Tune Tuesday: Youtube Singers You Should Check Out

Hey guys!

If you're looking for some new singers / bands to listen to, why not check out these?


1. Alycia Marie

I love Alycia's covers, especially Lips Are Movin. The video is good too!


2. Ocean Avenue

Their acoustic cover of Where Are U Now is just amazing!


3. The Johnsons

Listen to The Johnsons' covers of Sugar and Rude.


4. Ebony Day

Ebony Day is brilliant! She's on of my favourite British Youtube singers! I hope I get to meet her at Summer in the City on the weekend - that would be amazing! Click here to listen to one of Ebony's original songs.


5. Landon Austin

I love his mashup of Ignition / Stronger / Post To Be.


6. Martha Jane

I came across Martha Jane's Youtube channel by chance, when a video she had posted came up on my newsfeed. I'm so glad I clicked on the link! Her version of Drag Me Down is fantastic! She's a lesser-known Youtuber, but I think she'll go far!


7. Alex Aiono

I discovered Alex on the Youtube show Royal Crush and decided to check out his channel. As well as being insanely good looking, Alex is also a great singer!

 

 

 

8. Daniela Andrade

 

 

Her voice is beautiful!

 

 

 

 

9. Runaground

 

 

That voice!

10. Kimmi Smiles

 

 

Best parody!

 

 

11. Nick Merico

 

 

 

Great singer!

 

 

12. Gardiner Sisters

 

Gardiner Sisters is a group of sisters who sing (a bit like Cimorelli, I guess). They're so talented and sound great live.


You should also listen to Musical Bethan and Emma Blackery. The Promise is such a beautiful song. Bri Heart and Hannah Trigwell are incredible too!



Hope you enjoyed this post and find some amazing new singers to listen to!


Hasta luego!

Serena

August Wishlist

Hey guys!

 

Today I am going to share some of the products I've been lusting over! I hadn't been on online shops for a while so I went on a few several a couple of days ago, and found many lovely products.

 

1. Tartan Dress, £10, Missguided

2. Headband, £14, ASOS

3. I Love Bubblebath & Showergel Mango & Papaya, £2.99, Superdrug

4. Holly Flora Skater Dress, £18, Boohoo

5. Juicy Watermelon Yankee Candle, £20, Very

6. Zoella Tutti Frutti Range, £3-8, Superdrug

 

I love the two dresses! I kinda need a new tartan dress since the one I have is a little too short and the colour has faded a bit. I love the one from Missguided. It's also only £10, which is great for a dress. I also like the floral dress from Boohoo. I adore the headband I found on ASOS - I need a floral headband in my life! I've been wanting to try the I Love...Bubblebath & Showergel range for a while, but for some reason I never got round to buying any of the products! I think I'll pick up a mango & papaya bottle when I next go to Superdrug! And something in Zoella's new Tutti Frutti range too! How nice does the watermelon candle look?! I bet it smells divine, and it's perfect for summer!

 

 

What products have you been lusting over recently? Have you tried Zoella's new range? Let me know what you think!

 

 

Hasta luego!

 

Serena

Bend It Like Beckham The Musical

Hey guys!

Hope everyone is enjoying the sun! I know I am!

 

 

A couple of weeks ago, I went to see Bend It Like Beckham The Musical. Having enjoyed the film, I was looking forward to seeing it on stage in the West End. To be honest, I did think Bend It Like Beckham was an odd choice of a film to be turned into a musical - how can you play football on stage? And what would the songs be like? However, I was proven wrong.
 

Bend It Like Beckham is a hilarious feel-good musical set in Southall, London. It is a spectacular explosion of colour and culture. Both Gurinder Chadha and Howard Goodall have done a wonderful job in turning the 2002 film (which stars Keira Knightley) into a hugely successful musical. The songs are fantastic (I particularly liked 'Glorious') and the actors were brilliant too. Preeya Kalidas is great as Jess's older sister Pinky, while Lauren Samuels is a good choice for Jules - she actually looks vaguely similar to Keira Knightley. Jamie Campbell Bower stars as Joe, the football coach. I didn't realise that Jamie could sing, but he has a surprisingly good voice. Preeya Kalidas and Natalie Dew (Jess) have amazing voices too. If you're in London, it would be worth checking out this musical :)

 

 

 

 

 

Have you seen Bend It Like Beckham (either the film or musical)?

 

 

Hasta luego!

