Tuesday 18 October 2016

struggling.

Lately, I've been feeling trapped. Very trapped. Trapped inside of myself and my own head, feeling so suffocated that I just feel like I'm not breathing anymore. I'm so tired and it feels like that is never going to change, my whole body is tired, all of my limbs feel like they can't keep going anymore and my head feels like it just can't keep up. Everything seems to be happening at once yet nothing seems to be happening at all, everything is just a blur, life is a blur that I feel like I can't see anymore.

Sometimes, things happen that you can't control in your life and sometimes it makes everything harder. That's the way life works but right now it feels like coping isn't even a word in my dictionary and things just get harder and harder, every single smile and laugh feels fake and forced and it feels like nobody around me is noticing because it feels like I've done this a million and one times before, the pretending that everything is okay even though I feel like I'm dying inside.

The worst part is that I can't even blame it on anything. Yes, I have some personal struggles in my life but everyone does. Things have been bad there since July 8th but I've managed to cope with that but now, now I can't seem to cope with anything. Everything is making me just want to breakdown and cry to myself, getting out of bed every single morning and painting on a smile to go to college with is the hardest thing ever. It's October and I have so many things coming up, Teen Awards which means reuniting with one of my best friends a little sister to me, meeting my favourite band, my best friend's birthday, seeing Bastille, seeing With Confidence, my own birthday and Christmas but I just can't seem to find it within myself to be excited about anything. I feel like I'm just seeing everything in black and white and we're living in a world void of colour.

I feel like I'm losing people, I feel like some people in my life just really don't care about me anymore and I feel like I've completely lost myself. Sometimes, life has bad ways of teaching us things, teaching us important lessons and maybe that's what it's trying to do.

Just know that if you are struggling with things right now and nothing seems like it's going right just know that you are not alone. Just know that there are people who love and adore you and want to make everything better. If it doesn't feel like it, I promise there are. We all just need to find our light and turn it back on.

Monday 8 August 2016

A Week Of Music - Week One

Hey guys,

I listen to music a lot like I've constantly got my headphones in and something playing in them! So, because of this and I know that a lot of you listen to music too, I thought I'd do a new section on my blog every Sunday (even though it's now Monday, I'm sorry okay?) which is the songs I've been listening to the most that week. Sooooooooooo, here we go!

5) This Is My Version by Conor Maynard

This song only came out on Friday but it's in my most played! It's such a beautiful song and it's nice to finally hear a new release from Conor Maynard as it's been four years now since Contrast! I'm so excited that this will hopefully lead to album two! Go and listen to it on Spotify or Apple Music if you haven't already!

4) The Swarm by You Me At Six

I know this song came out a good few years ago now but I still absolutely love it! I've been listening to YMAS a lot lately and this is a song I find myself putting on repeat a lot. It's no surprise that it's in my most played this week. I think this was also helped by the fact I went to Thorpe Park a couple of weeks ago and rode The Swarm more than once, it made me realise how much I love this song.

3) Follow You by Bring Me The Horizon

My absolute favourite BMTH song has made an appearance in my most played this week because like with The Swarm, I've been reminded of how much I love it! Do you ever get it when a song comes on shuffle and you're just struck with how much you love it? That's what happened here. I love the whole of That's The Spirit, it's such a great album but Follow You is definitely a stand out track for me and if you haven't checked it out, you definitely should.

2) Written Off by The Vamps

Is it really my most listened to list without my favourite band making an appearance? I think not! I've been a little obsessed with Written Off at the moment! Connor's vocals in it are truly insane and it's just such a good song. Seriously, if you're a The Vamps fan and haven't made it this far down the Wake Up album go and do it now and feel how amazing this song is.

1) Three Empty Words by Shawn Mendes

Finally, my most played this week was Three Empty Words by Shawn! Ever since hearing it live, I've been waiting for the studio version of this song and it really hasn't disappointed me! Shawn never fails to absolutely amaze me but Three Empty Words is just such a beautiful song and it gives me goosebumps every single time.

So, that's it for my most listened to this week! I'll be posting again probably next Monday as I'm at Summer in the City on Sunday but it may go up very late Sunday night. Talking of SitC, there will be blog posts from both days up on here at some point next week!

Saturday 25 June 2016

The Vamps Wake Up World Tour - UK leg 2016

I was lucky enough to attend The Vamps second world tour, this time they were taking on performing hits from their second album Wake Up. I attended both of the Birmingham tour dates, Nottingham and the last date; Manchester.

As I have seen this band a number of times before, I knew that they were capable of and would put on a really good, high energy show and they did not disappoint.

