Every year we predict when the Christmas stock will be available on the shop shelves. Will they wait until after Hallowe'en this year? Will it go in the aisle with the reduced BBQ's and summer stock (after another disastrous summer when no one could use any of it)? This year the shops couldn't wait until after Hallowe'en or even until October. On the 1st of September 2012, my local chain supermarket was selling Christmas Cards. Yes, I will name and shame them, that would be you Morrisons. When I made a joke about the offence, a member of staff assured me that all of the Christmas stock would be out after the weekend. I couldn't quite believe it...
This was, of course, before I moved to Alicante. I didn't see a single Christmas'sy thing here until the middle of November. The local 'Feliz Navidad' lights were put up in the local Spanish town where I live at the beginning of this month. Yes, in December, the month of Christmas. Having festive lights is no rare occurance here, they often have the streets decorated for all sorts of holidays and fiestas. However, the Spanish would possibly collapse at the thought of putting them up 3 and a half months before the event.
Christmas adverts are shown in the UK very early too, while we do all love getting in the seasonal mood with the Coca-Cola advert, we don't need to see it in months of anticipation. I've also heard people complaining about radio stations playing Christmas songs too early, which can also be frustrating. The radio stations here in Spain tend not to play Christmas songs, as it's not in their culture. For that reason, I must confess I have been listening to Radio 1 online for some festive tunes, you can't beat a bit of Wham! and Mariah Carey. While, of course, I have also been playing my Michael Bublé Christmas album on a loop (which I may have stolen from my mum).
I asked one of my Spanish friends if we could go shopping for Christmas presents for our parents at some point last week as it was getting a bit close to the date. He said not to worry and that we would go at the weekend or on Monday (Christmas Eve!) One thing I have noticed about the Spanish is that they don't prepare for anything too far in advance, even making plans. I did go shopping this weekend and it was lovely to see all of the lights and decorations, I got a real sense of celebration and cheer without it being thrown in my face.
Maybe somebody, somewhere, got confused along the line, perhaps we're all trying to be ready in time for Thanksgiving - a holiday which fortunately the British don't seem to have jumped all over yet, let's not hold our breath though. The 25th of December seems to be a mythical day away for those out late night shopping every week from the beginning of October. Why do people feel so smug because they have wrapped all of their gifts before November?
The saddest thing is people forgetting the real reason we celebrate Christmas. Leave rushing around for a moment and have a think about why you're doing it. Are you just another commercial target falling right into the trap? Why don't we just take time to breathe and celebrate and enjoy Christmas for what it actually is? There is no need for everyone to work up until Christmas Eve so that when Christmas Day actually comes, they are all miserable and sleep-deprived, wishing the day to be over and dreading work the next.
As I write this now there are articles in the papers about Amazon's sale starting on Christmas Day. Must anyone stoop to that level? I don't think it's right to blame Amazon, after all, they don't even need to have any staff working. We need to take a look at the sort of people we've become, if we can't even go one day without the sense that we are missing a bargain. Be more than another Christmas statistic, love and cherish your family, the shops will still be there tomorrow.
I would also like to take this moment to wish all of my blog readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I hope you all keep reading throughout 2013 while enjoying everything that comes your way. This blog has now reached over 5,000 views and my only wish is that it continues to grow throughout next year. (It will be a sad day when I have to let my Christmas theme and falling snow go!)
"Ooh I adore that vintage style dress!" I say while flicking through a magazine, my mum rolls her eyes. Of course vintage style clothes are never quite as cool as the real thing. You also miss the fun of rummaging through to see what wicked bargains you can find. Awkwardly, everything I ever pick out my mother seems to have owned twenty years ago. As for the word "vintage", it was simply "second-hand" to them back in the day.
It's hard not to notice trends repeating themselves over and over these days. Leggings were supposedly a thing of the 90's, yet you can't go anywhere without seeing somewhere wearing a pair. I guess 2012 saw the return of high-waisted denim and tucked-in shirts. My friends and I adore high-waisted shorts, they are the "it" item of clothing, anyone who is anyone owns a pair, while frayed edges ticks another style box. I love to grab my latest new find from the likes of Republic and H&M, team with my favourite pair of denim shorts and then dig around in my mum's wardrobe to steal an old beaten up denim jacket (which was probably pre-owned before she bought it). DIY Vintage can be fabulous too, I made my own 80's style gilet by cutting off the sleeves of my boring, and frankly plain, denim jacket and sticking on a retro pin. I also cut up old jeans, tie-dyed them and frayed the edges. Perfect if you don't want to let go of an item just yet and in these times of "recession", even though I like to convince myself you cannot punish fashion for the governments' mistakes, it's a little lighter on the purse too. So why has cast off clothing become such a stylish must-have for young fashionistas? I personally love the concept of recycling fashion, the thought of my clothes coming with a story is really cool. The happy memories someone shared with their shirt, all of the places it's been and what the previous owners were really like are now passed on to me, so I can continue the story. Maybe to some, Vintage is overrated but I suppose not everyone can see the beauty in something that's not shiny and new. People spend hundreds of pounds on items of clothing from different eras as originally vintage was about buying one-off pieces of retro couture. However, it has now evolved into accessible fashion for young people wanting to stand out and wear something a little bit more original. Perhaps we have Primark to thank for that, I have often stood in their store considering purchasing one of their garments but worried that every girl in my school would own it.
It's not just clothes either, shoes and hairstyles have all come back in too. Converse have become a timeless iconic item for all generations and the length of your hair will never be seen as "so last year". Retro everything is huge just now; cars, clocks, telephones and even packaging on food and drink. The Jean Paul Gautier Coca-Cola bottles are very similar to the original Coca-Cola design. Old-fashioned cameras are a must have too, there's something precious about their design and how the photos come out. This is why the Apple and Android app Instagram is so popular, it makes your average picture look like an old polaroid image (my snapshots are displayed in the sidebar of my blog). Lana Del Rey and Paloma Faith are the picture of old-style glamour, their latest albums proving that nostalgic music is everlasting too. Their hair and wardrobe choices also reflecting those of sultry singers in the late 20th century. These ladies may seem like they're from a different era but they represent 2012 far better than teeny-bop boybands and auto-tune. Vintage music comes with a certain amount of respect and flare, and I know which feels more authentic to me.
