Top five albums to have on loop this summer

So summer is approaching which means plenty of time chilling in the garden, on the beach or on holiday somewhere plugged in listening to your favourite tunes. Are you wondering what to add to your playlist next? Look no further, as these albums by this collection of incredible artists are definitely worth a listen over the summer break.

1. Sam Smith- In The Lonely Hour 

I'm sure you've heard his name everywhere! In the charts and on the TV, Sam Smith has dominated the music industry for the last 6 months and has been labelled the male version of Adele for his big voice and his rapid rise to fame. He has had several best-selling singles from this album including Stay With Me, I'm Not The Only One and Like I Can. Sam has also won 4 Grammys, 2 Brit Awards and more recently 3 Billboard Music Awards. I don't think there is one song on this album that I'm not so keen on, they are all brilliant. 

2. James Bay- Choas and Calm 

A newcomer to the music industry, James Bay stormed up the charts with the single Hold Back the River, which when it was first released, I was obsessed with. His album shot up to the number one best seller in the UK and reached fifteen in the US charts, a remarkable achievement for a guy of 24. I love this album, I think James is a true genius, his songs are both emotive and individually fantastic. This album has great originality and his acoustic sound is perfect to listen to throughout the summer with a cider in hand. My favourite tunes include; Scars, If You Ever Want To Be In Love and When We Were On Fire. He is definitely next on my list to see live. 

3. George Ezra- Wanted On Voyage 

I first heard this album last year, it became our holiday soundtrack when I was down in Salcombe, Devon with family and friends. It is truly great. Ezra has such a unique voice he's almost addictive to listen to. His voice, I believe, is a great one for summer as its so chilled and helps you relax. George, only 21, was nominated for 4 Brit Awards and his album reached number 3 in the UK charts. His most popular songs are Budapest, Blame it On Me and Cassy O', however my favourite is Barcelona.

4. Taylor Swift- 1989

Now I know I have already discussed Taylor in my previous post, nominating her as my inspirational icon of the month, but I have to reiterate how brilliant her album. The title derives from the year of her birth and Taylor has claimed that many of the songs have been inspired by hits of the late eighties such as Madonna's Like a Prayer. This album is a lot more 'poppy' than her previous albums such as Red and establishes Swift's transgression as a country singer to a pop icon. My favourite tracks from the album include Blank Space, Wildest Dreams and How To Get The Girl. Following Swift's success with this release, definitely check this one out.

5. Years and Years- Y & Y EP 

I have quickly become a big fan of Years and Years, even before they hit the charts. Since the release of their single King, which reached number 1 on the UK charts the band have had a sequence of success with hits such as Desire and Take Shelter. Their new release Shine is also worth checking out.
You may recognise the lead, Olly Alexander, from films such as Great Expectations in which he played Herbet Pocket alongside Jeremy Irvine who played Pip. He has also starred in the Riot Club, Skins and more recently has appeared in the TV series Penny Dreadful. I think this band are yet to achieve big things; they have mountains of success coming their way. Their unique sound brings something new to the music industry and all their songs are very catchy with great backing tracks.

The Imitation Game

After missing the release of The Imitation Game at the cinema, I sat down a couple of nights ago and watched it and it did not fail to live up to my expectations; it was fantastic. I was both astounded and saddened to know the final fate of Alan Turing, the inspiration behind the film. The film focuses on the cracking of the Nazi enigma code in the Second World War led by Alan, the breaking of this code effectively won the war for the Allies. Real emphasis is placed on Alan's invention 'Christopher', the enigma code translator, which has now been regarded as the first computer ever built. Despite his efforts, Mr Turing was dismissed as a 'hero' of the war and his achievements were previously overlooked due to the discovery that he was a homosexual, an illegal offence at the time. He underwent horrific chemical treatments to try and 'cure' him of this 'disease'. In recent times, Alan's triumph has been recognised as one of the biggest achievements in British history and he has been pardoned by the Queen, however only recently in December 2014 for his 'scandalous' behaviour. Alan maintained the phrase that 'Sometimes it's the people no one imagined anything of do things which no one ever imagined', which perfectly summaries his achievement. He is now regarded as the pioneer of our modern day computers, which we cannot live without and with his 'Christopher' it is said he shortened the war by over two years. I think this quote by Alan is always something we should remember. If your ever feeling like you can't reach your dreams, are being overlooked, or are having a bad day, don't forget that if you persist hard enough you can accomplish anything you want to.

