Billie Eilish in NZ in 2022

As the expression goes: You go Girl.

It is in September 2022, and I understand about needing to plan including to confirm the one date at Spark Arena, but there is the covid-19 pandemic. 

Not to mention how there are many 'normal' New Zealanders wanting to come into the country right now. I am not saying MIQ, because if home isolation is up and running by the time she needs to come into the country and she is eligible and opts for that, then there won't be as much heated discussion. Or if for whatever reason, Billie and her team (she of course won't be on her own) make use of MIQ, then there will most likely be heated discussion.

Financial profit does not seem to be as relevant as taking spaces Kiwis wanting to come in is or will be, but if it is or will be, then it will inevitably fall on the side of the Kiwis.

And if she is anything like Adele, which I went to and commemorated in 'Adele commemoration', https://holandt.blogspot.com/2021/04/adele-commemoration.html, she may need to add more dates because of demand.

As RNZ states, "Tickets to the general public will go on sale Friday 15 October.", the date before the release of Adele's latest album, which I think is interesting to note.

Also noteworthy, on the heels of Jacinda's announcement of the 'vaccine certificate'.

Oh and of course, how many tickets will be bought in the ever-changing times? And it's not just about tickets, it's the threads that go along with attending a concert, and for Billie and her team, organizing it.

- A.M.

Source:

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/453070/billie-eilish-announces-2022-new-zealand-concert

Adele: here we go

Adele. Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, one of the few people in the World with the power to dictate her own deadlines, has announced the release date of 'Easy On Me': https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-58802096

Tool, Kate Bush, Ed Sheeran, Lorde, JK Rowling have the power to dictate their own deadlines, but I doubt they have the same amount of money deposited into their account that Adele does. To 'correct' myself, JK Rowling probably has more than Adele but don't quote me on that; Lorde, probably doesn't.

BBC: "Her tweet said Easy On Me will be released on Friday, 15 October, with her fourth album expected to follow.

It comes after posters and projections appeared around the world bearing the number 30, which is expected to be the title of the highly anticipated album."

I note she said herself she doesn't believe in trilogies if it's true about the name of her upcoming album.

I didn't initially really read or want to read the BBC article and didn't think I would because it would spoil the whole song. Also, seriously? You want to listen to a snippet of a song? The whole experience is about the whole song and the album. 

Yes, there's the social (and possibly financial) reasons to reveal a bit of a song. Personally, I'm not like that and I'm better for it.

But at a later point, I read the words and name 'Xavier Dolan', who directed "Hello", and I was so excited and happy because I saw his "J'ai tué ma mère" and he's a very young director (still) which I know is an -ism, but is unfortunately relevant. He's Canadian and that is a link to French and France for me, and a big part of the success of "Hello", which didn't actually break the internet, but of course caused a shit tonne of traffic. Last album and first song music video to drop from it was directed by Xavier Dolan// Upcoming album and first song music video to drop from it also by Xavier Dolan.

I just read back and realized it's the release of a song, not the album, and amended accordingly. 

In any case, Adele doesn't need to self-promote or any promotion, the subject, be it a song or album, does that in itself. ... But I'm not taking issue with that, I'm just putting it out there. And to go off at a tangent, her power also means people buy actual physical albums of 25, which is, let's face it, at least a bit unusual.

Another topic I'm  putting out there: do not hold thy breath for any concert or string of concerts or World Tours. She said it herself after her last one. Add in the covid-19 pandemic. 

She is Adele. 

The time to have seen her was when she was doing her World Tour and by that I mean her first proper one and the latest one, which I was lucky enough to go to, 'Adele commemoration', https://holandt.blogspot.com/2021/04/adele-commemoration.html .

- A.M.

Tim Bergling aka Avicii, 8 September 1989 - 20 April 2018

It was three years ago Tim Bergling took his life, in Muscat, Oman. He was 28 years old.

Basically, I had never listened to any of his music nor heard of Him. I remember the photo and headline on the BBC though.