High Street shops are all scouring their back-catalogues to find pieces for their new collections, trying to recreate real vintage. Although others may argue fashion is supposed to be about creating new ideas and showcasing something that's never been seen before, I'll never tire of stealing my mum's old clothes.
It's hard to imagine that about ten years ago none of it really existed. Having a personal laptop and mobile phone with unlimited internet access wasn't actually a key part of being a teenager. The lack of Wi-Fi access was hardly a priority for everyday living. Technology has advanced so rapidly since I was born, it's impossible for me to know what it must have been like for my parents growing up.
Originally in 2001 the iPod was created as a device to listen to music, I'm told to replace the rather popular Sony walkman, and that was all. Yet the latest generation of iPods, which are now touch screen, connect to Wi-Fi and have a huge range of apps from social networks such as Twitter and Facebook to Pedometers, Magazines and instant translators. You can FaceTime anyone with an Apple device anywhere in the world, making miles between loved ones completely immaterial. Costing around £170 from Apple, it may be a little more expensive than previous personal music devices but it is more of a personal hand held computer.
For my 14th birthday this year, I was given my very own 8GB iPod touch. I had wanted one for ages and now, 6 months later, I can't remember what I did without it. I can barely leave the house without it in my handbag or slipped into the pocket of my jeans. The wide range of accessories solely available for the iPod shows just how popular they are. Most of my Scottish friends have one, if not an iPhone or often both.
We're all so impatient and the notion of waiting just isn't an option nowadays. Tram stations in cities actually have free Wi-fi, to make your ten minute wait a little less of a chore. It's quite rare to find a bar or restaurant without a free Wi-Fi connection and most shopping centres have it too. A quick flick through the latest magazine that's just been sent to your iPod or checking out your favourite artists' brand new music video makes time pass a little faster for our overstimulated generation.
At home my iPod is always near me, whether I'm listening to music via my docking station or using it to chat to friends, it always prevents any form of boredom. Is this because I don't know how to entertain myself without it? From my point of view: No. I think I could easily live without it, but I'm hoping that's not something I'll ever have to experience.
Recently, I read the most awful article about Onesies. Not only was it terribly written, the basis of the entire article was flawed with the reality that they were never created to be worn in public. Though I do not own one and am not writing this while wearing one as an experiment, it does not mean I don't have quite an opinion.
The older members of my family have often told me how they used to joke about the need for someone to design babygros for adults in reference to pictures of me as a toddler zipped into my fleece "onesie". You may guess how shocked they were when the day actually came. I think they were made on a whim but then what was supposed to be light humour has escalated into a nation of people who own several and never take them off.
I cannot stress enough how wrong they are on so many levels. Not only do they look like the attire of a institutionalised person, but clearly they were not meant to substitute clothing on a day to day basis. Primark actually has a family section of the offending articles, Dad should never be wearing the same clothing item as his 5 year old daughter. You can also imagine what your average 15 year old boys' Onesie might smell like after three days of wear. Maybe I'm coming across a little harsh, after all they're supposed to be worn in the comfort of your own home, I just can't help but wonder what on earth would posses you to do so, unless you live in a caravan with no source of heat.
Apparently girls are supposed to find it attractive when members of boy bands wear them to be cute, while I can assure you, we don't. Cheryl Cole may have been spotted in one, but hers probably cost more than your average onesie-wearers rent. There is no such thing as a classy Onesie. Expensive? Yes. Acceptable? No. Classy? Never.
The best way to sum up Lewis Watsons' latest EP 'Another Four Sad Songs' would be fourteen minutes of pure loveliness. I'm pretty sure the man could make Gangnam Style deep and beautiful, fortunately, he doesn't have to as not only does he have the wonderful voice, but writing talent too. Within only hours of its release 'Another Four Sad Songs' reached #2 in the Singer/Songwriter iTunes chart and #18 in the main top 100, also charting in Australia and USA.
The EP opens with the beautifully written 'Once Before', illustrating Lewis' effortless vocals. A simple love song with a real meaning anyone can relate too.
Following that is the first single from the EP. Straight into the lyrics "sink or swim, hold your breath and just dive right in, ride the wave, just ride the wave far from where we came". It's one of those songs that puts into words what every girl wants to hear from her boyfriend. You probably won't be able to stop yourself trying to harmonise in with the chorus, we all that need someone to will hold onto us for dear life. (This one is a Mummy Lauren favourite too).
'Lamplight' is next, a haunting Bombay Bicycle Club acoustic cover. Highlighting the poetic lyrics "these scattered flashes of delight, they can't help but sway your mind".
The last track on 'Another Four Sad Songs' is 'Even If', an incredible song you could imagine being as massive as a Coldplay hit and Chris Martin performing it to thousands. Although I'm sure it won't be long before Lewis is singing it to his very own hoards of fans. The message being 'I can't run away from a big mistake', explaining that apologies aren't always enough.
Having had the pleasure of interviewing Lewis back in July, I admire him for being so genuine and remaining humble and loyal to his fans as his music career continues to snowball. When it's cold and raining outside, snuggle up with a blanket and a mug of hot chocolate and lose yourself in his soulful heart melting music.
My family and I recently decided to pack up our lives into seven suitcases and move to Spain. Hence the lack of articles, on my behalf, I can only apologise. I'm now living in a little Spanish town, just North of Alicante, the beach is on my doorstop and I go to a local high school. This should maybe be the time I mention that I am fluent in Spanish as I lived in Spain for a year and a half when I was 8 years old.
Deciding what you can live without is hard, not referring to solely physical belongings. My life was in Glasgow, my family and friends, school, the music scene and the base of my blog. You have to realise what's the most important to you in life and that's truly difficult. Your own happiness has to come first, then you have the chance to consider other people's. The thought of packing my life into a few suitcases was scary, but I learned to appreciate that all I needed was my family (and the internet, of course), the rest is all just materialistic.
At first it was all a bit daunting. Then the realisation of what a great opportunity it could be soon took over. It's coming up to six weeks that I have now been living my new "life in the sun" and I can't put into words how much I love it. Trying not to refer to my book of clichés too much, but I do feel like I belong here and this is where I'm supposed to be. People are so much friendlier and I've already made some really special friends. For the first time in my life, everything feels perfect and I keep catching myself smiling subconsciously.
