Thing that are so alike (to me) until they're not...

Basically this is a lazy post, so forgive me for that. But I have this idea, about things in music that sound basically the same, but they are not related at all. Unless, of course, I'm actually out of my mind and they don't sound the same. But I think I'm right on some of them, so please, let me know what you think in the comments (don't be shy, you can curse me all you want!)

1. The intro of "Let It Go" (the right version, not Demi's)...



... and the intro of "All Of Me" by John Legend.



I know, I know, they are different, and it's only the piano, but sometimes, when I heard the first accords, I was having a hard time telling them apart. So sue me.


2. New PSY featuring Snoop Dogg (!), "Hangover" (especially the chorus)...



...and Lil' Wayne's "A Milli" (which I ADORE).



A no-brainer. The fact that practically Snoops raps the entire song should be an indication of that. An aside: I guess Snoop Lion didn't stick, and now he's doing duets with PSY. Well, it happens.


3. The videos "Ride" and "Born To Die" by Lana del Rey...





...and Taylor Swift "I Know You Were Trouble".



I mean, duh. I guess Taylor thought this was a good idea, but Lana pulled it off effortless, and Taylor looked really out of field. But I like those songs, so I guess it's a win-win for all (not for Lana, though, she were never credited for those gorgeous mini-movies).


4. "Bedtime Story" by Madonna, circa 1995 (Live on the Brits!)...



... and Lady Gaga's "ARTPOP" (Live on The Tonight Show) circa 2014.



Yeah, I'm putting this out there to see what kind of reaction it gets. Seriously, the first time I watched Gaga's performance I reminisced of that unique performance by Madonna (unique in the sense that Madonna didn't proper toured or promoted "Bedtime Stories" on other venues). And I like both songs. And they looked so similar. For me, anyway.


5. The "Heart Attack" epidemy on pop... not literally, thank God.











What's so romantic about a heart attack? No, just no. Heartache will be fine, but a heart attack sound more like going on a rush to ER than anything else. Funny thing: these are all from the last two years, so I think they're out of ideas here.

And so am I. Until next post, where I can really talk about important stuff, I guess. Or at least more exciting, I promise.

Gaga, Kelly and Richardson: too sexual? Get out of here!

This week, footage of the not-released video of "Do What U Want" song by Lady Gaga was leaked...

Basically, a sexy medical appointment (!) with R. Kelly, a supposed gynechologist (!) and scenes from her seminaked, dancing around some tabloids and covered only with newspapers. Nothing particularly shocking, by Gaga standards.


But then, the Internet exploded, accusing Gaga of promoting rape. New York Post commented: "Gaga had a video by an alleged sexual predator, starring another sexual predator. With the theme 'I'm going to do whatever I want with your body'? It was literally an ad for rape."


And you know what? I wholeheartedly agree with that.


Let's look at the facts, shall we?


1. "Do What U Want" was one of the few songs from "Artpop" album that gained notoriety despite the risquee lyrics. The phrase "Do what you want with my body" is not exactly a subtle invitation. but Gaga was very clear that this was intended for all the "haters" that made comments about her body.


2. Then, in an act of revenge (?), she decided to make this cover for the single:

as a big "Fuck You" to all her detractors. Coincidentally, this photo was taken by Terry Richardson, the director of "Do What U Want" no-video (more on him later).


3. The song is a mixture of synth pop and R&B, with a ver 80's vibe. So accordingly, she decided to recruit R. Kelly, who has made that particular sound a trademark of his own. Many outlets were not happy with the duet partner, given the background of Kelly, which includes 'allegedly' having sex with underage girls and peeing on women, not mentioning the fact that he was accused of marrying Aaliyah (RIP) when she was 15. The nerve.


4. The song was not meant to be released, although being a fan-favorite, and with the cold reception towards the already-announced second single, "Venus", Gaga and her team decided to give it a shot. By this time, "Artpop" had failed to reach the heights of their predecessor album, "Born This Way", so a plan to save the album through this song was put on motion.


5. Gaga heavily promoted DWUW through all over the media. Here, the two most controversial presentations, both with R. Kelly. To me, these two are, at best, overrated, since Gaga has been doing real performances with all so much gimmick and better results.