Before the show had even started, they started hyping up the crowd with playing popular music such as Stitches by Shawn Mendes and Lush Life by Zara Larsson before the first act of the night; HomeTown came onto the stage. The Irish, six piece boyband, took to the stage to get the crowd going. They played a mix of their original songs from their debut album as well as a cover of Adele's Hello. The crowd were left cheering for them as they left the stage but were only kept waiting for five minutes before singing sensation; Conor Maynard came out onto the stage. The whole crowd were screaming, clapping and singing their lungs out as he played his hits from his hit album; Contrast as well as a cover mashup as he is popular on YouTube for that. The final support act of the night was American guitar band, The Tide. As The Tide supported The Vamps on their last world tour, they were already popular with the crowd and they left a huge imprint with all of their new material plus their hit new single Young Love.

After a short, twenty minute wait, The Vamps' played their introduction video which showed their success over the last almost four years and it was definitely a tear jerker for fans who had been there since the start. The four then stormed the stage and went straight into one of the singles off of the new album; Rest Your Love which had the whole crowd jumping around and screaming out the lyrics. They then went straight into another single from the album; Cheater which again had the crowd all jumping before they played an old hit; Somebody To You.

A few songs in, the band went back to their roots, they started as a band who posted covers on YouTube and every tour they make sure they go back to their roots and this year's mashup included a lot of popular songs such as Sorry, Stressed Out, Perfect, Can't Feel My Face and Stitches so even if people didn't know many of their songs, there was still something that they could sing along too.

As well as re-vamping Wild Heart so it had a slow, piano start which was delivered by lead singer, Bradley Simpson, who after this, played a song from their upcoming third album called Stay. Connor and James had their own section where they played the last song from their new album; Written Off and an old song Risk It All to the crowd where everyone got their lights out and sang along, it was a really beautiful scene.


When everyone was back on stage, the crowd were sent into another loud singalong for their newest single I Found A Girl ft Omi, a question of the crowd was who would be playing Omi's part and their question was answered when Conor Maynard jumped onto the stage and delivered a high energy performance with Bradley. A song that was heavily requested was up next, Volcano, it is a favourite with the fans and they weren't disappointed when the music started and drummer, Tristan Evans was showcased when he started rapping the chorus.


On this tour, The Vamps really had decided to give new, upcoming bands a chance with the likes of HomeTown and The Tide but nobody was expecting their next move. A VT was shown to the crowd telling them about their new record label and their signings which included The Tide and their newest signing, a small, three piece band called New Hope Club that came onto the scene in early October by The Vamps. The music for their popular hit, Oh Cecelia (You're Breaking My Heart) started up and guitarist James McVey introduced New Hope Club to the stage. The young band didn't fail to impress and the section was easily a crowd favourite especially for some of the newer and younger fans.

Tristan Evans then again came back to the stage and played his usual drum solo with a different lot of songs to showcase his talent. The crowd were left memorised by his talent and had a good singalong to the songs that he was drumming along to. The other three then joined the stage again for two of their oldest singles; Last Night and Can We Dance before the band headed off of the stage, telling the crowd that they were done for the night.

The crowd was waiting for long as the lights went back down and Bradley appeared at the end of the catwalk stage on his piano and delivered a completely magical performance of one of the slow ballads on their new album; Stolen Moments. After it was finished, there wasn't a dry eye in the house, it was a beautiful, memorable performance from the lead singer.

The final song of the night was their leading single from their album Wake Up; Wake Up. The whole crowd were singing and jumping along, ready to make the most of the final moments that they were sharing with the band.




Saturday 30 April 2016

Albums!!

Hey guys!

So, as you saw the other day, I did my top ten books and I thought I'd make it into a little series so now I'm going to do my top 10 albums that kind of turned into 11 but oh well. SO, here we go!!

11) Hopes & Fears by Keane

Track List:
1) Somewhere Only We Know
2) Bend & Break
3) We May As Well Be Strangers
4) Everybody's Changing
5) Your Eyes Open
6) She Has No Time
7) Can't Stop Now
8) Sunshine
9) This Is The Last Time
10) On A Day Like Today
11) Untitled 1
12) Bedshaped

Now, this album was released way back when in 2004, holy crap, it's almost twelve years old. Anyway, this was the bands debut album and my mum went out and brought it straight away and played it on a loop so it was kind of drilled into me. One day, I was in the front room with her and we were listening to this and it was the first song (Somewhere Only We Know) and I was just so mesmerised and it was one of the first songs I remember falling for.

