no one jumps on stage to interrupt an acceptance speech (looking at you Kanye!)

#TeamApplause Vs. #TeamRoar

As a huge fan of pop music it was hard to ignore the battle that raged between Little Monsters and Katy Kats. Both Katy Perry and Lady Gaga's comeback singles were leaked on the same week. Lady Gaga introduced us to 'Applause' her first single from her new album 'ArtPop' and Katy Perry introduced us to 'Roar' her first single from her new album 'Prism'. Whilst no harsh words were exchanged between the two stars, instead opting to acknowledge their joint frustration with hackers, there has been huge competition between fans and it has widely been reported by media. Unfortunately for the Little Monster's of the world, the Katy Kat's came out in force and took the cherished higher position (neither one beating 'Blurred Lines' by Robin Thicke). To date 'Roar' has sold 557,000 copies in America and 'Applause' has sold a very respectable 218,000 units.

So as a fan I thought I would quickly review the singles and give my very 'important' opinion.

'Applause' - Lady Gaga

I have to admit I wasn't in love at the first listen. After all the build up for 'ArtPop' I was expecting a more artistic and alternative song to be debuted. Of course it is different to past hits like 'Bad Romance' and 'Poker Face' but it doesn't show a big detachment. There is an electro-dance beat that will keep the club lovers happy. This song will be very easy to dance to, as an amateur shape maker I could imagine myself getting down with my bad self with this song. However, for an artist so set on pushing boundaries she has come out with quite a generic pop song. A lot of the lyrics also don't make sense - almost as if she took influence from David Bowie's 'cut-up technique' in which he cut up a newspaper and picked his lyrics from that.
After listening to it more I am starting to love it. It seems to be quite a personal song and definitely says something that other people wouldn't say 'I live for the applause'. It is a statement a celebrity would not say as they don't want to appear shallow - Gaga doesn't care. I am looking forward to her album, if it follows this song then we can expect a great dance album, and at the end of the day music is supposed to move you, physically or emotionally.

'Roar' - Katy Perry

When I first heard this song I was one of those people - isn't this 'Brave' by Sara Bareilles? The theme and the sound are uncanny. I am going to trust that it wasn't plagiarism and just a weird coincidence. Sara can't be too angry as the comparison has seen an 80% rise in sales for her single in the past week. Anyway back to the review, I am a sucker for an anthem that promotes being proud of who you are and being strong. I really like this song - a whole lot. Katy's vocals are great. This song is definitely personal as it is highlighting her moving on from quite a lot of personal turmoil. However, we can all relate to it. We all have had our shit and we need a good song to remind us that we can still be a champion.
Just like for Gaga, I was expecting a detachment from the type of music we were already used to. All the promotion for 'Prism' seemed to show a darker and more deeper Perry. But why fix something that isn't broken? She broke records with 'Teenage Dream' and she has a fan base she know she can please. If I hear this song when I am out and about (and drunk) I will for sure be fist pumping along, screaming the lyrics with pride.

Conclusion

I like both songs. They are crowd pleasing and catchy. I for one will most definitely know all the lyrics to both of them whether its voluntary or not. They both give us a glimpse into what could be a couple of great albums. If I had to pick one I would have to pick Perry. It's just more my kind of taste, this isn't a loss for Gaga as I am yet to purchase either single (and I can't see me buying either).

Unreleased Opportunities

The best thing when an artist announces a new single is the music video. For 3 or so minutes we get to watch them tell their story through pictures instead of words, or in some cases a theatrical, all singing all dancing showcase of their talents. Some videos are so creative they are put up there with some of the greatest films of all time. Me and the twin can often be found flicking through the music channels - we love them. I would pick a music channel over the radio any day. However, I believe some artists have missed opportunities and completely skipped over songs from their albums and moved on to the next one or in some cases making a video for one of the not so good songs on the album. Below I have listed 6 songs that either I would have loved to see a music video for or think it should have been released so it got more attention.

Destiny's Child - Through With Love

This song is an epic anthem. It really shows the girl's abilities as individual singers aswell a harmonising group. They sang this live the last time I saw them and it was nothing but amazing, the whole audience felt it. Michelle's bit towards the end would shut any doubters up.  

Taylor Swift - Better Than Revenge
Such a great song. Most people expect Taylor to sing about love and relationships; but this a song that tells another type of story from her diary - having her man stolen. There are rumours this song is about Camille Belle stealing Joe Jonas, but of course she never reveals the subjects of her songs. The video would have been great, full of attitude and a laugh a minute.

Robyn - Eclipse
We all love Robyn for her dance beats and catchy lyrics, her songs will fill a discotheque in seconds. This song shows a completely different side to her and shows off her voice beautifully. Its a song about someone falling out of love with you because you hurt them. The video could have been simple, emotional and stunning to watch (I imagine similar to Sugarland's 'Stay' video).

The Veronicas - Revenge is Sweeter (Than You Ever Were)
 This song is one my favourite Veronica's songs ever (as a huge fan this quite a huge statement). The song is about similar to Taylor's in the sense its about having someone stolen. Its from a different angle as they are angry at the guy. The vocals are top notch, especially the chorus. The video would have been dramatic and amazing. The song alone is dramatic and amazing.

Rihanna - Fire Bomb
I may be standing alone with this choice but I love this song. Its more of a rocky edgy song. I love the chorus. Rihanna sounds amazing. The video would have been very cinematic and emotion full. A good revenge video. I can only imagine how good the fashion would have been. Love me some angry Rihanna (her condescending attitude in 'Take A Bow' shows how good she can be.)

Lady Gaga - Speechless
One of my favourite songs of all time. Its obvious she loves the song as she sang it with Elton John at the Grammy's. I am gutted it never got a video. I feel like it would have been a really sad video and epic the only way Lady Gaga knows how. If there is one thing we know about Gaga is that she is unpredictable so who knows she might revisit the song and make a video. Fingers crossed.

Divas Live

I have been to my fair share of concerts. For some reason about 80% of them are female performers. I love a show where a female is singing her heart out and putting on a spectacle for us to sit back and watch in awe.

My first ever concert was the Spice Girls. It was when they were a 4 (I have since seen them as a 5 on their reunion tour). It was amazing, it felt even better because we got the tickets for free (they arrived in the mail and we didn't question it). Since then I have made sure I go to concerts of all my favourite singers.

When seeing a show I prefer arena gigs. The production value is awesome - there is fire, lasers, screens, lights, smoke and on multiple occasions flying. One of my favourite concerts I ever went to was Destiny's Child on their Destiny Fulfilled and Lovin' It (they were sponsored by McDonald's). at the beginning the whole arena went black, then the screen came on and simply said 'Say My Name' and BANG toaster pop and the girls were on stage. I almost pissed myself with excitement.

I have been to smaller venues to see the likes of The Veronicas, Ke$ha and Ellie Goulding. These are special because it is purely about the talent. Their voices are perfect and there is a real vibe of community as the whole crowd is feeling the music. Another thing I like to do is festivals - I haven't been to as many as I would like to but I will always be thankful for V Festival for getting Taylor Swift. I got so close to the stage and I was in awe.

When huge acts come to England, more precisely Manchester I have to go. I have seen Carrie Underwood, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and Christina Aguilera live and it. was. awesome. They live upto the hype and standing in the same room as them gets me a little bit starstruck.

I don't have a lot of gigs to look forward to right now except from V Festival and Ellie Goulding. I hope to see a lot more and 30 Seconds To Mars have just announced a tour so I will be looking for someone to go with me. There is something about being in  dark room, sweating and listening to music that just gets me.