Before you read this article I would just like to point out I am well aware that I am trash.
First Album you ever bought
Ultimate Kylie – Technically I didn’t buy this as I got it from Father Christmas but this is the first album I remember owning. I used to and still love Kylie Minogue. People forget about all the bangers like I Believe in You, In Your Eyes, and Je Ne Sais Pas Pourqoui.
Song that you listen to when you are sad
The Blackest Day by Lana Del Rey
Lana is obviously the perfect choice for when you are sad, and at six minutes long The Blackest Day is perfect for extended moments of sadness. It’s also on the playlist where I work, where I am mostly sad.
Favourite ever album
My favourite album changes all the time but at the moment I would say Lily Allen’s No Shame. It’s so much more personal and raw than anything she’s done before. So many of the lyrics are heartbreaking, and quite rightly the album saw Allen receive a nomination for the Mercury Prize. I’m seeing her live in December and I can’t wait.
Guilty Pleasure
Ever since RED came out I have been a massive Taylor Swift fan. I know every song, and will always defend her. I went to the Reputation tour which was such a spectacle, Taylor Swift knows exactly what’s she’s doing. I understand why people dislike her, but I don’t think you can discount how far her talent has got her.
Best gig you’ve ever been to
Last year I saw Lorde at the Apollo in Manchester and was right at the front of standing. Lorde’s music is more than just pop; it’s clever and purposeful. I felt so lucky to see her in a small venue, she is a fantastic performer with such an exciting future.
Song that makes you want to dance
Higher by Carly Rae Jepsen
Carly Rae Jepsen’s E MO TION failed to make much of an impact, and people have the wrong impression of her because of Call Me Maybe. E MO TION is in fact one of the best pop albums ever released (seriously!). Borrowing much more from 80s pop than Taylor Swift’s 1989, E MO TION is full of catchy songs, and the saxophone on Run Away With Me is a particular highlight. Jepsen released the B Side a year after the album, and the song Higher always makes me want to dance.
If you were a song what would it be?
The Ladies Who Lunch – Stephen Sondheim
I am a big fan of Sondheim, I nearly chose to do my dissertation on him. His style of musical theatre is very different to that of other composers. His lyrics are fast, and irregular, and his songs are some of the most difficult for performers to master. This song from Company attacks excess and the elite. It’s also funny and has an insane ending. I once played it aloud by accident on the C Floor of the library during the exam season last year, and then went into hiding out of embarrassment. From now on I will always feel sorry for people who suffer a headphone faux-pas in the library; remembering my own experience makes me feel physically sick.
