EK 16: Year End Chart

Ok, I have not blogged in a long time, but I think I should post my year-end chart (because all of the charts are doing so as well) This chart is specific to me only, I believe, and does not emulate any other chart other than my personal opinion.

Frame By Frame - Cassadee Pope

1. [Wasting All These Tears] - Cassadee Pope
Love Cassadee Pope! I am so proud that she was able to break "The Voice" bubble by having both a gold single, and a silver album! (685k single sales to date [Dec. 11, 2013], and 110k album sales to date [Dec. 11, 2013]) Her album, Frame by Frame, is out now, and it is very good! It's a unique mix of pop rock and country which produces new and modern songs.

Rating: A- (would have received A+ had she wrote it)

Pure Heroine - Lorde

2. [Team] - Lorde
Lorde is taking the world by the storm! Super impressive first single, Royals, but for me, Team is 10x better.

Rating: A

Night Visions - Imagine Dragons

3. [Bleeding Out] - Imagine Dragons
To clarify, I have known them since way before their Night Visions album came out. They are one of my favorite rock bands and are sincerely amazing.

Rating: A+

Avril Lavigne - Avril Lavigne

4.[Here's to Never Growing Up] - Avril Lavigne
Thus begins the list of guilty pleasures... This song was one of my faves for the summer, and it's just a feel good song.

Rating: B

Falling in Love - 2NE1

5. [Falling in Love] - 2NE1
First of the Kpops! While this is not my favorite song from them this year, (Missing You is), it has been the longest on my personal charts as well as retaining it likability.

Rating: A-

PRISM - Katy Perry

6. [Dark Horse (feat. Juicy J)] - Katy Perry
Another guilty pleasure, gosh, this song is just awesome with its bass and synths, and I had no idea Katy could do something like this. (First day it came out)

Rating: A

Pink Tape - f(x)

7. [Rum Pum Pum] - f(x)
While I love this awesome Kpop band, I still feel like its a marketing strategy rather than a genuine group. Nonetheless, they make great electronic Kpop music and I lurv it.
Rating: B-

We Remain - Christina Aguilera

8. [We Remain] - Christina Aguilera
I am a huge fan of Christina, especially with The Voice, but also with her music. This was a pleasant surprise because I was expecting a much more poppy song. The movie, Catching Fire, is fantasticccc, and this song truly conveys the message of the movie.

Rating: A

Reflektor - Arcade Fire

9. [Reflektor] - Arcade Fire
I have known Arcade Fire for a while (ever since the 2010 Grammys), but have never actually listened to them. Starting with this free song from Starbucks, I have grown to love the band. Quality song. Quality band.

Rating: A-

Burn - Ellie Goulding

10. [Burn] - Ellie Goulding
I was super pumped for this summer song as well, but I was a tad bit disappointed for two reasons. 1) It is not composed by her. 2) It was taken from Leona Lewis because she no longer wanted the song
Still a great song with great beats.

Rating: B-

Hard 2 Love - Lee Brice

11. [I Drive Your Truck] - Lee Brice
I usually have more country on the charts, but no other song has stuck around longer than I Drive Your Truck. It is probably the best country song of the year, yes beating Cassadee. Love this song, great meaning and message.

Rating: A+

Make it Up - Sam Tsui

12. [Bring Me the Night (feat. Kina Grannis)] - Sam Tsui
While I usually have more independent/Youtube songs, not many have stuck around for a long time, this one included. I thought that this song was really good, but it wasn't radio ready. I am ok with that because I don't really listen to the radio. The harmonies and emotions truly convey a genuine message.

Rating: B+

Night Visions - Imagine Dragons

13. [Demons] - Imagine Dragons
This is either my second favorite or third favorite off the album. It's solid and rising up on the charts!

Rating: A-

Same Trailer Different Park - Kacey Musgraves

14. [Merry Go' Round] - Kacey Musgraves
She is so awesome. She brings new dark elements to country that have not yet been explored. She represents true country innovation.

Rating: A

ARTPOP - Lady GaGa

15. [Gypsy] - Lady GaGa
Last of the guilty pleasures. I honestly though that ARTPOP was not that great, other than a few songs. This was by far the best. Good clean message, unlike her other songs, and its fun. (Yes, alternative album cover present [I like it more, and it's more appropriate])

Rating: A+

Is Anybody Out There? - A Great Big World 

16. [Say Something ] - A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera
This song barely made the charts, and I have literally no idea why. This song probably should have charted much higher, but it was such a late song, so no dice. My friend recommended me this song the day before it aired on The Voice. I love it so much!

Rating: A-


Hope you enjoyed this playlist/year-end chart! Have a great new year and Merry Christmas! 

Say Aah for a Part Of Lindsey Pavao from a Heart-Shaped Box who is Somebody That I Used To Know.

