Hi, I'm Paula Sanderson

What a week for music – more tunes from George Ezra are being released; the boy bands are dropping music videos left, right, and centre; and the Arkells had an epic Olympic concert. We’ve got some new TV shows, trailers for new Disney movies and YouTube is lighting up with a video from a group that formed in Montreal. Lots going on – but for a week that includes International Women’s Day – I don’t feel good that the majority of this list is male creators. The last video address that…

Music

Taylor Swift – Delicate

On Sunday night, Taylor Swift dropped this video. I love this song so I had high hopes –  but sadly, I hate this video.  Taylor is like an old friend who I’m no longer friends with. I get flickers of that old friendship, but overall I have no idea who this new person is.  We used to have so much in common and now we’re nothing alike. My issue with her is that I truly believe she had a Regina George phase (her bad reputation).  I feel like she wants to be cool, rather than herself.  This is Britney Spears’ Lucky meets Sia’s Chandelier. I loved this song – I wanted a fun romantic video, something very lyrical.  This song has a story – and I wanted that story. Not Taylor dancing.  I just think we can do better here.

Khalid – Fast Car – Live Lounge

Fast Car by Tracy Chapman is such a wonderful song that really anyone could sing it and it would be great. It’s a popular choice in BBC’s Life Lounge. Sam Smith covered this song in the Live Lounge. Dido for Justin Bieber… but this cover stands out in it’s own way. There is something incredibly chill about this song. I think it actually makes me like Khalid more – it shows his range and depth.

Arkells in Korea

This video starts with a tweet from Kristyna Petrollini and that sets off this massive chain reaction that creates a pretty epic Olympic moment. Kristyna used to work at a camp that I worked at. Since meeting years ago, we’ve maintained our friendship on a steady diet of boy bands – predominantly our shared love of One Direction (see below…). When she shared this video this week, I was so excited for her. I had followed this on Twitter as it unfolded but had no idea she started it all off. Watching this video made me feel very Canadian. The vibe that I got from this was just pure bliss – I wanted to be friends with everyone in this video and I wanted to be at this concert. I watched this video and grinned the whole time. It had this very vibe

PrettyMuch 10000 Hours VIDEO

K. So a few weeks ago I talked about how much I loved this song. Now we’ve got a video. The white outfits are totally bringing in a backstreet boy vibe and I’m here for it. Best part – Zion aka our first lead singer paints a Maple Leaf. Why might you ask? He’s from Ottawa! Spread a little Cana love and support these boys 🇨🇦

In Real Life – Tattoo

If you want to feel old, this is the NEWEST boyband. They came out of Boy Band – the making the band TV show with Baby Spice, Nick Carter and Timberland. In Real Life is very cheesy – very focused on the 12 year old middle schoolers. It feels like PrettyMuch is more about grade nine girls in high school. So embrace your 12 year old self and enjoy this VERTICAL video – because you know 12 year olds are only watching this on their phones.

Niall Horan – On The Loose

So I’ve got tickets to see Niall when he’s in town next summer so I’m a certified fan. However this song… meh. This isn’t my favourite track on the album. Some people say this is about Selena Gomez. I just think there are better songs on his album. Seeing Blind with Marren Morris is great; Paper Houses works really well; Fire Away is so smooth. Oh well… this is his first solo adventure. We’ll let him off the hook.

Vance Joy – Bonnie and Clyde

I wish this song had a video – but until then I’ll just listen to it on a loop on Spotify. It’s storytelling songwriting at it’s best. I can perfectly see what he’s talking about. I cannot wait to learn how to play this on my guitar – it is the perfect summer song. I just want to sit around a campfire near a lake and enjoy this jam.

One Direction x DJ Earworm

Oh DJ Earworm – how I had forgotten about you and really, it’s my loss. This is such a jam. For all you Directioners out there – this will melt your heart. It is just so wonderful. I wish there were some more deep tracks but ok – fair, the singles have the music videos which makes this video possible. Just enjoy a little boy band nostalgia:

George Ezra – Hold My Girl

Ok – so this Lyric Video format is the same from last time. I’m not opposed to this. I like it a lot – but this song is so vastly different from the song he released last time. It’s slower, kind, small in the best way possible. Kind of a Sunday morning love song. I will 100% be learning this on the guitar.

