Tag Archives: selena gomez

BEST OF 2022- PART 3: TOP 25 ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2023

I don’t know how many times I’ve said this- I think I’ve confidently asserted this statement many times throughout the years. But I think I will say it again. The year of 2022, like the previous years of 2020 and 2021, has delivered time and time again, in terms of presenting to us some pretty inspiring and thought-provoking albums and songs. Though hectic, chaotic, seemingly out of control and messy; 2022, like 2021 and more than 2020, was the year in which I have grown the most in my musical tastes, and it’s the year that I have found more albums and songs that has resonated with me. But maybe that’s because I was more aware of releases this year than any other year. Partly because of me branching out into different types of music because of my own accord (just because I’m curious by nature!), and also partly because of me and Jon writing our still-ongoing blog series about influential artists of all time- and us being exposed to more different types of music that way.

Personally though, I’ve found 2022 to be the year where we were treated to the most hard hitting and poignant songs, as well as the most inspirational albums in recent memory. We were treated to songs like “Worthy Of My Song” (Phil Wickham), “Then Christ Came” (MercyMe), “Me On Your Mind” (Matthew West and Anne Wilson), “Still” (Steven Curtis Chapman), “In Jesus’ Name” (Katy Nichole), “Anti-Hero” (Taylor Swift), “Wait In The Truck” (HARDY and Lainey Wilson), “Broekn Dreams” (Lucy Thomas), “Right On Time” (Lindsay Ell), “Turning My Heart” (The Young Escape), “The Little Things” (Kelsea Ballerini), “Things That I’m Afraid Of” (Josh Wilson and Tasha Layton), “Yeshua (Friend Of Sinners)” (Mike Donehey), “Sunday Sermons” (Anne Wilson), “Child At Heart” (Hanson), “Loud” (Sofia Carson), “Maybe You’re The Problem” (Ava Max), “West Coast” (One Republic), “Broken Hearts (Do Broken Things)” (Runaway June), “Fast Times” (Sabrina Carpenter), “Celestial” (Ed Sheeran), “Hold My Hand” (Lady Gaga), and “The In-Between” (Matt Maher), to name a few (or to name a lot!). While we were also blessed to hear inspirational and encouraging albums such as Healer [Casting Crowns], Life After Death [TobyMac], Still [Steven Curtis Chapman], Holy Fvck [Demi Lovato], The Joy Of Music [Ben Rector], Destiny [Lucy Thomas], Palomino [Miranda Lambert], Bell Bottom Country [Lainey Wilson], Subject To Change [Kelsea Ballerini], The Loneliest Time [Carly Rae Jepsen], Raised [Hailey Whitters], Red Green Blue [Hanson], What Are We Waiting For [For KING & COUNTRY], Good Person [Ingrid Andress], Bridges [Calum Scott], Mercury: Acts 1 & 2 [Imagine Dragons], and Midnights [Taylor Swift], to name a few (also to name a lot!).

Continue reading BEST OF 2022- PART 3: TOP 25 ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2023

Momentous Mondays: Influential artists of the next 5-10 years – Where Are They Now: Week 11-20

Around a week ago, we took the leap and dived into artists #1 – #10 from the blog series of artists who are impactful and influential in this current generation now, and into the future, taking a glimpse at where artists like Rachel Platten, Tori Kelly, Zach Williams, Alessia Cara, Maren Morris and Jess Glynne are, right now currently in their life in 2022. Now, we tackle artists #11 – #20, and take a snapshot look at artists like Echosmith, Marc Martel, Philippa Hanna, Lauren Alaina, Little Mix and Dami Im, and where they are currently in this moment in terms of music. So check out these artists below, and be sure to check out the links below, to the original blog posts about these artists as well.

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MOMENTOUS MONDAYS: INFLUENTIAL ARTISTS OF ALL TIME – WEEK 94: JUSTIN BIEBER

I think I’ve mentioned this time and time again (or maybe my brother Jon has); but let me repeat myself once again for us all. When we look down our list of 100 artists who we deem to be influential across all time (not including artists like The Beatles, Queen, Elton John, Elvis Presley, ABBA, Celine Dion, Stevie Wonder, Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan to name a new- and all of these plus more will be in a separate list of 50 artists who are iconic and timeless no matter what!); while the pattern seems to be that these artists are mostly active at the moment (aside from Carman who sadly passed away earlier this year!), the underlying theme that I’ve found out recently is that all of these 100 artists, though influential and inspiring in their own right, probably have virtually no links to each other. Delirious? is a different artist to Backstreet Boys who in turn is different to Delta Goodrem, The Goo Goo Dolls, Alicia Keys, John Mayer, SEAL, Cimorelli, Jennifer Lopez, Coldplay, Linkin Park, Tenth Avenue North and Skillet. All of these artists (and more) are unique and each of these 100 artists deserve their place within this subjective list… when each artist is analysed on their own merits. Yet wholistically, perhaps some of you may complain that these artists make the list over another arbitrary 100. You may complain and say that I’m not doing my job right or I’m deliberately against a certain artist or artist group (like rap, which has no representatives outside of Lecrae), or that I’m pushing a certain agenda, or that I’m like the left or the right or that I’m too woke or too conservative in including a lot of music artists that lean one way or the other on the political spectrum, or that I don’t have enough Christian artists or that I have too many Christian artists. Regardless on how you view my list- the fact is that it’s just that. It’s a list made up by an average joe. And it certainly holds no weight when compared to other more prestigious lists like Billboard or The Rolling Stone. Jon and myself are just owners of a website that maybe a handful of people in the world actually take the time out to read… and who are we to claim that we have authority over any list we make. Any of you could write up your own list of 100 names- include 100 names that we never did… and guess what? It’ll still be valid. Whatever criteria you use for your lists (and if you want to see our heart for this blog series, read our very first post we made in February 2019 explaining our thought processes!)… well that’s your criteria.

