secrets: Other easy ways to make money online

secrets: Other easy ways to make money online: Nowadays, one of the best ways to make huge earnings online is through blogging, since it is the only business that involve very lo...

 

 Over the weekend I surpassed the "2,000 items in my physical collection" mark. Can you believe it, 2,000 already! But it did took me 10 years to build it up and I have more to collect. I usually purchase stuff that I can't find on iTunes or other media sites. I also like stuff that weren't very popular or just one-hit wonders. And, of course, I like extended 12" singles, which the local second-hand usually has a lot of.

 A 12" single I recently picked up was "Play Another Slow Jam" by a short-lived R&B girl group named Gyrl. This group was originally made up of three members: Jamila (who was a dancer in Prince's "Diamonds and Pearls" video), her sister Miyoko, and Paulette. They started off as backup dancers, under the name Innosence, for the R&B group Immature. It wasn't until 1995 when the group made their debut with the single "Play Another Slow Jam". The single reached #74 on the Billboard Top 100 R&B singles.

 The group experienced a loss soon after the single's release as Paulette quit the group. Jamila and Miyoko kept dancing while looking for a replacement. The girls got their wishes answered a while after after when Jeanae' Briley and Tai-Amber Hoo joined. The now quartet released their second single, "Get Your Groove On", in 1997. The single, which was featured in the Halle Berry movie "B*A*P*S", was a success as it reached #30 on the R&B charts. But, the group broke up soon after.

 The members went onto focus on different careers. Jenae' Briley did some songwriting and became a cosmetologist. Tai-Amber Hoo joined Nobody's Angel in 2001 for a brief time. Miyoko became a stylist. Paulette Maxwell appeared as a dancer on a late 90s' UPN show "One on One" and composed for another UPN/CW show called "All of Us". She also became the CEO of her own company, Creation Soul Productions.

 However, the most successful member was Jamila, who now goes by the name Mila J. She has appeared on various songs done by Omarion, Treyz Songz, and other artists. The latest song she appeared on was Timberland's  "Don't Get No Betta", which its music video was released earlier this year. She made her debut in 2014 by releasing the EP "M.I.L.A". She is expected to release a full LP by this summer. She recently released a song, entitled "#TBH", from upcoming LP on Soundcloud.

Play Another Slow Jam" is a mid-tempo jam that isn't hard to follow along. It doesn't feature a lot of synthesized instruments, opting to a bare instrumentation in favor to feature more of the vocals. Speaking of the vocals, they are a hit or miss depending on which part you listen to. When the girls sing together, the vocals can be very strong and pleasing to listen to. The chorus features the typical 90s' R&B girl group sound but it's not overly annoying, it actually sounds pretty nice. However, whenever Paulette or Jamila sing their solo parts, their vocals come off as airy and weak with little or no breath support. Jamila does have a voice that suits the song well and can control her breathing better than Paulette. Nevertheless, I am going to chalk up the weak vocals to the reason that these girls were pretty young when "Play Another Slow Jam" was released and it was their first song. The second single and the girls' newer releases prove this as the girls learned from this song and improved their skills.

 This Gyrl song isn't anything too special; it has a basic melody, basic instrumentation, typical R&B sound, and sub-par to weak vocals. But, it's pretty decent to listen to if you want to remember the 90's or just want something to chill with.

 Besides, doesn't this song sound like Aaliyah's "Old School"?

You Are My Destiny, Lovelyz

 To tell you the truth, I have never heard of Lovelyz until last week when they released their new mini-album "A New Trilogy". The Kpop scene is very confusing as there are many groups debuting and some groups pull the whole "Hey, we are an old group but we are having a comeback, I mean, we are releasing new stuff". Did you know that 100 new groups made their debut in Korea last year alone? That is madness! Too many to keep up with. :(

 I discovered "Destiny" while looking at a group on reddit called "Kpop". Someone played this song along with the opening for the new Sailor Moon series. Although the lyrics might not fit the premise of the magical girls' show really well, the song is pretty catchy and reflects a clear picture of a girl's anxiety for wanting a boy to be with her because it's destiny.

 The key for this song is how the strings are executed. The combination of an augmented electric calypso keyboard and violins that used a mixture of martele and staccato techniques to help build drama surrounding the song. You can heard this during moments like the beginning before the first verse. With the key changing through the middle of the transitional melody, the violin and the keyboard brings out the key change`s mysterious atmosphere that pulls the listener in.

 I think the instrumentation for "Destiny" is more satisfying than the vocals. Lovelyz isn't a bad singing group, unlike some Jpop idol groups I have heard. However, their vocals as a whole are the typical Kpop idol group vocals. There isn't anyone who really brings flavor to the song with a hidden punch or extraordinary techniques. Again, all the credits go to the instrumentation. They should release a karaoke version of this song to show how awesome the instrumentation is. The other charm point of this song is the music video.