 

 

Serena

 

 

 

So You Don't Want To Go To Uni?

With results day just around the corner, many sixth-formers across the country are busy deciding where to spend the next three (or four) years of their lives. However, others may feel that university isn't for them - maybe their grades weren't quite what they'd expected or they simply feel that they're not ready to go to uni. There are a number of students who aren't keen on the prospect of a few more years of education and would much prefer to do something else. But what can you do? British society makes us believe that university is the only post-school option. We grow up thinking that university is the only way to get a job, though there are plenty of other things available once you leave school. These are as follows:



1. Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are great for students who already know what type of job they want to do when they finish school. Apprenticeships combine study with practical training in a specific job. They enable teenagers and young adults to earn a wage whilst studying, and can last as short as a year, which is a lot quicker than a degree and therefore suitable for anyone who doesn't really like education. Apprenticeships are very varied and can train you to become a chef, retail assistant, receptionist, sales consultant or even an engineer.



2. School Leaver Programmes

Companies such as Barclays, Tesco, Nestle and Siemens give school-leavers the chance to work and get paid. Barclays in particular has a Life Skills programmes which is designed to teach young people the necessary skills for their future careers. Nestle offers a Fast Start programme during which you can work in one of their commercial departments. They will fund your programme and pay you too, though you will need 300 UCAS points before applying. This is equivalent to 3 Bs at A Level.



3. Gap Year

A gap year is definitely something you should take into consideration when deciding what to do after school. Gap years give you the chance to take a year out of education and think about what you really want to do for the rest of your life. During your gap year, you may decide to travel the world or simple stay in your hometown and look for a job. Although travelling is expensive, and you may find it difficult to find a travelling buddy, it is something you should do at some point during your life, especially while you are young. Experiencing other parts of the world will open your eyes and help you discover who you are. You can develop new skills that wouldn't be possible in your native country. Perhaps you will choose to climb to the top of a mountain or nurse villagers after a natural disaster. Travelling will also help you become independent, especially if you decide to visit place on your own. You may want to learn a language whilst you are abroad, which will in turn provide you with a whole new range of opportunities. Travelling the world will be challenging and I am sure that you will meet some amazing people on your journeys. STA Travel and Gap Force are two brilliant companies that can help you plan your year of travelling.


I hope this post has given you some ideas as to what you can do after school. Don't worry if you don't want to go to uni - you don't have to have a degree to be successful. Look at Zoe Sugg, Bill Gates and Steven Spielberg - they are hugely successful and didn't go to (or complete, in Bill Gates' case) uni. Don't just do what everyone else does, or what your parents think you should do - it's more important to do what YOU want to do!


Hasta luego!


Serena

Tune Tuesday: New Songs #2

 Hey guys!

 

Here are my thoughts on some of the songs that have been released recently:

 

 

1. Marvin Gaye - Charlie Puth ft. Meghan Trainor

 

 

This is brilliant. Both Charlie and Meghan have amazing voices!

 

 

2. This Summer's Gonna Hurt - Maroon 5

 

 

Maroon 5's new song is ok, but it's not as good as some of their other songs.

 

 

3. Don't Be So Hard On Yourself - Jess Glynne

 

 

I quite like this :)

 

 

4. Around The World - Natalie La Rose

I much prefer Somebody. I guess it's ok to dance to, but I don't think I'll be listening to it otherwise!

 

5. Body Talk - Foxes

Yay, Foxes have a new song out! :D I love this!
 

 

6. Get Stupid - Aston Merrygold

 

 This is Aston's first single since JLS split up and I love it! It's so catchy! Reminds me of Bruno Mars with a bit of Michael Jackson thrown in, not sure if that's just me or...?

 

7. We Broke The Sky - Alexa Goddard

Amazing! Songs like this should get more recognition! So much better than a lot of the songs in the charts at the moment!
 

 

8. Fire N Gold - Bea Miller

She's 16? What?! Reminds me a bit Ellie Goulding and Against the Current. I think Bea will go on to be really successful.


9. Hearts On Fire - Cimorelli

 

 

Cimorelli's covers are great, and I like their original songs too. This is a good song and the lyric video is lovely. Can't wait to see the actual video!

 

 

 

What do you think of these songs?


Hasta luego!


Serena

 

Paper Towns Film Review

 

Hey guys!