TV

Making It – New Show!

YES! I LOVE CRAFTING. I also really like Nick Offerman and Amy Pohler. There is a strong opinion among people in the know that I’m very similar to Leslie Knope. Confession… I haven’t seen Parks and Rec so I can’t judge this for myself, but if I’m like Amy Pohler in any way – I’ll take it. But now that she’s making a crafting show – SIGN ME UP. But more specifically – give me a job, I’d crush working on this TV show.

Music City

The Hills meets Nashville and it’s what you would expect. The trailer is great – the show is overly dramatic. I watched the first three episodes this week and when it wraps up – you can trust that I’ll give it a full review. You should watch it – so that when I do that review, you can have an opinion on it 🎶

Movies:

Roundtable Live

The Hollywood Reporter is back with another Roundtable – this time in front of a live audience. I love the line up here – I love that they mix up actors and actresses – that’s ‘Fresh’. Yes it’s an hour of your time – but trust me when I say it’s a great use of your time if you have any interest in movies or the enteritanment industry as a whole.

High School Musical with Corbin Bleu

This is a gem of a video. I remember watching HSM for the first time in grade nine. I fell in love with Zac Efron, the music, the dance moves. It was peak 2005. Chad is not my favourite character – I would love to watch this with Zefron – but I do love this. I really like how this is made – it is so professional – the editing is fantastic. I want to see this for HSM2 and HSM3. Oh My Disney please make this happen. If you have any love for HSM give this a watch:

Disney Classics Return:

Mary Poppins Returns and Christopher Robin both dropped teaser trailers this week. I’m more excited about Mary Poppins. Part of my love for it is the Hampstead houses. I feel like I’m back in London as I watch them lay the scene. We get our first look at Lin Manuel Miranda and the kids… and of course Mary Poppins. I want to know more about where they are taking the story, but I’m sure it will be great. Christopher Robin feels very sad. There is a level of depression here that I don’t love. I want something more fun and upbeat – but again, this is just the teaser. Perhaps the full trailer will be more upbeat and maybe the movie will actally turn out to be a comedy!

Internet Things

Luck

I subscribe to Vubble – and I’d recommend you do to. I met Tessa Sproule and the Vubble team at a WIFT event last year and have been getting their daily newsletter ever since. They send great videos that often end up here – like this one about Luck. I often dream big – I’ve big goals and I want to make them happen. I also feel like Luck is a massive part of making these goals happen. There is that classic quote ‘Opportunity is where luck meets preparation.’ So how do you get lucky? I love how this speaker sums it up – you need to put the vibes out into the world so that people can reach out to you and create luck. I like this philosophy, I think I need to do more of it.

Will Smith x Yes Theory

If you don’t know about YES Theory – they are about to be your new favourite Youtubers. I first found out about them through Andrea Lynett’s Drown the Noise Podcast. The boys started it out in Montreal as a fun side project and then quickly turned it into their full-time gig. They are very similar to The Buried Life but a little bit more organic, a little bit rougher around the edges, a little bit more diverse. These guys do a lot of stupid shit, but they are so loveable that you get into it. Curretly they are working with Will Smith. Watch his video and then watch their video – then go down the youtube rabbit hole and watch all of thier videos because they are great.

Where are all the Female YouTubers?

Happy International Women’s Day week – and lets talk about why there are very few women who create stuff. I love Mango Street – they are wonderful. I also like Jack Coyne (a Casey Niestat trained youtuber). So I like that they talk to all these women about why there are less top female creators on Youtube and I agree with what they say. It is TOTALLY harder for women to put themselves out there. The comments about weight, outfits, looks etc are so hard and hold a lot of people back. You don’t want to wade into that. You hear the horror stories – these women read off some of their comments. They are right, you need to push through it if you want to be a YouTuber, however it is HARD. So kudos to all the ladies out there who did push through it – here are some of my favs: Mr. Kate, Carly the Prepster, Monica Church, The Anna Edit, Hannah Michalaks, and Lauren from Photography Concentrate.