New Muse

Johnny Depp once said that music touches us emotionally where words alone can't. Music isn't just something we listen to; it's something we feel. Music is something we can connect to. In one song, a flood of thoughts and memories can come rushing back.

Music can speak to anyone. And, music can move anyone's soul. Every time period, every genre, and every artist is unique and has something to contribute to the music community. Music can change or heighten a mood for anyone. We are all guilty of listening to a playlist of sad songs after a break up or after a rough time. 

Something I love to do is to search out new songs. I don't listen to the radio much, so I take matters into my own hands. Granted, not all of the music I find is necessarily "new", becomes the next radio favorite, or even makes it to the radio. But, that doesn't change the fact that I found a song I love and connect with.

Below is a list of songs that I found and are currently some of my favorites. The songs below are fun and have a great beat, in my humble opinion, of course. These songs may or may not be on the radio, and you may or may not have heard them before. I would also add that some of these songs may contain explicit content. I tried to label all the songs that do, but proceed with caution. Enjoy!

Yoga by Janelle Monae and Jidenna This song is currently my main jam. It has such a good beat. And, I have yet to hear a song by Janelle Monae I don't like.

Like I'm Gonna Lose You feat. John Legend by Meghan Trainor I really like the sound of this song, and every song with John Legend is almost always better. Meghan Trainor is not one of my favorite artists. She sings well, but her songs are over played. I'm afraid if I heard this song too many times, I would become tired of it like all of her other songs.

Here by Alessia Cara I love this song because I can totally relate to the lyrics. I am the mirror image of this song.

The Hills by The Weeknd (Explicit) The beat and his play on words in this song is unique and on point, which is a lot like his hair.

Often by The Weeknd (Explicit) This song has a good tempo and is very chill. But, let's face it. The Weeknd is the champ at creating great beats. 

How Deep Is Your Love by Calvin Harris Yet again, this track has great rhythm and would be a fun one to try to dance to.

Fire N Gold by Bea Miller My favorite part is the chorus. I didn't care for the music video because she kept making the same face, and it became over done and annoying. But, overall it's a good song.

Phenominal by Eminem (Explicit) Again, I really like the chorus of this song. I am not a big Eminem fan, but I do have a great deal of respect for him and how far he has come. 

Kings Never Die feat. Gwen Stefani by Eminem (Explicit) The combination of Gwen Stefani and Eminem was a job well done, and turned out much better than I expected. 

Black Magic by Little Mix This song is fun and hard not to like. Listening to this song takes me back to the days of my awkward phase. Great times.

This Could Be Us by Rae Sremunrd (Explicit) These guys have done it yet again. The song is great and is a fun jam. 

Beast feat. Busta Rhymes by Rob Bailey (Explicit) This song isn't like anything I've heard before. It's an interesting mix of rap and hard rock. I'm usually much of a fan of hard rock, but the two combined is different and done well. The sound track for Southpaw has some great songs.

R.I.C.O. feat. Drake by Meek Mill (Explicit) In spite of the blowout between Meek Mill and Drake, these two did a good job on this one. 

All Eyes On You feat. Chris Brown & Nicki Minaj by Mill (Explicit) Despite my feelings about Chris Brown, I can't deny the fact that he has a great voice. This song has a great beat that hits hard, yet has a chill vibe.

Cecilia & The Satellite by Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness I absolutely love this song! It's new, it's different, and the music video is how I envision myself to be. 

Sippy Cup-- Melanie Martinez (Explicit) I love this song. It's new and fresh.

Beautiful Now feat. Jon Bellion--Zedd The beginning didn't catch my attention much, but I started to like the song as it went along.

0 to 100/The Catch Up-- Drake (Explicit) I love the sound of this song and it reminds me a bit of his song Energy. It has a good tempo, but very steady and chill. 

Comfortable-- K Camp (Explicit) This track is great and so is the beat. 

You Know You Like It-- DJ Snake & Aluna George DJ Snake did a wonderful job fusing his beats with the voice of Aluna George. 

Omen feat. Sam Smith-- Disclosure The rhythm of this song takes me back to when I went to New York City. I for one am a fan of Sam Smith and his voice. I also enjoyed watching the music video for this song.