6. Gaga recruited famed Richardson to shoot the video for DWUW. Richardson had recently made his way through the video media with positive outcome. Among others, he directed Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball" (no strange to controversy itself) and Beyoncé's "XO" (which seems odd since 'Yonce is very much aware who she associates with). Richardson had a very high profile in Hollywood, with his risquee and at times rauchy portfolio, which for me is also way overrated.

...again, no subtlety here (can you start to see the pattern?) Besides, Richardson has been deemed a "creepy guy" and recently some models alleged that he has conducted inappropiate sexual behavior towards them. He maintains his innocence, because you see, he only photographs sexual imagery, he doesn't perform it. Alrighty, then.


7. So, after all this, Gaga deemed appropiate to shoot a video featuring R. Kelly and directed by Richardson, because why not? The joke tells itself. But then, on an unexpected move, she decided to drop completely the project, at that time blaming "others" that wanted to damage her integrity and artistry and so on. Gaga, queen of controversy, decided to pull off something that reads "controversial" since this inception.


But now, it seems very clear that even for Gaga this was more than what she bargain form, and we can't blame her. According to the images, Gaga is somewhat sedated and then they decided to have a party with her while unconscious. R. Kelly as a bad doctor is somewhat discomforting, and we cannot really fathom what was Gaga thinking at the time she made this video.


Then again, we will wait impatiently for it to come out, so we can judge accordingly.

In the end, DWUW is really a great song, and thus I decided to stick (pardon the expression) with the Gaga/Christina version, another controversial decision, more on the line of  "I never in life thought these two would sing together, I thought they hate each other" category than in the "OMG! This is so raunchy even for my standards" category. And for me, this works better. Cannot embed the video, so please follow the link if you haven't been blessed by that performance. Heaven, indeed.


So sound off: is it truly "shocking" this no-video for Gaga? Have you seen it coming? (Again, sorry for the pun).

App of The Week (end): Groove

As an avid iPhone user, I feel it is my duty to lead you towards this App I discovered recently, which will improve at the nth your experience on your Music playlists. Its name is Groove.

Groove gives to your Music library an entirely new look, and a slick one while at that. The native Music Player on the iPhone is kinda boring, so Groove is a real improvement if you happen to have great taste and like your music as a whole experience, both audibly and visually.

Powered with last.fm, Groove creates Playslists based on your library, as diverse as the music you have on your iPhone. It also gives them quality portraits, and like I said before, it's easy on the eyes, so basically this is all you ask for a music player (besides sound quality, of course).

The maximum of songs of each playlist is 25 songs, but that's OK. After it finishes, the playlist restarts and you have new 25 songs (that depends obviously on how many songs you have). You can save playlists by pinching the star down below and voilá! Also, you can sync it with your Facebook profile, and publish your playlists or what you are listening at any given moment.

(BTW, I don't think 50 Cent or Matt Pokora are The Worst Thing that Happen to Music. I mean, after all, "Macarena " exists and it is still played, so there's that).

So if you have an iPhone and a US App account, you should definitely download this gem. It's for free, so what are you waiting for?

I'm hot & cold towards "Dark Horse" video...

So finally, after months of waiting, the "Dark Horse" video went online and boy, this was an experience...



I mean, we know Katy has a thing for goofiness (e.g. "California Gurls" video) but this is taking it to a whole new level.

First off: do I like the video? Well, duh! This is one of my favorite songs from her, so yes, I do like it. It's so deliciously camp, kitsch, ridiculous, and therefore, amazing.

But then, "Dark Horse" has been an odd thing for Katy since its premiere back in September last year. The unexpected rise on the charts, without proper promotion, propelled the song to single status once "Unconditionally" failed to meet the expectations - and high chart numbers. Then, DH became number 1 on the US charts, assuring Katy hern 9th number one overall, and we were delighted for that.

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But there was no video, uncommon for a number one song on Billboard at that status. Katy was teasing us with a great and much talked about performance at the Grammy's, and many of us thought this was indeed the theme of the video. Boy, we were so wrong.

