#I relate deeply to the lyrics or it makes me feel a certain way - it's usually because the overlapping of instruments or thetones that are | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

deathsweetblossoms · 8 months

Text

Flower Face: an Elain Archeron playlist

This is my love letter to Elain Archeron, my interpretation of what she sounds like were she to exist as music. Consider this more as an experience and less a list of songs with lyrics that relate to Elain. @elainarcheronweek

My Elain is made up in part of deeply personal headcanons, plus versions of her in works by @bloomingdarkgarden (What Bloomed in the Dark Garden) and @thefangirlofhp (sillage). She is Danielle De Barbarac, a quiet girl with a rich internal world and a heart capable of feeling every emotion ten fold. She has one foot in The Dreaming world of the mystics, and one foot in her rapidly evolving life in Velaris. She wants to be seen for who she is and loved for who she is, gardening-scarred hands and all. She quietly yearns for someone she can't have, never once sharing her woes with any of her sisters. She brings things to life and values learning, creation, travel. This is a musical journey that represents my interpretation of Elain's soul, her internal world, her life in Velaris, her hopes for the future. (It is Elriel leaning, as a disclaimer, because ... I simply cannot help it.) I started off the journey with nature sounds, because Elain is so deeply tied to the land in my mind, and with lush, atmospheric music representing how she presents to the world. As the list goes on, we go deeper and more secrets are revealed until the songs become almost entirely instrumental (moody and brooding in nature to represent an emotional landscape). There are songs in different languages or without words entirely, to represent her displacement into an unfamiliar land, in a changed body, and the uprooting of her ingrained beliefs about that land and the creatures living there; about her integration into the Night Court and her insistence that she belongs. It ends with her prayer to The Mother.

SONGLIST

(Sometimes I will include my decisions for including certain pieces. Other times, I hope you can glean your own meaning <;3) PART I

(nature sounds)

I often imagine Elain waking up at sunrise, before the rest of the city, and just imbibing the land, the birds, the flowers. Noticing things other's don't notice. Seeking solace among nature.

James Newton Howard - A Hidden Life (instrumental)

Mariee Sioux - Wild Eyes tiny darling ghost holder you our soft spirit breather... you plant your burderns way deep down in

Wickerbird - Llewellyn sleep, interred within old Avalon

A song that evokes visions, dreams, prophecy, distant lands

AURORA - Under the Water under the water, we can't breathe we can't breathe under the water, we die hearts will dream again lungs will breathe in feet won't fail you now arms won't let you down

This song has been on my Elain playlist since the start. I always reminds me of her journey into the cauldron, the terror and grief that befell her afterward, and learning how to keep going despite everything.

Flower Face - Cornflower Blue i wanna lay on the kitchen floor with you i wanna do all the things that lovers do bruised on your face like a watercolour bloom moonlight paints your skin cornflower blue

Elain develops feelings for a quiet Shadowsinger...

Steven Price - Ophelia (instrumental) Jean Luc Lenoir - The Mermaid's Croon (instrumental)

"The quiet dreamer"

Ane Brun - Joga (live version) all that no one sees, you see what's inside of me every nerve that hurts, you heal deep inside of me you don't have to speak i feel emotional landscapes

This is a quintessential Elriel song for me, so perfectly capturing how I believe she feels about him (how they feel about each other, honestly).

AURORA - Exist for Love and then you take me in and everything in me begins to feel like I belong

Joe Hisaishi - Heartbroken Kiki (instrumental)

Rachel Portman - Three Women (instrumental)

Elain, Nuala, and Cerridwen's blossoming friendship. Them in the kitchen learning how to make bread, them teaching Elain how to slyfoot, them whispering secrets about lovers and childhood to each other.

PART II (Powers Awakening, Hidden Secrets of the Magic of Velaris, Witches and Mystics)

AURORA - The Forbidden Fruits of Eden (an interlude)

Powers brimming just below the surface, unseen, but felt by Elain.

(nature sounds)

Elain starts visiting the Sidra more and more as her powers develop stronger. I just imagine her sitting by the water, with a scarf around her head, and a small picnic basket, just enjoying the quiet and thinking about her visions and dreams.

Thomas Newman - Starlit (instrumental)

Night-blooming Jasmine, Elain discovers her place in the shadows of Velaris

Karliene - The Fields of Ard Skellig

Elain digs her fingers into the soil of Velaris and night-blooming flowers blossom all around her. She learns the secrets of the mystics and how to control her powers. Our Lady Kingslayer comes into her own and surprises everyone with her strength of spirit.

The Naked and the Famous - Teardrop night, night of matter black flowers blossom fearless on my breath Runah - Witch how she bathes in it she never had a lover that said her name before the way it drops from his lips it's like she's never heard her name sound like a song and she craves it oh she has woken the witch she's becoming Kati Ran - Vinda slowly the journey goes like the walk of an old man seeking in waves and seeking in sand hear the psalm of the wind, its being sung over the mountain and you, will you listen to the melody in the evening Mykur - Nordlys (instrumental) Thomas Newman - Luthien Tinuviel (instrumental) Agnes Obel - Rosian (instrumental) Helisir - Brisingamen (instrumental) Johannes Bornlof - Wolfpack (instrumental) Honey Gentry - Aphrodite Aphrodite, hear my pain I want to fall in love again Not in love with a man of this world Fall in love with life itself

Elain's prayer to the mother

#elain archeron #elainarcheronweek2023 #elainweek2023 #acotar #trembling fawn #JUST KIDDING #SHES DONE #HERE YOU GO #IF YOU HATE IT DONT TELL ME BC I POURED MY WHOLE HEART INTO THIS LOL #ELRIEL #pro ELRIEL #Spotify

61 notes · View notes

venuscnjunctpluto · 5 months

Text

💫Beyonce has Venus conjunct Pluto (also Pluto conjunct her Asc) and I’m understanding this placement better as I have it myself in the 8th house. We need to love ourselves and the world. We don’t live in care bear world where this is possible so a lot of us grow up thinking power dynamics and having control over someone is the only way we can love without getting hurt. No the REAL answer is creating a better world where people feel free to love no matter their background, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, etc… is the only way for us to love freely. I plan on volunteering a lot in the new year because I really want to embrace love which is limitless and unconfined. Dirty Computer by Janelle Monae and Anna Wintour by Azealia Banks embodied this concept greatly as well. I try to avoid certain songs that are rooted in trauma and looking for someone us to be everything for us. This sucked bc some of my favorite artists had to take a back seat including of Lana, Brent Faiyaz, Mariah the Scientist, Ariana Grande, Summer Walker, and Taylor Swift too.

💫I’m so proud of her as an artist that she’s gone from love song about a significant other to music that is meant to embrace a deeper love plutonian venuses are capable of. A love that can heal the world around us not just that trash man that cheats on us lol. We try to heal specific people with love which is why I think we gravitate towards people w darker backgrounds and trauma. When we should understand love isn’t what we need to search for because it’s already in us. We need FREEDOM. We become way more beautiful, more connected, more empathetic because we can deeply understand what we all what and need is: freedom. We need to reach that higher vibration of love (that extends beyond trauma bonding, romantic connections, capitalism, greed, hatred, jealousy) in our lifetime. Saturn was in Aquarius which is Beyonce’s 5th house so during that time she learned and developed a deep understanding of her creativity. (I think also relates to another libra rising Doja Cat and her new music addressing the issues that comes with being and artist in this age) This is why she came back with futuristic, space inspired, innovative, and pro-lgbt, women, and black centered music. She truly learned how to use her art to make positive change which is what Aquarius is all about. She’s been so successful with this tour because her power has always been in her heart.

💫Various Lyrics that stuck out to me from this era:

💫“We go up and down; lost and found searching for love. Looking for something that lives inside me” - Break My Soul

💫“Lend your soul to intuitions (this is the real love)”- My House

💫“I just talk my sh*t Casanova; Superstar supernova power pull em in closer” - Alien Superstar

💫“Renaissance the revolution. Pick me up even if I fall; let love heal us all” - My House

💫“It’s not the diamonds; it’s not the pearls I’m that girl. It’s not my man; it’s not my stance” - I’m That Girl

#astrology observations #astro notes #beyonce #venus conjunct pluto

24 notes · View notes

keepingsecretstokeepyoutk · 1 year

Text

These are just my thoughts, I understand that many others feel differently.

There have been times in the past that I’ve felt frustration or anxiety about Taylor not coming out potentially ever, while continuing to drop “hints”.

(I personally feel like she has unofficially come out and is only not officially coming out because of all of the many many other closeted people she would be betraying if she really told her truth, AND for the purpose of privacy, which is in no way exclusive to closeting, straight entertainers also have PR relationships and keep their personal lives to themselves as is their right to do. But that is only background on how I feel about why Taylor is doing what she is doing, and why I don’t feel in any way entitled to her coming out. This post is just about my personal emotional experience of coming to peaceful terms with being an attentive fan in this situation.)

I have always *loved* following the lyrical and other Easter eggs to Taylor’s truth. While I went through a couple of album cycles of disappointment when the build up didn’t culminate with an official coming out, I have grown to truly be at peace with this little upside down world/wonderland/Narnia that we live in as fans who see a deeper meaning to her work.

I’ve seen some people express that if she isn’t going to come out they would rather her not leave Easter eggs at all. I very wholeheartedly disagree.