I feel as if Keane are one of those bands that people know their songs without realising who it's by. You might say that you don't know Somewhere Only We Know but if you listened to it, you'd know it straight away. They are THAT band. It happened the night I saw them, in the day we were listening to all of their albums and I'd forgotten Bend & Break was by them and it came on and I was like, oh my gosh this is by them!

Another song that really gets me on this album is We May As Well Be Strangers. It didn't when I first started listening to it but it does now that I'm older and done that whole relationship thing. I'm not going to go into details of that but if you listen to the song, you'll easily pick up the message behind it. It is a beautiful song, the actual music for it is beautiful, I think that's mainly what sparks the tears in the corners of my eyes. Also, She Has No Time, the music for it is so beautiful and it isn't a single from the album so people seem to ignore it which means it is seriously underrated. Honestly, it's a really powerful song and I can feel the emotional in Tom's vocals.

If you don't know this band, I honestly highly recommend going to look them up and listen to them. All of their albums are amazing but in my opinion, Hopes & Fears is the best but I think that's because of the memories attached to it.

Favourite songs: Somewhere Only We Know, Bedshaped, We May As Well Be Strangers and She Has No Time.

10) Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park

Track List:
1) Papercut
2) One Step Closer
3) With You
4) Points Of Authority
5) Crawling
6) Runaway
7) By Myself
8) In The End
9) A Place For My Head
10) Forgotten
11) Cure For The Itch
12) Pushing Me Away

So, this album is a little different from Hopes & Fears but it is again an important album to me. It was released in 2000 and my dad was and still is really into that kind of music so it's been around me my whole life, he raised me on bands like Linkin Park, Paramore, Foo Fighters, Green Day, but in about 2006, when I was almost eight, my dad sat me down and we listened to this album from start to finish without saying anything, we just listened and since that day, when one of us has had a bad day, we sit and listen to this album so that's why this is an important album to me.

My favourite songs on the album are Pushing Me Away and One Step Closer. In year ten, I listened to this album a lot, there were a lot of bad days and these two songs just seemed to stand out for me. One Step Closer described how I was feeling, the things people were saying to me, was taking me to the edge, my edge. So, when things started to get rough, I shut my eyes and played that song and made myself calm down a bit.  Pushing Me Away is just a powerful song, it's a song that I like to belt out at the top of my lungs when I'm frustrated or sad. It's just a great song and I really like it.

In my opinion, this is definitely the best Linkin Park album. It's such a strong album and I don't see myself getting bored of it.

Favourite songs: Pushing Me Away, One Step Closer, In The End.

9) Brand New Eyes by Paramore

Track List:
1) Careful
2) Ignorance
3) Playing God
4) Brick By Boring Brick
5) Turn It Off
6) The Only Exception
7) Feeling Sorry
8) Looking Up
9) Where The Lines Overlap
10) Misguided Ghosts
11) All I Wanted
12) Decode

From the moment I was introduced to this band, I feel in love but that just grew and then grew a lot more when this album was released. To this day, I still think this is their best album and it's going to take a LOT to top it for me. I know all of the songs inside out and is another album that reminds me a lot of my dad as we spent many nights talking about how amazing this album is and he showed me the band in the first place.

When I first heard the album, The Only Exception was my favourite song but the more I listened to the album, I realised my favourite was All I Wanted, closely followed by Misguided Ghosts and this happened in the early hours of one morning when I was listening to the album, All I Wanted started playing and I just wanted to jump up and sing it as loud as possible but it being three in the morning made that impossible.

Again I feel like Paramore is one of those bands where people know more of their songs then they think they do. And, I really like all of their albums but this one is definitely my favourite as I just really like all of the songs on this album and I find that rare with me, there's normally a good one or two that I don't really get on with but that's different with this album and I think that's because all of the songs are different and sound different.

Favourite songs: All I Wanted, Misguided Ghosts, The Only Exception, Decode.

8) Nothing Personal by All Time Low

Track List:
1) Weightless
2) Break Your Little Heart
3) Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't)
4) Lost In Stereo
5) Stella
6) Sick Little Games
7) Hello Brooklyn
8) Walls
9) Too Much
10) Keep The Change, Ya Filthy Animal
11) The Party Song (The Walk Of Shame)
12)  Therapy

This album is a masterpiece. From start to finish. It's a masterpiece. I honestly had a hard time putting it here at number eight but I had my reasons. Anyway, this album is wonderful. It has a load of different songs; silly ones like Damned If I Do Ya and emotional ones like Therapy so it has a song for whatever mood I'm in. If I'm listening to this album from start to finish; I'll be jamming out for the first few songs and then be in tears by the end but I love it. I love everything about this album, from the big pop-punk songs to the emotional ones. It's an album that helped me through some shit and this band brought me to some of my closest friends.