 

 



So Katy took almost another month (!) to complete the video, and finally, we met her latest incarnation: "Katy-Patra", queen of Memphis, Egypt, which happens to share name with the city in which Juicy J was born. And also, very reminiscent to Michael Jackson's "Remember The Time", which seems fitting since they're the only ones with 5 number one singles from one album.

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Sorry to say, but this has nothing to do with the song or the lyrics. And I'm not talking about that stupidity of "There's no horses on this video!" (seriously, people are so literal and one minded at times). Also all the controversy surrounding the pendant with the name of "Allah" in Arabic (on this note: people should consider to get a job or a life, or both. Seriously). Or the Illuminati shit, who is tedious, redundant and in serious need of a boycott on the Internet.

 

 

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The thing is, this is a great song, a very different side of Katy, which shows her versatility and it was the perfect opportunity to make a statement regarding her musci and status on pop. Instead, she went safe, giving exactly what we expected from her. Well done and executed, but safe, nonetheless. This song, being a risky departure from her previous number ones (Excluding "E.T.", a song that can very well be the genesis of DH), deserved that treatment.

 

But this video is definitely a blast, likable and it sure will be a hit among kids and KatyCats (myself included). There are some GIFs to prove it:

 

 

When the bass drops.... The beat goes hard! Even in ancient Egypt.

 

 

 

 

Katy Patra and her grillz... (Seriously, this is overly camp. Also, amazeballs.)

 

 

 

This was the source of so much pain and hatred towards Katy, but to be honest, it holds nothing and it only proves some people need to develop a thicker skin (I'm not entering into religion here, thank you very much.)

 

 

 

I think I got the craves for some Hot Flamin' Cheetos.... Katy-Patra would approve.

 

 

 

Katy-Patra likes the finest thing in life (this causes another stir within the Illuminati crowd...So much fuss.)

 

 

 

Using her powers to destroy her enemies (and their careers)

 

 

 

Most of the budget sure went to make-up... She looks gorgeous.

 

 

 

Pimp my Ride Egyptian Style...

 

 

 

This little fella sure is getting away from all this madness...

 

 

 

 

Who would have known that there was a stripper soul underneath Katy? And I mean this in the most honest way possible... That split is maddening...

 

 

 

My favorite scene of the video. It should have lasted longer... This is really something.

 

 

So this is another positive note on Katy's career, but I need her to be more risquee and willing to take chances... She already won our hearts, she can do it.

 

 

And lastly, the most WTF moment of a video full of them....

 

 



 

 

The power of Katy-Patra, y'all!

 

How do you feel about this video? Let me know in the comments!





New year, New Layout, New Twitter....

Hi! I know it's been a while since my last update, and I want to apologize, because life has taken over me and I haven't been able to post as much as I would want to. But! Now it's 2014, ending January (that was fast!), and I want to fully commit to this blog. So, in order to do that, I changed the layout, so hopefully you like it. I'm not so good at designing things, but I like the color, and the way it is now arranged gives plenty of space for reading and comprehension (so I believe). As usual, any feedback will be fully appreciated! And secondly, you know, starting to feed this thing, so please be aware; a lot of things are coming your way!

Also, I want you to take a few minutes to follow me on my new Twitter, specially designed to talk all things music. You can find me in the Twitterverse as @TonyMusicORama, so I hope you can start follow me and my shenanigans.

Happy 2014, there's plenty of music to discuss!!

Album Review: Katy Perry, "PRISM"

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One of the most anticipated albums of this fall must have been this one. Katy Perry has been omnipresent on pop since "One of The Boys", circa 2007, and we have never looked back. This is the case of the church-girl-going-to-superstar we have witnessed several times (Whitney, Beyoncé, et al), but in this case, she decided to strip away of that persona (sometimes, on a literal way), and embrace her pop roots and become the brand that we all now love.

And then, "Teenage Dream" came, and boy we never saw that one coming. Five number one songs, more than 5 million copies sold worldwide, and a great great world tour (which I've attended, luckily), the stakes were so high that she needed to deliver. Did she do it?