On a selfish/personal level, continuing to see the sapphic themes we’ve identified in her songs, the symbols for her truth in her branding and rollouts, reminds me that I’m not making all of this shit up. If she were to suddenly stop, I would personally feel a little ungrounded, like it must have all been coincidences. I would also have far less deeply relatable music from an unbelievably talented lyricist, to listen to.

Sure there are plenty of other sapphic writers/musicians I love, but Taylor is irreplaceable. Her work is unique as a closeted woman, because when you can’t name a feeling you have to describe it, when you can’t tell a story in plain language, you have to tell it in allegory and metaphor, leading to work that is not only relatable, it makes you understand your own experiences and feeling more deeply and in a way that other writing can’t.

On an empathetic level, it baffles me that anyone would ask Taylor to stop putting her real experiences and truth in her art. The same themes we see in folklore and evermore and midnights are present in her debut album. Taylor has always shown her true rainbow colors in her writing, whether she was doing so intentionally or not. Her whole life and happiness is her art, and her art includes not only her lyrics, but her music videos and her era aesthetics, and everything that goes into presenting her songs to her audience.

Her art is her outlet. Taylor has explicitly expressed that her writing holds her truth, it’s the only place she can emote genuinely. Being a visual artist myself, my work is the only place I can channel certain emotions. I can’t imagine censoring myself in that part of my life.

Taylor, by her own admission (in some of her most beautiful lyrics yet) has made many mistakes and unsavory compromises in her navigation of these choppy waters. I am not saying that she is blameless or flawless. She is human. Which is kind of my point.

I want to go on record that I will enjoy following her “hints”, for the rest of my life, if she never come out - or for many years to come if she one day chooses to unearth the roots of closeting in the entertainment industry with a tell all autobiography or docuseries.

I can’t wait to see what her next step is, and I’m honored that she entrusts us with everything that she does. Getting glimpses of her truth, and reading/listening to her endlessly impressive reflections on her experiences. Everyone longs to be seen and recognized by their community. I want her to know that i see her. So many of us see you. And we love you.

#taylor swift #gaylor #kaylor #bearding #gaylor swift #closeting

51 notes · View notes

cleric4vampire · 4 months

Note

I love your BG3 OCs, especially your Tav Aune! Hits the religious trauma pieces in all the right places. Being a bard/cleric, has she written any hymns that she is proud of?

Thank you so much!!! Oof yes I can't get enough of that religious trauma; it's particularly interesting to explore in a character who is fighting between a desire to not be beholden to their religion vs. feeling as though they aren't themselves without it. plus a load of other conflicting thoughts that just complicate things even further 😬

Aune is a bit of an odd one in that despite being a cleric, the actual heart of her faith resides in the connection she has with Eilistraee. It's so deeply personal that it makes all other Eilistraeean-related activities ring hollow in comparison.

For example, Aune's main role within the Church was to serve as its face (or one of many). Her being a half-Drow made it easier for her to interface with non-Drow. Aune's tasks were usually split between helping to free subjugated peoples in the Underdark and elsewhere, and bring joy to the downtrodden by way of song and dance. Though Aune's elders might have preferred said song and dance to be Eilistraeean in nature, it didn't need to be, because the ultimate goal was simply to bring happiness to people. So, she typically stuck to fun, jaunty tunes that the common folk would be familiar with.

Now, to tie this back to your actual question (😂) — Aune didn't typically enjoy "spreading Eilistraee's teachings" (one of many ways she thought she failed in being a cleric), and Aune wasn't the sort of bard to take pride in their creations. Most of the things she wrote were simply meant to exist between her and Eilistraee only. The songs she did share publicly were flute pieces (her instrument of choice).

During the events of the game, Aune has a habit of stealing away into the forest each night. Once certain of her privacy, she would play a song for Eilistraee on her flute, and sometimes even sing one...

(more of a folk song than a hymn as it's overly personal, but):

lady silverhair, dancer in the trees voice like moonlight floating on the breeze daughter of the protector, enemy of the weaver you who descended into depths untold to stave off shadows for her people dance with me, sing with me but do not leave my side for the endless night threatens it encroaches, it cloaks it swallows me whole and I fear I won't survive without the love that you bestow dark maiden, hopes and dreams made manifest song soothing spirit, a promise kept sister to the shadow, mother to the forsaken you who deftly wields a keen silver blade to liberate us from this bondage fight with me, survive with me but do not leave my side for despair seeds in my heart it burrows, it will root it will bloom so lovely and I fear I can't endure without your sword to see me through dear eilistraee, hear this song I sing for you lover, guide, guardian goddess, watcher, friend I will be your wrath, your unbreakable weapon the instrument of your justice I will be your tender heart, your soft gentle hand the bringer of your compassion but please do not leave me on my own

(I listened to Kalessin, the Eldest by Fogweaver while writing this, so if you want to set the vibes...)

Most of her words for Eilistraee had this undercurrent of desperation and longing, illustrating her strained connection to the goddess and her Church. The lyrics to this particular song do end up getting out eventually, making its way through Eilistraeean circles, but it lacked the final verse — Aune never wrote it down.

#oc: aune #eilistraee #I had the other stuff established but the song is the perfect example of #''developing oc lore on the spot after someone asks you a question''#lmao which I TRULY APPRECIATE because I would have never thought of this otherwise #(also about it being on the spot - I usually finetune my writing over a long period of time #but this was fresh off the presses so... it's a lil raw. a lil rough)#ANYWAYS enough rambling from me!!!#thanks for making my day <3

4 notes · View notes

mellyncholly · 3 months

Text

tagged by my buddy stark (@lastquincy) to do this one! thank you :)

last song i heard:

"honey i'm home" by destroy boys. this was the only song from destroy boys (current favorite band) that i hadn't heard until a few days ago when bluejay literally made me listen to it and WOWWW. extremely catchy and the lyrics hit hard as fuck for me.

favorite color:

wouldn't you believe it. it's red. shades of red that could be classified as 'blood' or 'wine' are esp my favorites, and i also really like black. i started wearing more colors in 2023 (red, of course) but recently i've been leaning more into dressing punk and wearing mostly black.i love black

my favorite shades. however im a little bit twisted and i REALLY like any shade of red that is purely R and has no Gs or Bs.

this is a fucking angel to me ok.

last watched series:

my last watched "series" in general would technically be the walten files since a new one came out. by god those files really are walten. specifically in terms of TV though right now i'm watching the sopranos and sometimes mr. robot from time to time, both very good i'm enjoying them a lot especially the latter, although i think my last complete TV series was black mirror. some episodes weren't all too great in comparison to others but for the most part i really enjoyed it.

sweet/spicy/savory:

i'm very much a savory person. the taste is always so great but there is also something that feels so fulfilling about eating something savory compared to something that is sweet or spicy. i do enjoy a little sweetness or a little spice in my food sometimes though. writing this and thinking about food made me go boil a pot of water i want ramen so bad.

relationship status:

i'm single (SHGOULDN'T BE!!!!!) but i'm looking to try and meet people soon. i'm still a little unsure of my sexuality (probably bi lesbian?) but i'm almost certain of the person i am and who i wanna be so that's good. expressing myself sexually has become really important to me so even finding a fwb partner would be nice.

last thing i googled:

the last thing i googled was 'is ramen considered savory'. i was googling a lot of questions about what's considered 'savory' because i saw that question about preference between sweet and spicy and savory and immediately forgot what foods are classified as savory. i don't know how food works

current obsession:

oh my god don't even get me started. it's a four-way between signalis, monument mythos, walten files, and undertale right now. however i'd argue that walten files is only growing again right now and monument mythos for me is always a constant because i love it that much, so currently it would probably be signalis or undertale. i replayed undertale for the first time in at least 7 years in the last couple weeks and it was incredible especially because i could finally understand a lot of stuff i didn't understand or pick up on before, i vaguely got it when i was younger but i never picked up on the deeper, subtle characterization of so many of the characters and all of the details. undertale is an absolute masterpiece. another masterpiece i've been obsessed with is signalis. signalis was my first survival horror and it was an incredible, tense, tear-jerking experience. its such a beautiful and horrifying game about women and sapphic love and uuuuUUGGH it's PERFECT. the soundtrack is beautiful, amazingly composed and performed, the graphics are perfect for the vibe it's trying to go for. the characters all have fun designs and the main characters and story are all so intriguing it just keeps me thinking about the metaphorical themes of it all. signalis is a huge inspiration to me and i have so many thoughts about it please check it out.

last thing i read:

the last thing i read was chainsaw man! i LOVE chainsaw man and it's another massive inspiration for me...asa mitaka makes me feel so fuckin happy. autistic high school girl that i relate to so deeply. last time i read it, the story left off at a pretty big point so i should definitely pick it back up again before i start getting far behind again. the story was going somewhere that i thought was extremely interesting so i'm excited to see how it continues.

something i've been looking forward to:

in the long-term, i'm looking forward to a lot of things in the summer! i'm turning 21, going on a road trip to see a concert and visit a friend across the state, going to anthrocon, and maybe doing some stuff for pride! i'll be doing all of this with two of my best friends in the world and i'm really excited, although i am definitely nervous about the road trip since i'll be the one driving but i think it'll be OK since i'll have my friends with me :) i think this summer will be great because of all of the above but this also feels like it's gonna be the first summer where i won't be almost entirely focused on my job and i feel like myself!

i don't have anyone in particular that i want to tag for this but if you want, feel free to make a post like this :)

#melly screams #photo from a long walk i took a few days ago #might be a little less coherent around the end there. its 3 am ive been working on this on and off for a few hours

3 notes · View notes

thestupidhelmet · 9 months

Note

12, 17, and 27 for the weird writers ask 😊

Thank you! ♥️

12. If a genie offered you three writing wishes, what would they be?

First, the ability to pause time where no one -- including myself -- ages so I could write as much I want for as long as I want without having to give up that time with family and friends (they'd be on pause, too, as would my need to eat drink, and go to the bathroom 😂).

