MUSIC REVIEW: My favourite songs

MUSIC REVIEW: My favourite songs

9th March 2018 Off By Northern Lights

By Daniel Parkes

Conor Maynard ft. Anna Maynard – Camilla Cabello Havana – Sing-off

In late 2016 – early 2017, Conor Maynard done a variety of “sing-offs” with artists such as Olly Murs, Pixie Lott and the Vamps. But, on Christmas Day 2017 Conor uploaded his latest sing-off against his 17-year-old sister, Anna Maynard. You get the instant impression that these siblings have a very good bond because they have a lot of fun before they start to sing.

The two siblings do their sing-off to the backing track of Havana by Camilla Cabello, then the two take turns and sing part of a specific song that goes with the melody of Havana and the synchronization that they have is fantastic because they know when they have to stop/start their part of the video.

They sing tracks such as Valerie by Amy Winehouse, Yeah by Usher and Hold On by Drake.

Ed Sheeran ft. Eminem – River

Ed Sheeran and Eminem are perhaps two of the biggest stars in  modern day music and rap and their latest duo River is probably one of the best songs to finish the year 2017.

Even though this song is upbeat and seems to be a cheerful song, it actually has a very deep meaning and story behind it.

The story was told by Ed Sheeran about how his hook in the song is about his: “prior mistakes over production from Emile Haynie”. They had to go to Mexico to finish the song and to see if Eminem would be comfortable with lyrics about: “abortion, infidelity, failed relationships and more” (https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8070921/eminem-ed-sheeran-river-lyrics-meaning)

For these two artists, you would not expect them to work together but for them to come together and create such a big single with such a deep and powerful meaning about what some people have had to experience in their lives.

Stormzy ft. MNEK – “Blinded by your Grace”

Blinded by your grace is one of the best tracks on Stormzy’s new album “GASP”. Due to Stormzy being both a grime and hip-hop artist you can tell by the melody for this track that there are some elements of hip-hop but, the verses include rap (grime).

Normally with a rap/grime artist you would not expect their lyrics to have true power or an aura that could move you but, Stormzy and MNEK have made a song that does that because when the song first starts it sounds like it could be quite a sad but as the song progresses, it becomes much more upbeat with the element of female back-up singers.

Overall this is probably Stormzy’s best track because it also gives the impression that it could be one of those songs where you see people in poorer countries being aided. Stormzy and MNEK should be proud of this song because it seems like one of the most powerful and moving rap and hip-hop songs in the modern world.