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Should musicians have moral responsibilities?

Music is one of the most important tools for communicating and influencing people’s attitudes. So why, when I turn on the radio, is it possible to hear at ten o'clock in the morning Robin Thicke singing about domesticating women?

Because it’s a good song musically, it has all the attributes that makes a song successful, yet Thicke lacks the moral integrity or logic to sing about something that can actually change negative perceptions of women in society. The dated misogynistic topics within this song and its video are disturbingly sexist, and give the impression that objectifying women is perfectly moral.

In my view, musicians can be some of the most powerful people in the world, because they have the capability to evoke change. When we are striving to achieve equality of races, religions and genders, surely musicians should have ethical responsibilities to encourage this!

Censorship in many cases can be extreme, but should it really be this easy for children to listen to music that is so derogatory towards women?  What message does this type of popular music deliver to the children who inevitably listen to it? Will it bring them a healthy perception of women? 

If gender equality is ever going to be achieved, then the popular musicians who are idolised by thousands, even millions of people across the world, must support it.

The Best Cafe in Cornwall

Cafe Irie 

If you ever go to Cornwall, be sure to visit this cafe in Newquay... trust me its worth the drive!

Having heard the legend of Cafe Irie from friends who have been before, I could not miss the opportunity to finally see it for myself.

It has the most delicious menu you will ever set your eyes on, with the potential to adapt anything to suit your needs. They cater specially for the hungover, with very tasty rejuvenating smoothies at hand to revive those poorly minds.

The cafe has a wonderfully eclectic yet comfortable feel to it with lovely staff, which is just what you need after a night out in Newquay! Very good for vegetarians and vegans with lovely home-made bread and cake.

Yum Yum Yum is all I can say.

Praise The Internet!

Praise the internet for... deal websites 

Being a money-tight student in the middle of London can be frustrating at times. So, like many others out there (I hope), I can spend a good few hours searching the internet for half decent deals.

I want to share with you a few brilliant deal websites that I use, so as to hopefully stop those money holes from occurring so often after expensive nights out!

Groupon.co.uk

Yes, you need to subscribe to this website and you do get a fair share of emails, but the pros definitely outweigh the cons. Not only does this website provide exclusive local deals, it also offers really well priced getaways, goods and events deals. It’s free to subscribe to and honestly, this website has helped me out so many times when I'm strapped for cash and need to purchase decent Christmas presents! So far, the vouchers I have bought have all worked and Groupon are very efficient in distributing them.

Rating- 7/10

Timeout.com

I absolutely love everything about Timeout. Its colloquialism, its interesting facts and most of all, its complete honesty on every attraction, event and activity it reviews. When contemplating visiting somewhere, it is always Timeout I look to for guidance because of how relatable the reviews in the past have seemed to be! In terms of vouchers, Timeout has quite a few, if it is high end theatre or concerts you are after. Again you do need to sign up for email subscription but similarly to Groupon this is free. 

However, the interesting thing about Timeout, is that it has its own card, which when shown in certain London locations, will provide you with a healthy discount. This card will also give you very exclusive opportunites to see films first for free and even £40 pounds to spend at Naked Wines! This card does come at a cost of £49.00 for the year but if you like to experience London at its best, I think this card allows you to do so at a reasonable price. If you go out a lot, it will definitely save you a lot of money. 

Don't forget Timeout also has some very exciting competitions which are always worth applying for! 

Rating- 8/10

After Earth Q&A with Will and Jaden Smith

What an experience! Being in the presence of Hollywood royalty Will Smith, Jaden Smith and director M.Night Shyamalan  was certainly a surreal moment. Yes, I was lucky enough to win tickets to the After Earth sneak preview and Q&A at the Odeon in Leicester Square last night. 

After quite a long anticipated wait, we were introduced to our host Alex Zane who came onto the stage with evident excitement. He told us that flash photography would not be allowed but that surprisingly during the interview, we should get our phones out and tweet as much as possible! We were then able to sit back, and relax (or rather be on the edge of our seats) for the fifteen minute sneak preview of the film. 