Additionally, Benedict Cumberbatch (oo I love his name) portrayed Alan's trials and tribulations perfectly, I think this is possibly Cumberbatch's best performance yet. Cumberbatch, who is renowned as Sherlock Holmes on the BBC series Sherlock, Starter for Ten and Atonement, I felt deserved a Bafta for his performance in this film, however his rival Eddie Redmayne playing Professor Stephen Hawking also delivered an excellent performance in The Theory of Everything (also worth a watch). So I recommend an evening in watching The Imitation Game, maybe get some popcorn to add to the cinematic experience, you don't want to miss it.

Alan Turing 1912-1954

Below is the trailer of The Imitation Game- so check it out!

May- Taylor Swift

Celebs are everywhere; all over Twitter, Instagram, in magazines and on TV, however how much do we really know about them? A relatively new idea of mine is to post each month about a celeb who has appeared in the media recently due to success or are inspirational individuals. So starting off this trend is Miss Taylor Swift, who I am sure you are all familiar with. So why Taylor?

Don't you watch videos of Taylor now and think how grown up she has become? Far gone are those days as a sweet young country singer in music videos such as Love Story and Teardrops on My Guitar. I picked Taylor this month due to her latest release Bad Blood, which echoes the amount of success she has and how 'bad ass' she has become in more recent years. Starring big time celebs such as Cara Devevingne, Ellie Goulding and Selena Gomez, the video emphasises 'girl power' (no men feature in this video!) and shows Taylor to be sophisticated, sexy and most importantly authoritative which perfectly resembles the figure she has become. She has just been named the number 1 on Maxim Hot List for 2015 and doesn't she deserve it? She has also become a style icon, especially with her trademark 'red lips' which has encouraged many young girls to copy this trait. Her haircut which was most prominently showcased in her video Blank Space, inspired me to go shorter over Christmas to achieve a more 'grown up' look which I think Taylor carries off so well. Additionally Miss Swift racked an income of 64 million in 2014 after the obvious first big selling female artist, Beyonce. But her success doesn't end there...

Bad Blood

Taylor's new album 1989 is truly great! I've uploaded it to my phone thanks to a friend of mine and every song is really good, not like some albums where you pick your favourites to listen to and discard the rest. However I do have my favourites, including: Blank Space, Style, Wildest Dreams and How to Get the Girl. What I like about Taylor and particularly this album is you can listen to her when in any mood and when anywhere, she has a song to suit that journey home on the bus, in your bed at night or good tunes for a party. So I highly encourage all you readers to go and have a listen!

Unfortunately nothing is ever perfect, a message Taylor frequently reiterates herself, as Taylor's mum was diagnosed with cancer in December 2014. Despite this Taylor has stated that the last twelve months have been the best months of her life so far. She became a tourist ambassador for New York, has produced an album she has always wanted to make and has won various awards. She won several Billboard Awards including Top Female Artist 2015, was nominated for 3 grammys, won Favourite Female Artist in the People's Choice Awards and International Female Solo Artist at this years Brit Awards. Although she has been very successful in the music industry, Miss Swift has been renound to be not so good on the dating scene. Past boyfriends include; Joe Jonas, Lucas Till, Cory Monteith, John Mayer, Taylor Launtner, Jake Gyllenhaal, Conor Kennedy, and the most remembered, cheeky boy Harry Styles. However, with her new man by her side Mr Calvin Harris, has Taylor found her 'Love Story' after all?

Top Female Artist- Billboard Awards 17.05.2015

Taylor's humblness and wise words surrounding relationships and her approach to the conflict surrounding women over being labelled 'attractive' based on certain physical features has elevated her respectability even more amongst the public. Lets commence Taylor for her success, she works very hard and has therefore come along way from those days singing about Romeo and Juliet and other fairytale romances. That transition from country singer to chart topping pop artist is evident in her music now. Today Taylor sings about power, finding yourself, and loving who you are which is especially reflected in her new album in songs such as Welcome to New York, Shake it Off and Blank Space. So well done Taylor, keep it up, I'm sure there are more awards, success and number 1's on the horizon.

Love Story- Back in 2008 when Miss Swift was just starting out! I'm sure you all remember that one.













Blank Space- Produced in 2014 this video demonstrates how Taylor's style has developed and rocks and damn good and sassy attitude. How she has matured.


Taylor, in a recent interview has shed light on why she believes feminism to be 'vital' to society in reaching equality between sexes. Check out Buzzfeed for more information on this!