This blog was never supposed to be an insight into my personal life, instead a place for me to voice my opinions, post interviews and show a little bit of me. I definitely don't want to change that either, I just felt as my lovely readers you deserved a personal update. Nevertheless, you can expect to read about what it's like being emerged into the Spanish lifestyle, the culture differences - first hand - feeling a teeny bit homesick and the usual lot of strong opinions from me.
Perhaps you were like me in thinking this years’ Olympics was going to be a bit “London 2012, will I even watch it? It’s all in London anyway…I don’t even really like sport”. There was so much secrecy surrounding what was going to happen at the opening ceremony and in the end it’s become a bit marmite, people either loved it or hated it. I personally found the whole thing confusing and stereotypical but I also have friends who absolutely loved it and stuck with it for the entire three and a half hours. Yet now half way through the games, I’m jumping and screaming as Sir Chris Hoy wins Great Britain our 22nd Gold Medal. I, like every other female in the country, was keen to watch Tom Daley dive (in his mini-swimmie) and from then on I was hooked. Now, no matter what I’m doing, if I’m home the Olympics are on my TV. With the red button the viewer can choose what sport to watch, I have to admit I find the weightlifting too nerve-racking but who knew slalom canoeing could be so thrilling?
It’s impossible to leave the house without a sense of pride as I see another positive Olympic headline or telling someone how proud I am of our athletes! The whole nation has pulled together to support them and we’ve truly captured that one of a kind British spirit. It’s phenomenal to see the Royal family in the crowd at so many events too, The Duchess always looking gorgeous and Harry and Will smiling away as they cheer our very own on!
The Olympic competitors have been preparing for the London 2012 for years, their whole lives are scheduled around training and I bet they never have a ‘day off’ the diet. The amount of hours they spend devoted to their sport should surely inspire us to do even a little. A few friends of mine have even joined the gym purely feeling motivated by this years’ games.
It is incredibly refreshing to see, not only talented, but beautiful young women representing our nation. Their hard work and dedication is truly inspirational, they are the perfect role model for young girls to look up to. Completely different than the likes of TOWIE convincing anyone they can be a success story with a bottle of fake tan and a pair of eyelashes. Jessica Ennis is set to make over £5m in sponsorship deals after taking gold in the heptathlon, well-earned and rightly deserved.
Some of the Olympians are only 15 or 16 years old, it makes you question what you’ve been doing your whole life, doesn’t it? Teenage girls in schools across Scotland refuse to take part in PE in case it “ruins their hair or make-up”. Having seen the likes of Olympic athletes, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Beth Tweddle and Vitoria Pendleton in action still looking gorgeous, it might inspire them to even take part and be fit and healthy.
After winning his gold medal in tennis, our very own Scot Andy Murray said he was inspired by Mohammad Farah’s immense time when he won his gold medal in the 10,000m run. It’s unbelievable how one Olympians’ hard work and commitment can encourage another’s, regardless of their sport. Speaking of Moh Farah, I absolutely loved the footage of the BBC presenters jumping up and down as he was first to cross the finish line!
People are very dismissive saying, “oh Stella McCartney designed Britain’s outfits for the Olympics” but do they actually realise how much attention to detail was paid? From Tom Daley’s “little thing”, as Stella referred to it, to Sir Chris Hoy looking like a real life Superhero in his cycling jersey, Team GB look first-class in their designer attire!
It’s not just us caught up in the Olympic excitement, our heroes are too. Twitter has been over flowing on a daily basis with tweets from celebrities congratulating the British Olympic medallists! Andy Murray’s girlfriend tweeted the cutest picture of their two border-terriers wearing his gold and silver medals. While Piers Morgan is donating £1,000 to Great Ormond Street every time a British winner sings the national
anthem.
Of course it’s not just Team GB that has me glued to my seat, who wasn’t excited to see the fastest man on earth, Usain Bolt, set a new Olympic record and win gold? Or feel moved because Michael Phelps has swam his last Olympic length after his incredible achievement of 17 Gold medals?
The Commonwealth Games will be hosted in Glasgow in 2014, how exciting for Scotland! We should strive to keep the Olympic vibe going as in only two years’ time we will all be part of sporting history, once again, and the setting of new world records. I don’t know about you, but I definitely want to be there cheering for Team GB!
It's hard to pick up a newspaper or magazine without reading
something derogatory about a certain celebrities' appearance. Whether they've
stepped out to the local shop in their jogging bottoms or haven't got round to
touching up their roots, the press are obsessed with pointing it out. Fame
doesn't make people superhuman; they're still normal and have the same problems
as the rest of us. If we were papped 24/7 we wouldn't look perfect in every
single photo.
Pixie Lott recently attended the Dark Knight Rises premiere
and was absolutely hounded for having "hairy armpits". The way
headlines made out I thought she must have 11" of hair tumbling beneath
her arm. When I actually saw the picture of her armpit, there was virtually
nothing there. She apparently "drew attention" to her "hairy
underarms" by posing with her hand on her on her waist. Forget the fact
Pixie looks beautiful in her stunning blue floor length dress, instead let's
focus our attention to the fact she had a tiny bit of stubble on her armpit. It
was refreshing to see her taking to twitter to laugh it off, rather than
dwelling on it, she moved on like the rest of us should have.
You'd have thought after Pixie explaining herself (which she
shouldn't have felt compelled to do anyway) it would all go away but no. The
following day at The Art of Rap premiere Pixie wore a gorgeous lace dress with
short sleeves and was picked on once again for "covering up to avoid
embarrassment once again". This meant reminding the nation, once again, of
her "faux pas" from the day before. In amongst all of the drama,
columnists felt it necessary to bring to our attention other stars that have
been caught out in the past, Beyoncé, Britney Spears and Sharon Stone all on
the shame list.
Why can't we just leave them alone? Shouldn't their talent
matter more, I think we should go back to talking about the reasons as to why they're actually famous. It all comes back to the world caring more about appearances
than ability, Kate Middleton's £35 dress is more important than the sports project
she's attending with Prince William and Prince Harry and an A-listers weight is more
front-page than their charity work. The media is so desperate to feed the public's lust for celebrity imperfection, it would be nice to go back to celebrating their talent instead.