If you are unaware of the context of this film, it is essentially a sci-fi, action packed story based on an idea by Will Smith about a crash landing on Earth after it has been deserted by humans for a thousand years. The crash leaves protagonist Kitai Raige (Jaden Smith) and Cypher, his father (Will Smith) stranded. With Cypher being badly injured, the only option is for Kitai to venture out of the ship, onto Earth in order to signal for help to get home. However, Earth has become a primitive, harsh landscape with animals dominating the land and so the journey Kitai has to undertake becomes very difficult as he is a constant target. But in order to get home, it is imperative that father and son work as a team in order to achieve help but this unfortunately proves a very tricky task. Read more here: http://www.afterearth.com/site/

The preview certainly was very appealing and I think the film will be a hit among both sci-fi lovers and Smith fans. It is rammed with clever CGI and the audience are able to see real emotion portrayed among the characters; as we were able to see predominantly in one scene where Jaden is faced with a big dilemma. This film is set to be a big hit, and judging from the powerful emotive soundtrack and the extensive visual effects, I think this is definitely one to see in the cinema.   

After the preview, it was the moment we had all been waiting for... Will, Jaden and M.Night entered the room to a screaming frenzy of fans (a very surreal moment as they were literally feet away!). The best thing about it was that they looked really genuinely happy to be there with both Will and Jaden maintaning their authentic charm. 

The interview was swift to begin with Zane asking how the film came about:   

Jaden is then asked by Zane what it feels like to be able to see "this multi-million dollar movie on screen" to which Jaden replies: 

Zane then proceeds to ask about the intense father and son relationship that is portrayed within the film and whether the relationship at home is different. Will comically replies that it is very similar and plays on a quote in the film; 

"Jaden eat your spinach or we are going to die"

Jaden replies by saying "Its similar in some ways but Cypher and my dad are two completely different people...He's really different than that...But in the pursuit of happiness its a completely different story, they are the same person.. It was literally like Yo dad can I go and get some orange juice out of the fridge; We can't afford any orange juice Jaden; We can its in the fridge already!!!!"    

After a lot of laughter from the audience, Will argues back 

"I was in my morning character!"

Jaden agrees by joking about the extent to which Will was in character at home;

"He stopped showering and buying things for like a month!"

The next question from Zane was directed to Will;

 "Obviously you are a producer on the movie as well Will. What's it like as a producer knowing that your son is going to be doing such physically active and action packed stunts, running around in Costa Rica doing all that kind of thing?" 

To which Will replied;

"You're a producer and a father right. So as a producer your job is to make sure the movie gets made, and as a father you just wanna make sure the movie gets made with your kid staying alive for the process...As a father there is a certain amount of push that you wanna give your son...As strange as it sounds movie making is our family business so I wanna push him and I wanna teach him that the director has designed the shots, the director has tested the shots so clearly its safe. So I wanted to push him but its just that the father was waiting out more times than not"

Shyamalan then intervenes;

" Wills an athlete, very skilled so there would be lots of times where you [Jaden] would be doing parkour..." Jaden describes what parkour means to the audience; 

"Jumping, running, flipping, diving, just escaping something but looking cool at the same time" and then Shyamalan continues "There would be times when I would be fine with what he did, like he'd parkour of a tree and then run off but then Will would push him even further to go faster and do it harder. So there were times when the athlete family came out"   

Jaden then talks to his dad about why he never sees the father on set, only the producer. Will swiftly replies; "what it is is, I cant father you on the set at work because you know your at work, you signed a contract, you have work to do, you have things that you have to do... so I was fathering you behind your back"   

There was a lot of laughter among the audience at this point and I think it was here when people were able to see that there was a really strong father son connection between Jaden and Will. The interview continued for about twenty minutes and was very interesting and revealing both about the film, but also about Will, Jaden and Shyamalan as people. 

If you want to access the entire interview, it should be available on itunes soon! 

Thank you for reading!!!

WOMAD

WOMAD Festival

I was lucky enough to attend this beautiful festival as a guest of BBC radio 3 with backstage access!

Having been to quite a few festivals before, I was expecting the usual drunken frivolities, but upon arriving at WOMAD, it appeared this festival had a lot more to give.

