Category: Music Blogs

Categories
Celebs Celebrities Celebrity Celebrity Blog entertainers Entertainment Music Music Blogs Music Industry Singers Swifties

Taylor Swift Is Back Better and Bigger Than Ever

Photo By: Raph_PH

Taylor Swift Is Back Better and Bigger Than Ever

Yesterday, Taylor Swift began The Eras Tour. You’ve been living under a rock if you haven’t heard about this tour. Come out of that cave and read a great blog today. 

Thank you for visiting my website. I appreciate your support. Every like, comment, and share helps.

Taylor Swift tickets 

As you may know, Taylor Swift tickets broke the Internet. Previously, Ticketmaster had problems fulfilling pre-orders. It was such a huge disaster that the company issued an apology. Now the situation’s all fixed and Swifties can purchase their tickets without a hitch.

Are you a Swift fan? Will you see her live in concert? Have you listened to her latest albums?

I’ve listened to Lavender Haze and Midnights. This is some of her best work. You can tell the star’s been hard at work on her craft. 

It’s safe to say Taylor Swift is one of the top singers in the world. The 33 year-old musician beat a million odds and became great. Everywhere fans are ecstatic about The Eras Tour. 

LOS ANGELES – MARCH 14: Guest arrives for the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards on March 14, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Glenn Francis/Pacific Pro Digital Photography)

Wasn’t the Wait Worth It?

Today, I will blog about my expectations of the tour and thoughts about this celebrity’s new music. Nowadays, it’s getting harder and harder to please fans. The truth is you can’t make everybody happy. However, you can work on fine-tuning your talent and gift.

Taylor Swift is truly talented and gifted. That talent and gift has been established for about 15 years. One song that comes to my mind on her new album is Lavender Haze. Maybe you’ve seen the music video. What do you take away?

To me, the song means that everything must come to a standstill and people must recognize reality for what it is: anything you want. For instance, there’s a verse where she sings everybody sees me as a one night or a wife. Those are some powerful lyrics written by Taylor Swift and true.

Society puts people in categories and expects them to conform and play roles. Swift is using her new music to break free out of the box. Taylor Swift can literally be anything you want.

I would argue we’ve not only turned celebrities into villains but fantasies. The image we see on the screen or even in person is not necessarily real.

My takeaway is this is her time as well as everybody else’s. In fact, the main message behind her music is that this is her time. But she’s leaving the ego out of it all by also suggesting this is our time too.

There are plenty of Swift songs to enjoy. Snow on the Beach and Maroon are two of my favorites. I love Lana del Rey singing the duet.

In total, The Eras Tour will consist of 52 shows from March 17 2023 to August 9, 2023 located in the United States and Argentina. I know Argentina will be excited to see the star. To sum it up, I expect greatness from her in every show.

Photo By: Cosmopolitan UK

Perhaps, Anti-Hero is the most popular song from the Midnights album. How many times do we root for the villain in movies? Check out the Anti-Hero music video and ask yourself, have we turned musicians into villains? The video highlights human nature with different character tropes such as the daughter-in-law and the son.I like the lyrics of the song too.  

Did you see her at the Grammys dancing with Bad Bunny? Over the years, I’ve seen this star shine brightly and become big. Now, Taylor Swift is back better and bigger than ever. 

This blog post tried to capture the magnetism of that opening night. Today, I blogged about yesterday and tomorrow. We don’t know what surprises are in store but we’re going to have a great day in the meantime.

Categories
Music 1960s 1970s music 1980s entertainment 80s music 90s Celeb Blog Celebrities Celebrity Blog entertainers Entertainment music artists Music Blogs Music Legends Musicians record labels Singers Songs

What’s Happening Now: Could Old School Music Be a Trend?

Mariah Carey Photo. John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA
John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA

What’s Happening Now?

This might not be a trending blog post but that’s alright. Sometimes, I don’t choose what to write, it chooses me. It’s kind of like that old school song by Willie Hutch “I Choose You.” from the Mack movie soundtrack.

Lately, I’ve chosen to listen to a lot of old school music. I’m in the mood for those kinds of sounds right now. Now, I’m not saying this new music out here is garbage like others are saying. All I’m saying is we’ve got to give peace a chance. Like that song “Give Peace a Chance” by John Lennon, music must drive a better narrative. In other words, old school music has a different harmony.