So continuing my series about contestants on The Voice. If you couldn't guess by the title, this person is no other than Skrillex hair, indie, Lindsey Pavao. I have so many favorites on this show, and she is one of them.

Lindsey before Skrillex hair!

Unfortunately, I don't have much things to relate with to Lindsey like I did with Mathai... I wish we had more in common, but we just don't can't say I am of pure American descent, or have a half-shaved awesome head, but we do have one thing in common, indie. Alright, I have a confession to make. I am very off pitch, so technically, we don't share indie, but we share our love for indie, there. Whew, spilling the beans feels better. Now everyone will want me to go on The Voice and embarrass myself. Well that is not happening.

So back to Lindsey, Lindsey Pavao is a 22 years old, I really hope I got that right... she is either 22 or 23. I am  pretty positive about that, but to the best of my knowledge she is 22 soon to turn 23. Well she just graduated from CSU, Sacramento, and until recently worked at Zen Sushi.

So during Lindsey's blind audition, She sang "Say Aah" by Trey Songz. For me, this was the best audition of the whole second season. I am a really big fan of new things and just pure genius. Lindsey was both of these things, and her song even charted on Hot Billboard 100 at 80! Only person of the season to get a Billboard slot for the blind auditions!

Lindsey after her Blind Audition

So, I first saw her audition on a preview of the season, at first I thought it was pretty bad. Honestly I did, for 2 big reasons. First, I didn't even know the song, and 2nd she hadn't started :) So as we got to the middle, I was wondering who sang this and when I saw it was Trey Songz, I was really surprised, a rapper for real? So I youtube-d the song, and listened to it, I really liked it, pumped me up. So I went back to the song, and listened to it from the beginning. I was blown away. First, I know that The Voice does not provide special things like that, meaning, they don't know how to play that arrangement, so Lindsey must have done everything by herself! She is so ingenious! Secondly, I was blown away by that hidden power. Mostly on the show, I hear her soft side, but when her moments of power come, it sends me to the edge of my seat to soak in all the lyrics; to me it is just that powerful. I was extremely excited that 3 judges turned around, but was rather saddened that Adam didn't turn around and was even more saddened by the fact that he was surprised 3 turned around, because that must have meant he didn't think she was that good.

Ok, enough of "Say Aah", even though I could talk a little bit longer, but for sake of my sanity, let's keep going down or up the roller coaster. So, battle rounds... I must admit I do not really like the battle rounds all too much because of the fact one has to go home and usually my favorites are paired together. For example, I liked Anthony Evans and Jesse, but would have loved to see Anthony move on as well. I did not really like Lee's audition, but he had a good voice.

"Forever in debt to your priceless advice,iiice"

I didn't know again what the song choice was yet again, I guess I'm a hermit, but they were assigned "Heart-Shaped Box" by Nirvana. I was so happy to hear the amazing talent both of them put on the table! It was legit stuff, even though it was a bit creepy. My all time favorite line is the line that was on the preview, "Forever in debt to your priceless advice." Lindsey sang that very well. I was super glad that it was not really a battle, it was a beautiful duet. I was glad that Christina picked Lindsey.

Then comes her live round show, I was super excited to know that she was singing Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know." I was a little bit saddened at the fact that she didn't bring the power that Gotye brought in the chorus, I felt like she could really bring that well, but I was glad that the staging was good, and creepy. I downloaded the iTunes version and was quickly engaged and was happy to hear that she did bring the power in the studio version. She charted to #23 in iTunes, but she failed to chart in Hot Billboard :( she was #6 on the Bubbling Under The Hot 100. So close!

Creepy and Good coincided!

Last week I was so ready for a S&M/We Found Love Mashup! I felt she could turn it into something so amazing, but she failed to connect with it. I was a little disappointed with her performance with "Part of Me' by Katy Perry. I felt like she wasn't in sync with the band and didn't put it all out. I was happy with her iTunes performance, but I personally thought this was her worst performance of the season.

Bad picture, but best representation

Then I was super upset that she wasn't saved by America and was so nervous for her. I was preparing for the worst. But when Ashley didn't sing too well, I felt a little more optimistic, and when Lindsey started singing Mike Posner's "Please Don't Go", I remember why I loved her voice so much. It was everything I wanted, moving, versatile, special, and her powerful voice. I was totally with Christina and Cee Lo. I thought it was so moving and beautiful, and I was on the verge of ______. What? I didn't say anything! Maybe... For me, that was her best performance on the show yet. I was super excited by it and still am I still listen to it a lot and it is just Lindsey at her best. (Hopefully that means another vulnerable performance next week!) I was a little bit sad that it wasn't going to be on iTunes, but I downloaded it via Realplayer.

I can not wait for her next week! I am so glad Christina save her and she has what it takes to go extremely far. She better sing something so good next week! #PavaoArmy! Fave from TeamXtina! I'll include album covers!