I was amazed at the age range this festival attracted; mainly because there were so many families. But to see everyone dancing side by side and enjoying the music was a rare, but pleasant sight. There were certainly a fair few old timer hippies and dad dancers in the crowds!

Laughter yoga in the trees

What also struck me about this festival was how stunning the location was. Set in the incredible setting of Charlton Park, the festival certainly took advantage of its outstanding beauty, with the world of well-being being suitably placed under the gigantic trees of the arboretum. Peaceful, is putting it mildly.

Huun-Huur-Tu

As a world music student, I was fascinated to discover just how many brilliant acts from across the globe were to make an appearance. The programme provided such a diverse range of genres, from Austrian electro DJ Parov Stelar to Mongolian throat singers Huun-Huur-Tu. The man himself, Craig Charles even put on a DJ set! 

Malouma performing at taste the world

But the most compelling feature of this festival, was how personal the relationship between artist and audience could be. Fans had the potential to hear artists talk about their lives and passions in really intimate settings. The taste the world stage was one of the most unique opportunities I have come across where the artist is interviewed while cooking for the audience! We got to taste delicious pancakes cooked by Malouma.  A very special occasion!

The festival also provided for the hardcore late-nighters; with a big stage playing music until four, perfect for when the kids have gone to bed!

This weekend of workshops, incredible music and child friendly activities should be contemplated as a well deserved break to the dreary 9-5; stick it in the diary for next year, you won't regret it!

Brixton Splash

Great Day Out In Brixton! 

Dancing, food and good music; 3 of the most important things for a festival which are abundant at Brixton splash. This annual one day event is held on various streets within the heart of Brixton and offers the chance to really indulge in the diverse culture London has to offer. Comparable to Notting Hill Carnival, this event is a must if you are a fan of delicious jerk chicken and the sounds of Bob Marley floating through the streets. I couldn't resist having a try of Jamaican curried goat which was surprisingly delicious! 


There was a wide range of music on the day, from dub reggae band Chicken Wing All Stars, to American rapper Bizzle. Many of the acts were from Brixton, as there is a heavy emphasis on supporting and promoting local bands through the festival. This is a really important aspect of the event, as it is showcasing young talent and in doing so, giving young artists the recognition that they deserve.


Once again, London has provided an exciting but most importantly, free festival that appeals to all ages. This festival is dedicated to representing the fusion of cultures within Brixton, creating a community interested in exploring local arts in a safe yet exciting way. If you have not yet been to Brixton, this is the perfect way to absorb its astounding cultural diversity in a safe, yet really fun way! 

The Great Escape Festival

The Great Escape Festival 

This festival, based in Brighton was very different to any I have been to before. Introducing the hottest new music for this year, it seemed a very appealing festival to go to, and with the tickets only being around £40 for three days it sounded like a bargain.

There was not a muddy field in sight, rather the music venues were all over Brighton, varying from clubs to pubs to churches! Having not been to Brighton properly before, this was a very interesting way to familiarise with the amazing town whilst getting to know people along the way. 

Marika Hackman at the Unitarian  Church 

The festival itself was not based around one particular genre, but offered music for all tastes and this was brilliant as it attracted a really interesting mix of people of all ages. I was so happy to be able to see folk singer Marika Hackman and DJ group A Tribe Called Red all within the same festival! The venues really were well suited in terms of genre, with folk artists being able to perform in intimate atmospheric churches with amazing acoustics whilst performances requiring lighting and sound effects could perform in larger capacity venues such as the Brighton Dome and the corn exchange. The intimacy of this festival is brilliant for new and local artists, and also for fans, as we were able to actually meet many of the performers we went to see. 

Bo Bruce 

Although the more urban characteristics of this festival were what made it originally appealing, I couldn't help but feel there was something missing when at the end of the day we headed back to a hostel rather than a misshapen, muddy tent in a middle of a field. If there was a place nearby that could be used for camping by festival goers, I think this would make the festival even more successful as the expense of finding somewhere to stay, in such a touristic location may put some people at a disadvantage. The walk between the hostel and the venues became a bit of a daunting prospect when at 3 in the morning we had to face the cold (we ended up getting a taxi).  However, if it is good quality music you are after, alongside the commodities of a nice hotel room, this is definitely a festival to look into.