Nowadays, music is more explicit and that is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, there’s no need for interpretation. On the other hand, there’s no more mystery. No more, what did she mean with the lyric. Rap music has got a bad reputation for this.

Could Old School Music Be a Trend?

Do the singers live the lifestyle they sing about in their songs? Of course, some don’t. I would say most don’t. Old school music takes us back to a time like the 60s, 70s and 80s. What if you could go back to Woodstock?

How does Coachella compare to Woodstock? Did you know Bad Bunny and Black Pink are headliners for the festival? It’s coming up in April. Are you excited?

How far back do you want to go? For the purposes of this blog post I’m discussing the 60s to the 90s. To me, I consider that old school. There are so many ways to go with this topic. We can talk about the singers and the bands. The Beatles were big. Then, the Jackson 5 had their time in the spotlight. One thing I noticed is that old school had more bands.

The Best/Your Favorite Era

What is the best or your favorite era of old school music? 60s, 70s, 80s or 90s. When I reflect on these songs, I think about timeless pieces. I would argue some artists we will never forget. Then again, with so much sampling and resampling, mixing, and remixing we forget the source sometimes. But I believe nothing beats originality in the long game.

Photo By: hiabba

I want to discuss old school music as a commodity. Music has many brands, from record labels to music artists and promoters. Despite the odds of succeeding diminishing, there is so much talent flooding into the music industry. In the end, why someone chooses to enter the entertainment market depends on their drive and what narrative they subscribed to. Celebrities must have thick skin. Look at Selena Gomez as a prime example. She didn’t become the most followed woman on Instagram by accident and she’s dealt with all sorts of comments along the way. 

We can learn something valuable from the 2023 Grammys Watch and Recap. At the Clive Davis pre-Grammy party, he hosted legends and new stars. In his career, he’s made stars into legends as a record executive. Today, his impact in music is universal. Do you agree that Mariah Carey is one of the greatest female music artists of the 90s?

Old School Music Options

We’ve got “Just the Two of Us,” “Love and Happiness,” and “Your Song” among others that are great options. No, Meghan Trainor music is not all about the bass. We need lyrics combined with rhythm.

My aim is to write this blog post in a way that you can hear the music I’ve listened to this fine Saturday. I’m not going to tell you every song that I’ve listened to, but you can guess. Don’t just read. While on my music journey, I’ve discovered and rediscovered songs.

Listen to Don McClean’s American Pie. Then, feel it.

Categories
Country music Celebrity Country Singers Music music artists Music Blogs Music News signers

Why Soulful Chris Stapleton Is Country Music’s Chief Storyteller

Chris Stapleton Photo

Music School

You learn a great deal about musicians through their music. Every singer has at least one song that gives you goosebumps. Which Chris Stapleton song is it? Lately, Stapleton songs have made my playlist. Hearing him sing sounds like thunder. I believe Kane Brown can learn from this music artist. I bet he’s willing to share some of his secrets. 

The last time I wrote about the music artist was at the 2023 Grammys. Who in their wildest imagination would dream of a Stevie Wonder and Chris Stapleton collaboration on live television? If you didn’t watch the Higher Ground performance, you missed out. Talk about a man stringing the guitar like a fiddle on a horse.

He should trend for the next week or so on social media and the Internet. Now, I’m unable to rewrite the future but I can write the present. Living in the moment is life’s greatest joy. Like Stapleton, born and raised in the United States, I’m proud to be an American. I’m just jealous I can’t sing the National Anthem like him.

Who Is Chris Stapleton?

Chris Stapleton is a country music singer you can listen to for hours because of his dynamic sound. What is country music without Chris Stapleton? In the past, I asked a similar question about other singers. In the past, I wrote about Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris and others. Overall, I feel country music as a genre deserves more recognition.

So why is the soulful singer Country Music’s chief storyteller? Because he is a spectacular songwriter and record producer. Like most great songs in the genre, his songs tell a story. Let the record speak for itself. As a singer/ songwriter/ producer Stapleton’s built a durable brand and long career. That’s why today when the tickets went on sale, fans reacted with enthusiasm. Staying relevant since 2001, required hard work and dedication. Just think, he dropped out of engineering school to become a full-time musician is a story all by itself. 