Who were your favourite celebrities when you were younger? I loved the Back Street Boys, but Hear Say was the first ever single I bought. Peter Schmiechel was my favourite footballer, if that counts?
What genre of music
can't you stand?
Dubstep, definitely.
If your house was on
fire and you could save one thing, what would it be? (Excluding living things, of course!)
It would either be my guitar or my macbook because my
life is on my macbook. I could always get another guitar I guess... so I'll save my
macbook.
If you could play a
venue anywhere in the world, where would it be?
It would probably have to be Australia, if somebody
told me right now "you're going to die in two days, where do you want to
go?" it would be Australia. I was never a huge fan of Home and Away but I used to watch and think 'wow, I want to be there'.
If today was your last, how would you spend it?
One day...hmm...I would probably eat a lot of Chinese food, I love Chinese food.
If you were a biscuit, which would you be?
Custard cream 100% or a malted milk, I just love them. I'd like people to enjoy me as much as I enjoy them.
Here
I am, on the 1st of July, off to the Electric Circus in Edinburgh to
interview up and coming musician – Lewis Watson. On arrival I was allowed into
the venue, and when Lewis arrived, I had the privilege of watching him
soundcheck. I’ve been following him and his music for a while, so was excited
to spend some time with him. The talented 19-year-old was one of the most charming
guys I have ever met and the conversation flowed.
Having
only picked up the guitar 3 years ago, I wondered how long Lewis had been
performing professionally. "Well, I did my first gig last May, it was an
open mic at a college in Oxford and I covered a Charlie Simpson song. Charlie
saw it and invited me to his gig in London, which was crazy because nothing
like that had ever happened before," he tells me with a big smile on his
face. "He mentioned doing a little festival thing in September with him,
so asked me if I'd ever performed but I hadn’t, for anybody, not even my Mum
and Dad. He told me to rack up some gig experience and then come September we
could probably do a gig together. Charlie's one of my heroes so that was crazy!
I then did open mics three times a week because I wanted to be as good as possible,
but the gig didn't actually happen in the end. He's really lovely and I'm a big
fan of his music so to have him say that really made me think 'screw the nerves
and just do it, if you want to'. I thank Charlie Simpson for me being here today!"
I ask how he’s found
trying to promote himself through the internet. "I joined YouTube three years ago; I think that was the perfect time
because people weren't using it a lot. Every other video wasn't somebody
covering a song; it was harder to come across someone you enjoyed listening to.
I always said that YouTube was good because you get the honest truth, which
isn't the case now because people go on there to hate for the sake of hating.
It's a shame, if I were to have started now, I don't think I would've carried
on. YouTube is hard work because you have to stay active and you have to cover
the right songs," he explains. "I'm really lucky because I talk to
other musicians, there's a little group of YouTube buddies, and it’s pretty
cool actually. Other medias such as tumblr, I made that at the same time, again
it was the perfect time because everybody was using it and enjoying it, now
people don’t use it as much. I think I just hit the social media boom. It only
takes one person with 1,000 friends to share it, to then have 30 more shares.
The internet is fantastic and I'm so happy it exists."
With
such a beautiful voice and lyrics people really connect with, I wondered if he
had always wanted to be a singer/songwriter. "I think everybody wants to
be a singer, so it's almost like a far out ambition of mine but I never really
thought it could happen until last year when things started to pick up. I
thought 'hang on, if I really apply myself here and give 100% this could maybe
just happen'. The fact it has happened has blown my mind, I'm a bad sleeper
anyway but I lie in bed and I'm just so overwhelmed by everything. It's
annoying though because I don't really get much sleep anymore!" he laughs.
These days it’s unusual to hear of an artist who really appreciates everything
he has and doesn’t take it all for granted, I admire him for that.
"I'm extremely
lucky because I have a very supportive family," he smiles. "My sister
did my website and my dad used to be my manager. My mum, my step-mum and my
brother have all just been so supportive, I'm really lucky for that. I didn't
know what I wanted to do when I left school so I don't think they had a clue
either but they’ve been great ever since I decided I wanted to do this. I am
really lucky with my family, I love them to bits, make sure you put that
in," I promise I will.
With
a lot coming up, I wanted to know what he was looking forward to most, "My
sold out UK tour, definitely! The fact it's sold out, in the first place, is
completely crazy, it's mad. I'm really excited to do it because I've supported
loads of people at their gigs so for people to have bought tickets to come and
see me is a bit wacky. It'll be the first time that it's my show, so it’s going
to be great to make decisions and pick support acts.”
"I'm
doing a free show in July in Oxford and that's going to be filmed and recorded
and hopefully that'll be made into a live EP. Come October time I'm looking to
maybe release another EP and then next year an album."
I ask about the
furthest away fan that he’s aware of, "My third and fourth most liked
cities on Facebook are Melbourne and Sydney, which is crazy because that's the
other side of the world. I also had somebody message me telling me they were
from the Blue Mountains in Australia which has a really small population, so
for them to have found me is mental." At the moment there’s “Get Lewis toAustralia” challenges which his fans have to complete, via social medias, in
order to get him there. If he could
play a venue anywhere in the world, it would be Australia.
And in 5-10 years? “I
hope to still be doing music and I hope that I'm still enjoying it as much as I
am now, and that I'll be touring the
world, instead of just four dates in
England and Scotland!"
I love Lewis’ new
music video for his song Windows, he tells me how it was made, “I went to
Electric Lights Studios and they were brilliant, I just did about 20 takes of
the song in different positions and they printed each frame, cut it out, and
then filmed the video again. I'm really happy with it.” The video had only been
online for two days when I met Lewis and it already had 15,000 hits, it now has
over 21,000!
"The
biggest influence on my music career is definitely Ed Sheeran. He did a great
thing and opened the door to so many people to let them think they could do it,
just them and their guitar. He put in the hard work for four years doing gigs
every night, sleeping on sofas, just because he wanted people to hear his
music. I think that's so admirable, whoever you are, you don't even have to like
him but you should admire that kind of work ethic. He has now toured everywhere
and he's still doing it, he's got a number 1 on the American iTunes, which is
mad. Ed is a complete eye opener for me. I thought music was going down that
slope where it was so throw away it would be number 1, and then next week it
would be number 40 because everyone's got a new disposable song. I think Ed
really broke that because he's been number 1 with ‘+’ so many times and the
songs were all written by him.”