My favourite song from this album is Therapy and I know that's a really cliche answer but I have my reasons for it that I'm not ready to go into. I love the beautiful music behind it, the minor key that it's in honestly gives me goosebumps. Hearing it live is also a very special experience, I'm normally grabbing the closest person to me, sobbing but I love screaming the lyrics back to them and hearing everyone else around me doing it too.

I feel like All Time Low is one of those bands when even though you say you don't like them, there are songs by them that you love and seeing them live is always an amazing experience. And for first time listeners, Nothing Personal is the album that I'd recommend to everyone because I love it so much and I'm sure most Hustlers will agree with me that it's a great album and that they'd recommend it to others.

Favourite songs: Therapy, Break Your Little Heart, Sick Little Games, Stella.





7) Somewhere Somehow by We The Kings

Track List:
1) Queen Of Hearts
2) Find You There
3) I Feel Alive
4) I Like It
5) That Feeling
6) See You In My Dreams
7) Die Young, Live Forever
8) Pheonix Hearts
9) Any Other Way
10) Say It Now
11) Art Of War
12) Sad Song

So, We The Kings. Where to even start with this band, they will always be one of the best bands in my opinion and without them, I wouldn't be close to Shayla and she's one of the most important people in my life. When I first heard this album, it was at midnight the moment it came out and I listened to it from start to finish with all my lights off and it just all hit me how beautiful it was.

I finally saw We The Kings back in 2014 at Slam Dunk and it was one of the best experiences of my life. I honestly just love this band and Somewhere Somehow is such a good album, it starts off with Queen Of Hearts which is a really upbeat tune and ends with the more slow, beautifully heartbreaking Sad Song which honestly made me cry the first time I heard it. It also has really motivating songs such as Art Of War which to this day, I still want lyrics tattooed on me from and Any Other Way; both songs motivated me to carry on through the way at one stage. Some of the songs on the album, it took me a while to get into but I did and now I love every single song on there.

This is the album that also got my brother into We The Kings and I hope one day we can see them together.

Favourite songs: Art Of War, Any Other Way, Queen Of Hearts, Die Young Live Forever






6) Bleed American by Jimmy Eat World

Track List:
1) Bleed American
2) A Praise Chorus
3) The Middle
4) Your House
5) Sweetnes
6) Hear You Me
7) If You Don't, Don't
8) Get It Faster
9) Cautioners
10) The Authority Song
11) My Sundown

If you know me, you'll know that I love Jimmy Eat World with every single fibre of my being because I do. This is a band that I feel really brought me and my dad together musically and this album really has a special place in my heart when it comes to music. From start to finish, I adore it. Obviously, the main song on this album is The Middle and I know why, as well as it being probably the most popular Jimmy Eat World song, it's such a jam. The lyrics are actually meaningful and when I was going through my 'emo' phase when I was 13, it was a song that helped me out a lot and this album means a lot to my dad which means it means a lot to me.

A truly beautiful song on the album and I think underrated song on the album is Hear You Me. Honeslty, this is one of those songs that never fails to give me goosebumps every time I listen to it. It makes me cry and hearing it live was one of the best experiences of my life and I can't thank this band enough for what they've done. The whole album is full of great jams from Bleed American to The Middle to Sweetness then down to Hear You Me and My Sundown, I 10/10 recommend this album to anyone.

Favourite songs: The Authority Song, Hear You Me, My Sundown, The Middle.


5) Sounds Good Feels Good by 5 Seconds of Summer

Tracklist:
1) Money
2) She's Kinda Hot
3) Hey Everybody
4) Permanent Vacation
5) Jet Black Heart
6) Catch Fire
7) Safety Pin
8) Waste The Night
9) Vapor
10) Castaway
11) The Girl Who Cried Wolf
12) Broken Home
13) Fly Away
14) Invisible
15) Airplanes
16) San Francisco
17) Outta Space/Carry On

Now, I know that 5SOS are one of those bands that people seem to hate for no reason and honestly, the reasons they give are normally pathetic but I can honestly hand on my heart say that I love this band and Sounds Good Feels Good is one of the most amazing albums I've ever heard especially from such a young band. It starts off with the huge, major, upbeat song; Money and then makes it's way down to Outta Space/Carry On which is so beautiful and will never fail to make me cry.

One of the reasons I love this album is that I believe from about Vapor, it tells a story and then at the end, Carry On, is there to tell us that it doesn't have to end badly, that we can get through anything and everything and that they'll be there for us and our friends and family we surround ourselves with will be there for us too. That's the first impression I got from this album and I sobbed my heart out the first time I listened to it through. From Money to emotional songs like Broken Home and Invisible. I believe this album was written completely for the fans and it's just so beautiful, I'd like to thank 5SOS for making this album as I love it and some of the songs contine to help me step through life more than people will ever know.

