One of my of all time, favorite music icons is using her platform to express her feelings about the reality which the ‘squatter in the White House’ has with the truth and with facts.
When we spoke, she had just tweeted about him and read it aloud:
“All President Trump cares about is winning.
He said it during his campaign, and he says it now.
But what do we all lose as he wins?”
Streisand, no stranger to politics throughout her career, is releasing her first album of original songs since 2005, called Walls, on November 2.
Late last month, she released the album’s first single, “Don’t Lie to Me,” which is a direct address to the president. And on Tuesday, Streisand released the music video – the first she’s ever directed – complete with images of protests and even a sign somewhere in there that says “Stop Kavanaugh.”
“I’m just so concerned with our country and the world,” she said. “When I say in the song ‘we all lose,’ do we lose our integrity as a nation? Do we lose our reputation in the world? One of the songs talks about a beacon of light, and ‘Lady Liberty’ talked about the danger in the sound of silence, when people don’t speak up, when people don’t vote. And now we have a leader who can’t be trusted. The way he pushed Kavanaugh onto the Supreme Court to protect himself is unconscionable; we have a leader and now a Supreme Court justice who tells lies.”
She added that it’s the young people of this country who are already living out the message of her new album and who have already set the example of what good activism looks like.
“As I say in the booklet of the new album, I’ve been especially moved by the young people in the United States who have found their voice and are demanding to be heard,” she said.
“They’re more interested in building bridges than walls; they are the very definition of hope.
They’re on my mind, and I dedicate this album to them.”
On the latest Saturday Night Live, Childish Gambino – the musical pseudonym for actor and Atlanta creator Donald Glover – released “This Is America,” a searing social critique of pop culture and the experience of being black in America today.
The actor, who has been riding high these days with both his series “Atlanta” and his role as young Lando Calrissian in the forthcoming “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” both hosted “Saturday Night Live” and was the musical guest as his rap/R&B alter ego, ‘Childish Gambino‘.
Glover as Gambino won a Grammy this year for best traditional R&B performance for his song “Redbone” and premiered two new songs on “SNL,” titled “Saturday” and “This Is America.”
Here’s what you need to know about the music video that has many hailing Glover/Gambino as a genius: You will need to watch it more than once
Directed by “Atlanta” director Hiro Murai, the video is pretty surreal and packed full of messages.
It’s expansive and filmed in a warehouse, which allows for a lot of action.
As much as your eye will be drawn to Glover as a shirtless Gambino, pay close attention also to what is happening in the background.
~It takes on gun violence in America~
Murders occur, but the guns are treated more delicately than human lives in the video — a strong statement given the current debate over gun control.
The imagery also has sparked conversation about several other themes, including police brutality, social media habits and what people are really paying attention to in the United States.
“The fact that Childish Gambino’s ‘This is America‘ tackles police brutality, gun violence, media misdirection, and the use of African Americans as a brand shield, all while dancing in Jim Crow-style caricature, shows a transcendence or mere performance and demands attention,” one person tweeted.
Pentatonix, the a cappella quartet, released their latest album of covers, PTX Presents: Top Pop Vol. 1 on Friday (April 13). The group has followed the premiere of the album with a new video – this time for their take on Ed Sheeran’s”Perfect”.
For “Perfect“, the well-dressed singers harmonize in various rooms of a muted old-school building as baritone Scott Hoying takes lead.
At the video’s peak, cellist Kevin Olusola’s solo leads to a ballerina pirouetting, right before the group joins in on the swoon of a chorus.
P!nk has long been an open book. The high-flying pop star has never shied away from exposing who she really is to her fans and in the new Apple Music-exclusive video for her single “Whatever You Want” she takes fans all the way backstage, and into the backyard, for an intimate look at her personal life.
The clip opens with P!nk in the recording session for the song and then segues into a montage of the singer being playful backstage during tour rehearsals, some cute moments with her kids and a few stolen kisses with husband Carey Hart.
The clip is, really, an homage to their love story, featuring archival footage of his motorcross triumphs and her instantly legendary 2017 MTV VMAs speech honoring their daughter Willow.
And yes, because she’s P!nk she also includes that bit before she sang the National Anthem at this year’s Super Bowl where she spit out her cough drop, plus tons of aerial footage.
DISCLAIMER
I do not own these images.
No intention of taking credit.
If anyone knows the owner of any, please advise and it will be corrected immediately.
Jeffrey Scott Buckley (November 17, 1966 – May 29, 1997), raised as Scott Moorhead, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. After a decade as a session guitarist in Los Angeles, Buckley amassed a following in the early 1990’s by playing cover songs at venues in Manhattan’s East Village, such as Sin-é, gradually focusing more on his own material.
In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine listed him at number 39 on their list of greatest singers of all time. In 1997, Buckley moved to Memphis, Tennessee, to resume work on the album, to be titled My Sweetheart the Drunk, recording many four-track demos while also playing weekly solo shows at a local venue.
