Bieber fever is coming back in full swing. This time it’s with DJ Snake for his new album Encore. The pop stars’ sensual voice sways into a pulsing chorus, reminiscent of Snake’s collab with Major Lazer, “Lean On.” Bieber sings, “Don’t you give up now, I won’t give up now, let me love you, let me love you,” in a pleading voice you can’t help but succumb to. The solid mix of relaxation and snap happy undertones make you feel glowed and happy. DJ Snake has mixed “Let Me Love You” to succeed across several genres.
Image: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)
“Oh, I think I landed, in a world I hadn’t seen,” rolled out of lead singer, Chris Martin’s mouth as he tumbles, twirls, and spins down a multicolored stage. He dances to every beat, and thrusts his hands up in the air, igniting a fire in the audience. It truly was a world I hadn’t seen. It was Coldplay’s world, and I would only be here for one night.
We were given white wristbands upon walking into the venue. They magically lit up with different color patterns for each song, sparking a “kid on Christmas morning” look on the faces of people all ages. Kids as young as five, and adults as old as 60 all smiled ear to ear in pure joy at watching one of the world’s greatest bands perform. There’s no doubt that experiencing a Coldplay show has a strong theme of unity and love. Not only does the band preach about it, but they show it. Martin hugs, smiles, and shoulder grabs each member of the band as he sways around the stage. All signs point to a powerful brotherhood between these four men. For a band that’s been together around 20 years, their stage presence hasn’t faded one bit. Each one truly enjoys what they do. Martin seems to be the glowing leader.
Martin looks like a kid in a mattress store, jumping from one side of the stage to the other and jumping in circles with his arms stretched out wide; almost like he’s giving the audience a big warm hug. “America even needs a little love right now,” said Martin as he began the piano interlude for “Everglow,” a song about everlasting love.
Their repertoire had enough variety to please the old fans with “Green Eyes,” “Yellow,” and “Clocks,” and the younger fans with, “Hymn for the Weekend,” “Viva la Vida,” and “Paradise.” Each song was executed just as flawlessly as the next. Guitar solos were crystal clear and harmonies were gloriously echoed through the stadium. “Viva la Vida” felt like a revolution, “The Scientist” felt like love, “Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall” felt like happiness, and “A Sky Full of Stars” felt like a party.
Coldplay has a unifying power over people that is beautiful to witness. This tour proves their incredible sense of musicality and their powerful legacy.
Michael Blume is a pure sensation. His debut EP When I Get It Right is a rose in a world full of thorns. Piano medleys, clear-cut harmonies, and impeccable musical composition are drizzled and dripping off each song.
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Blume has a new renaissance way about him. Preaching about love, almost always swaying in a shift dress/robe-like get-up with his hair somewhat tied in a knot on his head. He has a “no f***s given” attitude that makes him extremely likable. His lyrics can be poetic at times and honestly harsh at others.
Opening song, “Relationships” is a modern day “Confessions” focusing on the importance of relationships to a spunky R&B backbeat. “I swear I’m kind, I swear I’m real, I’m not the kind who’s tryin to steal.” Blume’s specialty is keeping it real. He speaks his mind, but does it in a way that makes you wanna clap your hands in acknowledgement. “Relationships” is an important song to listen to. It revives old-school R&B that we should be praising; long verses paired with skip-beats that make you catch your breath.
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“How High” is a stained glass church. You kneel down and Blume’s harmonies saturate your soul, while an organ highlights some of the best moments of your life. The first two and a half minutes make you feel at ease, then he spits a couple raps while the backup vocals keep it cool. The transitions are seamless in classic R&B fashion; Blume keeps it captivating.
“Manufactured Love” is his biggest hit, defining the album as a whole. Blume tells Broadwayworld.com, “The song introduces a basic concept of myself and my attitude about music and love: trusting the process, knowing that your path is there for you, holding onto your faith in yourself despite any and all outside noise.” Michael Blume is a modern-day guru we all need to believe in.
You might know him as the adorably lovable Augustus in the movie adaptation of “The Fault In Our Stars,” but what most people don’t know about Ansel Elgort is that he is also a mega-talented singer/musician/producer. Elgort has used his Instagram to show off his skills to his fans. His first single is called, “Home Alone” a pop driven tune that utilizes his DJ skills for a tinge of EDM throughout. He told Yahoo! Music, “Originally, it was going to be over a dance record, but that didn’t feel right…So I thought, maybe I can just do production for it so that it makes it electronic and emotional.” The lyrics are pure poetry as Ansel’s voice glides effortlessly on every word. The critic’s agree that “Home Alone” is your new song of the summer.
There’s no doubt Zayn Malik has made a name for himself in the pop scene as we heard with his explosive single “Pillowtalk”. But this time, he lends his vocals to Snakehips, a British electronic/R&B duo who are also responsible for the catchy anthem, “All My Friends.”
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Malik’s vocal prowess is as powerful as ever. In the boppy light chorus he sings, “It’s such a cruel, world, saving all my love for you.” A balance between electro-pop and R&B is right where he fits perfectly. Snakehips keep their sound fresh and new age along with their energetic clap beats, as we hear on this one.
Fellow pop singer, Troye Sivan tweeted about his love for the new song saying, “alright Cruel by @snakehipsuk ft @zaynmalik has one of the best choruses of 2016.” I AGREE. Snakehips should be plaguing radio stations with this one
The lyrics are electric modern love. Even with all the madness happening in the world, he can’t help but be bothered with her presence, it’s quite beautiful actually. “Noise and tears, death on the TV, and then there’s you…I can’t concentrate, I just see your outline.” Later on, he refers to her body as “CCTV” (closed circuit television/surveillance footage) replaying in his head. Although the lyrics are quite mature, the chorus has a child-like quality that is easy to sing-along to and mimic.
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