There a lot of beautiful camera angles and shots throughout the video. Also, the use of the warm filter really highlights this beauty. You are probably wondering what is with the circles and marbles. In my opinion, they are physically symbolizing the lyrics. The basis of the lyrics is about a person whom the song`s character refers to is his or her soul mate. They are the center of their universe, the earth whom the character revolves around, and the gravity that pulls the character close. Circles always move in an endless circular motion, just like this character does with her soul mate. It sounds a bit cruelly but hey, I find it a bit romantic. The marbles, circle drawings, and the circular camera motions are a perfect allegory to the song's theme.

 The song and its music video are most definitely exquisite and pretty. I don't know how catchy the song is to other Lovelyz songs because I haven't heard any other song by this group. If you have any recommendations, please feel free to let me know in the comments section below. However, "Destiny" is a most definite recommendation for those who like melodramatic synth pop songs with gripping instrumentation and/or anyone who likes a pop song with a good instrumentation.

An Endearing Tune About a Mom's Thankfulness

 

 A Happy Belated Mother's Day to all the precious and hardworking moms out there! This post is dedicated to all the moms, especially my own mom.

Today's post is brought to you by Cheryl Pepsii Riley. A New York native, Riley was a nurse while pursuing a side job of singing. She would sing at nightclubs, do community theater, and also be part of of a group called Stargaze during her free time. During this time, Full Force member Bowlegged Lou approached Riley with an offer to produce her singing career with a song called "I Wonder If I Take You Home" in 1984. But, Riley refused the song and Lou eventually gave the song to Lisa Lisa & The Cult Jam, which was a huge hit for the group.

Regretting the decision of rejecting the succesful "I Wonder If I Take You Home", Riley reached out to Lou again in order for him to write another song for her. Eventually, she hit success with one of her first singles, "Thank You For My Child", in 1988 when it reached #1 on the R&B charts in the US. The song, written by Bowlegged Lou, was a mid-tempo ballad about Lou's experience with his wife's complications during her first pregnancy.[1]

Although Riley enjoyed the success of having her song top the charts, she continued her career as a nurse while releasing songs and other material. She released three albums, which the first one reached #18 on the charts, with semi-successful singles. However, she took a break from the musical industry after the release of her third album in 1993.

Riley reemerged in the late 90s and early 00s as an actress in a bunch of Tyler Perry's plays. She also appeared in various film adaptations of Perry's productions such as 2011's "Madea's Big Happy Family".

"Thank You For My Child" starts off with a lento tempo. Only a series of triads and skeleton chords are played to support Riley during the first verse. The instrumentation rarely ever expands on those chords with the help of an 808 bass, Roland synthesizer, and electric piano. The instrumentation doesn't gain memento until the last third of the song when the instruments plays a little bit more of recognizable melody. Although, one of my favorite parts of the song is when the electric piano plays an a sweet chordal progression when the song briefly switches to a minor key during the first verse.

Riley's vocals is one of the pinnacle points of "Thank You For My Child". Her voice is smooth yet just the right of powerful needed for this song. It's a perfect fit for this inspirational ballad as it isn't overpowering the backing instrumentation. It's tone is pretty warm in order to help support and convey the song's meaning in a motherly way. An example of this is found at the ending when Riley sings strong yet tender vocal runs.

The lyrics are another important point. It's beautifully written as it told from a perspective of a single mother who cherishes and thanks the man above for her precious child. It is such an inspiration to mothers and non-mothers alike as anyone can relate this warm and caring thank you letter. If you have a chance, you should check them out on Genius.com to see how inspiring these lyrics are.

Moms, thank you for all what you do and loving your family unconditionally. You're the true superheroes.

---

Credits

[1]  "Cheryl Pepsii Riley – Thanks For My Child." Genius. Web. 15 May 2016. (http://genius.com/Cheryl-pepsii-riley-thanks-for-my-child-lyrics)

My Thoughts on Eurovision Part I

Eurovision 2016 has already come and go. There were really exceptional acts, good acts, and worst ones. As there were 26 performers for the four hours final, it will take me a while to get through all the acts. So, if I can remind myself to do it, there will be a part two next week to cover the other performances.

 There were so many good acts this year. Albeit that most of the acts today sing in primary English. :( (It's not that I don't oppose singing in English but I rather enjoy each country's song in that country's primary language).

---

The Great

Jamala - 1944

I linked the final performance of "1944" instead of the music video because it was incredible to watch.

 If you didn't read the backstory of the song on sites like Wikipedia or new sites, "1944" is a personal song about Jamala's great-grandmother and her family getting deported from their homeland of Crimea and sent to live in Central Asia when Stalin was leader of the Soviet Union.[1] Jamala beautifully displays the raw emotions of sadness, despair, hurt, the feeling of being lost, and the emotional pain of being separated from a homeland. You can feel all of these emotions that Jamala passionately displays at the 2:20 mark when she sings in the mugham vocal style. At that moment, I feel like I wanted to cry with Jamala as I can feel the pain and hurt she emits from her singing.