Lewis tells me about
the first gig he ever attended as a fan, “It was Linkin Park, November 23rd
2003, Lost Prophets were supporting them at Wembley. I was 11 and I had the
time of my life,” he remembers. “I just listened to their new album today, I
was really happy with it because I feel like they've gone back to their roots.”
“I just tried to do
well at school,” he shrugs, as I ask what he was like as a child. “I didn't see
a need in being badly behaved and doing stuff that you shouldn't. I was really
boring, thinking about it, I should've made the most out of my childhood.
Although, I guess I'm still an adolescent, kind of…” He’ll be 20 in October, will we give him
that?
Mr Watson isn’t short
of “fangirls” and they’re not afraid to go to extremes, I ask him the weirdest
thing that’s ever happened to him with a fan. He says, “I recently got a letter
hand-delivered through my door. That was quite weird for me because I just woke
up and there was a letter, with no stamp just put through the door, I mean that
person knows where I live. It wasn’t signed, just had a mobile number? I think
that's the bit that got me because I don't know who they are but they know
where I live.”
Lewis’ answer to being anyone in the world for
one day…“Kanye West because he's the coolest man on Earth, or Ryan Gosling
because he's just gorgeous and women would fall at my feet." After seeing some
of his glamorous fans swooning over him later at the gig, I don’t think Lewis
will be short of girls falling at his feet. The fact he writes beautiful music,
sings and plays guitar is just a bonus really.
People love it when
@levvis_ tweets them back, he tells me how important it is for an artist to
make time for their fans. “I, and I'm sure a lot of other people, wouldn't be
in the position where they could just play music and earn a living out of it if
it wasn't for the people that enjoyed the music. I think it’s key for people to
tweet people back, although it's very hard sometimes. This month, for me is
manic, I don't really have a day off so it's very hard to tweet everybody.
You’d be surprised how many tweets come in, it’s a fantastic feeling but it's
very hard to think 'oh well that question's been asked four times by four
different people, I don't know how to see to that'. It does grind on you
because people get upset if you don't reply to them. It's not that I don't want
to reply to you, I just really can't if I want to be sane,” he laughs.
In the past he’s done
an #asklewis where he tries to answer every question he can. It trended
worldwide last time, “I was just on the train and usually I forget
my headphones, I had plenty of battery on my phone so I did it.”
“I remember people's
twitters and if they come to a gig I say "oh, you're blah blah blah on
twitter!" and it freaks them out a bit. Recently I went to a Lucy Rose gig
and she knew who I was just because she'd heard my music before. That was wacky
because I've listened to her for years and I love her music.”
When I ask Lewis what embarrassing songs we may find on his
iPod, he puts it on shuffle and after about 10 tracks reveals he wouldn’t have
skipped any of them. He tells me he likes lots of different genres, and can
easily go from Slipknot to Kanye West. Although, I was lucky enough to hear a
couple of his original demos!
As we finish off the interview with my Either Or video, I feel a little sad as I've so enjoyed the time I've spent with him. I'm sure it won't be long before Lewis Watson is a household name with a flock of fangirls in love him; in fact I think I may be a little in love with him myself...
A bus stopped in the distance, the doors opened and the flame flickered
into sight. The crowd’s cheers grew ever louder as the Olympic Torch went by in
a flash. The runner smiled and within moments she was off up the hill and out
of sight.
This was the first and most likely the last time the Olympic Flame
would pass through Lochwinnoch. A once in a lifetime event and it had to be
seen. Even the school children dressed in standard attire had dragged
themselves away from their games consoles and social networking, and were giggling,
grinning and cheering with the rest of the assembled crowds as the torch ran
by.
Only a few hours earlier it was business as usual with a few residents
wandering along the streets. Lochwinnoch just a small village in the west of Scotland,
locals shopping and sheltering from the rain.
Now the police had arrived, railings being positioned the length of the
high street for the expected crowds to stand behind, officials beginning to cordon
off areas and direct the parking as the first cars started to arrive.
People began to gather ,wondering where the best place to stand would
be to get the best view possible of the main event and hoping that the rain
would hold off, although most had brollies at the ready.
In Lochwinnoch all the traffic had stopped, with roads being closed
till later in the afternoon. The rain had decided to stop for the time being
and the sun was doing its best to shine through the grey clouds. People had
walked up the hill to gather and see the torch run through the whole village
and on toward Kilmalcolm.
Long before the torch arrived, the Olympic entourage fuelled the crowd
with energy. So many police outriders drove down the street, buses and coaches
following on and finally the main noisy buses. The Coca-Cola truck, music
blaring, handing out gifts and small bottles of fizzy, then the Samsung bus
with deafening sounds and a huge screen on the side showing cartoon singers.
It was now only a matter of time before this little village would carve
its place in history with its first glimpse of the Olympic torch. The crowd at
the crossroads gave a large cheer, the torch had arrived and at last the
runners were ready in place to exchange the flame as the Olympic bus stopped...
Cheering all along the street as the first runner passed the crowds and
then the torch was handed on to the next girl smiling as the people clapped and
children waved their flags. People all around took pictures to show off to
their friends via Facebook. Held at arm’s length the torch passed by and on up
the hill until it could be seen no more, the Olympic cavalcade following on
behind it.
The cheers died down and the crowd looked around wondering if it was
all over, chatting about what had just happened and deciding what to do next.
A few minutes later the hype had disappeared, people began to move the
barriers and cross the road. Some headed for ice-cream and chips, others to the
local shops. Normal life began to resume as people drove away from the village in
cars and coaches. Everyone with a
different story to tell about the fact they had just witnessed a historic event
and seen the Olympic Torch.
As I read back the notes from my interview with 21-year old
Jade, I realise what a remarkable girl she really is. Despite not turning up to
school much and dropping out at 15, she still got the best marks possible. Living
with a younger brother and sister with more than a fair share of family drama,
at age 16 she got a part-time job, while starting an entry-level college course
to what would eventually become a way to earn her degree in graphic design.
“Growing up in Glasgow was quite good”, she tells me, and “I
wouldn’t have wanted to live anywhere else. I grew up in rough places but I had
a really happy childhood, you learn to appreciate things when you move to other
places.”