Taylor Swift on Double Standards And The Importance Of Feminism
http://www.buzzfeed.com/kristinharris/taylor-swift-perfectly-explains-the-importance-of-feminism#.mpmOJjk66g

The Election- how did do the young voters do?

Now we know the result, it is interesting to consider how many young people went out and voted in the election. Many people who were very apprehensive over what proportion of 18-24 year olds were to actually turn up to the polling stations. A survey conducted by CosRes suggested that 1 in 4 young people did not vote. I think this is rather true. For example, out of my 6 flatmates, only 3 of us voted and interestingly they are all girls. Since 1992 the turn out from young voters in Britain has dramatically declined, but why is this? It is possibly due to the fact that now young voters must register individually on the electoral register rather than by household.

So how did we do in 2015? According to Sky News, and with thanks to the British Electoral Study, 6 out of 10 young people voted in the election. Thats more than half! This is an improvement on the last two elections, as the turn out this year was 58% compared with the 52% in 2010 and 38% in 2005. Issues such as the state of the NHS, immigration and tuition fees have all grasped the attention of young voters, however I believe its the increase of use of social media by political parties and by politicians that has really captivated the young people of Britain. For example, on May the 7th, Facebook had a automated status you could post declaring that you had taken part in the election. The continuous flow of the caption 'so and so has voted in the 2015 general election' on newsfeeds across the country may have encouraged young voters who had registered to go and submit their polling card. Also Twitter was highly active throughout the build up to the election with various politicians tweeting their manifestos which may have also enticed young people to go out and vote. Something I noticed was the emphasis placed on young women to go out and vote, with many twitter campaigns sharing images of the suffragettes furiously campaigning for the vote back in 1918 which was possibly initiated as we are nearing the one hundred year anniversary of gaining that right.

Social media is the perfect way for politicians to contact the young generation, as nearly everyone has Facebook or Twitter or some form of network that allows them to connect with people beyond the walls of their home. I therefore think in the next election of 2020, we will witness, I hope, an increase in young people actively taking part in the election because they are aware of its implications.

For me, and I know many of you out there will share this view, the vote is important for young people. I think we need to continue to turn out for the vote, don't think it doesn't concern you. Remember this government and Mr Cameron will be in power for the next 5 years. A lot can happen in this time. I will be finished university and looking for a job, which is when governmental policies will come in to play in my life. Also I agree that all you women out there should vote for all those women who gained you that right, gave up their lives and went to extreme measures. So if there is anything we can learn from this election, its keep updated on politics through social media, its more important than you may think!

The Liebster Awards 2015

Getting a nomination for a Liebster award is a privilege! As a newcomer to the blogging scene, only beginning my blog in May last year, I have been hooked posting things which have inspired me to share with you.

Thankyou very much to Listen Lauren for my nomination, you are a great friend of mine and your blog is truly awesome. Everyone should defiantly check out this blog, especially friday posts which for us women out there as it makes us think about the world we live in today.

As promised I will answer all the questions posed to me by Lauren, so here we go!

What place is #1 on your travel bucket list? 
Currently, that would have to be New York. I am desperate to see all the grand sites, experience Broadway and explore Central Park.  

Chocolate or cheese?
Oooo, chocolate every time. 

What is the next book you want to read?
Mrs. Dolloway by Virginia Woolf. I am going to be commencing my study on women in the early 1920's for my dissertation and this book seems to demonstrate perfectly the expectations, behaviour and the degree of freedom women experienced after the First World War. A good friend very kindly bought this for me recently and I look forward to reading it.  

Words of wisdom to pass on to your future child?
Don't worry what other people think of you too much. Stay true to yourself. Be kind, honest and have faith in yourself and you'll be okay. 

What is your dream job?
Be an actress like Keira Knightly, however I have a feeling that dream is slightly far fetched. Therefore I suppose a realistic dream is to be a journalist, to write and have people read my work and think yeah, this is good. 

Sunsets or sunrises? What is the story of your best experience of one?
Sunsets are my favourite, and my best one has to be sat on a beach with a cider in hand surrounded by friends quite content. I would like to do this more often! 

Netflix or YouTube?
Netflix, simply because I have recently signed up once again and I love exploring the variety of films they have on there, especially the oldies! 

Who is your favourite disney 'princess'? 
I think Cinderella. I think her humble character and hardworking personality makes her transformation from rags to riches even more brilliant. Of course, I also like the fact it gives the message that no matter where you come from, if you possess kindness and courage you can find your 'prince'. 

Are you answering these at night or in the day?
Night. I am much more of a night owl than an early bird. 