The inclusion of the gorgeous mugham vocal style, the duduk (especially in the beginning), and the chorus in the beautiful Crimean Tatar language makes this a song a treat to those who like ethnic music. However, it's still modern as it includes elements of house.

 Many, including Russians, have argued that song should've been banned from Eurovision as the lyrics are an attack on Russia’s recent annexation of Crimea and is politically themed, which a big no-no in this contest. However, I believe that this song is more than a political statement, it's a story. A story about a broken past of an ostracized ethnic group mixed in with hopes for "peace and love" in the future.[2]


The Good

Hovi Star - Made of Stars

Although Telegraph.co.uk has mentioned a verse from this song made their top 18 worsr and weirdest lyrics from this year's Eurovision,  I thought most of the lyrics were pretty decent. It might've sounded like a generic love song to some, it might've been about two friends who are looking for a better future to others. I think it's a mixture of both. What I like about "Made of Star"  is Hovi's impressive vocal range. There isn't a lot of instrumentation with this song as it just a piano, briefly a guitar, some strings, briefly drums, and maybe a bass to make it seem like a pure mid-tempo pop ballad. However, Hovi's vocals are warm, rock-oriented, not overbearing, and well-fitted for a song like this.

 I really like the simplicity of the song the best. Songs like these ones tell you just need a really good vocalist, like Hovi, and a few basic instruments to make a pop masterpiece.



Gabriela Gunčíková - I Stand

I will admit, I might of placed this song in the good pile because I have a bias for any Czech singers (Go Team Czech Republic, my mother's family is from there and her family takes lots of pride in their heritage). But, I mainly picked this song because of Gabriela's incredible vocals. I love how Gabriela creates a mystic yet beautiful reverence when she sings a vocal run in the beginning of the chorus with "I". Also, her vocals are well grounded with the song as they are rich, strong, and vibrant.
Like Hovi Star's "Made of Stars", "I Stand" uses a few instruments and a solid vocalist to create something beautiful.



Poli Genova - If Love Was A Crime

Instantly, the song starts on the right foot with the use of a high-pitched synthesized voice to produce those eerie vocal samples. Maybe I am just in love with them because American R&B and electronica trio King recently used them perfectly in my new favorite, "The Right One". Besides that, I really like the chorus as Poli is able to seamlessly blend Bulgarian and English together with the melody to create something extremely catchy.  I swear I am going to be singing the chorus randomly at work this week, even if I can't sing Bulgarian well.

 I have to say that Poli's costume is one of the best costumes from this year's Eurovision. It took me a while to figure out that she was wearing a skin colored dress and she wasn't just naked with some random leather and LED lights. The LED light pieces was a wonderful addition as it was cool to see Poli "light" up the stage like that.


The Ok

Dami Im - Sound Of Silence

This song isn't really bad. In fact, it's pretty decent as it showcases Dami's incredible vocal skills. However, haven't we heard something like this before from the likes of Taylor Swift, Adele, or Demi Lovato? I swear the melody could of been a part of a Taylor Swift or Adele song.

As for Dami's vocals, they sound like an alto version of Demi Lovato or some other female pop singer that I heard before but I can't put a finger on. Overall, it's a mediocre song. I give props to Dami's pipes. However, I am disappointing that it's not original enough.

The Bad

Jamie-Lee - Ghost

There were a lot going wrong with Germany's entry for Eurovision this year. The most blaring one was the costume. I understand that the decora kei style might be fashionable and cute to some, I just think it's a weird mishmash of things that don't relate to each other well, thus causing confusion. And, "confusion" is the word you would think of when you see Jamie-Lee's headdress. It's not cute nor goes well with the song! It's so bizarre and unflattering to watch her sing in that. If she wanted to pick an appropriate Japanese street fashion to go along with the song, how about picking something with lolita or a kimono-style fashion?


I also think that Jamie-Lee wasn't really ready for Eurovision. Sure, she is a talented singer however, she isn't quite there yet with her current skill level as she seemed to be still working on getting her style. Throughout the song, her vocals sounded a little bumpy and her tone wavered. It didn't make her sound totally off key but you could notice some tiny faltered notes here and there if you listen carefully. Also, at the 2:32 mark, she belts out in a way that seems to be lacking breathe support. I wonder if Jamie-Lee was nervous at all during these live performances?

 I think Jamie-Lee should've polished her skills and waited a couple more years until she was definitely ready for Eurovision.

  What did you think of this year's Eurovision? What was your favorite acts? What were least favorite?

Source

  [1]  "The Dark History Behind Eurovision's Ukraine Entry." Time. Time. Web. 15 May 2016. (http://time.com/4329061/eurovision-jamala-russian-ukraine-crimea/?xid=fbshare)

[2] Stephens, Heidi. "Eurovision 2016: Ukraine's Jamala Wins with Politically Charged 1944." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 2016. Web. 15 May 2016. (http://www.citationmachine.net/bibliographies/101376594?new=true)