The first single from the album; She's Kinda Hot was a title that left me unsure and I think many people had that impression but it started this whole movement of The New Broken Scene which is a place where them and us connect by music and it's a place where we can all feel safe and happy, that they're for us and it comes across in the song. "We're alright though."

Favourite songs: Waste The Night, Vapor, Castaway.





4) Nothing To Lose by Emblem3

Tracklist:
1) Just For One Day
2) Spaghetti
3) XO
4) Chloe (You're The One I Want)
5) Girl Next Door
6) Nothing To Lose
7) I Love LA
8) Sunset Blvd
9) 3000 Miles
10) Teenage Kings
11) One Day
12) Reason (Live)
13) Jaiden (Live)

Emblem3 are a band that probably have a bad name somewhere for being a boyband that arised from The X Factor (USA) but I don't care. I love this band so freaking much. They've taught me how to smile, how to keep fighting, how to be who I want to be and not who others want me to be and for that, I am truly thankful. And to be honest, they have a song called Chloe and I'm called Chloe sooooooooo.....

Anyway, this is just such a feel good album, I watched The X Factor USA from 2010 - 2012 because they showed it over here in the UK and I remember Emblem3 being on it and I absolutely just fell in love with them from their very first audition where they came out and sang Sunset Blvd which to this day, is still one of my favourites by them. The whole album just has this really great beach, summer vibe and I'm absolutely in love with it, no matter what mood I'm in, I can stick this album on and have a good sing and a good dance to it.

There are some emotional ballads on here too like 3000 Miles and Jaiden which I love both of. 3000 Miles is a song I'd absolutely love to hear live and I honestly cannot wait until they finally tour here and hopefully play it as well as Chloe because I need to be able to scream that song back at them at least once in my life. I don't know what it is about this band, they just honestly make me smile so much, they make all of my rainy days into sunny ones and I'll never be able to thank them enough for what they do for me.

Favourite songs: Spaghetti, Just For One Day, Girl Next Door, Chloe, 3000 Miles.


3) Meet The Vamps/Wake Up by The Vamps.

Meet The Vamps tracklist:
1) WildHeart
2) Last Night
3) Somebody To You
4) Can We Dance
5) Girls On TV
6) Risk It All
7) Oh Cecelia (You're Breaking My Heart)
8) Another World
9) Move My Way
10) Shout About It
11) High Hopes
12) She Was The One
13) Dangerous
14) Lovestruck
15) Smile
16) On The Foor
17) Golden
18) Fall

Wake Up tracklist:
1) Wake Up
2) Rest Your Love
3) Volcano
4) Million Words
5) Windmills
6) I Found A Girl
7) Be With You
8) Burn
9) Cheater
10) Stolen Moments
11) Boy Without A Car
12) Held By Me
13) Halfway There
14) Runaway
15) Worry
16) Coming Home
17) Peace Of Mind
18) Written Off

Now, the reason that these two are together is that I honestly can't choose between the two of them. The Vamps are my favourite band in the whole entire world, they're the band that make me smile, they're the band that brought me loads of friends, they taught me how to be more confident, how to be happy and they honestly saved my life. There will never be a day where I'm not thanking this band for everything they've done for me, from writing music that has honestly touched me to bringing me a load of amazing friends that I adore. I know this isn't talking about the albums but it makes me really emotional truly thinking about the amount of stuff this band has truly done for me, I wouldn't be the person I am today without them coming into my life. Without finding James' covers back in 2010, to seeing them headline on their second world tour, I can't comprehend just how much I love them.

Meet The Vamps, their first studio album is more of a summer vibe kind of album. It has hits like Can We Dance and Somebody To You on it and then it's slowed down for ballads such as Lovestruck and Risk It All. I love this album from start to finish and yes sometimes I get frustrated by having to hear Can We Dance over and over again or Wildheart but secretly, I have a lot of love for them. From watching them having to teach us all the words to Cecelia to now bringing New Hoep Club under their wing for them to shout it out to the crowd on the Wake Up tour. I'm so proud of this band and they've come a long way from covers on YouTube and I adore this album, it immediately picks up my mood and it's definitely one of my go to albums when it comes to putting something on to listen to.