On Saturday I went to see an advanced screening of Paper Towns. It was a film I'd been wanting to see for a while, and I was so happy when I found out that I could watch it over TWO weeks before general release!


For anyone who doesn't know, Paper Towns is based on John Green's bestselling novel of the same name. It follows Quentin (also known as 'Q'), a senior who goes on a road trip to find the whereabouts of Margo, the girl who lives next door. Quentin is joined by his best mates Ben and Radar, as well as Lacey (Margo's friend) and Angela (Radar's girlfriend). The five high-schoolers travel from Orlando to a town near New York, with the aid of clues left by Margo. The town is fictional, hence the title of the film.


 

While I was quite sceptical about the casting of Cara Delivingne as Margo, she actually did a good job at portraying Quentin's mysterious neighbour. I also thought that Nat Wolff was a great choice for shy Quentin. Austin Abrams (Ben) and Justin Smith (Radar) were good as supporting characters. Ben added an element of humour to the film.

 

Overall, Paper Towns was an enjoyable coming-of-age film. There were, of course, some changes from the book, but that didn't seem to matter too much. It's undeniable that Paper Towns will be compared to The Fault in Our Stars, the first novel by John Green that was adapted into a film. However, they are two completely different films (and books). The Fault in Our Stars is more of a tear-jerker, while Paper Towns is a journey of self-exploration. Despite seeming like a typical high school film at times, and deviating from the book in parts, Paper Towns is worth watching. It's funny, different and entertaining.

Have you watched Paper Towns yet? Did you enjoy it?


Hasta luego!


Serena

What I've Been Reading In July

Hey guys!

How has your week been? I finished my first work experience on Friday - can't believe I was there for a whole month! Kinda wish I had another week left! Today I am going to post some mini book reviews on the books I've read in July. I read five books in total (you can read the review for Something Like This here) - it may seem a lot to some people, but I'm a fast reader and I was hoping to finish a couple more! I've been so busy with work, and all I've wanted to do is come home, watch Netflix and sleep! I am not looking forward to doing like 30+ weeks straight of 9 to 5!


Torn

Torn is the first book I've read by Cat Clarke, and though it is aimed at a younger audience, I did enjoy it. Torn is an emotional and thought-provoking book. It is also captivating - I found myself eager to find out what had really happened on the school trip. In terms of characterisation, I did think that some of the characters were a bit underdeveloped. However, I could still connect with Alice, the protagonist - she's been through so much tragedy. Overall, Torn is an unusual and original take on revenge and school bullying. I think it would suit fans of Before I Fall (Lauren Oliver), Forgotten (Cat Patrick), Between (Jessica Warman) and Pretty Little Liars (Sara Shepard).


Safe Haven

I've read two books by Nicholas Sparks and I've liked both. Though Safe Haven and The Last Song are similar in that they are both emotional and feature romance, their similarities end there. Safe Haven is more of a thriller, with a sense of mystery thrown in. It is also dark and full of unexpected twists and turns. I particularly liked the parts told from Kevin's point of view: it is interesting to see things from his perspective. I honestly did not expect Safe Haven to turn out the way it did! It was so much better than I thought and I'll be watching the film soon!


Ransom My Heart

Meg Cabot may be known for her fluffy chick-lit, but she sure can write historical books too! Ransom My Heart is the perfect example of this. At first, I wasn't really sure whether I would like Ransom My Heart or not (it is supposedly "written" by Mia Thermopolis). However, I turned out to be a fun and enjoyable read. I love the romance between Finnula and Hugo. They seem like an odd couple, but their relationship works really well. Although Ransom My Heart may be cheesy and full of clichés, it is well worth your time. I would definitely recommend Ransom My Heart to (older) fans of The Princess Diaries, or just Meg Cabot in general.


The Invention of Wings

The Invention of Wings has been described as The Help of 2014, and it's easy to see why. Written by the author of The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd, The Invention of Wings is a truly inspirational book. It is based on a real-life pair of sisters, Sarah and Nina Grimke, who were among some of the first feminist thinkers. In the book, the two girls try to fight against slavery in their hometown, Charleston. Along the way, Sarah and Nina realise that the inferior status as women will make their mission even more complicated. However, the girls are determined to not let anything stand in their way. Yet again, Sue Monk Kidd has created a fascinating novel that will stay with the reader for a very long time after finishing the last chapter. If you want to read my full review of this book, head over to my new book blog, A Secret Book Lover.



Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them?


Hasta luego!


Serena