Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012!

And so, in what seems like the blink of an eye, 2012 is upon us. For me, the last year has gone by so quickly. I do literally feel like I've blinked and I've time-traveled into 2012. It's quite scary how fast time goes by. But before I can say hello to 2012, I feel I should reflect on 2011.

2011 was a pretty defining year for me, personally. I turned 20 back in March and I felt that is when I truly 'grew'. As strange as it sounds, even though every single year I always say I never feel any different, when I turned 20 I really did feel different. Older. Liberated. I've enjoyed being 20. In the past year I have done so much. I've finished my second year of University and begun my third and final year; in just over six months I will have completed my degree and will be looking for full-time work out in the big, bad world. I'll be considering leaving home and moving out, and perhaps too a different city. I kind of have my heart set on London; it's definitely where my future lies and I will do everything within my power to make sure I get there.

But before that I need to graduate from University with a credible degree. This past academic year for me has been an eye-opener. I feel so much more focused in what I want for a future career, and this has been developed and aided by my studies. Many of my course mates bragged about work placements and internships and, at the time, I felt worried. I had applied for many, many placements but never heard anything back from the majority and the few I did hear back from all said their placement schemes were full. But not to be disheartened, I persevered; surely there was a company out there that could offer me a work placement, but I was seriously beginning to doubt it. However, I did manage to obtain a work placement at Lander PR in London, a music public relations company that specialized in national and regional radio coverage for unsigned artists. Although it wasn't dealing with Rihanna or Jessie J, like I would have loved, I did enjoy my work placement and although it was only a two week work placement, I felt I had learnt a lot in the time I was there and it was the perfect stepping stone to give me an insight into the industry I want to work in in the future. I loved working in London, although the daily commute was a killer, but it did solidify my future ambition; to live and work in London town.

University has been an amazing experience. To reflect on how unprepared I was for the real world three years ago is laughable. I really had no idea what I wanted from life in terms of a career, and I also had no idea what I would use my degree for. Really, it was a pretty crazy situation for me to be in, and an expensive one also. But I now feel that everything has lead to where I am now. I have developed academically and emotionally; I have become so skilled at dealing with stress I swear I could be a therapist. That said, I still get overwhelmed at times and I feel like everything is a too much for me to handle. But I just have to remember that it is preparing me for (hopefully) a successful career. I keep saying that I'll look back at my University years in five years time with fond memories and I'll laugh, Hopefully.

As well as preparing for my future job, I left my current job in October. I'd been working at the same place for three years when I decided to leave. And that was a big thing for me. I'd worked with the same people for the last three years and got myself into a routine; I had familiarity and consistency. But I had reached the point where I needed to move on. There was nothing left for me to gain by staying where I was, so I wanted to leave before the situation turned sour, and that's just what I did. I now have a new job that I'm enjoying and constantly learning new things; I enjoy my job again. And also it's a lot more relevant to me as a person; I actually have an interest in what my job represents.

On a personal level, I reconnected with old friends. In 2010, I lost a really good friend of mine. I'd go as far as to say that they were my best friend at the time, and losing them sucked. But it was the best thing to happen at the time as the situation that we were in at the time couldn't be resolved. But a year on, I felt I had grown up enough to forgive and forget, and that's exactly what happened. With friendships it's inevitable that over time friendships will wither and drift apart, but a real friendship can stand the test of time, as I have found out.

In 2012 I will graduate, secure a full-time job that I have dreamt of for the past year, consider moving to pastures greener and continue to grow professionally, emotionally and personally. I have a feeling that 2012 could be my year. Fingers crossed. Happy New Year!

Friends with Benefits - is it possible?

Last week I saw the new Hollywood creation 'Friends with Benefits', starring Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake, with some friends and we loved it. It was funny, crude and rude, all in equal measure. Justin and Mila are so hot together; their chemistry is electric and I wish I had a friend with benefits that looked like either of them. Well, maybe not with 'benefits', but I'd sure as hell love a friend that looked like either of them!

But it really got me thinking about the basis of the movie - can friends really have benefits with each other and stay friends? Sure, in theory it's easy enough. But when it actually comes down to it, is it practical and wise?

I don't think it is.