Wake Up, their second studio album I just love it. I know the sound is different from Meet The Vamps but I don't care, I still love it. From the first time I heard Wake Up, I knew that I would love this album and it really didn't disappoint me. From screaming out Wake Up, to making fools of ourselves rapping to Volcano to crying through things like Worry and Stolen Moment, this album is a masterpiece to me. My favourite song is definitely Runaway, when I was listening to the album; it was just that song. As soon as I heard it, I knew that was the one and lately, I've found a whole love for Peace Of Mind, hearing that song immediately just makes me smile and puts me in a good mood. I am looking forward to the future and to album three and another tour.

Favourite Songs: Last Night, Risk It All, Lovestruck, Dangerous, Runaway, Worry, Written Off, Peace Of Mind, Be With You, Burn.



2) Handwritten by Shawn Mendes

Tracklist:
1) Life Of The Party
2) Stitches
3) Never Be Alone
4) Kid In Love
5) I Don't Even Know Your Name
6) Something Big
7) Strings
8) Aftertaste
9) Air
10) Crazy
11) A Little Too Much
12) This Is What It Takes
13) Bring It Back
14) Imagination
15) The Weight

I don't even know where to start. Shawn Mendes, such a joy to this world. I remember watching one of his vines for the first time to him doing Cecelia with The Vamps to Magcon to Handwritten, I'm so proud of every single thing that he's done and I think he's such a good role model for this generation, he's so hard working and look at all he's achieved and at only seventeen. I have a very personal reason as to what Shawn Mendes did for me that only Dani and Amy know but I do love him to pieces and again, I'd like to thank him for everything he's done for me and for writing Handwritten because it's such a beautiful album.

When people think of Shawn, they probably immediately go to Stitches as it's the biggest song and it's an amazing song but honestly, I go to Never Be Alone, to this day, that song still makes me curl up in a fetal position and sob (I dread to think what it'll be like when I actually see it live next week) and Aftertaste as I just love that song. I love the whole album, from Life Of The Party to The Weight I could happily listen to it over and over again without getting board of it. I think it's amazing how most of it is him and his guitar, creating a beautiful acoustic vibe that gives me shivers because his voice is just so beautiful and I'm so proud of every single thing that he's achieved. His vocals are just so raw and full of a beautiful emotion that really comes through when he sings.

Favourite songs: Never Be Alone, Kid In Love, Aftertaste, Stitches


1) Radio:ACTIVE by McFly

Tracklist:
1) Lies
2) One For The Radio
3) Everybody Knows
4) Do Ya
5) Falling In Love
6) POV
7) Corrupted
8) Smile
9) The End
10) Going Through The Motions
11) Down Goes Another One
12) Only The Strong Survive
13) The Last Song

Here we are, my favourite album ever made. Radio: ACTIVE by McFly. McFly have been in my life for a very, very long time and this album since it came out has been my favourite album in the world. I would happily listen to this album for the rest of my life if I had to choose only one album to listen to; it would be this one. From start to finish it's just brilliant and I can't wait to hear the full album in it's entirety when I see them in June as I think it'll just be magical. From Lies to The Last Song, it's just a great album.

Lies is a really good song to start the album with, a song that you can just belt out the lyrics to when you're extremely pissed off at the world around you. The Last Song is a really good song to finish the album with because well, it's called The Last Song but it's another song that you can really belt the lyrics out to and just cry to when you need to. Massive hits like One For The Radio and Do Ya are also on this album, great songs to sing to and dance around to and then there are some really powerful ballads like POV, Falling In Love, The End and Down Goes Another One. McFly are one of the most musically talented bands out there, from the guitars to the bass to the drums to the out of this world vocals and even down to the amazing stage presence. This band is amazing.

When I'm sad, I can put on Smile and well smile or Down Goes Another One when I'm really pissed off at someone and need to just shout out a song or The End when I need to have a really good cry, I can just curl up in a ball and put this song on and cry to it. Every single song on this album holds a really special meaning or memory to me and it's an album that I will never get board of and I'd honestly just like to thank McFly for writing it. I can't explain how much I really love this album and why, I just really do and I'd 10000000000000000000/10 recommend going ahead and listening to this album even if you're not a huge fan of McFly.

Favourite Songs: Lies, Down Goes Another One, The End, Falling In Love, POV, Corrupted.


So, there we go. My top ten albums that's actually eleven albums. I hope you enjoyed it and I hope you find a new album that you love from the list!!

Until next time,

Onwards and upwars,

Chloe x

Sunday 21 February 2016

Finding Your 'Happy Place'

"Things are looking up, even when I'm down, had about enough, looking at the ground..." - Things Are Looking Up - R5.