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Well, first off: this is no "Teenage Dream" 2.0. While that album was goofy, unpretentious and straight-to-the-head pop, this album actually conveys a lot of styles and genres, all well crafted and bottled into tiny pieces, especially designed to stuck in the mind of the listeners and oblige them to stuck on repeat, until the lyrics acquire some meaning and you're able to sing along on your house, your car or whatever place you are listening to them.

But then, was that Katy's intention? She said about this album that she wanted to go to a "darker place", definitely inspired by the failed marriage she had with Rusell Brand. But then, love struck again in the form of Mr. John Mayer, and clearly influence part of this record.

Songs like "Legendary Lovers", with its bhangra style, or "Double Rainbow", a Sia-assisted collaboration, approaches the subject of her new found happiness, while adding some elements of new age and introspection into its lyrics. Meanwhile, "Ghost" recalls the infamous breakup with Rusell, turning this song into some cathartic experience for her, in a mid-tempo ballad that sounds both haunting and reassuring.

I have to say, "Roar" as a first single, as much derided that has been because the similarity with Sara Bareilles' "Brave", and its really, really goofy video, disappointed me at first. But then, as formulaic as it seems, it grown on me until it became my personal anthem for empowerment and self-assurance. Which I believe it was the smartest plan, because Katy seems to be aware, more than anyone, what kind of artist she is and her limitations, but most of all, her strenghts.



This album could be viewed as a double feature: for the first part, a string of sure-to-be hits, including two promotional singles that have my heart (and my replay button) stuck on repeat: the 90's Ce-Ce Peniston-like throwback "Walking on Air" (please, view the iTunes Festival presentation for maximum effect) and the trappy, strip-club-ready "Dark Horse" that is indeed the dark horse of the album, and I think it would be a potential hit, a-la "E.T." of "Teenage...", despite the atrocious rap of Juicy J. Minus that, this song is  a pop tiny masterpiece.

The second part is more ballad-oriented, with the themes of breaking up and empowerment hinted in the first part, going full in this second one. Katy is not very proficient delivering heartfelt ballads, but "Love Me" and "This Moment" feel more on her wheel, and definitely made a case for her, being this stablishing her as a more mature artist.

There are hints of the bubbly persona of "Teenage..." era, like "Birthday" with its anthemic vibe, and "International Smile", which it could very well have fit into "Teenage..." tracklist. And then, you got "This is How We Do", another 90's revival that flirts with lite hip-hop and have the goofiest and most certainly truest line of all: "Mariah Karaoke-y". Because, you know, Mariah and karaoke are certainly a match made in heaven. And props to "International Smile", an ode to all traveling people and the one that mentions Mexico, of all places. (Thanks for that, Katy). And of course, the Daft-Punk-y bridge that it certainly made me smile.

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While "PRISM" IS a great pop album, it certainly falls short to live up to Katy standards. Now she is a pop tour-de-forcé, and we certainly expected more from her. But then again, she has always been very humble and clear of what to expect of her. She is very aware of her pop persona, and she has never intended to find the Holy Grail of pop, whatever that is. And we appreciate that: that despite all of her flaws and misconceptions, Katy is very down to earth and relatable. And that's why we are very happy for her success.

My rate: 8 out of 10. What's yours?

Is Britney still relevant...?

Judging from the success of her new song, I should dare to say: YES.

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There was a time in history that Brit Brit was undoubtedly a tour-de force in pop music, when it first came out with "...Baby, One More Time". She established as a pop star that gradually and eventually took over the world, without seemingly too much effort.

 

And then it came all of her struggles, because that's what happens with every other Disney princesses every now and then. But she, like a phoenix, returned to her former glory and eventually gained back her throne, which has been disputed for several times and apparently no one can take it from her.

 

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Which brings us to the subject on hand. After 15 years of more hits tan misses, do we still care about what Britney does in life? After she has been accused several times of lip-synching, not dancing as well as before, and basically being a shadow of the great Britney she once was?

 

Let's do the music do the talking this time, please:

So fine, "Work Bitch" is not even remotely the best song from Britney. In fact, it is quite underwhelming, compared to other first-singles from previous albums ("Oops"? "Womanizer"?). But it quite enjoyable and in tune with what is "cool" and "fashionable" in this day and age.