In Conclusion

Neil Gaiman teaches a Masterclass called The Art of Storytelling. He is a brilliant fantasy novelist. But you don’t have to write a novel to master the art of telling a story. Like Stapleton, you can compose your lyrics and/or sing it. There are many ways to publish music just like novels now. I like the celebrity Chris Stapleton because he seems genuine. You’re not going to shave his beard. No mam, you won’t. Plus, he’ll wear his cowboy hat all night long. 

This celebrity from Lexington, Kentucky knows where he came from and where he’s going. I believe he’s not only one of the best country music singers, but overall, he’s one of the best singers in the industry. The Tennessee Whiskey song released seven years ago might be old but it’s still potent. By last count, it had 673 million views on YouTube. Stapleton knows what the fans want and gives it to them. And let’s face the music, sometimes the fans have no clue what they want.

I admire that he appears to be a family man. He married his wife Morgane Stapleton in 2007. Also, it seems every time he accepts an award, he’s gracious and mentions his family. When everything is said and done, the music stops playing but family is a constant. Country music singers/ songwriters are some of the best storytellers around in the galaxy. NASA has yet to confirm aliens. But one thing is for sure, Chris Stapleton is 100 percent down to earth. 

On this Pale Blue Dot in space, this star is a cool person. I like cool people.

Categories
Celebrity Entertainment Entertainment News Grammys Music music artists Music Blogs Music News Musicians

Why Anitta Should Win Best New Artist at the 2023 Grammys

Anitta Photo
Anitta Photo By: Wikimedia Commons https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/COMBATCHY_-_Espa%C3%A7o_das_Am%C3%A9ricas_%2837663558155%29.jpg

Why Anitta Should Win Best New Artist at the 2023 Grammys

There are ten contenders, Anitta is one of them, for best new artist at the 2023 Grammys. Who will win the prestigious award is anybody’s guess? Who should win the accolade is another matter entirely? Anitta is at the very top of the list. The 29-year-old singer is only beginning to show the world her many gifts and talents. What is more, she is ready to receive what is hers.

You just never know how these nominations will play out. All you really know is that there are winners and losers. Someone must win. Others must lose. But if Anitta loses this will upset a huge fan base. Let’s talk more about her fanbase. She has 18.9 million Twitter followers and counting, including me. And on Instagram, she’s followed by 63.6 million accounts. 

What’s the Why?

Why write this story? The story writes itself. I’ve been blogging since 2014 and can remember the success and failures of celebrities and entertainers. I’ve learned anybody can be called an entertainer, but it takes something more to be a celebrity. There’s a special sauce and you must have the right ingredients to succeed in the industry. Anitta is a celebrity who has distinguished herself in entertainment from other contenders. 

Anitta should win best new artist because she’s the new hot sound of Brazil everybody wants to hear. Every track she laid has been magical so far. Her future is bright. She’s a star who could reach Beyoncé level in due time. If she plays her cards right, anything is possible. Really, in the entertainment world nothing is impossible. What are your favorite songs and music videos by this musician? 

Photo By: Wikimedia Commons

More Information

Did you know she has 5 studio albums, 1 live album, 76 music videos, 2 Extended Plays, and  47 singles according to Wikipedia. Browsing through her catalog you will find gold and diamonds. Warner Music Brazil signed her to a record deal in 2013 and that’s only the beginning.

The musician’s third studio album, Bang!, has sold the most copies to date. With 300,000 copies sold it went gold in pre-order sales with 40,000 sold.

It would mean the world if the Brazilian singer takes home the Best New Artist. She wants it and so do her fans. I don’t know. Has a Portuguese language singer ever won best new artist? Enjoy this post at your leisure. The post explains some of Anitta’s feelings about the award.

With Bad Bunny as a performer, the Latin element will be well represented as it should be this year at the Grammys. I’m interested in seeing Anitta earn the award and seeing her shine beyond the night. Maybe, we could check out photos and videos from the afterparties.