Happy place. Everyone has a happy place, a place where they feel safe and well, happy. It doesn't need to be a place really, just doing something that makes you feel safe and secure, pure happiness. Mine is in my room either listening to my music or watching Teen Wolf or it's when I'm out and about on my penny board taking photos. Those are my happy places because it's where I feel the most happiness running through my chest and where I feel most free to be myself and express myself the most.

No matter where or what you say is your happy place, that's fine and nobody can say you're wrong. It's your happy place, nobody else's. Yours. Whether it is being in bed listening to your favourite band or being outside shopping around the city, it's not wrong, it's where you feel happiest and don't let anybody take that away from you.


Music is a huge part of my life. My dad has always been really into music so when I was growing up, there was also music playing somewhere and it meant I also absolutely fell in love with it. It's a really beautiful thing, the amount of passion and effort that goes into writing a song, the sweet drum beats, the great bass lines, the amazing guitar riffs and the beautiful vocals that go with it all. I'm into a lot of different genre's of music; from rock to classical, I'll happily listen to anything for a try and if I like it, I'll go with it. Not only is it a big part of my life, it is a huge part of my happy place, I can't describe the feeling listening to music sends through me. No matter what has happened, it always makes me feel a lot better about the world around me.

My favourite band; The Vamps make me so happy. Those boys are amazing, they are one of those bands that I am proud to say, I have been supporting from the start, they fill me with a lot of happiness, listening to them, being at the gigs, it just fills me with a different kind of thrill that you can't describe, it has to be felt. From Tristan's beautiful drum beats to Brad's wonderful notes; from James' guitar riffs to Connor's amazing bassline, all of it makes me happy and being at their gigs, listening to them putting in the full passion on a stage in front of me is something that I would take over being at a party any day of my week.       

To me, music truly is my happy place, my escape from life. It brought me a load of really good people and it makes me really happy.



I wish that I could tell all of the bands and musicians that provide that happy place for me, what they did for me and I know that one day I will. 

My room is a huge part of my happy place, it's there for me when I'm sad, angry or happy. It's where I put my earphones in and blast my favourite bands or where I sit at my laptop watching Teen Wolf just to be taken away from where I am. My room is where I feel at my best, my worst, my happiest, my saddest. It's where I go to feel more comfortable and calm, where I go to remind myself of all the things that are going well or that are happening soon. 


I know that sometimes, it feels like happiness is the furthest thing away from what you're feeling right now but finding somewhere or something that you go/do that makes you happy is key. Whether it is your room with a film and your favourite bands blasting from your speakers or at a party dancing all night; it's your happy place so make it what you want it to be. 

In a few days, I meet one of my best friends for the first time and I know that is going to be a happy place for me as my friends mean the world to me. It'll be my escape for a few days, to laugh and listen to our favourite band, share stories and just be happy. After all, life is happy when you find the right people to help you do that.


Life is beautiful and you only get one go at it, make it as beautiful as you are.

See you soon!

Chloe. 





  

Thursday 31 December 2015

2015.

So, here we are. The end of another year. December 2015. Another year is gone and to be honest, this one has been a really weird one for me. There's been many low points but at the other end of that, there's been some amazing high points.

The first one of those really high points landed on January 9th 2015, the day that I went out into the pit at a gig and photographed it. For the first time in my life, during those hours, I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I suddenly had this amazing confidence in myself and my own ability. The person I need to thank for that choice in my life is Dean Sherwood, he inspired me to want to properly grab my camera and peruse my dreams.

Another really high point happened in April 9th, again, I was photographing a gig. A few days before this day, I photographed a gig for a band (I'm not naming them) and honestly, it was terrible. It was terrible because of a lot of things and at the end of the night, I went home and started uploading and editing the photos that I'd taken and I cried. I sat in tears because as I was looking through these photos I felt my own confidence break down pretty fast and I almost quit but I didn't. The reason for that happened on April 9th, I was shaken when I got into that photo pit I had a lot of fun. I went home and looked at the photos and smiled because there it was, the photos came out great and I felt a lot better about myself and my work. (thank you Bry and Dodie!)

 In May, something I didn't think would happen, did happen. I met my favourite YouTuber; Connor Franta. It was really strange as I've been watching his videos basically from the start. It's always weird when you meet people that you look up to in real life. He is an amazing person and he helped me through a lot of my darker days and I still watch all of his videos to this day. So, I'd like to thank him for all the things he has done for me. Him and the rest of 02L are great and I owe a lot to them.


