Music Monday | Linda Perry

Hello!

This series is suppose to be about my favorite music producers, people who basically inspired me to study become one in college ten years ago. What I didn’t plan on was second guessing myself on whether or not Linda Perry is a producer. I knew she was a songwriter and musician in her own right, but I wasn’t so sure about the other part. Just before I started writing this post, I finally broke down and checked online to see if she is and everything says she is in face a producer.

Although I wanted everyone to be an established producer in these posts, I felt that in the end, it really didn’t matter if she was or wasn’t. I mostly knew her as a songwriter to artists such as P!nk and Christina Aguilera.

I didn’t write my first song until probably fifth grade, I didn’t even keep it because the words just kind of came at me all of a sudden and I wrote them on a small piece of paper. Some people would think they were poems, but I always found myself correcting everyone that they were songs, but then they would come back and ask if I had any music with it, and I’d say no. As most songwriters, they like to come up with the melody and music before figuring out the lyrics. I was the total opposite, but only by default, I can’t play any instruments and never really wanted to, so maybe they are poems after all!

For most of my middle school years, I was writing songs about what was feeling and going through during my preteen years. I still have folders upon folders of songs I wrote in classes and even at home too. I hardly ever look through them even though I want to keep them safe for later. I don’t quite know what or why I would want to do that because I was more abstract in my words back then; I hardly ever made a song specifically for one person and I definitely never put the person’s name I had in my mind while coming up with the lyrics. I was smart that way I guess!

I remember the first time I ever listened to “Beautiful” by Christina Aguilera. I always wished I could be that brave to release all of my emotions into creating something as wonderful as that song. I watched a documentary where Linda was discussing when she worked with her on second album “Stripped” back in 2002, and how she was teaching her how to let go and give herself up to the world and exposing feelings that we all feel at one point or another, and that obviously meant a lot to me in my teen years, leading up to high school. By the time, I became a freshman, I think I stopped writing them, and turned my attention to books. The last one I ever wrote was published on my old blog at the end of 2009 I think.

I do tend to like a person’s music better if they are the lead songwriter. I generally love what Linda has created for other artists, especially female singers. I have a slight obsession with singer-songwriters like Natasha Bedingfield, Halsey, Banks, Phoebe Ryan, Alessia Cara, Charlie Puth and Julia Michaels because I know they all have written songs. I hope one day I can help make my nephew understand why it’s important to start writing in a different platform; whether it’s blogging, bullet journaling, poetry, or songwriting. It’s a important habit to keep.

Have you ever written a song before? If you have, do you remember any specifics about the first one you wrote? Did you keep it? 

snowflake

 

EP Review: “Nervous System” by Julia Michaels

18581722_1057525084392104_2680261785040618447_nWe’re going to be talking about singer/songwriter Julia Michaels extended play! It came out the last week of July, but I haven’t had enough time to actually listen to it and review it for you guys until now!

Julia was strictly writing for other artists like Fifth Harmony, Britney Spears, and Selena Gomez. When some of her songs began to be too personal to give away, she started to keep them to herself and hoped to release them as her own for once. Personally, I’d find this daunting because there’s no guarantee to do this and be on the Billboard Top 100  Music Charts, but she managed to do it on her first try!

Now she has released this new EP called “Nervous System” with seven tracks included on it. Let’s see what we think about it!

We start the mini album with the song, “Issues” and I do remember when it first began playing a lot on the radio, I wasn’t really feeling it, but then I switched and I really like the slow introduction with the zigzag sounds before she starts singing in this very low voice. It has became one of my favorite songs and I might actually put it on my favorite songs ever list – if I ever decide to update that post again. The second is “Uh Huh” and again, I had the same reaction. I just didn’t like it, but unfortunately my outlook didn’t change overtime. It has a more acoustic sound to it, and her voice is very soft and low. It’s a cutesy type of song but that’s about all I can say!

The third is “Worst In Me” and this has a more upbeat type of sound but then again you get this sad vibe as you’re listening to it, but she’s kind of known for her breakup songs now. She’s become a more pop-y Taylor Swift since she’s taking a break right now! Anyways, I like it for its simplicity. Next is “Make It Up To You” and this has an interesting sound kind of has its urban notes and it has a nice groove! I really like it because it doesn’t sound like the other three tracks. “Just Do It” is after that one and I thought we were back on the slow train, but it kind of sounds like “Issues” with its slow and fast tempo changes, but I mean it’s a little boring but it’s not bad either!

I like this next song, it’s called “Pink” and I didn’t really know what to expect with it until I was busy doing something else in the middle of listening and I was pretty thrilled with what I was hearing. The beat has a pop-synth kind of feel to it but it’s different and fun and I really like the story of the guy she’s talking about in this song. It’s not necessarily a breakup song, I feel it’s about admiration. It’s good! The last song is “Don’t Wanna Think” and it’s a real breakup inspired ballad compared to the others. You can feel her emotions and she’s very explicit in her words but I think it works with the song. I also love how it’s just her and a piano in the background. It’s beautiful!

I think the EP itself isn’t that bad. I think I expected more after hearing such a simple but softer tone from her with both “Issues” and “Uh Huh” that I wanted her to get out of that sound and basically out of her comfort zone with the rest of the tracks. However, I can’t say that I hated it and will not listen to it ever again though. I think if I’m in a sad place (which will happen) then I might consider giving this another listen and see what happens.

Have you heard Julia Michaels’s new EP yet? What were your thoughts about it?

snowflake

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