I asked her when she realised she wanted to become a graphic
designer, “Quite late I guess compared to some people; I think I was about 16.
I had studied a few courses including Communications and Media and the whole
time I can remember thinking 'I want this to look like this'. I was more
focused on the layout than anything else so after that I knew that’s what I
wanted to do, graphic design. When I
went into it I didn't really know what it was about, I didn't even know what
typography was and that's like one of the main things in graphic design, it’s
now my favourite thing.”
Having often been branded a ‘teacher’s pet’ myself I wanted
to know if Jade put herself in that category too, “Erm, not really, I was
always quite smart at school. Quiet in class but outside of class I was quite
loud and obnoxious. In first year I was quite smart and quiet and then when it
got to about second year, I got in with the wrong crowd and started smoking
during lunch breaks. I was still smarter than them, I was in top classes but I
wish I had gone into school more instead of thinking 'I can't be bothered'. For
all of my exams I got As, despite the fact that I wasn't in for most of that
year. So I did well but I left when I was 15 and went to college which I regret
because doing your exams in school is probably easier than college but at the
same time that's when I found out I wanted to be a graphic designer.”
“I think it's important to still try and do your best at
school because when you get older it is a lot harder. Most people should stay
and stick it at school even until fifth year at least because it does make it a
lot easier trying to get into uni.”
The obvious question for me to ask was ‘What logo do you
wish you’d designed?’ “That's a hard one, the obvious choice would be the Nike
logo but that was designed by a student who literally just did a tick for a
competition and they basically thought 'oh, that's an awesome logo' and it
became their whole brand identity. I don't think there's just one logo I wish
I'd designed because there's just so many that are just so great, I can't just
choose one.”
Everyone idolises someone in their profession, Jade says “I
quite like a lot of illustrators at the moment and handwritten letters which is
like handwritten typography. Someone called Alison Carmichael and another lady
called Johanna Basford, their stuff is all handwritten styles. They do so many
adverts, you'd probably recognise some of their stuff. Johanna Basford did the
Christmas one for Buchanan Galleries with all of the Christmas decorations and
candy canes and stuff, it's really nice, I didn't actually realise it was her
until I went onto her website. I'm quite into that at the moment and they're
probably the people that I aspire to be like. It's good to be good at
typography and graphic design but to have a particular niche like that; it's
quite in demand at the moment."
Without coming across too negative I asked Jade if she ever
wishes she had gone down a different profession, “Yeah, probably every day” she
nods, to my surprise, “because it's quite stressful and a lot of people don't
understand. For example, if you meet someone for the first time and they say, '
what do you do?' and you say 'oh I'm a graphic designer' so they're like 'right,
okay!' because they don't really understand what it is that you do. People tend
to think it's just sitting on a computer all day or drawing a quick logo but
it's not. There are times where you're designing something that you think is
just no good , other times where you do something and you think it's amazing,
and then two weeks later you think 'no, it's not good'. I think it's quite good
to be like that though because if you always think that your work's great then
there's not going to be any room for improvements. I do wish I'd chosen a
different profession sometimes but at the same time I can't imagine myself
doing anything else.”
“Hopefully with a fancy kitchen from Dwell!” she giggles as
to where she sees herself in five years’ time. However, on the more serious
note, she says, “I'd quite like to move to Manchester because they've got a lot
of really good design studios that are quite young and professional, London as
well but I think Manchester more so because it's not as busy. Hopefully I'll
just be in a small design studio but one that's really good.”
Throughout her college years Jade maintained her part-time
job, gaining more responsibilities and often working the equivalent of four
full days a week. All this while studying extremely hard yet still managing to
be a typical student; partying through the night and living (or should I say
mudding) it up at festivals such as Sonisphere and Download.
Since the interview Jade has bagged herself a full-time job
in graphic design starting someday very soon, while continuing to do her own
freelance work under the name iambiko. I wish Jade the very best of luck with her new job and I'm sure it won't be long until she's partying hard in Manchester.
Holland is like something you have never seen before, not because of the 'Coffeeshops' or the windmills but the bikes. I recently went to stay in Utrecht for the weekend and I could not believe the amount of bicycles. Most people don't have cars or use public transport, they take their bikes. All of the roads are designed especially for the two-wheelers. I love the idea of it, I can only admire the Dutch lifestyle. Cycling 10km to school or work is the norm over there, "Why walk when you can take the bike?"
If I took my bike into town here, I probably wouldn't return intact. However in Utrecht I cycled into town and back three or four times in the space of 24 hours and even made a trip to the supermarket filling up bags on the rear of the bike, an easy way to carry it home. Cycling felt quite effortless. Drivers in the Britain have no time for cyclists but in Holland it's a completely different story. Bikes have right of way, no matter what. Even walking around I had to be extra careful that I wasn't run over, but by a bike, as walking in a bike is not acceptable. Bikes have right of way over the pedestrian, you must keep out of their way.
Have you ever struggled to remember where you parked your car, for instance, at a shopping centre? Well change that thought from car to bike, which railing did I lock my bike to? Where exactly is that street where I left my bike? That is if you can find a somewhere free to begin with. There are big spaces with bike locks for people to leave their bikes, commonly outside train stations. However, there's often hundreds in the one place, hence why some bicycles are decorated so wierdly and wonderfully.
People worry about maintaining their car; filling it with fuel, paying for road tax and insurance but none of this would be necessary if we all used bikes. The environment would benefit from it too, this kind of culture could be just the thing to get society healthy again. I appreciate a key part of the bike domination is because Holland is so flat but surely there's some way around this. We're constantly putting down new roads and coming up with ways to build on the railway line, of course, all costing fortunes when really, what is stopping us using bikes instead?
Ahead of her King Tuts gig on the 17th May, I was lucky
enough to go backstage to catch up with one of my favourite musicians of the
moment, singer/songwriter, Nina Nesbitt. On entering the young star’s dressing
room I noticed a small fridge containing a pint glass of milk, bizarrely, lit
up like the Crown Jewels. Nina had no more clues than I did as to why it was
there.