Second, to be free of certain fears/doubts, which aren't related to my writing ability but aspects of the writing world.

Third, that my writing helps people in one way or another.

17. Talk to me about the minutae of your current WIP. Tell me about the lore, the history, the detail, the things that won't make it into the text.

*cough* I see what you did there. 😅 Sharing any of those things about Those Who Play with Demons -- I might as well post the story. 🤣 It's so much about the lore, the history, the detail, and ALL the things that do make it into the text. They're intertwined with the present action of the story.

But I can (re)reveal a few things. Jackie's father is the mayor of Point Place, and Red Forman is his sheriff. A murder and disappearance sets off a chain of supernatural events tied directly to all the characters.

Kitty runs a boarding house while working as a nurse part-time at the hospital.

I write a heroic and complex version of Kelso again (first time since Beneath a Shattered Sky), but he's totally different than any Kelso I've written (while still in-character).

Fez plays a major role, along with the rest of the main T7S characters. It's a new take on him while still being in-character (S1-S4 Fez, pre-devolution into the perv).

Jackie and Hyde are deeply in love and together from the start.

I'm using as many characters from the show (S1-S7) in significant ways so that Point Place feels like Point Place. I dug deep into tertiary characters, so it'll be interesting to see which ones readers recognize: "Oh, that's so-and-so from 6x10!" 😁

OCs are used only when absolutely unavoidable, but I tried to connect them to the T7S characters. For instance, Lance Crawford's father plays a vital role early on.

Point Place itself is practically a character.

I made a movie-like trailer for this story, along with a ton of art, .gifs (comic art and otherwise), and have other plans for extras to go with each chapter (or specific group of chapters).

The idea for this story sparked up in 2014.

Lastly, I'm going through the many chapters I've written (though I haven't finished the first draft), and I'm organizing everything for easier revision and to help me finish this thing.

27. Who is the most stressful character you've ever written? Why?

Red. When I wrote Not Just for Show, it was the first time I wrote from Red's POV extensively. I didn't want his narrative voice to come across like Hyde's, but they have a similar emotional dynamic. So I didn't write him with Hyde's rough lyricism. Red's narrative voice is less emotionally contemplative and more matter-of-fact. I also made sure Red's lens is that of someone who fought in two wars. (And, of course, I used other techniques so Red's narrative voice would sound like Red, not Hyde.)

In my current WIP, I write from Red's POV frequently, but I'm very comfortable in it now. 😊

Ask Game

#that 70s show #that '70s show #Red Forman #Jackie x Hyde #Michael Kelso #Ask #that70sshowgoldencouple #Ask Game #TWPWD #Personalish

6 notes · View notes

thetragicallynerdy · 2 years

Note

fungi anon again (sorry this is the last one i promise) wondering about your opinions on CDs/vinyl compared to digitally downloaded music

Fungi anon you are welcome to ask as many questions as your heart desires <3

Hmmmm okay okay. I'm actually going to go by each item, for funsies

CDs - so, I grew up with cassettes and CDs, and part of me deeply loves the hard copy aspect of CDs. I still have a massive binder of CDs that used to live in my car (I can no longer drive with music on for disability related reasons, so now it lives in my apartment), and I really value having certain albums on CD. And I also appreciate that it was a one time purchase, and my money (or at least a bit of it) actually went to the artist - especially with smaller artists and indie CDs, which I have a lot of. Or at least, more of my purchase went to the artist than it does with Spotify. I'm also a huge fan of CD booklets. I love reading lyrics as I listen to music, and love the physicality of it.

However - CDs also scratch *really* easily. They're so easy to mess up, and then you're kind of shit out of luck - you either buy a new one, or you deal with the terrible skipping CD. And they can be bulky to keep and carry around.

Cassettes - I adore cassettes. They take up a lot of space, and are an obsolete technology, but there's something so beautifully nostalgic about them. And something beautiful about not being able to skip songs, and having to just listen. As a bonus you can get them hella cheap at thrift stores (same with CDs actually). I have a cassette player still and a drawer of cassettes, some of which were mixed tapes made for me by friends and family. Love them.

Vinyl - love it in theory, but I have 0 space for a record player, and vinyl takes up even more space than cassettes. Which, if you have limited space, is not ideal. Also they're often expensive! And I am poor! So!

Digital - Honestly digital is just so convenient. There's a reason that mp3 players became so massively popular - because you went from having a bulk portable cassette or CD player that you had to carry around (and extra tapes or CDs if you wanted to listen to more than one album) to having a device that fit in your pocket that could fit many albums. My first tiny mp3 player fit like 4 albums, and it was a game changer.

Realistically, 99% of what I listen to is digital music. It's much easier to get (either through streaming, sites like youtube and bandcamp, purchasing albums, or illegal downloads), much easier to keep backups of, and much much more convenient. Also as someone with some sensory auditory needs, it's easier to listen to things on my phone speaker than my stereo. I find that I rarely listen to a full album all the way through these days, and I love the ease with which I can make only playlists etc.

And Streaming services made it much, much easier to listen to a variety of music. I can find things that I would never have listened to if I stuck to only hard copy music.

So my feels are kind of complicated! Because I really adore hardcopy, and really value having physical copies of things - but also it's a lot cheaper for me to spend $10/month on Spotify than it is to even buy one $20 CD a month. (I have no idea what albums cost now, but that was around how much they cost when I was a teen and buying CDs a lot.) And that doesn't even take into consideration the space needed to store things. Digital is more convenient, in many many ways. And convenience isn't always the point of things - but I'm not going to pretend it's not a factor.

Thanks for the ask anon, sorry this was a bit rambley <3

#music #fungi anon #asks #anons #rambling #hank rates things #sort of

8 notes · View notes

misslauwie · 1 year

Text

I really really do think Jimin got great taste in songs and some may say that its JK's signature to use lyrics as a way to connect to the fan. But I do think this is a similae trait that Jimin has... Maybe once you get along so long, you pick up each other traits / habits?

Just watched Jimin's W behind the scene. While it leaves me wanting for more because I do think that its highly curated by Jimin... I came away with a gold mine. He made a song recommendation Honne.

And can I just say Wow. Maybe his raw feelings are expressed to his choice of songs or movies. You just need to dig deeper and be more proactive about it. It just makes me think again that Jimin is all abt layers. He makes you work for it and if you are attentive enough, smart enough then you will find meanings in his words and gestures. I know there is a well known saying that he has the tendency to say things just enough while not revealing any information. But if you read between the lines and care to dig deeper you will find gold mines.

Ok lets start with his song recommendation by Honne. Went off to my Spotify and immediately played Honne's songs and can I just say wow - Jimin really is a romantic and soft person. Two songs somehow clicked in my mind after listening to Honne: 1) Location Unknown and 2) Day One.

Location Unknown. The first I think kinda resembles his activities after the group hiatus where Jimin is busy with his own stuff (read: preparing for his solo album). In "location unknown" he expressed that hes away right now but he will be back and hes hoping his loved ones will wait for him. & lyrics below just resonates so deeply with regards to his activities and maybe his precious relationship.

I wish I knew where I was

'Cause I don't have a clue

I just need to work out some way of getting me to you

'Cause I will never find love like ours out here

In a million years

A million years

Note that somewhere in the W interview he also revealed that during the making of his solo album that he felt lost and he went to the members to look for comfort. Doesn't the above lyrics somewhat give more colors to the things he said verbally?

Day One. Somehow when I listen to this song I feel hes relating to his members. The love of his life and arguably his most solid support system. You need to go back to what he said during Festa 2020 when he said that he wants to continue the days of them being the 7 together. Also when he said during Festa 2022 when he said he views himself as Jimin of BTS and not comfortable of viewing himself as a single unit. And somehow the lyrics below feels like a tribute to the members and army to a certain extent. Read lyrics below and tell me if as army you dont feel touched.

You'll always be my day one

Day zero when I was no one

I'm nothing by myself

You and no one else

Thankful you're my day one

Thankful you're my

I got lucky

Finding you

I won big the day I came across you

'Cause when you're with me

I don't feel blue

Not a day goes by that I would not redo

Maybe im bias. And I do admit I worship the ground that Jimin walks on. But I decide to be unapologetic about it because I value myself enough to know that I got great vision and taste. And Jimin really is striking all the Ts and dotting the Is in the inspirational box.

Another is movie recommendation: Reborn Rich. The remarks Jimin made here is that he made that recommendation because everyone is watching it. & it seems that the main character (MC) is having a hard time. But after watching a few episodes of Reborn Rich, I do draw some parallels to Jimin in a certain way. The MC comes from an unpriviledge background where he was basically being looked down but manage to use his knowledge and brain to turn the situation around to those whom oppress the MC. So far rings a bell to the BangTan story in the early days and their current success? Remember in one of the Festa, Jimin also said he made his own way. A similar plot unfolds in the "Reborn Rich". MC do have key characters whom will help him along the way. No spoilers but the ending also shows how Jimin values family relationship.

