Kelly Clarkson's "Dark Side" + My Return

Hey internet world!  It's been a long time since I last posted to this blog.  I was trying to create a strategy on starting it up again.  Then I decided, right now, that it is best to just jump right back into writing about what I love.  :-)

And so, here I bring you my thoughts on Kelly Clarkson's latest music video for her single, "Dark Side."



I bought Kelly Clarkson's album Stronger quite some time ago, and have been listening to it almost non-stop since.  I'm talking about, on my car's stereo on the way to work in the morning, when coming back in the evening, and anytime else that I am in the car, which has tended to be a lot recently.  I love it.

I haven't owned any other Kelly Clarkson albums so I really can't give you any comparisons on this one versus her previous ones.  What I find most interesting about Stronger is how much it is about heartbreak and emotions, vulnerability.  And in the end, getting stronger, as per the album's title.  I was going through a really difficult time in my life at the time, and listening to this album felt really cathartic and healing in some ways to me.  I would recommend this album to anyone going through a tough phase in his or her life.

The single "Dark Side" and its accompanying video speaks no less to the album's theme.  The song's lyrics and composition really invoke a sense of vulnerability, exemplified in the various characters shown in the video.  I find it apt that Clarkson includes a war veteran in this video, which was released right before Memorial Day weekend.

One thing that has been appealing to, and honestly kind of impressing me, with the videos that Clarkson has been creating for this album, is the sense of duality she's striving for in their messages, as holding both private and public significance.  What I mean is that she tries to express that the message of her song and video is both personal to her and relative to many other people at the same time.  This is something that is hard to do, and that I don't see in many pop music songs and videos very often.

Another thing that stands out to me is a method that Kelly Clarkson uses to visually express that duality, which is by juxtaposing shots of herself in the video with those of other actors/characters or fans.  It's a technique she actually uses in previous videos, and which I would like to devote a blog post on later.  I am interested in how this technique actually makes her out to seem like a "singing representative" of all the people she is juxtaposed against in the video.  But, again, more on that in a later post.

Some other thoughts... There isn't all that much to say about the fashions in this video, as Clarkson wore only two outfits.  I like her makeup in the first outfit that she is seen in, because it is simple and bare, and lends further to that sense of vulnerability which the song is about.  I find her second choice of dark outfit and dark makeup interesting, given that the scenes of her in that outfit were shot in broad daylight, rather than night.  The contrast of her dark outfit/makeup with the light helps exemplify the song's title, "Dark Side" by providing a visualization of the "dark side" lurking within all people's "normal" selves.

Anywho, those are my initial thoughts on the video.  Hope you enjoy!  Until my next post.

Fall Fashion

My Fall Shopping List:
(faux) leather dress
oxford shoes
lace (blouse/sweater)
colored pants (I can't decide between red and blue.)

Maybe:
booties/ankle boots

Already Have:
faux fur
shimmer(y) top
colorblock-ed top
turtlenecks

My philosophy always is, get one of each item you like every season. That way, your wardrobe is up to date, but you don't waste money buying too many things, and you don't have dozens of clothing articles that are out of fashion creating a clutter in your closet/living space(s) in the future.

Some Words from Late Elizabeth Taylor

From a 1987 interview with Elizabeth Taylor, as appearing in Rolling Stone's April 12, 2011 issue:

"Somebody asked me what quality it was in me that made me a survivor.  I think it's my passion - for life, for people, for everything.  I've always been aware of the inner me, that has nothing to do with the physical me.  It has to do with a connection with nature, God, your inner being - whatever you want to call it.  It's about being in contact with yourself and allowing God to mold you..

Because I'm not afraid.  Life is just such an adventure to me."

-

Citation:
Cott, Jonathan. "1932 - 2011; Elizabeth Taylor: A Never-Before-Seen Rolling Stone Interview with the Hollywood Icon." Rolling Stone. April 2011: 51.

This Girl Is Amazing!

From the latest season of the UK's The X Factor tv show, Cher Lloyd, a 16 year old from Worcerstershire "turns her swag on," and impresses all the judges, even Simon Cowell.

What a voice! And she's got 'tude, she's got moves. She was obviously quite nervous at this audition but one can see there is plenty to come. I'm excited to see more of Cher Lloyd in the upcoming weeks!

A Useful Video for the Upcoming Academic Semester

Titled, "How to Study for a Long Time without Getting Bored."

Classes start in less than 2 weeks...Eep!

New Sara Bareilles Song: Win

The video maybe not so much: it's a little boring, and Bareilles a little awkward away from her piano. But I'm really likin' the lyrics and composition of this song. The tune is catchy, and the lyrics empowering... Sentiment shared. Check it out!

Sara Bareilles "King of Anything"

Jason Derulo - Talent Unseen in a LONG Time

I can't deny it, I have a soft spot for musicians who can sing well and dance naturally - and these are incredibly hard to come by. Jason Derulo is one of them. When his first single "Watcha Say" came out the end of Summer '09, I really didn't pay much attention to him. I didn't even watch his video - until right now.

I liked the song as I heard it on the radio; it was catchy, but not really one of my faves. I was a bit disgruntled when a friend informed me that the chorus was actually a sample from an Imogen Heap song, "Hide and Seek." Although, I wasn't really surprised, as it seemed that whole summer was a musical sample-a-thon, with multiple artists borrowing clips from each other. It was an interesting trend I had observed at the time, which I wish I had actually written about, instead of noting it now.

By the way, here is the video for Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek," which I am watching for the first time now, as well.

Ooh, I like his makeup.

Anywho, I didn't hear much about/from Derulo, mainly 'cause I had been out of the country for the first four months of 2010, until late May, when my friend forwarded me Derulo's video for "Ridin' Solo."

And I was in love.

This. Guy. Can. DANCE. No, he's not just the usual, went-over-the-steps-a-million-times-with-the-choreographer artist most musicians on the scene right now are (yes, Lady Gaga included), he's a natural, instinctual dancer, and boy can he move. Oh, my gosh. FINALLY.

So I obsessed over this song and video for most of June and July, and right when I was getting a little over it was when my local radio stations finally started playing it, towards the latest end of July. Talk about being behind! The whole time they were still playing Jason Derulo's spring hit, "In My Head," the video for which I really, really loved, as he displayed some mad dancing skillz in it as well.

He totally showed up the girl featured in the video, who could barely bust a move beyond making cute faces and sticking out her butt. Her inability to dance may be why he decided to ride solo afterwards.

And I don't know if anyone else noticed this, but, from the first time I saw Derulo's video for "In My Head," I was immediately reminded of Justin Timberlake's video for "Like I Love You," from way back in 2002. The set up of the scene is very reminiscent, as well as the inclusion of good dancing, although JT dances a lot more in his video than Derulo does in his.

What in the world is JT wearing on his head?? Haha, 2002. Man oh man, that's 8 years ago! Timberlake looks younger, not so much in face, but a bit in physique but mostly in the way he carries himself. It's so interesting. Especially when you watch this video on Youtube and find an Intel commercial featuring JT preceding it. But oh my gosh, what amazing dancing! Love.

Anywho, to end this long article, here's Derulo's most recent video, released almost a month ago, for the single "What If." Who knows when I'll be hearing it on my local radio, seeing as how "Ridin' Solo" has only recently made the airwaves. But it'll hit, in due time I'm sure.

Anyway, enjoy!

-

PS, follow up to my last post, on Ke$ha's "Take It Off".. Although I thought it would hit airwaves in September or even October, I actually heard it on the radio just today! That goes to show what a confusing and confused business media is...Oh well. It sounded good on the radio! Yay.