Which frankly, is one of her best assets. Being one tiny step forward of all her peers, always offering something that feels new and fresh, amid all the disposable music that plagues the airwaves (or bandwidth, to be more precisely).

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For the first time in years, Britney looks alive and more like a human being, instead of that robotic image she has been sporting lately. And even we all know she can't dance as well as she used to do it circa 2001, at least she is doing her own moves, which mostly consists in jazz hands and being standing still or laying on the floor.

 

But we cannot deny that Britney has something appealing on her. And we enjoyed every little thing she does. That's why, after all these years, we are still attracted to her allure, despite her many, many flaws, and I think that in itself is quite an achievement.

 

 

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So, for me, it is a yes. A definite yes. It's up to her to improve her legacy, now with the residency she's about to head up on Vegas. And a new album on December. So yes, we still have Briney for a  while, bitch.



What I really think about Miley Cyrus...

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I think I came late to the party that has been the VMA presentation of Ms. Miley Cyrus, but hell no! It's still being talked about, despite it has taken place two weeks ago. The span of news, especially entertainment news, in an era where attention is clearly not a luxury in a large term, has been really an indicator of something. Whether if this is good or bad, it's left to each individual to decide.

 

But let's recap, shall we? In case you have been living under a rock or in a cave, in which case you're probably NOT reading this blog, please take a look at the performance of Miley and also, Robin Thicke, in case you forgot about him:

Ok, only a few things before I give my piece of thought about this. First of all, I've never been a fan of Miley and less of Hannah Montana. It wasn't on my teenage phase, and I always have find her a bit obnoxious and phony. So yes, you can say I'm a little bit (or a lot) biased, and you're probably right, but despite everything, I really like her new song. "We Can't Stop" is really amusing, although the lyrics seemed particularly silly and out-right provocative, for a former Disney Star.



So, what's the big deal about this?

1. The presentation blows. As simple as that. It's not good, neither as a satire or parody, nor a mere shock-value entertainment piece, or even as a "I'm-a-grown-up-now-look-at-me" thing that others have successfully tried and successfully pulled up.

2. Miley is, at most, a decent singer. Not in this one. She only yells and loses her breath mid-presentation, which is just nuts, considering...

3. She's just not a great dancer. The "twerking" thing, one of the most derrailed thing about this presentation, is not even being executed properly. She seems like  a white clumsy american girl that just started to hang out with black people just as a fashion, and trying to unsuccessfully emulate what other girls do.

(Aside: Please, do not make this into a racial thing. For once, I'm mexican, so I don't think I'm the one with authority about this issue. And two, I really don't think this is about racism. I'm just stating a fact of a performance that is clearly a celebration of the "twerking" culture, a thing very ingrained on black culture).

4. And please, do not make talk about her buttocks. I think the Internet has said enough.

Which one looks better?... (Via)

 

 

 

5. And the tongue. Please, Miley, what's up with that? Were you on Molly or what?

 



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6. Then they just butchered "Blurred Lines". I mean, it's not the song of the millennia or the century, but it is a great song (better than the abhorrent "Best Song Ever", indeed). There were not chemistry between them, not musically and visually. In fact, Robin looked like this father, so probably that was made the whole thing so uncomfortable to watch for so many people. I just think it was fake and contrived.

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7. And Robin disappeared. Nobody care about his performnce. This was the only time for Robin to shine on the VMA's (let's face it, I don't think he's going to succeed as great as "Blurred Lines"), and all was surpassed by her female companion.

 

I  just left behind all of the accusations of Miley being anti-feminist, a whore, etc. I don't think a female exposing her body like that is anti-feminist or misogyny or whatever. People should appreciate the female body and I'm not into double standards, and my pop girls can do what they want as long as they are fresh, entertaining and clever while doing it. Miley  certainly was none of those things.

 

But I think my rection of the performance can summarize in this now inmortal meme:

 

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Clearly, that mix of contempt and indifference is something Rihanna can do so, so much better.

 

And your thoughts are...?

It was meant to be a showdown... Katy vs. Gaga, so WHAT HAPPENED??