The key with him (not that Im professing that I know him) is to dig deeper and read btw the lines. And I swear even if those are your own inferences, Jimin is a gift that keeps giving. You will find meanings, good ones, in what he chooses to share.

#ThankYouJimin

With Jimin til The End.

#park jimin #btsjimin #bts #jiminie

4 notes · View notes

b4nanaa · 6 months

Text

WEEK 6: Halsey

What was your experience listening to Halsey's album Hopeless Fountain Kingdom? What connections to Romeo and Juliet did you notice? How does the album relate thematically and/or stylistically to the play, Luhrmann's movie, or other adaptations we have explored? What did you find most interesting in the interview with Luhrmann and Halsey? I watched the interview first before listening to the songs, and I don't know if this is just a me issue (maybe I don't remember enough of the film or listen deeply enough to music), but I didn't really see the connection to the album to Romeo and Juliet. There was some bits where I could make the connection but over all I didn't think about Luhrmann's movie or Romeo and Juliet in general. I just saw it as only a breakup album. Not to say it wasn't good- the emotion and lyrics written were good, I just didn't make a lot of connections. It might just be a me issue (I was drawing while listening to the songs), but I can see how it stylistically connects to the movie. Some themes or beats reminded me of the feeling the movie provided and I could see how it connected with Romeo. I think I got the most out of the interview and I found it interesting how Halsey adapted the movie and the story into her songs. Like how she chooses to write or sing certain songs, or the framing of her and her lover. What I loved the most was how she chooses to be Romeo instead of the other way around. I would've never thought of that if she didn't say it and explain why. For her, she was the one mostly in control of the relationship and her lover felt like Juliet, someone who had less power than her (and this is represented in how he's framed and sang about). I loved that small detail and I want to watch the music videos to see if I can get more of that.

1 note · View note

existentialmagazine · 11 months

Text

Review: thankmelater. share their debut single ‘shutmedown.’, an empowering alternative-rock explosion tinged in electronic highs and acoustic lows

Debuting their first ever single ‘shutmedown.’, the upcoming alternative-rockers thankmelater. have spent years crafting their sound and perfecting thought-provoking lyricism sure to catch listeners ears within seconds. With previous experience in the alt-hard rock band Eighty Six Press, the duo took on their previous skills and built upon them to create something truly their own, marking their new endeavour to be a great testament on their evolution as artists’ when given the creative freedom between them. As they show just the start of what thankmelater. has to offer in this first ever release, we’re almost certain this one-of-a-kind outfit will be a force to be reckoned with once they find their way into the ears of the masses.

An atmospheric electric guitar riff leads us into ‘shutmedown.’, reverberating out into a soundscape tinged in isolation and vastness, instilling an immediate sense of intimacy in the for thankmelater.’s personal lyricism to fall front and centre. Soft beats and added electronic whirs add a driving progression for the verses introduction but the soundscape still champions minimalism, looking to create a powerful impact within the few instruments it at first has to offer. As their vocalist adds an emotionally-infused spoken-sung delivery of the track’s personal narrative, it’s unavoidable to listen and ache along, if not relate too. But it’s not long before the chorus interrupts the soft state thankmelater. had built, tearing down every expectation you had for ‘shutmedown.’ Thrusting into bold and loud electronic beats, thundering drums and shredding electric guitar, the track goes from a melancholic bedding to a ferocious high, channeling every ounce of anger, frustration and determination to push through. With their vocalist confidently spitting each word, his previously more sombre delivery is quick to switch-up into something much more invigorated, topping of the choruses’ in-your-face energy with an equally fitting level of angst. Progressing to a bridge that revolves almost entirely around their smashing drums before shifting into a short segment of acoustic guitar, ‘shutmedown.’ doesn’t hesitate to offer everything you’d expect and so much more, and it all sounds seriously exceptional.

If the track’s constant push and pull between high and low didn’t make it evident enough, the lyricism of ‘shutmedown.’ tackles an equally fitting narrative of mental health struggles and the distinct shifts in moods that come with them. With verses revolving around the weight of their lows and depressive thoughts, lines like ‘how do I begin to solve a problem, if I can’t even start to help myself?’ feel deeply pulled down by their thoughts, as well as their life, looking for answers and a sense of hope that they can’t find. Further lacking a confidence in themselves, lyrics like ‘I’m the one that’s getting my way’ bear the burden of what it can truly feel like to be at your lowest, unable to get help or shift your mindset. Yet the chorus and bridge look to paint a different picture, pushing the notion of finding your strength and ultimately never allowing anything to shut you down: ‘tell me how when I get stuck, do I give myself that push, so I don’t drown when these currents drag me out?’ Between its’ fears and its’ confidence, ‘shutmedown.’ is a real journey that many who have been in their own ruts can certainly relate to, finding some comfort in hearing they’re not alone in their thoughts but given a much-needed push to fight their way through.

Check out ‘shutmedown.’ for yourself here to get a real boost of motivation, as well as check out thankmelater.’s strikingly tumultuous soundscape that never stops giving!

Written by: Tatiana Whybrow

Photo Credits: Unknown

// This coverage was created via Musosoup, #SustainableCurator.

#music #singlereview #thankmelater.

0 notes

inpinkandwhite · 1 year

Text

Manifesto of Perception

Look beyond what's in front of you. Look behind and the side, from the top and from the bottom. The eyes aren't the only thing that can decipher or appreciate a work of art. Even people are not what they seem, you can look at someone and never know what actually makes them them. In the process of this course, my collection of blog posts underlines an important purpose to me personally and to everyone as well, to look past what is visible and to see paintings, movies, or songs not just with our eyes but with all our senses. When analyzing a certain piece of video art, just particularly seeing a still shot of the man jumping in the water your mind doesn't go to the crucifixion or the artist's opinions about heaven and hell. My analysis of the scene in the movie, Moonlight, where the two protagonists after being separated for years, and having lived different lives finally meet again. A lot of what the scene is saying is said in the silence and pauses between the characters. Without watching the rest of the movie or even just the scene previous to this one you can't know what the story is. The same point stands for real humans, consider people watching, it is impossible to know what actually lies in a person's heart and mind based solely on the look or aesthetics of a person. The quote “Never judge a book by its cover”, is a phrase heard very often and when put to practice and use it is possible to be pleasantly surprised. It is possible to find and like something new that you wouldn't have previously enjoyed if we focused on the binding of the book rather than what’s written on the pages. When looking at artwork it can be difficult to actually see anything past the canvas, in a way where we can truly encapsulate and begin to understand the piece. In this case, it is important to note the emotions that the art piece conveys. In the abstract analysis piece I did, the painting is very literal with not much to go off of except the pretty and soft colors. The whimsical aspects are what drew me to the painting in the first place, the fact that a painting can make a viewer feel happy or calm means the artist has managed to capture and mix emotion to create a pigment that brings color to the canvas and to what could have been an otherwise colorless life. Another way of seeing things beyond what is verbatim is by putting yourself in another's shoes. For example, the song, “ Two Ghosts”, by Harry Styles is the representational piece of artwork I chose. This breakup song perfectly captures a relationship that ends not in malice but amicably with an underlying sadness. When this song was released in 2017, I could easily recognize its contents as sad and melancholy, but when my own relationship ended I could not only feel the sentiment and emotion in a different and more real way but I could relate back to my own heartbreak and angst. Rather than just saying I understand I can actually truly interpret and see my own failed pairing in the lyrics. It's the easiest part of this process, to just say it to express that you feel that way but living and putting it to use is difficult. What helps me is taking it one day at a time and remembering that everyone is trying their best. It is also an important thought to note that with a perception of a person or a piece of artwork, comes acceptance of others having a past. That a person's emotional baggage is deeply rooted in their history, and acceptance is an important part of seeing beyond. Isn't that what everyone wants? To be accepted and loved in your world. Acceptance is not the same as agreeance, but accepting that a painting or a person is not what they seem and being able to appreciate what is being shown and presented to us.

0 notes

declaredmissing · 2 years

Text

writing is freedom – to create my world and sense of self?

This entire past winter, I tried to lean into the task of teaching myself to feel again. To create for the right reasons. The process of learning to write music again has taught me, in a visceral way, that creating and sharing and expressing is a mode of courage, and it takes extraordinary strength and humility, and I ought to recognize that in myself and give myself due credit.

I was scared to sing, even to myself. I wanted to feel again, but to feel demands that my heart be open. And this demands encountering the entirety of myself, even the parts that I wish to hide. I wasn’t able to relate to songs, because I was resisting life, and so I struggled to attach memories and associations to music.

It was difficult; in the immediate aftermath of my breakup, I didn’t know how to exist for myself. So I started small, and took baby steps. The most important thing, I told myself, was to keep moving.

I found survival in aimless night walks, making predictable rounds through the quiet streets. I would play with the words and images that came to me, stringing together nonsense lyrics to songs that don’t exist yet. I wantedto sing out loud, but I’m nervous about disrupting the silence and being overheard. Softly, I’d sing a few words. They’d sound too loud, too clear, establishing a presence where I want to disappear and fade into my surroundings. And so I would fall back into silence and keep walking, until my legs were tired, wondering what it would be like to keep walking until I reach the dead end and there’s no further I can go.

I would often walk until I reached a certain street that I never go beyond. The street was an invisible line I marked for myself. It’s as if once I cross it, I can never return. When I reach it, it’s my signal to turn back and start walking home.