If you could master any skill, what would it be?
Hmm, probably to be a fantastic public speaker. I think this skill is crucial to the lives we lead, however I would love to 'master' that skill to its full potential.  

Do you believe in aliens?
Yes. Although they are not green with giant black eyes. I think its highly likely, out there in another solar system exists a planet very similar to Earth which has the optimum conditions to produce living organisms. 

Now, here is a set of my own questions!

1. Dogs or Cats? 
2. If you could play any character from a TV show, who would it be and why?
3. What is your favourite season?
4. What was the last picture taken on your phone? 
5. If you could wake up tomorrow in the body of someone else, who would it be?
6. What is the first thing you notice about someone?
7. What would be the perfect day?
8. What was the last film you watched?
9. London, Paris or New York?
10. Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
11. What are you most proud of in your life right now? 

So here is my list of nominees for an award. They are all deserving candidates and Im sure are all ones to watch for the future. So go take a look at their posts!

1. http://miscriant.blogspot.co.uk/
2. http://laurenjedwards.blogspot.co.uk/ 
3. http://ashliesmall.blogspot.com/ 
4. http://rachelbirchley.com/ 
5. http://craftyowl93.blogspot.ca/
6. http://philosophyandcake.blogspot.co.uk/
7. http://collectiontwenty.blogspot.co.uk
8. http://eleanorcos.blogspot.ie
9. http://gloriouschic.blogspot.co.uk
10. http://glassboxesblog.com

Life scare... where am I going?

As a young and rather carefree twenty year old nearing the end of her second year of university many ask, have I given thought to my future? And the answer is always is of course I have! (followed by a list of a series of jobs I would like to do, which I continually add to the more people ask me this question), although I always think to my self, the future scares me! Only the other day  a group of friends and I discussed silly things like, who out of all our friends is most likely to have children first, become famous, get a tattoo, become a millionaire... then we got on the dreaded subjects of weddings. You must not deny it, and gentlemen if your reading this, yes it goes through our heads... the image of the perfect wedding. Obviously this image is imagined with money as no object as it often involves brass bands, beautiful country estates and the 'perfect' dress which funnily enough doesn't have a price tag. I agree as many people do that your wedding day is the best and most memorable day of your life, however its those little moments with others that you should treasure. I think everyone forgets this and before you know it, life has gone from under your feet and your nearing the end. As much as talking about weddings and other things excite me, knowing I have some wonderful times to look forward to, we should  cherish the unknown and the time we sit talking about these events.

I'm sure this 'wow, I'm no where near achieving my goals yet' feeling or anxiety is fairly normal with many young people, but all you can do is take steps in the right direction.

Lets think about it this way; one of the most beautiful things about life is you don't know where your going, if you did, wouldn't it be dull?

Below is the John Lewis advert from 2010. Although you may think this is fairly random, don't worry its very relevant. Its shows exactly how people perceive life to be, following through from one life stage to the next. The reality is, life stages don't exist. Many people (well girls) say, 'by the time I'm 28 I want to married with my first child on the way', however if you knew that, wouldn't you just be anticipating the event? Think about life as a train. You get on at one platform (your birth) and then its a continuous ride until you get off at your final destination. It may slow down at points, but it picks up again. It may break down, but don't worry, it gets repaired. This advert is the perfect summary of what everyone wants life to be, and what life essentially should be. Also the soundtrack, 'Always a Woman', originally sung by Billy Joel is a beautiful song.

Think about what now means for you. For me now, life is about music, plenty of it, listening to anything and everything at every opportunity. I love finding new bands or songs by upcoming artists. Its about going out, with friends, if its to the local pub, for a coffee or out on the town. I love spending time with friends, each one of them inspires to do something differently or enlightens me on a alternative perspective of the world. Its about watching films. I love finding films on Netflix which date back to the eighties and nineties, or watching new releases at the cinema. Its about fashion. I love reading about upcoming trends, what celebs have been wearing on the red carpet, and new techniques on how to look after yourself with home remedies or how to get fit quick, I love trying out these techniques basically to see if they are any good. Life is about enjoying the moment. 

John Lennon famously said 'Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans' which I believe perfectly summerises how life really happens.

Top ten places to visit in Europe 2015...

The perfect European bucket list, all the cities have some much to offer and so are a must see! Also for those of you which are planning an inter-rail trip, all the cities listed are covered by your ticket!