 

 

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So for all diva-pop lovers out there, last week was really a great week, for it saw the birth (at least on our ears) of the two most anticipated releases of Summer-Fall 2013: Katy Perry's "Roar" and Lady Gaga's "Applause".





So this should be great, right? Two of the most important pop acts of the recent years decided to go head to head and show their best assets, in order to appeal their respective group of avid fans and show them how they have evolved into something more substantial than your flavor-of-the month-type-of-hit and establishing themselves as a mature pop act.

But actually, for me, it was somehow disappointing.

And don't get me wrong: both songs are very, very good. For another artists, they would be excellent and prime first singles. But for all the hype surrounding both releases, I think they come as a kind of off-putting songs and not punch-you-in-the-face great singles.

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Let's start with the one that, for me, takes the cake. "Roar" is your quintaesential powerful song, make-you-feel-good and definitely poppish single that you can expect from Katy. Not exactly what Katy have had hinted at us a while ago. I mean come on. "Roar" can perfectly be a great third single for "Teenage Dream". And I say this while I adore this song, with its sing-along feeling and upbeat message, I feel a little bit fooled into it. If Katy had indeed buried the "Teenage" era, this single would have been very, very different.

 

And then you get the comparisons with Sara Bareilles' "Brave".

Honestly, the only thing alike between these songs is the intro. But frankly, I find myself enjoying Sara's better than Katy's. Why is that so? Like I said before, this song is great for an artist with not much expectations like Sara, and I don't mean this as direspectful for her. It is just that she's as indie and not mainstream as Katy, but I consider her to be as a honest and heart-warming as it gets.

My rating for Roar: 8 out of 10. Great song, not first single material.

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Oh, GaGa, GaGa. How can I say this delicately? If Katy was hyping her song, GaGa definitely was promising the next Holy Grail of music, the new Bible of pop, and so on. Instead, we get this "The Fame" B-side, which obviously is great (that album is for me one of the best debut of any artist EVER), but not what "ArtPop" implied. It's a very danceable track geared towards GaGa's fan base (obviously, Little Monsters) and deals with the same fame concept of her first album. And the video itself is pretty artsy and over the top, as usual GaGa. But let's be honest: after the meat dress, I find it hard to be shocked about what GaGa will do next.

Besides, let's be honest: The whole "ArtPop"experience, with an App and everything involved, is something that has been done before. Does someone remember "Biophilia"? And apparently, Björk is now the center of "affection" of GaGa, since the team of directors of her new video is the same for Björk's "Hidden Place", back in 2001.



(And no, I'm not implying GaGa is plagiarizing Björk. She could NOT pull that off NEVER IN LIFE).

My rating for Applause: 7 out of 10. "The Fame" revisited, not in "ArtPop" way.

So, as of today, Katy is the clear winner of this showdown. She had succeeded GaGa outselling "Applause" in nearly the double of digital copies, which is the new way to measure this thing, along with the You Tube number of views. And plese, don't get me started on the desperate attempt of GaGa of getting more downloads and You Tube hits, which of course is as lame as it sounds and a signal that she's definitely NOT confident about her own choice of a first single.

But, in all seriousness, there is no winner at all. I'm expecting more of their next singles, and the albums. So far, I'm not really impressed.

What is your favorite single of these two? Let me know in the comments!

Justin vs Robin: Crooners of the decade, but who is the best?

So definitely you have heard that song that is so good, well produced and with an excellent collaboration, with this white guy singing smooth R&B over an infectious beat. And of course, a controversial video, with nude supermodels dancing arond and the fully clothed singer strutting around like he just doesn't care, with innuendos and lyrics deemed "rapey" by some hardcore feminists.

Now, make a guess: which artist I'm talking about?

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It is so common on pop music, and for that matter in any musical style, that comparisons between two seemingly similar artists arise, especially if those artists are almost indistinguishable one from the other. And no, I'm not saying this is the exact case between Justin Timberlake and Robin Thicke, but oh boy it has been a fun summer trying to spot the differences (if there's any).