I discovered who he was and his music from then though and he's great, Him and his music. Songs that stand out for me are 'Sunset Jesus', 'Somewhere In Stockholm', 'Never Leave Me' and 'Heart Upon My Sleeve'. 'Hope There's Someone' has the incredible voice of Linnéa Henriksson and 'Dear Boy' has MØ's. Avīci (01) is also a solid EP. 'Never Leave Me' has some significance to me, I listened to it daily for sleeping purposes. I must also mention Joe Janiak and Bonn, 'Hold The Line'/ A R I Z O N A.

Tim Bergling was not only Avicii the DJ, but he was an artist. He produced everything from its germination to the final song. Not only was he prolific with collaborators, but he also found some wicked singers to sing on his songs.

I think I will post once or twice more about Avicii and I don't exactly know how the second one will go, so I'm aware of the content of this one and that one. And possibly the first one, it's basically translating it from written format to publishing on this blog - I think.

As I understood more about what Tim Bergling went through and after watching AVICII: TRUE STORIES, it was not surprising he died. If not then, then another time (and maybe place), but I cannot comment on if it would have been by suicide or when he was older. This is not the same as saying it was good, it absolutely was not, but the pressure and stress he was carrying on his shoulders, and his continued screams of help that were not listened to did not lead to a happy and healthy person and life and his death (in the sense everyone dies).

Then after he retired from live shows, it seemed he was doing so well. He was concentrating on himself. He was free, not living with a schedule and management and deadlines. Physically, he looked healthier.

Another issue that I grappled with was his parents. It's normal for parents to expect to die before their child. But for a child to die before their parents is not only out of what is normally expected, but a reality that must be devastating to process, if you ever do fully. Add in the fact it was by suicide and extremely young, it must be heartbreaking. The fact he was so talented is also another facet, but I don't think the parents would care, all they care about is their son is no longer living and no longer with them.

One outcome and topic of Tim Bergling's/Avicii's tragic suicide is it made huge ripples in the music industry and the mental health field. That it came about from such a young, talented, well-known individual is not desirable, but maybe that's what was needed. The cost has been so high for his family and loved ones and also for his fans, but the latter to a lesser extent, especially as they have no real personal connection to him. Music can be 'forgotten', especially after death.

Listening to his music, Tim seemed to have as a recurring subject the outsider/the other/the misfit/the one who doesn't fit in. Music aside, I think it is safe to say many people listened to his work because of said subject and still do.

- A.M.

Adele commemoration

I saw Adele live in 2017.

I should've commemorated it in 2020, but my blog wasn't an actual reality then and to be honest, I don't think I even remembered it was three years (in 2020). Anyway, I am marking it now, and it is a little over 4 years.

I won't go into details about the whole day because I don't know if I'll write a post about it. Suffice to say it was significant for many reasons and she can sing. I mean I knew she could but to actually see it live is another thing entirely.

Also, I am absolutely aware I am lucky to have seen her and for more than the fact she cancelled Wembley afterwards and she may never tour again.

Whilst I am on the subject of Adele, I did read maybe an article or two about her weight loss, but I don't know if it's justified to react negatively to her losing weight. She has never talked about it really and she can do what she wants with her body. People who also looked up to her because she wasn't the slim singer like many others, this came from them. Adele never put out that message/visual. And she is still being true to herself, she decided to lose weight. It's not like she was made to do it for whatever reason. 

And for those who doubt Adele, just think about it: she releases albums when she wants, she controls her image and performances, she writes her own songs and not that I am saying money is the only thing, but she has enough money not to care and/ or pay for many things. Like she can pay to get the best producers for her album or she can pay for the outfit to be on her in 48 hours. Or maybe a better example, she can pay to use that studio for a month.

For the people who do talk about their weight for the general public and suddenly do a u-turn I can see fans reacting negatively but that is not Adele.

Also, depending, it might not be healthy for you to try to be like someone of that calibre because they may have more resources and access than you ever will. Inspire from them but don't try to be like them. Unless it's harmless, like a haircut or outfit, for example.

Besides, you can never really look like them because our bodies are different unless you get surgery to modify your body. And in that case there might be an underlying issue like low self-esteem.

I have been majorly influenced by one awesome artist before in the hair department, but that's it I think. And then I still kind of did my own thing.

- A.M.