1. Paris, France

Possibly the most popular European city break there is, partially with its romantic reputation for those honeymooning couples or simply because of its historic famous attractions. Paris has so much to offer, its not all about the Eiffel Tower yanoe, the cuisine is great, coupled with relaxed French culture, its booming fashion industry and its grand boulevards. After my trip to this fantastic city at Easter, I fell in love with its old architecture and I totally understand why they call it the city of love! Places to see include; the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower (obviously with a selfie in mind) and Notre Dame.

2. Berlin, Germany

Berlin, despite the vast destruction it suffered in the Second World War is a beautiful city, full of sites to see such as the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie and the Reichstag. Full of history it makes a great weekend away. However not to be ignored is its fantastic reputation for its nightlife, with glamorous clubs and bars which overlook the city. Maybe one for a hen or stag party?

3. London, England

Good old London town, is quite rightly one of the best cities in the world. With so much to offer, including many historical sites dating back hundreds of years such as the Tower of London and the Houses of Parliament, it also sustains a wide range of great bars, restaurants and clubs in the hotspots of Covent Garden, Piccadilly Circus and the West End . It is after all the home of the Queen herself, with Buckingham Palace being one of the most visited spots on Earth, London is quite simply unmissable! (No bias sensed here I'm sure).

4. Rome, Italy

The home of history, Rome has ample amounts to offer any traveller, it is after all where civilisation began. Its vast amounts of Roman ruins attract hundreds of visitors each year, and believe you me the Colesseum is quite spectacular. With every corner you turn Rome has something to entertain you. Once the most powerful places on Earth, Vatican City is worth a visit for its intricate and wondrous artwork by the great canon of artists, Michaelanglo, Raphael and Da Vinci. Also take advantage of the fantastic Italian cuisine which is on offer everywhere across the city, no pizza or lasagne will ever compare!

5. Amsterdam, Netherlands

One of the most unique cities in the world, with its stylish but antique buildings build on a system of intricate canals, this city is beautiful. A popular destination amongst young people, (not only for the Red Light District night scene), but because everything is rather cheap, concentrated and accessible. The main attractions remain Anne Frank's House and the museum quarter, with the most popular mode of transport being the bicycle of course! A must is to hire a bike and ride around the city to absorb the culture and see the sites.

6. Brussels, Belgium

The capital of Belgium, the city is full of eighteenth-century architecture including the fabulous town hall which is showcased in the city above. This is also a great summer destination with temperatures soaring up to the mid 30's in the peak summer months. Now as the centre of international politics, Brussels attracts many people of the business world, however it is definitely worth a visit. Also, why would you turn down the opportunity to visit the place which invented the Belgian waffle?

7. Copenhagen, Denmark

One of the prettiest cities in the Nordic region, Copenhagen is a must see! I personally love the colour and vibrance this city brings to Europe. Also, as the financial centre as Northern Europe there is plenty of modern architecture to explore including The Black Diamond and the Copenhagen Opera House. This city also complies with the reputation of Northern Europe as one of the cleanest and environmentally friendly places in the world. It is surrounded by beautiful beaches and harbours which are pleasant to visit after a day exploring the city centre.

8. Florence, Italy

Florence is beautiful. I visited the city back in the summer of 2013 and was stunned at how amazing it was. As you can imagine, the city is full of Renaissance works dotted on every corner, fabulous Italian restaurants and stunning views. Top places to visit include Florence Cathedral which dominates the skyline, the Palazzo Vecchio and the Ponte Vecchio bridge. The bridge is one of the oldest medieval bridges in the world and is crammed full of jewellery shops. The number of engagements I saw when I visited that summer was unbelievable, probably one of the most romantic places in the world to be proposed to... just saying.

9. Barcelona, Spain

Filled full of art and beauty, this mediterranean city is a worthwhile visit if ever in Spain. Renowned as the 'mosaic' city thanks to Antoni Gaudi who created the masterpiece La Sagrada Familia, an incredible cathedral which is still unfinished, even though construction began in 1882! Another of Gaudi's productions Park Guell is worth a visit. The series of interlinking gardens makes a beautiful escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and again the mosaic work is incredible. Another perk of Barcelona is the brilliant collection of bars all around the city and you should not get apprehensive over the weather, its sunny nearly all year round. 

10. Prague, Czech Republic

Prague is another city full of historic architecture. Dating back from the thireteenth century, some of the buildings are truly stunning. The town square is well worth a visit alongside the Gothic Tower House and the Prague Astronomical Clock which was constructed in the fourteenth century. Also, much like London, Paris and Rome the city is littered with bridges across the river which one illuminated at night look stunning.