Some say sex is sex. I disagree. I can't fathom how people can have sex just for the sake of it, with no attachments, feelings or emotions. Sex is a physical act between two people and to get THAT intimate with someone, and for it to not mean anything, freaks me out. It's like saying 'I Love You' if you don't mean it - if you don't mean it, don't say it. If the sex is meaningless, don't do it.

Not only that, but is it worth jeopardizing a friendship for the sake of sex? Sex can be great, but it can be just as dangerous, especially when bought into contact with friends. How awkward would it be the morning after the night before? I couldn't face it. Then the awkwardness would begin, then the avoidance, then the 'feelings', then more avoidance, etc. It's not worth it.

Justin and Mila make it look so easy. They're friends, they're lovers, they're friends, they're lovers, they're haters, then they're full-time lovers. But, sadly, not everyone is guaranteed the fairytale ending that is given in Hollywood movies. What happens if said friends can't be together in a full-time relationship, or if the 'arrangement', as it were, means more to one than the other? There are so many complications that come with such an arrangement and I feel it could do more harm than good.

Maybe I should conduct an experiment and gain first hand experience? HA, I think I'll pass this time. But for anyone reading this post, or for anyone that has seen the movie and think it's a good idea, I really advise you to consider the repercussions.

But, overall, I absolutely LOVED the movie.

*****

Five Stars

The Cult of Celebrity...

The Cult of Celebrity is a fictitious cult. A cult comprised of rich, successful, powerful individuals whose lives are a million miles away from ours. But why are we so obsessed with this cult? If there is nothing remotely similar between 'us' and 'them', as it were, why do we feel the need to be constantly divulged with what is occurring in Celeb-land?

For my final year dissertation project, I intend to base it on the cult of celebrity. I'm not ashamed to admit that I AM obsessed with the cult of celebrity and as bad as it may sound, I find it far more interesting to read about the latest celebrity scandal rather than the latest real-life scandal. Superficial, but true. I'm mesmerised by the power that celebrities hold over us; celebrities have the power to influence our day-to-day life, and ultimately DO influence us.

To aid me in my project, I've done some initial reading on the topic and Cooper Lawrence has written a book called 'the Cult of Celebrity'. This book, I find riveting. Lawrence analyses the power of celebrity from all aspects, from the power a celebrity has on politics, to the power they have on persuading us, the audience, to purchase items that they endorse, to the power they have on society as a whole.

From reading the book, I have realised just how much celebrity culture influences me. I'm a media junkie and consume media through a plethora of platforms; TV, iPod, iPhone, Internet, the list goes on. The most recent chapter that I have read in the book has discussed success and how we compare our success through a variety of ways. Some people compare their success through their financial situation, some measure their success against the property they own and some measure success by the size of their family. Celebrities measure their success by how much money they have, how many houses they own, how many awards they have won, how many record sales they've racked up, etc.

At twenty years of age it's hard for me to measure by success by any standards, but I measure by success by all of the things I've been lucky enough to experience. I've been abroad twice and funded them both myself, which proves I have some kind of financial stability; I have had numerous trips to London, seen two West End shows and even attended the Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 première. (Although I watched from the outskirts, I was still there!) I've been accepted to University and am heading into my final year, and I've also completed a work placement in London, too. These factors contribute to the success I have achieved thus far. But my motivation for achieving such things, and hoping to achieve much, much more in the future, is celebrities. When I see people like Tulisa Contostavlos come from nothing to X Factor judge and music starlet, it puts into perspective that anything is possible. You just have to persevere. Rihanna has to be one of the most famous musical entertainers in the world right now, and she's only 23!

This topic is so large and covers so much, too much for me to cover in one blog post, but I just find it interesting that celebrities are a large entity of society today. Well, the society I live in, anyway.

The X Factor UK, 2011

The X Factor Judges (2011)

I haven't posted in a while, which is bad; I have so much to share but never find the time to post! And on this certain topic, I have A LOT to say. Yes, that's right, it's ANOTHER post dedicated to the television juggernaut that is the X Factor. In the midst of all the drama surrounding the US version, I completely neglected posting about the UK version. But here it is...