In June, something really big happened for me, I finished high school and honestly, that is something I didn't think I'd be able to say. High school was absolute hell for me, it absolutely broke me down, threw me down a hole and jumped on me until I felt I could no longer go on. But, I did it. I made it out and it was the best feeling in the world, to this day, it was the best I've felt in my whole life. It is a hard journey for everyone but as soon as you go out of those gates for the last time, you feel on top of the world. I went through fake friends, bullying, self harm and yet here I am, I made it out onto the other side. It's funny how life works like that.
In August, the second part of that happened, I got my results. Let me tell you, I was an absolute shaking mess when I grabbed them. I looked at them and I felt my heart skip a beat, I'd done it. I'd passed and I was taking a big step in my life because I was going to college. But as I left again, I had another decision to make, was it the right thing for me? There were three things I was great at when I was going through school; geography, English and chemistry. If I went to college, I would be doing English as I was going to do journalism and if I went to 6th form; I'd be doing chemistry. I needed to know what I wanted to do and in the end, I did Journalism and I won't know what would've happened if I'd done chemistry and a part of me still wishes that I'd gone on with chemistry but then, college is the best thing that I've done for myself in my life.

In September, that was when things really started to go in fast forward; aka, I started college. But the day before I started there, I met one of the most amazing person on twitter; Amy and I am so looking forward to meeting her in 2016! Anyway, on my first day, somebody talked to me and I knew her from my induction day; Dani and I never been happier that somebody reached out and talked to me because without this girl in my life, I would have quit college within the first week. Without realising it, she's made a lot of things easier for me and here we are, term one is done and I'm still there so thank you for that.

And those were the main points of 2015 for me and now, now for the fun things.

In 2015, I went to a lot of amazing gigs. I was lucky enough to see my favourite band in the whole world, The Vamps, five times and every time made me so happy. Being at their gigs in generally my happy, safe place, singing their songs at the top of my lungs, being with my friends. It's amazing what music does and this band, they honestly mean the whole world to me but I'm planing on dedicating a whole post to that when tour has finished again.
There was also Fusion Festival and that, there are no words to say how amazing that day was. As well as my favourite band being there, I was introduced to HomeTown, who are great!! I saw Adam Lambert, Conor Maynard, McBusted and Union J. The day was amazing from start to finish.
I was also lucky enough to go to the BBC music awards. It was one of the most amazing things that I've been too. I've always wanted to go to an awards show like that and we did it. It was breathtaking.

I also found a band this year, Road Trip, they're a new boyband and honestly I've been watching their videos since the start and these guys are amazing. 2016 is most definitely going to be their year. I'm so proud of these guys and I'm so happy that they're in my life. I'd like to thank them for making me smile and making me laugh, good luck for 2016 guys and I look forward to following your journey and meeting you!! (Twitter: RoadTrip3000) (Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZq2SKai_oKTh-pmhrXB9xQ )

Anyway, thank you to those who made 2015 a really good and to those who made it bad, I'm glad you're no longer a part of my life. I'm wishing you all a Happy New Year! Bring on 2016.

(Here are some of my highlights)


Bye guys!!!


Sunday 20 December 2015

It's Christmas!!

Hey guys!

So,December and that only means one thing! Christmas is here! With four days to go, I am getting a little more in the mood each day, it doesn't really feel like it's time yet but I guess that's just because, 2015 has come and gone so fast, I feel like it should still be May! Don't you think this year has gone stupidly fast? Though, I'm happy that it's landed here again as it is my favourite month. It just feels like a cosy month where people light candles, put the fire on and snuggle up with some good films.

Since the start of the month, I finished college for the term, attended the BBC music awards and caught up with most of my friends and family. The BBC awards was absolutely amazing, the acts there were so, so good and I had so much fun with Dani, I'm so thankful that we went and I hope we go again at the end of 2016. My friends are finished with uni for the semester which means I had a chance to catch up with them and we went to Birmingham around the German Market and I met two of them for a catch up white hot chocolate.

I am looking forward to this week, Shayla is staying with me until Christmas Eve as it means she's here on my birthday (23rd) so I'm looking forward to spending a few days with her. We're going to sit in my room on our laptops and we're going to film a video for her YT. And then on my birthday we're going for a meal with my family and Dani so it should be good and then she goes home and it'll be time for wrapping and preparing for the big day.

Then, when all of that is finished it will be time for 2016. I don't know what 2016 holds for me but I look forward to taking the journey through it to see what it brings me. There is something beautiful about starting a whole new year. I'm not going to be that 'new year, new me' person because I'm not. Sure, there will be personal goals that I want to achieve through the year but I'm not a new person. I'm still boring old me. There are some exciting things happening in 2016 though so I'm looking forward to those!


Anyways, 

I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas, if you celebrate it and if not, I hope the rest of 2015 treats you well.

I'll talk to you all soon!