This music artist is here to stay. Her songs and music videos are top notch. Fans love high quality material, and the star delivers the finest art. Here’s more information. Her five albums are entitled in order of first to last are:

1. Anitta

2. Ritmo Perfeito

3. Bang!

4. Kisses

5. Versions of Me

I believe Versions of Me should get more credit. This album is in four different languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French. How do you top that? For producers to pull off such a feat is incredible. Anitta has a lot of songs on the album that appeal to a large audience. That’s why her fanbase is huge. I look forward to engaging and interacting with her fans in the foreseeable future. Follow Guru Jay Entertainment @IamGuruJay on Twitter and @TheGuruJay on Instagram. Thank you for reading and visiting. Peace.

Categories
Grammys Celebrities Country music Entertainment Music Music Blog Music Blogs music business Music Industry Music News rap music Singers

2023 Grammys Watch: Lively Pre-Parties, Amazing Performances, and Expectations

2023 Grammys Beyonce Photo
Beyonce Photo

By: Guru Jay

2023 Grammys Watch

2023 Grammys

Let’s start the 2023 Grammys countdown! Are you watching? What can a music lover expect from this year’s Grammys? There is so much on the table to discuss. But first, we must celebrate 2022. What a year it was in music. Then, we must do a watch like no other.  This 2023 watch is an exclusive. 

By now, you know that Bad Bunny is the main act. We’ll talk about performances even more in depth later. So, you also know that the Recording Academy has made it known the rapper will perform at the 65th Grammys. My last blog post highlighted this celebrity. His sound is hard to copy in rap music. Expect him to bring many of his girlfriends onstage and sing Titi Me Pregunto. Also, you watch as the show itself exceeds expectations. 

What else can a music lover expect from a 2023 Grammy? Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Adele are going to attend according to the latest sources. With the biggest stars on the biggest stage the night will certainly be big. Who can deny the star power of those three women? So, get prepared for a speech or two from the trio after they win. We will discuss nominations a little more later.

Lively Pre-Parties

In 2022, we saw the release of some amazing albums. Sunday the Recording Academy will tell us who had the best one. It’s not all about the cover art. Remember to never judge a book by its cover. If we only judged an album by its cover art or music video we would miss out on greatness. Some of the greatest songs of all time do not have official music videos.

Still, in the end, music is art. Music artists work hard honing their crafts. Fame doesn’t happen in a blink of an eye or a camera flash for that matter. Dedication is required and serious grit. Also, remember a picture is worth a thousand words. Did you know all this week there were pre-Grammy parties? Yes, it was all that you imagined and more. Who wouldn’t want to attend at least a couple of them?

Check out the photos from Rolling Stone and US Weekly. Going through the photos, you’ll find highlights which will serve as memories. Believe me, some celebrities will swear up and down something did or did not happen. But the camera doesn’t lie. After you browse through the pictures, come back for more of the Grammys watch. This story is far from finished.

Amazing Performances

Get ready for an extravaganza. If you thought the Recording Academy couldn’t outdo what it did last year, think again. Show business is no longer the same. Did you know you’re able to stream the Grammys on Paramount Plus? This is big business. What will they think up next? So, Sunday will only be the beginning for real music lovers. You can rewind, fast forward and pause all you want now that streaming is in the equation.

Where do the Grammys rank in the award season for you? Do you like the Golden Globe Awards? I wrote a blog post last month about it. I watched the red carpet and the live show and gave a 2023 recap. I felt it was a great show. I’m happy anytime the stars are shining.

Can’t you see the stars shining right now as bright as ever? Musicians are making footprints before they even walk on stage. Singers and producers will come away with stories about the nights leading up to THE NIGHT. As you can see, these are lively pre-parties. Later, you’ll see amazing performances.

Last summer, Beyoncé released her new album entitled Renaissance. Recently, she announced a world tour for said album. Everywhere fans are trying to buy up the tickets. What more can I say? Her creativity is still off the charts. The Grammys tweeted that Jay-Z is slated to perform. Might he bring Beyoncé up on stage? You never know. That’s why I’m excited and can’t wait.

