Get ready for a shit load of new Q&As because I feel like that's all I've been doing (not complaining). This time around, I chatted with Don Carlo and MelodyMan Dias of 110 Studios about the release of their singles from their album Below The Haze. They put their heart and soul into this project which was funded by FACTOR (Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings Program). Check out our Q&A below: What was the inspiration behind the single? The inspiration was how the beat made us feel, as well as life experiences. Each have their own unique vibe standing out to different audiences. We basically wanted to showcase a sample of our versatility. How do you hope people will feel when they listen to it? We hope people can relate to us on a personal level and make a connection. We hope they will feel intrigued and excited to hear more from the upcoming album. What's next for you? We plan to approach different media outlets, take part of shows, shoot music videos, and anything we can get our hands on. Grab the three singles here.
If I had to sum up the 2017 VMAs using one word, I'd have to go with underwhelming.
Usually it's a complete shit show in the best way possible, but this year it was just a shitty show with a couple of predictable WTF moments. Katy Perry was awkward as f*ck as the host. It was so forced and made me uncomfortable to watch. There were a couple of The Handmaid's Tale jokes in her opening and it wouldn't be an award show in 2017 without taking a couple of digs at Trump. Before she arrived in astronaut attire, Kendrick Lamar kicked things off with a lit performance - seriously, at one point there was a dude on fire. He set the bar pretty high and went on to win awards for Best Hip Hop Video and the biggest award of the night, Video of The Year. Then, Ed Sheeran took to the stage to do his thing performing Shape of You. All was normal and well, until the unthinkable happened... Lil Uzi Vert joined him and they both performed XO Tour Llif3. I think Cardi B was all of us. Check it out:
Paris Jackson was there to present an award, but before that she used the spotlight to speak out against nazis and white supremacists. Her message was strong and clear. She asked everyone to unite to make a "yuge" change. Ah yes, she too mocked Trump. These days entertainment and politics are one in the same I suppose.
The Pussycat Doll wannabes...err...Fifth Harmony threw major shade at former member Camila Cabello during their performance and gave an extremely long speech when they accepted the award for Best Pop Video which more than likely caused Julia Michael's "Issues" performance to be cutoff. Ugh.
Taylor Swift dropped her music video for Look What You Made Me Do. The Kanye West and Kim K digs were endless. The video ended with all of the old Taylors lined up acknowledging all of the things we say about her such as how fake she is, her surprised look, etc. I'm predicting Zombie Taylor (at the beginning of the video) will be one of the hottest Halloween costume choices in 2017. The old Taylor Swift really is dead and I'm curious to see what's next.
Alessia Cara, Shawn Mendes, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, 30 Seconds To Mars, Rod Stewart + DNCE, Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry all performed at some point throughout the night.
I think the most talked about moment of the night was when Pink accepted the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard award. Her speech was stellar. She shared a heartwarming story about a conversation she recently had with her daughter discussing beauty and self-love. It was f*cking empowering. Also, Pink's daughter is me every time someone compliments me.
Another big moment that proved MTV has no boundaries is when Robert Lee IV came on stage followed by Charlottesville victim Heather Heyer's mom. She announced the Heather Heyer Foundation - a nonprofit organization providing scholarships to those interested in social justice issues. It was heavy, emotional and real. I think it reminds us all that there are more important things happening outside of award shows and that artists have a lot of power to impact the world in a positive way.
On a lighter note, Lorde danced like a 2 year-old to one of her songs and passed it off as a performance. It was later revealed that she had the flu and that's why she didn't sing. One final moment that really touched me was when Alessia Cara, Logic and Khalid were joined by suicide survivors for a performance of 1-800-273-8255. They encouraged everyone struggling to keep living and that they are not alone. The song's name is the phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
I know I started this recap off by saying it was underwhelming and shitty and after reading this recap you're probably confused as to why I said that. I mean there wasn't any "drama". In past years, we've seen Miley Cyrus twerk on Robin Thicke, Britney and Madonna kiss, Kanye interrupt Taylor, Kanye announce he's running for president in 2020, etc. It often seems like celebrities are on another planet. The 2017 VMAs proved that they're not. They're just like us and see as well as experience the same hardships as you and I. It felt odd.