That was an especially lonely, difficult period of my life. I discovered that I didn’t even know how to open my heart to music anymore; music had been reduced to noise in my ears to pass the time. I knew how to listen intellectually, identifying interesting sounds, but not in a way that felt like anything. I wondered at first if it was because nothing in my daily life summoned me to feel. Nothing called on me to be human in any way. But I realized, it was also because I was hiding from myself.

Being alone with myself led me to question why I don’t want to create, which in turn led me to discover my own shame and self-doubt. Much of what held me back was a lack of faith, feeling that I wasn’t ready or good enough. There were all these insiduous ways I was cruel to myself without even being aware of it.

I would cut myself down as naive and shiny-eyed, but I realize these words I use to describe myself are an internalization of the way past men in my life would dismiss me. I internalized the belief that I haven’t lived enough yet to be able to have any kind of truth to share from my experience.

I compared myself to the accomplishments of brilliant, intelligent women who have written and read and learned so much, and I felt inadequate. I felt deeply insecure reading about the success of other writers and artists, because I had created nothing of my own. It hadn’t occurred to me to have the audacity to believe that I was just as capable of creating too; that just because I hadn’t received recognition doesn’t mean my prspective isn’t worth sharing.

I still struggle to write for myself. The most difficult challenge of my life right now is learning how to create a life that I feel is worth sharing with others, or what about my life would be a relatable point of connection. When I read the writing of others, it feels like everything’s been said. I shared this feeling with a friend a few months ago, telling him I felt that my writing was pointless because I had nothing new to offer or say. His response was kind. He reminded me that there was someone out there who had experienced the world in a way closer to me than to someone else who might have said the same thing but better. And that person might feel less alone to discover they shared this experience with me.

So much of our culture leads us to believe that the worth of writing is not in newness or genuines revelation. We celebrate genius and innovation, as if that should be the sole goal of creating. It makes it difficult to remember that there is another reason to create; the potential for one’s experience to resonate with someone else. To perhaps feel less alone.

Creating anything–art, a song, a story, a life–drags out my struggles with vulnerability and shame and self-doubt into the open. I have to confront these darker parts of myself I would rather not to think about, these unpleasant defenses that hold me back from the courage to face my life and be responsible for myself.

I’d like to feel free, and I’d like to be kind, and I’d like everything I do to be dedicated towards choosing the world I’d like to live in. I know that means I have to be brave and I have to find courage in myself to stand behind my beliefs, and I think that kind of courage involves allowing myself to be vulnerable, but I don’t know how. I’ve spent so much of my life constructing armor. I don’t know how put myself out there before I feel ready, in being okay with being messy and making errors. I know that it’s a signal I’m growing and changing, but it’s hard for me to accept that I must be imperfect along the way.

Creating and sharing what I create is both an attempt to reach out and be seen and loved for who I am, but it’s also a fear and shame that I’ll come to regret who I am. I’m afraid, when I anticipate shame. I struggle with allowing myself to be imperfect. As in, accepting that I’m messy and embarrassing and have thoughts and beliefs and opinions that eventually I’ll come to regret. I dream of being fully formed and perfect and complete and ‘final’. I don’t yet know how to accept and forgive myself for not having arrived yet, and to accept that I’ll never arrive. That’s the hardest part for me to understand.

There are days I feel ungenerous, I’m easily irritated or I desperately want people to like me. But in other days, in glancing moments that I snatch like a thief, I feel free. When I’m standing on a box in my bathroom to fully see myself in the mirror, taking a scissor to my hair, watching pieces of me fall away as I shape myself. For months, I had been driven crazy by my reflection, seeing myself with the haircut of a cosmopolitan businesswoman that made me feel like I was someone I’m not. But now, with each decisive cut, exercising my freedom to destroy in order to be closer to who I really am. At first with precision, then with the careless exhilaration of realizing I’m not afraid of the imperfect outcome. Because at least it’d be an outcome that I chose.

I think that ultimate freedom, or the kind that I’m searching for, is being able to do something for the inherent value in itself. To exist for myself.

For me, writing is an exercise of choice. A way of making sense of my life, inventing and imagining my reality as a lifeline to make this world endurable to me. Freedom is the ability to write my own story and existence into being. The freedom of becoming interested in my own imagination and inner life.

My friend lent me his keyboard last autumn, and I would make bursts of recordings. When I listened back to them, the 30 second audio clips were embarrassing. But, listening back to these songs I created, I learned of feelings I wasn’t able to communicate in words. To make music is to speak truth. The songs I created told me something about who I was, about an interiority to myself I hadn’t realized existed. With each recording, the idea grew bolder and less self-conscious. I felt like I was growing wings; I felt like a newborn colt rising on shaky legs.

None of these songs came from happiness. When I would sit down in front of the piano, it wasn’t to express joy, but to scratch at a wound. I would be filled with so much want, a hunger and an overflow, an itch to put it down, take it out, everything inside me. The songs I composed felt like they were bursting open, notes spilling out like wild horses running through an open field, like I’ve been circling within the confines of a cage, but finally – I’m running, learning to use my legs for the first time. I’m learning to write myself, to exist for myself.

There’s a song I drafted, months ago. I jokingly, temporarily named the recording ‘noelle testimony song’. I would tell others that the lyrics I wrote to the song don’t mean anything, and fully believed that. But when I looked back at the lyrics I wrote for it, I realized the song was about the loneliness and anger of not being seen. If parts of me didn’t exist to others, it was like I didn’t exist at all. But somewhere in this song, I was trying to exist.

Thinking about the lyrics of this song makes me wonder, what would it feel like to want to pay testimony to my own life? To give testimony is to bear witness; but first, I must convince myself of the inherent worth of my story. It would mean paying attention to the world inside of me; the interiority that’s terrified of existing.

The need to convince others of the inherent value and worth of another being’s existence and experience is a kind of prison. I think that ultimate freedom, or the kind that I’m searching for, is being allowed to exist. To exist for myself.

In the recording of the song, my voice is pale, and you can tell I’m not sure of myself. The words are stilted and staccato; I’m still summoning the courage to breathe and use my lungs differently. But still, I’m singing. And still, those are my words, and they came from me. For the first time in a long time, I was writing and singing my world.

There's a sheet of lyrics that I wrote during this time in my life, nonsensical like a nursery rhyme: I’m not a tinker, but I’ll mine all the copper and mend the ripped seams / I’m not a sailor, but I’ll reel in the islands and cast out my nets / and I hope the seabirds make it home safely on trade winds tonight. They felt arbitrary during the time I wrote them, but when I recite these words, they somehow feel like a magic spell meant to protect me.

In more hopeful moments when I’m feeling optimistic, I feel excited to begin figuring out who I am. To sharpen the image of myself in my own mind. I want to reach past the invisible bars holding me back. To recover my impulse to write for myself*,* the desire to figure out my own story, for it to matter to me. I hope next year, I’ll be able to look back and think, I came this far, and I didn’t know I had it in me.

I hope I’ll be brave enough to write imperfect songs. To sing my world into existence, and to find joy in what I create, because it’s my truth, even if it’s messy and only partly formed. And I hope this can be the start of becoming a writer. Of creating a life I could write about, a sense of self I could write from. I’m out with a lantern, looking for wings. To recover myself, because I have no other choice.

I suppose this looks like the start of what could be a beautiful life. I have no promises. I can’t know what will come full circle, or what threads will never be resolved. But I hope at the end of this, I can say I survived, and beyond surviving, I existed as fully as I could.

0 notes

zuluc · 3 years

Text

anonymous requested: i've been thinking about what to request for the past 3 days and i think i've finally got it. can i ask for kaeya or diluc with a crush that's a depressed bard that always composes sad songs and lyrics? here's the twist, though. their songs and lyrics start to cheer up as the two of them become closer friends!

pairing: diluc x gn! reader

style & genre: written; fluff

warnings: none

notes: i decided to do diluc for this one because I think it’d have a great impact on him as a person as well, and i’m here for more fluff with him 🥰 i made the lyrics myself for the sake of this fic please go easy on me all i know about music is playing the violin/viola also this is long

i changed the prompt a bit if that’s alright!

“Who are you exactly?” Diluc eyes you strangely when you look at him with a blank stare. In one hand you have a notebook and in the other is a lyre. You walked in only moments ago, actively avoiding anyone’s eyes as they knew you weren’t from town. You just wanted to go straight to the owner of the tavern and hope to share what you had in that book of yours.

“A bard,” you say. You look around to see a few of the townspeople staring back while the others cheer happily with each other as if an exciting thing had happened. “Do you have room for a performance?”

Diluc raises an eyebrow and crosses his arms. You didn’t appear to have any double meaning or ill intention in your words, rather, your eyes were just void of any glint of mischief he usually saw in a certain person. But to waltz in one day and ask for something like this so casually, you really weren’t from there.

“Sure, just don’t steal anything.” He is skeptical of you as he is of any one else but you didn’t need to know that. You were used to it after all. He directs you to the side of the bar that was supposedly the “performance stage” but it didn’t matter. Anywhere was fine with you.

The townspeople gradually stop their chatter as you quickly tune your lyre, playing a chord once the strings were ready. The tune that escapes into the air effectively silences any remaining voices. The song you were going to start wasn’t one they would usually hear in this city of freedom and apparently cheerfulness.

Your fingers hook at the strings, releasing them with ease as a soulful melody fills the entire tavern. The chord was of the lower register and hummed deeply. Diluc flicks his eyes over to you as he cleans a glass and sees your own eyes are closed.