When it was announced that Simon, Cheryl and Dannii were ALL leaving the UK version of the show to pursue other projects, speculation was rife as to who would replace the talent show judges; who could fill the role of Head Judge, left by Simon? Who could provide the glamour and sophistication that Cheryl did? And who could provide the motherly approach that Dannii gave? Of course there was the regular names linked, like Beyonce, Mariah, even Nicole Scherzinger were linked a possible judging role. But in the end it was revealed that Louis would be joined on the panel by Kelly Rowland, Tulisa Contostavlos and Gary Barlow. The PERFECT replacements, in my opinion.


Kelly Rowland is a bonafide, A-List recording artist and diva; she's fierce and I'm sure she will stand up for the contestants she believes in. She was an unexpected choice, I thought, simply because I never thought that such a global star like Kelly would sit on a judging panel of a reality TV show. But she's bringing the global factor to show.


Tulisa is the perfect replacement to fill the void left by Cheryl. She's outspoken, strong and has talent by the bucket-load. She is definitely the breakout star of N-Dubz and this is a great platform for Tulisa to launch herself as an industry, just as Cheryl did before her. If any contestant dares to defy Tulisa, I have no doubt she will put them in their place. She may be young, but she's not scared to ruffle a few feathers. I'm excited to see what she's going to be like.


Gary Barlow was a typical choice. He's a singer/songwriter extroadinaire, as well as being one fifth of the most famous and successful man band the UK has ever produced, Take That. He also has his own record label and signed up opera superstar Camila Kerslake, so he knows exactly what it takes to make it in the cut-throat industry of music. Apparently Gary has been harsh in the audition stage and has been asked to tone it down by producers. I'm not sure if that's an act, genuine or if he's trying a bit TOO hard to fill Simon's shoes. But I have no problem with a direct approach; he knows what it takes to cut it in the music world, just as Simon does.


Personally, I'm thrilled with the new line-up and I think the panel needed a major revamp in order to keep the show fresh and current. However, why was Louis Walsh kept on board? He is so irrelevant and nobody really cares about his opinion. He is going to have to fight SO hard not to be overshadowed by the new judges, and that is going to be a real challenge. I think they should have just signed Kelly, Tulisa and Gary - because let's be fair, that might as well have happened anyway. No-one will take notice of Louis this year. But we shall see.


As a media student, I feel I'm allowed to take such an interest in TV. I'm really excited to see this new series of the X Factor and I think the new judging panel will be amazing. With rumours of this series being the toughest yet and the live final being held at Wembley Arena, it definitely has the potential to be the biggest series yet! Also, I'm attending X Factor bootcamp on Thursday - I'm seriously SO excited for that! I'll get a first hand look at the bootcamp experience!


It's time to face the music!

Take That - PROGRESS LIVE, 2011

I will be the first to admit that I'm a sceptic when it comes to the subject of Take That. I remember when I was a child, I loved their song 'Relight My Fire' and I guess it was the boy band version of 'Wannabe' by the Spice Girls. Yet when they reformed and hordes of female fans rejoiced and cheered, I wasn't fazed by the hysteria surrounding them and their reunion. However, six years down the line I finally swallowed my pride and went along to their 'PROGRESS LIVE' tour. And, boy, was I surprised.

Their concert was amazing. The theatrics of the show are probably some of the best I've ever seen at a concert. Although I didn't know many of the new songs they performed, they also performed an extensive collection of past songs which got me cheering, singing and dancing along with the rest of the 49,000 strong crowd.

Sadly, I missed their last tour, which I was informed was an absolute spectacle, so I couldn't compare the two tours. But for saying it was the first time I'd ever seen Take That live, I was astounded by the sheer level of performance quality. Vocally, the band were perfect, sounding exactly the same as they did when they disbanded fifteen years previous. The dancing was a bit cringe worthy and there seemed to be some 'Dad' dancing present at times, but this portrays the man band accurately; they are no longer teenagers or young men, they are the same age as many Dad's around the country. I'd be completely mortified, I think, if they were articulately perfect dancers like JLS or Diversity, for example. That said, Howard and Jason, the two strongest dancers of the group, could still kick it with the best dancers around; their break-dancing segment was fantastic. But the overall performance aspect of the show was incredible; never, ever have I been to a concert where a 60ft robot has ascended from the centre of the stadium or where dancers have scaled a wall of water whilst performing intricate acrobatics. Fantastic.