Did you tune in? Leave your thoughts in the comments. I am really excited to share that The Saverina Scozzari Collective will be teaming up with the Lincoln Alexander Centre for this blogging season. We'll be keeping you updated about the latest events happening at the venue. But first, I'd like to introduce you to the owner, Arya Kichi. Check out our little intro Q&A below: What is the Lincoln Alexander Centre & Theatre's mission? Our mission is to be Hamilton’s downtown premier Theatre & Conference venue. Hosting diverse and unique events that bring innovation, education, and entertainment. We also believe in keeping the honorable Lincoln M Alexander's legacy alive, which all Hamiltonians loved him for being such a likeable and approachable person. How can the people of Hamilton play a part in this? Downtown Hamilton is in a prospering evolutional phase. Everyone and businesses have been adding to the growth of the downtown core with their passions and hard work. We have everything you need in downtown from unique coffee shops, to a ping pong bar and lounge, to a beautiful large waterfall and park. Where do you see the venue in the years to come? The Lincoln Alexander Centre & Theatre will be the place to be. Whether you’re holding a sales convention, board meeting, or informal get-together with associates, we strive to meet all our customers’ wants and needs while keeping up with the latest trends and innovation in the events' industry. To learn more about the Lincoln Alexander Centre and the cool things happening, visit their website here.
Not to be cocky, but I called it!
First she wiped clean all of her social media accounts and then she posted silent, dark videos of a snake and now... We have answers! T-Swizzle took to Instagram to announce when her new album Reputation will be coming out (November 10th) and that the first single will drop tomorrow. The media and fans predicted something would go down on Friday so we weren't too off. I'm excited and hopeful for some Yeezy and Kim K digs and songs detailing all of the highlights of the eventful year Taylor has had. I feel like these are the most real albums. They are relatable and time-sensitive versus a bunch of sounds and meaningless lyrics thrown together into a "song" that caused you to lose brain cells while listening. I wouldn't call myself a Taylor Swift fan (I'm sure they have a name, I just don't know it), but she has put out some catchy tunes throughout her career. I prefer her pop stuff since I don't really do country. The countdown is on until tomorrow! One final thought: what are the chances she'll drop a video or do something at the MTV Video Music Awards this Sunday? Perhaps she'll settle her beef with host Katy Perry? Time for another Q&A! This time, I chatted with actor Vas Saranga known for The Strain, Orphan Black and Salvation about how he got his start, what he's working on now and personal definition of success. Check out the interview below: How did you get into acting? I was always the class clown growing up, so I was already used to entertaining an audience, so to speak. I cast myself in several of my own student films in high school, mainly out of necessity, since we were short on actors (we didn't have access to the drama students). I started to really enjoy performing for the camera. When I got to university I took several acting classes, and with some encouragement from my teachers, I decided that it was something I would pursue as a career. You've worked on both Orphan Black and Salvation - how would you sum up those experiences? Orphan Black was an incredible experience. I've been a long time fan of the show, and actually auditioned for several other characters over the years. I finally got cast as Amar, which was the perfect role for me. I got to work directly with John Fawcett, one of the co-creators of the show, as well as several other talented directors, writers, actors, and crew. It was a very physical role, requiring lots of running on rough terrain. I was guiding tracking dogs, really fast Dobermans, while wearing heavy hunting gear. We would do take after take at full speed from many different angles, but I really enjoyed the challenge. The highlight of the experience was acting with Tatiana Maslany. Performing scenes with her is energetic and fun, and also very surreal, since she plays so many different characters. I was happy to discover that her talent lives up to the hype. Salvation is a very cool project with tons of talented and well respected people involved. The best part of the experience was reuniting with Mike Werb, a writer and consulting producer on Salvation, and the creator of Cartoon Network's 'Unnatural History', on which I recurred. Working with him is always a blast. My character, Dexter, works in the pentagon as an analyst, so there's a lot of science involved in the dialogue, which I found fascinating. I enjoy playing characters who are much smarter than me! The stakes are always high on Salvation because it's about an asteroid on course to collide with earth, and so there was never a dull moment on set. I'm really excited for people to see it. What is your personal definition of success? I think success is the result of achieving what you set out to do. I believe it comes in stages and is ever evolving, so everyone is successful to some degree. The pursuit of even higher levels of success is what drives people in any business to get even better, and that's something I try to put into practice with my work in the film and television industry. Learn more about Vas here and make sure to give him a follow on Twitter @vas_saranga!
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