When the night has passed

For then will I be free

Will they see me trample dust

Or let me keep my feet

Your book is open and he can see the words you were singing on the pages. It looks like you just started this line of work given how many pages were left in that book, assuming it was your only one as all you came in with were those two items and a small bag of mora.

He doesn’t notice how much of an effect your song had until he scans over the tavern patreons. Your voice carries through, swaying through the people to where it grazes a piece of their hearts to reminisce forlorn memories. But your words felt soulful as if they had come from your own experiences. A thought passes over his head which causes his heart to pang before quickly shaking it off when he realizes the feeling.

Ah, so you were this type of bard.

Diluc just thinks he’ll only see you one time so he lets the thought pass through.

Once your song ends the drunk townspeople cheer loudly among themselves. You are taken aback by all the noise but bow politely to them for their reaction. You take your things as they call out for you to do another song and you shake your head.

“Maybe another time,” you say with slight sorrow to your face or words. They accept the answer and continue on their night and when you turn to leave, Diluc can’t stop the words that come out of his mouth.

“Why not stay for a drink?” You look at him incredulously and he crosses his arms, “Call it payment for your services. They seemed to enjoy it.” You make cautious movement as you make your way to a stool. Diluc sets out an apple cider vinegar drink and you sniff at it. Once you take a sip you notice his face at the corner of your sight. The edge of his lip is slightly quirked up as he sighs while cleaning a glass.

It seems they weren’t the only ones who enjoyed the song.

Mondstadt was a city that was very welcoming in comparison to all the other places you spent time at. The people were either unwilling to hear your music or had particular reactions to the pieces you shared. To them, it seemed you didn’t understand that bar music was supposed to be lively and something to dance to. Not something to feel sad about.

But you wanted to share it anyways for your songs are one of the few things in life that you are proud of. One of the few things that have filled the emptiness of yourself that you lost those years ago and maybe, just maybe, sharing them will help you feel in some way. To you, these songs are sorrowful, but they shouldn’t just make people sad. That’s why you were quite surprised at the reactions at Angel’s Share as opposed to those from other places.

They should elicit emotions of nostalgia. Or maybe, you just hadn’t found the right experience to make them happier.

You come back a few nights later and Diluc is working the bar yet again. When he lifts his head, his shoulders sag in relief seeing that it is you. Venti had come by a few times after hearing about you and kept pressing the owner about letting him on the stage as well.

He was rejected numerous times in tandem with being asked to pay up for his drink tab.

The same book and lyre are still in hand when you head towards Diluc like you did that first night. He places the glass in his hands down and gives you a nod of his head, “Welcome back.”

“Thanks,” You look around and see that the tavern is even fuller than the last night you performed. It seems word had got around of your songs and they had all been waiting patiently for nights now. That was what an attendee had said to you outside the door anyways. “Do you mind?” You gesture to the stage.

“Go for it,” Any sense of caution that seeped through his words when you met him was near to nonexistent now. Maybe it was the impressions you left on the townspeople and their word of mouth the past few days. A depressing bard in the city of freedom in comparison to the other bards was news, especially when this bar had a wonderful voice to listen to.

The bar quiets again with the numerous greetings and cheers in seeing you up there. You flip open your book and thumb through the pages before settling on one song near the middle. It was a two-parter.

Your fingers pick at the strings lightly, slowly adding pressure thus causing the volume to increase subtly. Diluc shifts in his spot as he tries to focus on the tasks at hand but there really isn’t anything he is going to lose if he wants to listen.

I ran far in the depths of that same night

They chased me off as they truly had hoped

But I lost my way and wandered far

Met and saw numerous things was how I coped

The townspeople are yet again taken by your voice and melody that they had started to move with the music. Diluc decides to abandon his tasks for a little while, now aware how your music allows him to reflect as you intended.

He sees these events before him. The death of one close to him and the loss of someone beside him whom he thought he could trust wholeheartedly. You stop singing but continue with plucking at the strings that calms the atmosphere. It is solemn and relaxing, almost putting the drunkest of the bunch to sleep but through sheer willpower they stay awake to listen on.

Happy and cheerful those that I have seen

But they were not accepting of me

Sharing the harsh reality of these mysteries

How will one otherwise feel so free?

The song ends and a round of cheers erupts, louder than the first night as there were more people. Diluc snaps out of his thoughts and wordlessly fixes you another drink that you take again, albiet still a bit shyly.

“Your lyrics,” Diluc begins and you tense at the sound of his voice, “From experience I assume?” He is straightforward, you should know this from the gossip around town. There was nothing in it for you to hide anything from him or anyone else so you tell him.

“Yes. That’s what makes good music, does it not?” You take a sip of the beverage. It must be a different one as it is much sweeter than the apple cider vinegar. “When you can relate to the words yourself. I simply want to share that with the people for reasons even I am unsure of.”

Diluc hums and doesn’t look you in the eye for his next words.

“I see. Your voice is quite nice.”

You both managed to continue with light chatter that night and he learns that you are staying in Mondstadt for quite a bit. You had no set plans to be in a specific place at any specific time so what was the rush to leave? Among this he is aware of how you speak. There is an ambiguous sorrow in your words from the effect of your past, he believes, that share no optimism but realistic choices that would completely stop the conversation.

But he was the same so it continues.

His past is the reason for his own apprehension when speaking with strangers but you were a little different. You outright told him your objective and you were just a bard who wanted to share their experience.

You learn this of him and it was the first time that you felt light when speaking with someone.

“Y/n!” They learn of your name after the third night you show up which is another few nights after the second. Some take your music as a lighthearted joke in contrast to their free lives while others pay close attention to the words and sway with the tune.

You give a small grin in acknowledgement before sitting in the stool in front of Diluc. Throughout the weeks you had gotten to know each other a little better besides the titles of The Sorrowful Bard and Diluc of Mondstadt. You were just y/n and he was Diluc.

You always make a point to talk to him before performing, giving a small insight into the meaning behind your words. Last time replayed the sleepless night and doubts as you wandered Teyvat and the time before that was a retelling of an animal that accompanied you for the last months of its life.

“It knew it had to go yet it decided to follow me, spreading that sadness of loss to me as I was attached.” You said to him that night with dry eyes.

All you tell him is that this song is a little different from your other ones.

He shows more of himself to you, actions he wouldn’t typically show to others if it weren’t for a certain motive or purpose. But you were not threatening nor wanted something from him. Diluc put a bit of trust in you for that.

You never sing more than one song each night because you want them to take in the words of each song carefully. Like that animal, you wanted to share the sadness but allow them to see the great memories.

This night contains your fourteenth or fifteenth song and it is fairly new. You wrote this in the early hours of the morning with a newfound emotion bustling inside your chest. You were scared when waking up, but felt reassured when there was a hint of melancholy there among an unfamiliar emotion.

The tavern goers look at you with hopeful and excited eyes. You feel warmth in your heart as you remember the times a few of them have come up to you telling you that your music has made it easier to sleep. That your music is inspiring; sad, but inspiring.

You play a chord and Diluc raises a brow in hearing a lighter tone. Underlying is that first low tone in your first night, indicating that you plan to keep a sense of your usual.

Then I stumbled in, seeing the light there

Unexpected welcoming I was greeted by

At first there was nothing then passed a while

Uprising something foreign for me to finally cry

Even if your eyes are trained to the floor, they are in his general direction. You didn’t know what you were feeling and you sure didn’t want to push it.

He has his entire attention directed at you.

You pluck higher notes much different from the chords you were accustomed to, messing up in a few that no one seemed to notice. You straighten yourself and look over the entire bar, settling your eyes on him for a bit too long for him to notice.

And so thankful am I

To be able to do such as that

And never is it unwelcomed

The beats in my soul are no longer flat

Your eyes stay staring at him and the cheers drown out. Diluc’s hand raises a few centimeters from the counter but you have already picked up your book and instrument and left.

The drink is untouched as he follows after you, thanks to Charles.

You feel like you can’t breathe but there is physically nothing blocking your airway. You assumed it was due to the collection of body heat in the tavern but even the cool night air did nothing to soothe the burning in your face.

Why did I look at him? Why was he looking back? What does this mean?

“Y/n!” You gasp at the sound of his voice and as you turn around you hope that it was just in your head. Your mouth opens and closes but you can’t speak. you don’t know what to say.

Truthfully, he doesn’t either.

Diluc didn’t know what to expect when you told him it would be different. He definitely didn’t expect for the song to be about him. He had deducted this reasoning and confirmed it when your eyes met and to you leaving.

In that room he felt the same: his face was warm and his heartbeat picked up when you lingered your gaze on him. He didn’t know what this feeling was either.

Neither of you are speaking, the breeze brushing through.

“I’m sorry!” You say, bowing your head so he cannot see the tears of confusion, frustration, and something else running down your face.

“Why are you apologizing?” He is near you now and he can feel you jump at his touch on your shoulder. When you don’t push him off he moves his gloved hand to cup your face to lift it up. This is the first time he’s seen you cry.

Ironic, given your songs.

Diluc lightly presses his thumb to your cheek to brush off a tear. “Apologizing is for if you’ve done something wrong. You have done nothing of the sort.”

“Are you sure?” You say without hesitation. It is an automatic response, built upon the hardening of your heart and soul through your travels. Diluc chuckles, a small smile on his face.

“I am sure.”

You strum lightly, a newfound lightness to you that almost everyone has noticed. Your songs still have that sorrowful reality to them but at the end they have changed. Seeing more of the graceful and fulfilling beauty of life.