Budapest-- George Ezra I think this track has become a favorite for many. It has a timeless sound and it still never gets old. 

Tribute: Amy Winehouse

Everyone knows Amy Winehouse for her trademark voice and black eyeliner. Several also know Amy Winehouse for her provocative persona. And, too many individuals only know Amy Winehouse for her song "Rehab". But, few know that she dealt with depression and eating disorders.

I am far from being one of Amy Winehouse's fan girls. I'm not one of those individuals who know every little detail of a celebrity's life. I am too lazy for that amount of research and I simply don't care because most of it is insignificant to my life. But, I am an individual who appreciates her music. Amy Winehouse sings with such soul that you can't help but feel something when you listen to her. So, if you happen to be one among the many who only know her song "Rehab", let's expand your horizons. I even made a list of 10 songs by Amy Winehouse that I think everyone should hear and know. 

These songs are completely based on my taste and opinion, not top charts. In my humble opinion, I find these songs to showcase her voice well and also show her diversity. I might also add that if you are reading this and are not familiar with the song "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse, I would highly recommend to listen to it along with these 10 songs. Yet, approach with caution if you are sensitive to explicit music. Amy Winehouse is a talented artist, but her lyrics can be provocative.

1. Back to Black 

2. Amy Amy Amy

3. Some Unholy War

4. (There Is) No Greater Love

5. You Know I'm No Good

6. Valerie (I love the Live BBC Radio version)

7. Wake Up Alone

8. F**k Me Pumps

9. Take The Box

10. Tears Dry On Their Own

I had a difficult time narrowing it down to just 10 songs, so if you liked what you heard, I would highly suggest to explore her music. 

To explain for the random blogging of Amy Winehouse, Andy and I ended our last date watching the documentary on Amy Winehouse titled Amy (clever much?). Both Andy and I love her music, so naturally we went to go see it. 

I found the documentary very interesting. I thought the film directors did a job well done at trying to shining a neutral light on Amy Winehouse and her life. I was aware that I didn't know much about the life of Amy Winehouse, but after watching Amy, I realized I knew almost nothing. And, I realized I was wrong about what I thought I knew about her. 

Amy Winehouse was a gifted singer and enjoyed writing poetry, but she led a normal life at first. She was your typical girl, and her life wasn't perfect. For one, Amy's father divorced her mother. That really affected her and  was the beginning of her depression. Yet, a hop, skip, and a jump later, she worked her way up to the top.  Amy showed that Amy Winehouse lived a life that was far from easy. And, in the end, Amy Winehouse died of heart failure on July 23, 2011. They believed that she died from the possible combination of drinking and eating disorders. Her family didn't realize it at the time, but there were a few times where she talked about the "perfect diet", which is known as bulimia. Her family didn't think much of it nor did they realize how far she would go with the "perfect diet". 

Of all the things I didn't know, I had no idea Amy Winehouse had an eating disorder. This hit home because I have struggled with eating disorders in my past and still struggle with my body image. It took me years to talk about it, even with my closest friends and family. I was ashamed to say anything because I had nothing to show. I wasn't strong enough to drop the weight and wasn't nearly as skinny as I wished to be. 

Eating disorders are very much real, and aren't something to be treated lightly. Amy Winehouse isn't the only singer to die of heart failure due to an eating disorder. Karen Carpenter, also a famous, talented singer, died of heart failure because of an eating disorder.  There are also many celebrities and artists who have or are currently struggling with eating disorders. And, like me, there are girls, young ladies, and women who battle with eating disorders and their self-image.                                

Overall, Amy was excellent and interesting to watch. I have that much more of an appreciation for Amy Winehouse as an artist and also her music. I would recommend this documentary to anyone who is an Amy Winehouse fan or who enjoys watching an interesting documentary film.

Amy Winehouse was a woman who wanted to find happiness and be loved. Her life was no walk in the park. Yet, Amy Winehouse was able to create music filled with such passion and soul. Her music was able to touch so many lives and still continues to do so. She has left her mark on this world. And, may she rest in peace. 

I would like to thank and attribute the pictures to Google Images.