On the 23rd of April Nina released her EP ‘The Apple Tree’
with five original tracks which fans went mad for. She reached number 6 in the
album chart on iTunes and is still, one month later, number 5 in the
Singer/Songwriter chart. I asked how she reacted to it’s success, “I thought it
was quite funny to be honest, I didn’t really expect it to do that well, I was
just putting it out there for fans to hear the music. Then, it charted. It’s
just weird, but I’m really grateful that loads of people have bought it, it’s
cool.”
The talented 17 year old now has over 16,000 twitter followers and Sold
Out her own headline mini-UK tour. “It’s a bit crazy,” she smiles, “a year ago
I played my first gig in Manchester. Since then it’s escalated really fast but
it’s great, I’m really grateful that I’ve got loads of followers and people
coming to see the gigs.”
Along with the positive, there is also the negative. There’s lots of
internet ‘trolls’ out there, sending hate for no apparent reason. After
supporting Ed Sheeran on tour a rumour spread that they were an item, promting
abuse from many of his young fans. Nina tells me, “I think I’ve been quite
fortunate with the number of people that send me abuse, I get about 1 or 2
every month but it can be pretty deep, they don’t know me at all. If they knew
me, I don’t mind them not liking me but I find it quite odd when people say ‘I
hate you’ or make up things like ‘you’ve stolen my boyfriend’ because I’m not
dating Ed Sheeran. I don’t know why anyone would hate me if they don’t know me,
it’s weird.Fair enough not
liking my music but when they send me stuff I do get quite angry and have to
laugh at them, my fans are really supportive as well.” Her fans don’t let the
trolls off lightly and as Nina says herself, it’s better just to ignore it.
I asked Nina her highlight gig to date, “I had a really good gig in
Denmark supporting Ed Sheeran and usually as a support act you get about 50%
listening and then the rest coming in and chatting away, in Denmark it was like
pin drop silence. For The Apple Tree they were all singing along and I loved
that gig, it was nice to know that there are actually people that don’t know
you that do listen because most people aren't bothered if they don't know your name. Or in September last year I had my tenth
gig at the Glasgow SECC, it was Jim Gellatly from Clyde1 that had asked me to
play and it was just two songs at this arena, just me and my
guitar. It was crazy, but the crowd were really good there.” Although, after her sold out gig in King Tuts, Glasgow, that night, she
posted on her Facebook, “That was
my favourite gig I've played, thank you GLASGOW! It was crazy to hear you all
singing back the songs word for word that I wrote in my room a few months
back.”
I first met Nina at the Young Scot Awards last month when I was
reporting and she won an award in the Entertainment category. She told me how
much it meant to win as other stories were so inspirational. “I’m so grateful
to have won an award like that. It’s so important that I’ve got support from
Scotland and it’s great I think because that’s where I’m from.”
For her tour she plays an acoustic set with either piano or guitar, “I’ve
brought in a trigger pedal which triggers beats off behind me and I think when
my album comes out I would think about getting a band, I’m not really wanting
to get the standard four piece band though, I’d like something a bit
different.”
“I think quite a lot of people’s parents would hope they’d go to uni but
I’ve always been quite a strong willed child “, she laughs, “and my parents
know that once my mind made up about something, it’s what I’m going to do.
They’re great and really supportive, it’s good that they understand music is a
career because some people don’t think it is.”
“I’m writing with Elliot aka Example, over the summer. We need to find a
date that we’re both free but I’m really looking forward to writing with him.
At the moment I have a lot of tracks for the album but I’d like some cool
co-writes on it. I think our song-writing style is quite similar even though
our music is quite different.”
A couple of times I asked Nina about designers or coveted items but she
seems to have little interest in the latest designer must have but much prefers
to mooch about in vintage shops.
“A mansion and a swimming pool,” she chooses as something she’d love to
buy but couldn’t justify spending the money on, “but I couldn’t afford that
anyway!” she laughs. (Although she will be able to soon as her success
continues!)
Nina’s had an immense amount of airplay for an unsigned artist. Jim
Gellatly plays her single ‘The Apple Tree’ every Sunday and Radio Scotland have
added it to their playlist, in fact my granny was telling me the other day how
she’d heard Nina’s “lovely voice” on the radio. She has also found herself a
big fan in Fearne Cotton and is in fact her ‘Big Thing This Week’ which means
she’ll be played on Radio1 everyday. “It’s definitely a really important part
of music, radio play, it’s really weird to hear it on the radio. All of the
Scottish stations have been really supportive as well, it’s amazing.”
When I ask how she came to song-writing she tells me she loved to write
stories when she was 5, when she was 10 she picked up keyboard and started
putting the stories to music. Two years ago she taught herself guitar and that’s
when her songs developed.
I asked about her music video influences but she struggles to tell me
one she wishes was hers. “To be honest I don’t watch a lot of music videos but
most these days seem to be girls dancing around with no clothes on,” she sighs.
Nina has spoken out before about her disapproval for people stripping off to
sell records, The Guardian were supposed to be writing about the ‘Up and coming
star Nina Nesbitt’ but instead decided a porn pop star was more important,
proving her point perhaps.
Just like me Nina is not a fan of camping and mud, which would explain why
she hasn’t been an avid festival goer. However, as a playing artist it’s a
different story. “I’m excited to be doing some pretty big festivals this year.”
The interview concluded with Nina and I posing for photographs which took
longer than anticipated as the camera was on video setting. Luckily, Nina isn’t
the diva type and laughed about it.
There I stood, my first time on a red carpet, in Glasgow’s
Hilton Hotel. Lots of men in kilts and ladies looking glamorous in their
evening wear. As all the guests walked through the revolving door, they were
met with Little Eye (the winner of last years unsigned act)’s acoustic performance,
completing the atmosphere. The evening kicked off with a cocktail reception to
give everyone a chance to mingle. As I went upstairs to join the finalists for
a better view from the balcony, Matt Cardle walked past with his guitar! It was only when I looked at the table plan, I
realised how big the event was. There were over 70 tables for over 700 guests
all there to celebrate the young people of Scotland.
The Hilton Ballroom set for the guests
The guests were then called to the festival-themed ballroom.
A music note, an electric guitar or a tepee were glowing in the middle of each
table creating a lovely ambience. The meal began with a tasty cheese and tomato
bruschetta, an Italian-style chicken Kiev was served for the main but I think
the most talked about part of the meal interesting looking dessert. To the side
of the lemon cheesecake was a line of popping candy, candyfloss ice-cream and
hay-like spun sugar. Twitter was full of
pictures of the unique ‘golden ball of sugar’.