On May 29, 1997, while awaiting the arrival of his band from New York, he drowned during a spontaneous evening swim, fully clothed, in the Mississippi River when he was caught in the wake of a passing boat; his body was found on June 4.
~Wikipedia~
~~Hallelujah~~
Official Video
~~Published on Oct 25, 2009~~
Jeff Buckley
Well I’ve heard there was a secret chord
That David played and it pleased the Lord
But you don’t really care for music, do you?
Well it goes like this:
The fourth, the fifth, the minor fall and the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Well your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew ya
She tied you to her kitchen chair
And she broke your throne and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah …
It was’t until last night’s VMA Awards and today that I went searching for the video. P!nk has always had serious, impacting messages to share in her songs.
This is another example at a time when it’s most needed.
“What About Us” is a song by American singer and songwriter Pink. It was written by P!nk, Steve Mac and Johnny McDaid, with production handled by Mac. The song was released through RCA Records on August 10, 2017, as the lead single from P!nk’s upcoming seventh studio album, Beautiful Trauma (2017).
“What About Us” is described as an emotional club ballad and dance floor anthem with pounding drums and an array of synthesizers. The song has also been described as a protest song.
~Wikipedia~
~~GRAPHICS SOURCE~~
Google Images
DISCLAIMER
I do not own these images.
No intention of taking credit.
If anyone knows the owner of any, please advise and it will be corrected immediately.
In my personal case, I wasn’t really aware about details related to the political status of North Korea. I knew only a bit.
In light of the prominence given to this country by the actions of the ‘so-called president’ as they relate to North Korea, I am paying more attention.
This is a ‘must watch’ video.
Even though the video was posted in 2014, most likely it still applies today.
Yeonmi Park has grown up to be a beautiful, free young woman!
North Korean woman, Yeonmi Park had a packed audience in tears as she relayed an account of her escape from ‘the darkest place in the world’ at the peace and conflict plenary session. The 21 year old said she was brainwashed by the propaganda of Kim Jong Il and three generations of imprisonment or execution was imposed on anyone that expressed doubt about the regime.
“North Korea is the only country in the world that executes people for making unauthorized international phone calls. North Koreans are being terrorized today,” said Park.
“When I was 9 years old, I saw my friend’s mother publicly executed. Her crime? Watching a Hollywood movie.There’s only one channel on TV. There’s no Internet. We aren’t free to move, sing, read, wear or think what we want,” Park continued. The repressive dictatorship led Park’s older sister to escape and gave Park and her mother no option but to escape themselves in order to find her sister. However as they escaped across the border, Yeonmi, at 13 years old witnessed her mother’s rape.
“I saw my mother raped. The rapist was a Chinese broker. I will never forget his face. The rapist had targeted me. I was only 13 years old,” said an emotional Park.
Park called on chinese One Young World delegates to speak out and petition china to stop repatriation, and called on everyone in attendance to support North Korean refugees that flee the country.
What followed was a standing ovation lasting over three minutes and many delegates leaving the auditorium red-eyed with tears, taking a moment to reflect on the atrocities of North Korea.
What is One Young World? One Young World was founded in 2009 by David Jones and Kate Robertson. We are a UK-based charity that gathers together the brightest young leaders from around the world, empowering them to make lasting connections to create positive change.
We stage an annual Summit where the most valuable young talent from global and national companies, NGOs, universities and other forward-thinking organisations are joined by world leaders, acting as the One Young World Counselors.
At the Summit, delegates debate, formulate and share innovative solutions for the pressing issues the world faces.
At past Summits delegates were joined by a line-up of Counsellors that included Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Sir Bob Geldof, Kofi Annan, Sir Richard Branson, Professor Muhammad Yunus, Jamie Oliver, Jack Dorsey and Arianna Huffington.
After each Summit, the delegates, who are then known as One Young World Ambassadors, work on their own initiatives or lend the power of the One Young World network to those initiatives already in existence. Of those in employment, many return to their companies and set about creating change from within, energizing their corporate environment.
~Ariana Grande & John Legend Debut ‘Beauty and the Beast’ Video~
The pair’s duet is a revitalized version of the song for Disney’s live action Beauty and the Beast film starring Emma Watson; the original was sung by actress Angela Lansbury, and also recorded by Céline Dion and Peabo Bryson, for the 1991 animated movie.
Pentatonix’s Brand New Spin On John Lennon’s Classic
Putting Tears In Everyone’s Eyes
Everyone knows the John Lennon song, “Imagine” – but Pentatonix puts their own spin on it with a powerful message that everyone can take to heart! Their voices, coupled with the moving lyrics first penned by Lennon in May 1971, come together to make a rendition of the song that everyone should hear at least once in their life!
Lennon’ inspiration for “Imagine” came about when he tried to envision a world with only peace, and without the division among all people.
The song was released later that year in October, and it was an instant hit.
Since it’s release, “Imagine” has been covered by countless artists and groups hoping to share the same message of inclusion and love.
Such is the case with Pentatonix’s chilling version!