Grammys

Why, hello there!

It's been a while, hasn't it?

I know, I know, I've been neglecting this blog, but I'm back to write about something I really care about: music. More specifically, the Grammy awards. Even more specifically, I want to tell you who are the artists I think should win.

Here we go:

RECORD OF THE YEAR: Really Love - D'Angelo and The Vanguard
I didn't even know D'Angelo before this year, but when this song came out I remember thinking: this is it. 

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: To Pimp A Butterfly - Kendrick Lamar
Unless you've spent the whole of 2015 under a rock, you know this album defined this year. Kendrick's year. Period.

SONG OF THE YEAR: Alright - Kendrick Lamar
Same thing: this song is so important and relevant.

BEST NEW ARTIST: Courtney Barnett
First of all: she's a girl. Second of all: she's super talented. Also: her album is brilliant. What else could you ask for?

BEST POP SOLO PERFORMANCE: Can't Feel My Face - The Weeknd
I really love the Weeknd and I still really love this song, despite hearing it every single day on the radio at work, and that says a lot.

BEST POP DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE: Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars
Big up to Mark Ronson for showing that a song can have witty lyrics AND be catchy catchy catchy.

BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM: How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful - Florence + the Machine
I'm not sure I would call this a "pop" album, but Flo deserves an award. So, yeah.

BEST DANCE/ELECTRONIC ALBUM: Caracal - Disclosure
Because yes. They're amazing. And this album contains so many cool collaborations!

BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE: Moaning Lisa Smile - Wolf Alice
I can't even believe these babies are nominated, but I'm so happy for them, and it would be amazing if they won. 

BEST ROCK SONG: Hold Back The River - James Bay
Another Brit and his crazy rise to the top. This song gives me chills every time I listen to it.

BEST ROCK ALBUM: Drones - Muse
DUH!

BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM: Sound & Color - Alabama Shakes
Okay, this was a tough one because I love Tame Impala too and they, just like Alabama Shakes, deserve an award. But AS's comeback just made me so happy, and I've been listening to them for longer, and this is such a good album. Sorry, Kevin.

BEST URBAN CONTEMPORARY ALBUM: You Should Be Here - Kehlani
I don't even know what "urban contemporary" means, but I do know one thing: I fucking ADORE Kehlani. I started listening to her by chance and she's just one of those female artists (just like Florence or Courtney) whose music really speaks to me. I've been having this album on repeat for ages and if she doesn't win I'm gonna cry.

BEST R&B ALBUM: Coming Home - Leon Bridges
Leon sounds like he comes from another time. A better time, a simpler time? Who knows. But his music soothes my soul and I want him to play at my wedding/funeral. (Is that creepy?)

BEST RAP PERFORMANCE: Back To Back - Drake
A fucking diss track!! Nominated for a Grammy!!! Gotta love Aubrey.

BEST RAP/SUNG COLLABORATION: Glory - Common feat. John Legend
This made me tear up at the Oscars, and I think it's just one of those timeless songs we'll still be listening to 10 years from now.

BEST RAP SONG: All Day - Kanye West feat. Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom and Paul McCartney
My God Yeezy needs to win this one. And Paul's there, too. 💖

BEST RAP ALBUM: The Pinkprint - Nicki Minaj
MY GIRL ONIKA. Sorry Kendrick, sorry Drake, but this is HER award.

Alright, that's it. Might have gotten a bit emotional over this. Whatevs.

Cheers

Muse have been my favourite band for years. They no longer are, but they still hold a very special place in my heart and I'm reminded of this every single time I see them live. 

I saw them for the 7th time last Saturday in Rome. For once, the supporting act wasn't actually that bad, and I didn't mind being at the back of the crowd. I definitely hated that crowd, though: they didn't move or sing at all, except for the most famous songs (the ones I don't really like).

But that's not what I want to talk about: I want to talk about how I felt.

I want to talk about the scream that came out of my mouth as soon as I saw the guys walk onstage, I want to talk about how much I enjoyed singing "your ass belongs to me now!" and about how I felt free and happy while jumping to the sound of Dom's drums.

Muse are the band (together with Kasabian and Miles Kane) that's able to put a silly smile on my face. Two days later, that smile is still here and it's all because of them. I might not listen to them as often as I used to, and I might not be crazy about their new songs, but Muse are and forever will be my band.

I want to talk about how talented they are: sure, everyone's aware of Bellamy's talent, but can we please take a moment to appreciate Dom and Chris too? The Munich jam was unbelievable, and any Muse song would simply not exist without this amazing rhythm section. Not to mention good old Morgan!

I want to talk about how I almost cried when I heard the beginning of Citizen Erased: I just couldn't believe they were gonna play it. Before the gig started, I turned to my friend Roberta to tell her I would have loved to hear Assassin and Citizen Erased, so you can imagine my surprise. And after the end of CE Matt stayed at the piano while Dom banged his drumsticks together to make us clap our hands: it was APOCALYPSE PLEASE! I could have died right there. I was so, so happy. I still am.

The shitty crowd, the heat, the crazy traveling, it was all worth it for those two unexpected rarities.

So yes, Muse sure are the absolute BEST band in the world, and I will never get tired of Dom's goodbyes and thanks at the end of their concerts.

PS: I FUCKING LOVE GIGS!!!!!!!!!! THEY MAKE ME FEEL ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!

Reach Out

I've been meaning to write this post for a week.