Diluc still fixes you drinks after every performance and indulges you in conversation. This time around, however, he leans in closer and places his hand closer to yours.

And you are thankful to feel that emotion.

#genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact headcannons #genshin impact scenarios #genshin impact fluff #genshin impact angst #genshin impact imagines #genshin impact diluc x reader #genshin impact diluc #diluc ragnvindr x reader #diluc ragnvindr #diluc x reader #diluc

423 notes · View notes

plutoswrath · 3 years

Text

⋆ ✩ Happy Taeyong Day ✩ ⋆

In order to celebrate our cancer king’s birthday, I decided to write an astrological appreciation post (all in the manner of my blog here) about our dear leader of nct! ♡ Continue to read under the cut!

♡ Virgo Mars in the 7th: Considerate, thorough, hard working and really set on self-improvement. The members already mentioned ones that Taeyong is very set on fulfilling tasks thoroughly and neatly, Virgo Mars are motivated by doing things to a certain standard and having it in the 7th house means Taeyong most likely has developed this 'perfectionism' by the people he met and helped him grow up. Dedicates himself with great care and endurance to any task and this definitely rubs off on others.

♡ Cancer Sun in the 5th house + Leo Moon in the 6th house: I always thought of this Sun and Moon combination as special, as the luminaries have switched places and are now residing in each other’s home. As he is a Cancer Sun, a cardinal water sign, this gives him the ability to lead with great emotional and social awareness as well as emotional richness. It’s easy to relate to and understand others and connect emotionally with them, which for me always showed especially strong in the way Taeyong deals with new/younger members! He is comforting, patient and understanding, truly in his Cancer nature making them easier feel ‘at home’. With Sun in the 5th house, creative self expression is key here, especially creative work as an emotional outlet. This Sun position most likely gives Taeyong a refreshing streak as well, as their is a natural enthusiasm and curiosity about life and all it can offer. Especially with a Leo Moon in the 6th house it almost seems written in the stars that Taeyong has a job that requires his need to express his individuality in his work. All in all, this sun and moon combo heightens a strong sense to have ones own ‘brand’ and I think it’s clear to see Taeyong’s very unique ‘blueprint’ in all of his art forms, doesn’t matter if it’s his dancing, his rap, his music, the lyrics, etc. I think what’s very beautiful and visible in Taeyong is his inner child that just wants to be out here and ‘play’, it really reflects in the way he seems to see and interact with the world.

♡ Gemini Mercury/Venus in the 4th: Speaking from the bottom of his heart. Words and ideas are deeply rooted in his emotional patterns, behaviour and emotional necessities and values, especially since they conjunct his IC. Changable and adaptive, Taeyong is probably a person that can not stand the thought of stagnation: there is always something new and something more exciting waiting around the next corner and. Impressed by everything that can enrichen his inner being, he is, again, the happiest when he is able to be free and explorative because the constant readjustment and exploration of new subjects of interests/insights are probably a big part of him, which is very visible in his music and might also explain - alltogether with his Sun and Moon as well - his preferences for the more quirky (and I mean this absolutely positive) things and aesthetics!

♡ Pisces Rising + Gemini IC - Sagittarius MC: meant to be explorative and free. I think one if the most beautiful things you can clearly see about Taeyong is that he’s following his own individualistic ideas and expressions. Having developed his own philosophy in the world, which makes him not only an original artist but also someone who feels himself striving for a bigger cause, always aiming for another bigger picture. Coming from Gemini (his IC), he is a highly attentive person that uses his natural interest in every detail around him to set off to a bigger project, wanting to actively expand his mind. Having a Pisces Rising already makes him prone to unconsciously soak up the impressions and feelings of the collective, feeling eeringly connected to the universe and it’s residents. Thus, this gives him a strong imagination and a sheerless endless pot of fantasy he can refer to and create from. Also: Pisces Rising + Cancer Sun in the 5th and Leo Moon in the 6th? I mean I sincerely believe almost every Cancer loves animals but I think Taeyong probably feels eerily connected to animals and loves taking care of them, because it makes him feel really really good (and all that nurturing tendecies need to go somewhere, right?)

♡ Saturn in the 1st, Saturn in contact to his Venus and Mars: Patient and hard working. If anything, Saturn's pressure and limitations are the reason for excellence, because they will make someone most likely have go the extra mile. Even though there are many downfalls coming with harsh Saturn aspects, it makes one painfully aware of what one wants and brings resilience as well as tenacity. As Cancer Sun is already a very tenacious sign, I think Taeyong's strong sense of self and his unique 'blueprint' where probably also due to the fact that he had to work really hard (internal as well as external) for what he wanted to achieve and become. Thus, I think Taeyong is a perfect example for discipline and drive.

#taeyong our beloved <33333 #petition to make the cancerian kings birth a national holiday asdfgjkl #it’s either taeyongf or go home #this is my unofficial love letter to lee taeyong because this guy has my heart as a fellow cancer #I decided I will do this for every members birthday if you guys are interested in that!#can’t wait to wait almost a whole year to make one for kun <3333333333 #lee taeyong #nct #nct 127 #astrology #kpop astrology #nct astrology #nct headcanons #nct scenarios #nct fluff #zodiac #own #plutoswrath #nct soft hours

147 notes · View notes

lochsides · 3 years

Text

Yellow Metal - cathartic Review

Here’s something I did not expect to be reviewing this week but when Zayn drops a 24 minute rap track, you fall in line. I had to listen to it a couple times through before I could even begin to make sense of my thoughts because my brain sort of malfunctioned. I have never been prouder to be a Zayn fan. He’s such a nuanced songwriter and there is so much to unpack here.

I think this is the most unfiltered version of Zayn that we have ever been exposed to (and possibly will ever be). I am grateful that he said his piece in this because it needed to be said. As a brown woman, I felt so seen by this and I cannot explain what that means to me. Thank you Z, for your unvarnished truth in addressing racism and various forms of discrimination.

I’m doing a short lyrical analysis below the cut, but the TLDR is that this is a fantastic piece of art that deserves to be heard.

I wish he had released this as an EP because that would be easier to review than a single 24 minute song, structurally speaking. So instead, I have picked out some key lyrics, going from top to bottom, that really spoke to me and decided to study the song that way. His lyricism is hard-hitting in this track. It is beyond anything he has ever released before.

“The planet bleeds, the damaged trees. It’s never leaving until we ascend so fuck the fence.” — I have not seen this lyric being talked about in the fandom, because the lyrics that follow this steal the show, rightly so, but I wanted to give this line a moment because it’s important too. To me, this lyric speaks to where Zayn is at with his relationship with the physical world. He’s out on the farm (about which he even goes to say “tell you what I like, farm life and the tractor”) and I believe he’s happy in his space and he feels connected to nature (also see River Road). So it is a poignant and slightly jaded, but valid perspective that he shares on climate change. It’s never leaving until we ascend. The damage human beings have done to the planet won’t be undone until there are no humans left to do damage. It’s a single sentence that says so much about the depth of the climate crisis. I’m doing my PhD on urban air quality so this is something I care really deeply about and I resonated with.

“And until they stop killing colour, it’s fuck the feds.” — Yeah, agreed Zayn. The systemic racism that he calls out here is echoed throughout the song, in equal parts anger and boldness. I love that he isn’t glossing over it with metaphors, which he could easily do and it would be beautiful in a totally different way, but this makes it harder for racists to overlook. There is so much power in calling it like it is.

“Never lose me to fentanyl, scared when I take a Benadryl, keeping it green in general.” — It frustrates me to no end to see Zayn painted as this drug-addicted lazy musician that doesn’t care about his work, because we know how untrue that is. This narrative is tired and simply boring too, and I won’t get into the racist connotations of it when you consider it against his white colleagues who smoke as much as him but that isn’t one of their defining traits in the media.

“I’m racking up excuses while I’m slacking off on work … it was hard work that got me heard” — I love the juxtaposition in this verse. The public/media perception on his career is that Zayn doesn’t put in effort or that he doesn’t want it. This obviously stems from his leaving the band. It goes back to what I was saying before about narrative, when in reality, as Zayn has said on various occasions, he fights to make his own choices. And that doesn’t have to look the way everyone else expects it to (“I beg you, don’t include me. I might write it on my shirt”), he has his own struggles that have helped forge his path, but it is his path that he paved, himself. He works hard to be heard. He has to. It reminds me of something my parents used to tell me when I was younger about being immigrants: you have to work 10 times harder for the same opportunities just because of the colour of your skin or your name on the cv. It’s a harsh truth to grow up with but it was my reality, as it is for most POC.

“This life doesn’t give you no armour, a lot of myself can harm you. I swear on what’s good, that I’m here ‘til they take me. I pray that I’m wrinkled, at least over 80…” — There is something about the simplicity of these lyrics are the messaging that I love. He isn’t trying too hard to sound poetic but he still manages it perfectly.