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Momentous Mondays: Influential artists of the next 5-10 years – Week 35: Julia Michaels

Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”

The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”

Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do.  He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.”

Exodus 4: 10-17

Now when the Lord spoke to Moses in Egypt, He said to him, “I am the Lord. Tell Pharaoh king of Egypt everything I tell you.”

But Moses said to the Lord, “Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharaoh listen to me?”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country. But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites. And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it.”

Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord commanded them. Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.

Exodus 6:28 – 7:7

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate [a robe] for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.

Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”

His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.

Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

Genesis 37: 3-11

Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Sokoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Sokoh and Azekah. Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.

A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.

Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.

Now David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Saul’s time he was very old. Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war: The firstborn was Eliab; the second, Abinadab; and the third, Shammah. David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul, but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.

For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.

Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.

“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.

Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!”

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.

1 Samuel 17: 1-16, 38-50

Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.

2 Kings 22: 1-2

Continue reading Momentous Mondays: Influential artists of the next 5-10 years – Week 35: Julia Michaels

Selena + Chef (Season 1)

HBO Max

Season Air Date:

  • Season 1: August 13th – August 27th 2020

Reviewed by: Joshua Andre

Selena + Chef (Season 1)

Starring: Selena Gomez, with special guests Nana Cornett, Papa Cornett, Liz Golden, Raquelle Stevens, Theresa Mingus, Paige Reed

Chefs include: Ludo Lefebvre, Antonia Lofaso, Candice Kumai, Roy Choi, Jon & Vinny, Nancy Silverton, Angelo Sosa, Tanya Holland, Daniel Holzman, Nyesha Arrington

Dishes include: French Omelette, Cheese Souffle (Episode 1); Seafood Toastada (Episode 2), Spicy Miso Ramen, Matcha Chocolate Chip Cookies (Episode 3), Korean BBQ Short Rib Breakfast Tacos, Hawaiian Malasadas (Episode 4), Chicken Dinner, Bruschetta (Episode 5), Italian Party Buffett (Episode 6), Guacamole 101, Baja Style Fried Rice (Episode 7), Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Bacon Cheddar and Scallion Biscuits (Episode 8), Chicken Meatballs and Gnocchi (Episode 9), Branzino with Spice Tomato-Coconut Sauce, Dog Biscuits and Glaze (Episode 10)

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BEST OF 2020- PART 3: TOP 20 ALBUMS OF 2020 [JAN-JUNE]

Hey everyone… guess what! Yep, it’s our third post of the best of 2020 series in one day! Definitely making up for lost time! Last time I wrote about our top 30 music videos of 2020 (January-June) and the time before that I wrote about our top 40 songs of 2020 (January-June). Now it’s time to delve into our top 20 albums of 2020 (January-June). Impacting and inspiring songs are special, but whole album near-masterpieces? They’re even more special!  So without further ado, let me present to you all our favourite 20 albums as a site for the past 6 months! So sit back, be inspired, and let these full length projects minister to you during this time of uncertainty!

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BEST OF 2020- PART 2: TOP 30 MUSIC VIDEOS OF 2020 [JAN-JUNE]

Hey everyone… guess what! COVID-19 is still here… and we’re all still quarantined at home. This means that music albums, movies and TV shows have all been put on hold and delayed until a later date when it is safe to film… but that doesn’t mean we can’t jam out to inspiring music videos! This past 6 months have been crazy, but there have been some heartfelt, poigant, emotional and just fun-filled music videos that have debuted. So without further ado, let me present to you all our favourite 30 music videos as a site for the past 6 months! So sit back, be inspired, and let these music videos minister to you during this time of uncertainty!

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Momentous Mondays: Influential artists of the next 5-10 years – Week 15: Selena Gomez

What do you reckon is our most basic want? If you strip everything away, the house, the fancy car and our hopes and dreams; what do you reckon is left at the end of it all? Disregarding each of our personal views, morals, faith, beliefs and probably divided opinions about almost every topic under the sun; I believe that there’s something that bands us all, that unites us all together. There’s something insides each one of us that is a common thread if you want to call it anything like that. I believe it is that innate want (or is it need?) inside each of us, our longing to be loved. Yes, I’m growing philosophical and existential in my old age of 30- who knew?- but more on a serious note, what I believe connects us all is our individual desires to be loved and accepted, no matter our flaws and our screw-ups. Finding somebody that can and does love us for who we are is very rare, and while most pop artists sing about having a good time, I reckon there is no other artist more vulnerable and baring her soul and emotions nowadays- no other artist who is singing about love and the loss of love that is so beautiful, emotional and personal- than former Disney star and current pop superstar Selena Gomez.

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