One criticism that I do have is relevant to one person in particular: Robbie Williams. When it was announced last year that Robbie Williams intended to reunite with Take That for an album and stadium tour I was cautious of this decision. Obviously, Robbie has a history with the group and from what I can gather, there has been animosity between Robbie and the group for many years. Also, Robbie is an established solo-act and Take That are an established 'man band' and their career has gone from strength-to-strength since their reunion; neither needs the other, so why reform as a complete five-piece? Their new album, Progress, is heavily influenced by Robbie's song writing skills, but there was nothing wrong with their songs before; Gary Barlow writes amazing songs and has had a successful song writing career alongside Take That.


One concern I had for this tour, with Robbie on board, was that it would become very Robbie Williams focused. And my concerns were proven true. Robbie performed a blistering five song set and, admittedly, it was good. However, when he joined the other four on stage he seemed out of place, and it was then a constant struggle for attention on Robbie's part. He 'rapped' in the break dancing segment and the songs that were performed from Progress were the songs which featured Robbie on lead vocals. But people had paid to see Take That, so why did it feel that at times the audience were only getting Robbie Williams?

However, criticism aside, the show was fantastic. When Take That performed the anthemic 'Never Forget', the stadium erupted in cheers and claps for the man band. I left the stadium feeling very satisfied and I'm now not as much as a sceptic in regards to Take That. No other band in the music industry can touch Take That in terms of music and live performances.


One piece of advice I'd give Gary, Mark, Jason and Howard, if I could, would be to drop Robbie. They don't need him. They're a force to be reckoned with without him.

9/10

The Wait is Over! Again.

How ironic is it that thirty three days ago I was reporting the breaking news of the US X Factor judging panel being revealed, yet thirty three days later I'm reflecting on the drama that has followed regarding Cheryl-gate?

For those of you that have been living with your head under a rock for the last month, Cheryl Cole was sensationally dropped from the US judging panel after only judging two sets of auditions in America. Speculation was rife as to why this occurred, with many journalists and media outlets suspecting it was to do with Cheryl's strong northern accent and her lack of profile in the US. With Syco, Fox and Simon Cowell himself remaining tight-lipped, the public were left to make and draw their own conclusions.

However, two weeks after the sensational news was revealed, it was finally confirmed that Cheryl HAD left the X Factor US and that then co-host, Nicole Scherzinger, would be replacing her as a judge and would join Simon, Paula and LA Reid at the next set of auditions as a full-time judge.

In the space of two weeks, The X Factor US gained tons of press coverage on both sides of the Atlantic, boosting it's profile even further. In the space of two weeks, Nicole Scherzinger was promoted from co-host to full-time judge. In the space of two weeks, Cheryl had her US dream crushed by her mentor, friend and colleague.

When it was announced that Cheryl was going to be a judge on the X Factor US, everyone was sceptical. Although the UK public adored her, the US market is tough to crack and the odds were stacked against her. But she was born a fighter and would do everything in her power to make this situation work. But it just wasn't meant to be. Not only was Cheryl fired from the US version, she was offered her role back on the UK X Factor but turned it down, and when she was offered her judging role back on the US X Factor, she turned that down, too. And rightly so.

Cheryl had been humiliated by one person she trusted unconditionally, and she wasn't a ragdoll that could be dragged back and forth. However, I do feel that her pride has been damaged by the whole experience. If she ever tries to break America in the near future, she will be remembered as the girl with the funny accent who was sacked by Simon Cowell. And I think this has a lot to do with the reason why she turned down his offer of returning to the US. I feel that she had got to the point where she felt that if she WAS going to try to conquer the US any time soon, she would do it on her own. On her own terms. I also feel that the reason she turned down the offer to return to the UK X Factor was because she felt it was a consolation prize; she'd been sacked from the US version but could have her job back in the UK. The truth of the matter is Cheryl doesn't need her job on the UK X Factor; she has conquered the UK and doesn't need the exposure, platform or money. As for her second offer to return to the US version, I feel Cheryl felt she had been humiliated too much in a short space of time and that if she returned to the US, the public would be sniping constantly and she would have to work even harder to prove herself.

The only question remaining is what Cheryl will do now. With no Simon and no X Factor, will her solo music career stand the test of time and continue to be as successful? Only time will tell. But as they say, "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger".