“All I've been achieving, clocking miles in this region, moving like a legion. Promise that I made to myself, an allegiance. Do you still believe I’m a fool for ever leaving? Staring at the ceiling, can never put a cap on achieving. I’m just here for the rap, then I’m leaving. // I’ve had about enough of being my own enemy. It’s time I grew up, a long way from 17. Always went against the grain, struggles in my life. Got some things to say when I stand up on the mike.” — This is the only 1D-related lyric I’ll make reference to because this song is about so much more than that. That said though, we cannot overlook Zayn’s experiences in the band because that is part of his story. The tongue-in-cheek of “I’m just here for the rap, then I’m leaving” is hilarious to me. The line about not wanting to be his own enemy anymore and growing up from 17 reminds me of that quote Taylor (Swift) mentioned in Miss Americana about celebrities getting stuck at the age they got famous. I think this verse is similar to that. None of them ever wanted to be in the band and I don’t care what anyone says, Zayn leaving and proving success outside the band gave the rest of them the courage to follow their own solo careers. Sure there was drama surrounding the split but he did it for himself, to tell his stories the way he is now. Whatever else you have to say about him, you cannot deny his authenticity.

“I ain’t dropping this for fame, I need this time, like therapy, it’s just to keep me sane.” — I think this line tells us 2 things, the first being that this song was not leaked. Z knew what he was doing and his twitter likes tell us as much. He didn’t release it for any sort of attention, otherwise it would be widely available on streaming platforms and for purchase. Which leads to my second point, he released this song to get everything he talks about on the track off his chest. Its referenced in other lyrics too, like “now you see where I come from, the world don’t.” This was for whoever cared to listen, not the world. It’s inaccessible for a reason. I love that he threw those lyrics in. It makes the song feel more like a private conversation or listening to a friend rant. It creates a different form of intimacy between himself and his fans.

“Lessons that I’ve learned, I’ve tried teaching to myself. What I’ve learnt from certain people is that they’re better than myself. So I surround myself with real ones, and you feel the plastic melt.” — This one is for anyone that buys into conspiracy theories surrounding Zayn’s personal life. He surrounds himself with real people, real friendships, real connections. I have never bought into the bullshit that he has zero autonomy over his personal life. I love the use of plastic melting as a metaphor for ridding his life of fakeness.

“Feeling trapped. This industry is a cage.” — Zayn is obviously not the first person to say it. Many artists talk about how suffocating the industry is ( which he further comments on in the sung portion: “I don’t wanna be, I don’t wanna be, a part of this, no, I don’t wanna be, I don’t wanna be, a part of this”). Fame is such a wild and unnatural concept and the exploitation and politics of the music industry only feed further into it. The industry being a cage makes me think of zoos and how celebrities are animals on display, when they should be free in the wild. I also really like the musical interlude following this part.

“Nobody’s speaking the truth, I’m offended by the State. Look at the state of the news, I’ve decided the argument, reciting my views.” — Zayn toes the line between keeping to himself and speaking out on important issues, sometimes not very well. I am his biggest cheerleader, but I’m not up his ass. There have been many occasions where he could’ve done better. But I cannot fault him for being offended by the State because same, Z, same. I love that he took this song as an opportunity to real speak out, no punches pulled.

“See I’ve been facing the racists from back when I were a kiddie. Born up in 93’. Living in Bradford City, they kicked me out of the school. Said they had a problem with me hitting the kids that would call me p***, still sit in the classroom, chilling. I’m angry now that I’m older cause I see they treat us different. Got me thinking I’m the problem ‘cause they never dealt with these issues.” — See what I meant about no punches pulled. He said that! He said it like that too. There is so much in this verse that I relate to, it hits a little too deep. I grew up as a brown in predominantly white communities where the colour of my skin was the reason I was outcasted. We know when that’s happening, clear as day. The lyric “got me thinking that I’m the problem cause they never dealt with these issues” says it all. I have many racial traumas that I’m dealing with as an adult because the adults around me when I was a child didn’t deal with racism in the classroom. They do treat us different!

“20 years later, I’m still in the same boat. Tryna treat me like my grandpa, say I came up off the boat. Came to tell you what I stand for. Man I think you’re shit, a joke. How can I be civil when they got me by the throat? // Pushing my feelings down, you ain’t got it like them. ‘Boy your skin is so light.’ Ok motherfucker, take my name up on a flight. Try to convince immigration that your bloodline’s half white.” — Zayn talking his shit is my new favourite art form. How can I be civil when they got me by the throat? Something that I will always be enraged by is that POC are expected to de-escalate situations of racism. We have to push our feelings down, as Zayn says in the verse, because the institution is against us. All of the institutions are against us. The fact that he takes it a step farther to say that his name makes him a target for racism, even though he is half-white just nails his point home. Also, can we please quit the whole ‘Zayn is white-passing’ bullshit. He alludes to it again later in the song (“asian in my face, but still my race you can’t define”). Its not a compliment to erase someone identity in favour of white-washing them.

“My name ain’t on the list unless they label it ethnic.” — Oh, the amount of times we have heard that age old (v. racist) saying ‘{celebrity of colour} is the new [insert white celebrity here]’ as if POC aren’t allowed to succeed in their own right. It is wild to me that Zayn has to deal with this given his level of success.

“Start to understand why they think that I’m threatening. I move in certain ways, couldn’t slow me with ketamine.” — There is a subtle nod to racism (and Islamaphobia) in this line, because of course the brown man is a threat, but I like the way Z turns it around. I also like the rhyme scheme.

“Raised on the benefit for whose benefit? They’ll never learn shit, man, if the shoe fits.” — Okay I might be reaching here, but this is just my interpretation. We all know the benefit system in the UK sucks. Being raised on benefit implies a lack of money growing up, but the benefits aren’t really all that beneficial to the families that rely upon them.

“Dealing with the hurt, they should know cause they don’t deserve it, it hit deep cause I hit the nerve.” — Well, okay then, just call me out. It’s fine. I seriously feel like he’s talking to me directly with this line. I imagine a lot of us do. Its one of those lyrics that are a bit too honest but that why we love them.

“Cathartic, I’m an artist. Trying to put my heart in” // “Freedom fighter, Yellow Metal is my name.” — So do we have an alternate persona for Zayn now? Alright, I’m down. I think these two lines are tied together, because both are mentioned in the song title. (I think of the song as cathartic, by Yellow Metal, aka Zayn, or Yellow Metal as the name of the EP if this was officially released). The lyrics that accompany both title lyrics, along with the subject matter of the song as a whole, suggest that his heart is in standing up against injustices. I said it earlier, this is the most unvarnished version of Z that we have ever been exposed to. Almost like the complete picture to the puzzle pieces we’ve been putting together over the years.

“They’re tryna kill us with disease.” — Why did this line scream out ‘COVID-19 outbreaks in developing countries’ to me? Again, I might be reaching, but there is a disparity between how COVID is treated amongst minorities, along with many other diseases, and not to mention rich, primarily white countries hoarding vaccine supplies while places like India (and my beautiful Bangladesh and I’m sure Pakistan too) suffer needlessly.

“Started something sick and on my mind is what’s next. Just became a dad so now I’m taking all the cheques. Better know I’m staying and paying like it’s debt. Imma get it done, if it’s taking all my breath, sweat, and down I ain’t messing around ’til I’m the best.” — I think this lyric shows off Zayn’s sentimental side more than it does his ambitious side, because we know he’s in this for the long haul. Others may doubt that but his fans never have. But hearing him talk openly about being a father on a song is something else. It’s like Khai added this whole other layer of meaning and purpose to his life and it’s beautiful to watch. I’ve been here since the X-Factor auditions guys!! It makes me so emotional to witness him like this.

“Aint many of me around, p***, I’m just different. Certain stages to this level aint here because fame is to the devil, fuck a label, imma do this from the ghetto.” — God, we’ve been waiting for a fuck the label moment in this house, haven’t we? I won’t get into my theories on his label or his team, but none of us deny the fact that they should be doing more for him than they are. He has the potential to be the biggest thing with the right team and promo because he has a built-in fan base that would go the mile for him. Obviously, there’s also his aversion to promo to contend with and that’s his decision. Even without it, he could shatter every ceiling. Another thing I want to mention about this verse is the nod to the complete lack of South Asian representation in contemporary Western media.

“Don’t know what’s worse: the way that you live your life or the way that you write a verse.” — I’m just putting this in here because it made giggle. Also going to take this space to say how much I love his energy in this song. He knows he’s the shit, as he should!

“Can’t be louder … so free Gaza on my banner.” // “They’re hating on Palestine ways.” — I love that Zayn has always supported this movement, years ago, before being ‘woke’ was a thing. But now, he has a daughter that has Palestinian heritage and I’m sure that makes this hit that much deeper for him, personally. The apartheid in Palestine is heart-wrenching. It’s so strange to me to watch it happen, because I never thought I would witness something like this happening in 2021, yet here we are.

“Like vipers, I see the sly ones, the snake that’s called Biden, none of them abiding what they might put in writing. We should be used to it by now, say whatever for the vote and then just choose another route. Say they’d never kill another unless that brother’s skin is brown. I’m just telling you the facts, if you can’t take it, the truth naked, to bare bones and my thoughts lately, spitting politics.” — This verse is straight up savage and I am living for it! I find it hilarious that he called Biden a snake. This verse addresses the truth about politics, that even electing a left-wing leader doesn’t fix the system.

“I’m Tony Stark, still embarking on a dream” // “Gone green like Bruce Banner” // “He taught me like Ra’s Al Ghul. Felt like living in Gotham, the people were rotten.” — And to tie it all off, I wanted to take a goofy moment to mention all the superhero lyrics Z added in this song, really showing his personality because I’m such a nerd when it comes to this stuff and it makes me wish that we were friends so I could annoy him to death about it.

#reviews #zayn #yellow metal #cathartic #zayn malik

65 notes · View notes