The singer is nominated for nine Grammys. How many do you think she’ll win? Could Bad Bunny beat her for record of the year? There’s a lot of competition around the world. The music industry, especially, is full of competitiveness. Does it always have to be cutthroat and cold blooded? For what it’s worth, I think some things are changing. Entertainment is becoming a more collaborative space. You see more and more musicians collaborating. Some things that you would never see in the past are getting done now.

Finally, the Grammys are back and there’s no excuse for bad ratings. Everybody listened to some awesome music last year. Now it’s time to celebrate. Let’s close our eyes and dream before the stars come out and shine for the evening. Dream you were there. If you’re a rising star, now is your chance to visualize you are in the building.

Categories
Country music Celebrities country Country Singers Entertainment Music Music Blogs

Country Music Singer Kane Brown Has Made a Difference

Kane Brown Photo
Country Music Singer Kane Brown wearing a white ball cap smiles for the camera.

What’s a story without a protagonist? Do we always need a villain? Country music is said to tell a story. Well, every hero goes on a journey and Kane Brown’s Go Around is epic.

Master storytellers could call themselves gurus or do without the titles. One thing is for certain: every hero’s journey is different. Record label or not, wherever Kane Brown is signed his signature means something. At 29 years old, he’s built a music catalog that can make his family proud. What is more, he is just scratching the surface of his greatness. We all have a unique fingerprint and footprint. Perhaps, you’ve been to a Kane Brown concert. What do the vibrations feel like? Some things in life are indescribable. But, I will do my best to describe who Country Music artist Kane Brown really is and why you need to listen to his music.

First, you have to watch Kane Brown, Katelyn Brown, Thank God official music video in order to see how far Kane has come. It’s incredible his wife recorded a song with him on the Different Man album. This year they will celebrate five years of marriage. The country music singer has made a difference.

Perhaps, his most popular music video and song is called Heaven. Check out the song lyrics and you’ll see why Heaven was a hit in 2017.  If Country music tells a story, then the country music singer is a storyteller. Did you know he auditioned for both American Idol and the X-Factor? Read more about his American Idol experience and you’ll discover they dropped the ball on this talented singer. Throughout Kane Brown’s life, he has dealt with the lovers and haters all the same. 

Despite all of this, I feel the country music community has been supportive of the Nashville based star and his career. The fact of the matter is Brown is not going away any time soon. I believe he was born a star in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I’m going to do my part and see to it that KANE BROWN shines. 

Categories
Singers bands Famous Famous People Music Music Blogs music business Music Industry pop pop music pop stars

K-Pop’s BLACKPINK Is Taking Over the World

 By: Guru Jay

In August 2016, BLACKPINK was created out of stardust. Guru Jay Entertainment turned two years old. When stars are born, it’s a complicated process. Just ask Lady Gaga and Destiny’s Child. Have you heard of the Beyoncé formation? You see, there were four music stars born on that illustrious summer night. They were and are more than singers and dancers. They are celebrities. They are Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa. The question is are you excited about K-Pop’s takeover? Are you listening to the good vibrations in today’s music? K-Pop’s BLACKPINK is taking over the world beginning in Bangkok, Thailand.

Like Destiny’s Child, BLACKPINK appeals to a large fanbase. Can’t you see how much their hard work has paid off? Every music video comes close to perfection. YG Entertainment formed a four-member girl group with everlasting star power. Listen! This group has gone beyond K-Pop and risen to a momentous occasion and only time will tell how far their music glory will travel. Presently, I’m a long way from Asia. Right now, BLACKPINK is on the BORN PINK World Tour Asia. With all that’s going on: the album which debuted September 16, 2022, the Coachella festival headliner news, everything couldn’t be more perfect.

Have you heard about all the planets aligning in December? And NASA discovered the first exoplanet just yesterday with the James Webb telescope. What is written in the stars? The truth is BLACKPINK makes my palms sweaty and gives my gut butterflies. Each one of them is gorgeous. As Guru Jay, I am going to do my part and let the stars shine. 

Check out BLACKPINK on YouTube Music, Spotify, and all that other good stuff. Also, consider buying the BORN PINK album. It’s in two languages: Korean and English. And if you like my content, please share and comment. Thanks a lot. You can follow me on Twitter @IamGuruJay. Peace and love!