The Wait is Over!

FINALLY the X Factor USA judging panel has been revealed! After months and months of speculation over who would occupy the other three judging seats next to Simon Cowell on the hotly anticpated FOX-produced television show, it's been revealed that British singing sensation and UK X Factor judge, Cheryl Cole, Emmy-award winning choreographer and Grammy-award winning singer, Paula Abdul and Grammy-award winning music producer, Antonio 'LA' Reid will join Simon on the panel when the show airs in the US in September 2011. It's also been revealed that ex Pussycat Doll and international solo-superstar, Nicole Scherzinger will co-host the show along with Welsh TV presenter Steve Jones.

I have been ridiculously intrigued as to who would land the judging roles, but if I'm honest, I can't help but feel it was all slightly anti-climactic. As soon as Simon Cowell announced his intention to take the X Factor stateside there was speculation surrounding who would join him on the US panel. Right from the off Cheryl was linked to the role. Then Nicole. Then Katy Perry. Then Nicki Minaj. Then Cheryl. Then Paula. Then Mariah. Then Cheryl. It was a vicious cycle and Cheryl's name was constantly appearing. Pretty much a guarantee that she had bagged the role, right? Especially if she was a constant link even against artists like Katy Perry and Mariah who are already huge in the states in comparison to Cheryl, who is a virtual unknown. But I think she deserved the job. Love or hate her, she's a brilliant judge. She takes the contestants under her wing and nurtures their talent and week-on-week her category blooms whilst other judges' wither. Whether she will be a huge success like she is here in the UK remains to be seen, but to bag such a big role for her debut in the US must mean she has something special about her for Simon and FOX executives to take such a big risk on her. I hope she proves all the haters wrong, it's about time the UK had a good ambassador to represent us in the States.

As for Paula Abdul gaining a judging role, that was also pretty much certain. After appearing on American Idol with Simon for eight seasons, their on-screen chemistry will pull in the viewers. Admittedly, Paula knows her stuff when it comes to having the X Factor, being a multi-talented performer herself. But I'm not sure how she will be as a mentor to the contestants when she is given her own category. I have no doubt she'll mother them, but she needs to me a mentor, not a mother. Cheryl has won two out of the three seasons that she has judged in the UK which proves her ability to spot talent. Simon has masterminded the careers of global superstars Leona Lewis and Susan Boyle. Paula, on the other hand, has never had such a responsibility. But I'm sure she is more than up for the challenge and it will be exciting to see Paula and Cheryl battle against Simon.

The final judge, LA Reid is a fantastic choice for a judge. He has masterminded Mariah Carey's comeback in 2005 and launched the career of Rihanna and Justin Bieber. I think he will be a fantastic mentor to the contestants and I think the contestants will really look up to him on a personal and professional level. LA Reid can spot talent, that's for sure. I think the diverse range in the judges musical backgrounds really shows that Simon has thought about the judging panel for the launch of the US X Factor. However, I can't say I'm happy about the choice in presenters.

Nicole Scherzinger is a global superstar and is huge in America after her success with the Pussycat Dolls, so I can't help thinking that maybe she would have been a more appropriate choice of judge instead of Cheryl. Do not think I dislike Cheryl; I'll be the first to support Cheryl when the going gets tough. But I feel Nicole's credentials have been overlooked by favouritism. Nicole was a huge hit last summer on the UK X Factor when she stood in for Cheryl Cole when she was diagnosed with malaria, and Nicole was invited back for the bootcamp stages, too, due to her success. Which makes me wonder why she has been offered the role of presenter rather than judge? Also, Nicole's solo music career is starting to take off, but will Nicole really be performing her music on the live stages of the show when she's there to present? Also, would Nicole really put her solo-career on hold after waiting for this success for such a long time? All I can say is that she must have been offered a HUGE paycheck to solidify her joining the show, especially when she may potentially have to give up so much.

As for Steve Jones. Well, I'm not fussed by him. No-one knows who he is in the states, and no-one will be able to understand his welsh accent, so, naturally, all eyes will be on Nicole.

There is no doubt that The X Factor will be a huge success and that American Idol will need to watch its back in order to compete. I just hope the UK X Factor isn't left in danger by losing its two biggest rating winners.