For me the best part was the delicious candyfloss ice-cream.
As soon as the plates were cleared host Romeo took to the
stage to start the most important part of the evening, the award ceremony. 19
year old David Stewart from Dalmarnock took the first award for his impressive
work within the community followed by Edward Johnstone, another 19 year old,
from Cranhill for over 600 hours of volunteering. I was surprised to learn in a
fortune cookie that over a third of young people in Scotland volunteer, yet
teenagers are still labelled as lazy, useless and rude. Thankfully not the
lasting impression anyone would have from the inspirational stories.
The award for Unsung Hero created a moment of sadness in the
room, the winner Reamonn Gormley had lost his life through a violent act on
such a kind and caring young man. Every person in the room was on their feet as
his parents collected the award.
Twin Atlantic, Fiona and I
The Truth About Youth
award went to Ullapool team Get To Know Your Techno who voluntarily teach older
people in the community how to use modern technology. Maybe something we should
all do with our older relatives, I know I’m guilty of rolling my eyes when my
mum asks for some advice. I know it’s hard to imagine not growing up with
mobiles and iPads, but even 10 years ago not everybody had a mobile.
Nina Nesbitt and I on the night
The guests were then entertained by Scottish rock band Twin
Atlantic, who I was lucky enough to meet before their incredible performance.
Described as “the best performers at the awards in the last three years” by one
tweeter, they graciously received the first ever Sunday Mail Pathways to Music Award which
was kept secret until the night.
Singer/Songwriter Nina Nesbitt received the Entertainment
award, her independently released EP The Apple Tree got to number 6 on the
iTunes chart soon after release and charted worldwide. In her acceptance speech
she congratulated all the other winners and said she felt “truly inspired” by
their work.
Erin McNeill collecting her award
The Sunday Mail Readers Award and indeed overall Young Scot
of the Year award went to 21 year old Erin McNeill who was horrifically burned
in a house fire just three years ago. She now volunteers with the Fire Service
warning others about the dangers of fire. On the 10th anniversary of
9/11 last year she took part in a 5K run in New York raising £5500. Erin’s
tearful speech left the rest of the guests and I in awe.
Matt Cardle closed the evening with an acoustic performance
of two tracks from his album, including Christmas 2010 number 1 ‘Many of
Horror’ aka ‘When We Collide’.
As the guests began to slowly head towards the waiting “carriage”,
there was a buzz about all the evenings events and I, as a ‘Young Scot, was
left feeling proud to be represented by these amazing people.
Published in the Young Scot Magazine, Sunday Mail on the 13th May 2012
I write this review whilst singing along to ‘Bones’, one of
the tracks on Lewis Watson’s EP ‘It’s Got Four Sad Songs On It BTW’. I first
heard about the 19 year old singer/songwriter via twitter, people were raving
about him. I checked out his YouTube channel, which has over 34,000 subscribers
and 3 million views, and fell in love with his raw voice. Being just him and
his guitar, he’s often compared to Ed Sheeran but Lewis is completely different.
It’s like comparing nutella and peanut butter, they’re just as good but in
different ways. After listening to a
couple of his covers, I bought his single #3 on iTunes.
Soon after that, on the 12th April, his
independently released EP was available on iTunes. Buying this turned out to be
one of my better decisions of late and now I can’t seem to get enough of him. It’s
not just his music everyone is going mad about, it’s his sweet, yet crazy, self
too. I love how he tries to tweet back to as many fans on twitter as he can,
constantly thanking them for their support or even just for buying his music.
He’s currently selling physical copies of ‘It’s Got Four Sad Songs On It BTW’ via
his website, promising to customise every single one with a requested message/signature. According to his Instagram, the last one
he signed was #619!
‘What About Today?’ is the first song on the EP and opens
simply with the sound of a guitar. Throughout the song, Lewis’ backing
vocal gives it a very fresh and pretty sound. The song is about being
constantly confused as to why someone loves you one minute but not the next,
with the main line in the song being ‘Well you loved me last night, but what
about today?’
The next song is ‘Windows’, my personal favourite. I love
the opening line of "I'm not here to
startle you, hell, I only came 'cause you asked me to". It just feels real and down to earth, I guess. The lyrics are beautiful and everybody can relate to missing
somebody and no matter what you do, you still wish they could be there with
you. I'm sure this one has lots of girls sobbing into their pillow.
Track number 3 is called ‘Bones’, the first single from the EP. It’s one of
those love songs you wish was about you and dream about someone singing it to you. It’s Got Four Sad Songs On It BTW closes with ‘Nothing’, the
gorgeous song about doing anything for that one person you love because without
them you are…nothing.
With so much talent at the age of only 19 we should expect big things from Mr.Watson. He’s already had
plays on MTV, AKA and 1Xtra and had recognition from the likes of Ed Sheeran,
Wiley and Charlie Simpson.
As I walked down the corridor the other day, I admired the
year group photos on the wall dating back a good few years. Everyone looked so
smart, their ties were pushed right up to their necks and they all looked
almost the same. That’s when I thought ‘what are we actually wearing for
school?’ Now our ties are so short and people wear all sorts of coloured
hoodies, and that’s boys and girls, virtually no one is the same. Some of the girls
at my school tend to a go a little overboard with the make-up too and their
skirts are more thigh-skimming than knee length.
It made me wonder when we stopped looking smart for school.
If you look at photos from five years ago, people stuck to the uniform and
weren’t caked in make-up. I can remember being sent out a letter last year that
stated “the length of some pupil’s school skirts” were “causing concern”. Blaming the school would be unfair, after all
they did send out a letter. I can’t believe their parents let them leave the
house looking the way they do! If I was that orange my mum would leave me in a
bath to soak for about a week. In the photos on Facebook of these girls out
partying at the weekend their make-up is identical, down to the last fake
eyelash and hair extension. I guess it’s only a matter of time before they’re
wearing the same thing too.
I much prefer looking completely different in my out of
school hours compared to what I consider appropriate as my uniform. Trying so
hard to rebel, I guess they’ll all look the same, creating their own chavtastic
brand of ‘uniform’.
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