A week ago, I did something I've wanted to do for YEARS. Something so silly and insignificant, it would make anyone laugh. But I did it.

I contacted an old friend. I guess you could even say we used to be more than friends, but anyway. He answered immediately, we chatted and it felt like old times. It felt like nothing had changed, it felt like no time had passed. It felt good.

So the reason for this post is to encourage each and every one of you (although I highly doubt this blog even has readers) to do it. Do that thing that you always said you were going to do, but you never did, because the timing wasn't right or for whatever silly reason. Do. It.

Or as they say on Man Repeller, keep that "end of the movie" feeling alive. You know, when you see a very inspiring movie and it's almost over and you think "yes, I'll call him" or "yes, I'll take that chance" or whatever. DO IT!

You will not regret it, I promise. 

The Importance of Being Miles

Okay, this post is going to sound extremely silly and pointless, but it just occurred to me that I seem to be attracted by people called Miles. 

Let me explain: it all started in 2011, I was at Reading Festival and some guy with a guitar walked onstage. The backdrop behind him read Miles Kane and that guy proceeded to blew my mind and ears (not to mention, I lost my cardigan in the moshpit). I saw Miles 5 more times since then, and I think it's safe to say he's now my favourite musician.

Miles playing at the Casino de Paris, January 2012

Further point: the actor who goes by the name of Miles Teller. Lately I've been obsessed with him, his movies and, not gonna lie, his good looks. I even had a dream about him last night, and apparently he's a musician too (a drummer)!

Miles just being his flawless self

Aaaand last but not least, the legendary Mr Miles Davis! On a rainy day like this, nothing feels better than sipping on my hot green tea and listening to his wonderful Blue In Green. 

Happy Tuesday, folks! And bless all the Miles in the world.

HAVE COURAGE TAKE RISKS GO NOW WHY NOT WHO CARES YES YES YES

I'd been waiting for a book like Yes Please by Amy Poehler.

A book that made me cry hard and laugh harder, a book that told me exactly what I needed to hear when I needed to hear it. A book that not only met, but exceeded my expectations about it.

In Yes Please, you get to read about Amy's life and work and friends, and before you feel jealous about her amazing career and children and personality, she reminds you of her life mantra: "good for you, not for me". Exactly. Yes Please is filled with sound advice about everything from boyfriends to drugs to writing, from a woman who admits she's still learning... just like you.

It's not a pedantic lesson or a bunch of rules to live by (although "treat your career like a bad boyfriend" is my new motto), but it's a mix of funny anecdotes and light-hearted suggestions written in a soft, sweet and kind way.

And despite Amy saying she's not as nice as you think she is, I don't believe her. I believe she is very nice indeed, and also very smart. And I'm gonna use this book to pretend she's my friend, and use her golden advice to try and be a better girl/woman/person.

That's the thing. This book reminded me how lucky I am to live in an age with so many inspiring, powerful women I can learn from and Amy is one of them. It also reminded me "the only way we will survive is by being kind. the only way we can get by in this world is through the help we receive from others."

I could go on and on, but all I'm gonna say is THANK YOU Amy for existing and for writing this.

*"I'm not a girl, not yet a woman" by Britney Spears playing in the background*

Prada Archive

As you might know, Prada have made their PRADA UNIVERSE archive available on their website. And since I firmly believe the geniuses at Prada (and Miu Miu, for that matter) are always ahead of the game when it comes to advertising campaigns, I thought it would be fun to share my personal favourites.

Fall/Winter 1993: Christy Turlington by Peter Lindbergh

Spring/Summer 2000: Matheo Renoir by Robert Wyatt

Spring/Summer 2003: Elise Crombez by Steven Meisel

Spring/Summer 2009: Claude and Louis Simonon by Hedi Slimane 

Spring/Summer 2014: Lexi Boling, Anna Ewers, etc. by Steven Meisel

Spring/Summer 2015: Ansel Elgort by Craig McDean

So I guess it's safe to say Steven Meisel is great and I have a thing for spring/summer menswear campaigns.

FW15 MENSWEAR

Cause the boys need some lovin', too.

Balenciaga

Christopher Kane

Marni

N°21

Neil Barrett

Paul Smith

Prada

Saint Laurent

Tom Ford

Every time there's a collection that's absolutely flawless. This time it was Sandro, without a doubt.

AU REVOIR

It's been a long, a long time coming

I've never really bought into that whole "new year, new me" lie because I don't think you need a certain date on the calendar to make a change in your life, but I must admit it's kind of nice to have that illusion of a fresh start, a new beginning, a chance to be better.

Today I came across this version of "A Change Is Gonna Come", and I can't believe so far I thought it was by Otis Redding, when it was actually originally written and performed by Sam Cooke!

ANYWAY.

Apart from my endless love for sixties music (oh, how I wished I lived in that era) I find this song particularly fitting for new year's day. 2014 in particular had some pretty rough moments for me - or to say it in someone else's words: it was "a real pain in the arse and right twat at times" - but listening to this tune gives me hope for the future and, most of all, puts a smile on my face.

And to go on with today's Wisdom from the Past theme, this is Woody Guthrie's list of New Year's Resolutions (or Rulins, as he called them). They're all golden, but #19 speaks to me, because I love the metaphor he used and, most of all, because I'm such a pessimist.

So yeah, I guess that's what this post is all about - whether in the form of Sam's singing, or Woody's scribbles and doodles - it is about, well, hope.