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Of course, credit goes where credit is due. Robin was the first one back in 1999 to start experimenting with this suave R&B formula that ultimately became his signature style. First as a producer of several songs for mainly pop acts (including one of my faves from Christina Aguilera's debut album, "When You Put Your Hands on Me"), and then started a solo career that took off with the release of "When I Get You Alone", a fine and excellent mash up of R&B and classical music courtesy of Beethoven. If you haven't listened it, please be my guest. It's just amazing.

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Meanwhile, Justin was on the top of the world with 'NSync and the whole boy band hysteria of the 2000's. But somehow, it was very clear that his fate was not meant to be attached to those guys for long (pun totally intended). So in 2002 he embarked in a solo adventure, with a huge pay-off. "Like I Love You", his frist single and a clear homage to Michael Jackson, both musically and stylishly, met his ready-for-stadiums appeal and his R&B influences, and get a positive response. However, "Cry Me a River" was THE song, after a much publicized breakup with then beau Britney Spears, that launched him on superstar-level.






It is clear that the most successful of those two has been Justin, but clearly this is no Robin's fault. Each album he has done have been consistently good and improving on every aspect. But no doubt about Justin power on music, and he has developed a certain charisma that only superstars can achieve.










(I deliberately put songs similar in style so you can spot very well how these artists have been doing for the past years, and how a person with no knowledge of music and celebrities can easily confound them).

Frankly, I always thought Robin deserved much more attention and recognition. Fortunately, that pretty much changed this year when "Blurred Lines" hit the airwaves, and of course, that infamous video came out. How exactly the video has been helpful to the success of this song? I would dare to say that on a great scale. The song itself is excellent. With the help of Pharrell (who seems ubiquitous this season, don't you think?) and T.I. and a kick ass rhythm, this is the quintaessential summer tune. But the video, with three topless supermodels, certainly made his own indelible mark on pop culture and certainly put Thicke on the A-List of pop music, a place that I'm sure he won't let go for a while. I'm not going to discuss if the video is anti-feminist or derogatory to women; if you take a look on his work pre-Blurred Lines, you will know he's the crooner by excellence, always singing love songs with a smoothness that shows us how devoted he is to the feminine figure, so in my mind, this is just an attempt to reach a wider audience through controversy and of course, talent. Which he certainly achieved.



And then, Justin, which was on a hiatus on music trying to achieve a decent film career, came with the glorious and mature album "The 20/20 Experience", a concept album with sound going from pop, R&B, soul, and many influences, and instantly became a hit. Many people realised that this more stylish approach was very Thicke-influenced, but then the third single "Tunnel Vision" came out and well, we are talking some major blurred lines over here. A state-of-the-art video featuring (just wait) naked woman, over an infectious beat, summer-ready and definitely, the comparisons over the years became so much clear. To be honest, the Tunnel Vision concept is more stylized, and really a great video, but it's clear that whatever muse has inspired these two, is clearly giving them pretty much the same advice.



Let's just list the similarities:

1. Both songs refers to a very serious eye-related conditions.
2. Both songs are very R&B influenced.
3. Both songs are produced by very-recognised hip hop and  R&B producers, who also happen to made a cameo in the corresponding video and sang certain lines in it.
4. Each video has been censored by You Tube for "sexual content", and later reinstated "because of the art" (?).
5. On both videos, all women appear nude, meanwhile men are fully clothed and stylish.
6. Both songs mention on their lyrics stuff that has infuriated feminists, accusing them of being "misogynists" and "disrespectful towards women". The lines? "I know you want it" (Robin) and "I know you like it" (Justin).
7. Both song are really great.

So, who's to blame for all of this? Have they realized about this whirlwind that they created? Are they comfortable with this situation? And ultimately, who cares? There's plenty of room for every other artist, and if they decided to improve musical scenery by making excellent pop music, so let them. Maybe they will provide inspiration for many other male acts and that will be great, since it has been rough times for a male pop act to really stand out on the pop scene in a while.

Via

But on the meantime, you have to decide which one is the best for you. For me? I guess I can easily spend some quality time with both of them and enjoy making music together. Oops... I guess that didn't come out as expected. (Again, pun totally intended).

So shut up and enjoy their music. With the lights off, please.