Tag: edm

Adventures in Amsterdam

Hola everyone.

How are you all doing today? I hope you’ve had a lovely weekend and that you’re enjoying the last bits of summer we’re being granted with. Can you believe it’s already September? Because I surely can’t. It feels like some elaborate joke, something someone made up. Even the thought that I’ve been home for half a ycear now sounds ridiculous to me when I say it out loud. Time is a strange thing, it really is.

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Likewise, it’s also insane to me to think that I’ll be moving back to London in less than two weeks. Like, when did that happen? Super super strange, truly. And it’s not just that, even just thinking back to the past few weeks and months makes me wonder whether I’ve dreamed it all or whether it truly happened. Did I really visit Lauren in Belgium? Did I really go to Berlin? Did I really get new two new tattoos? Did Lauren and I really visit Amsterdam? In the middle of a global pandemic? I guess it must be true, because I’m sitting in front of a ton of pictures that were definitely taken in the incredible Amsterdam and that is also definitely me in the pictures. But see, this is how I know I had the best time ever – because it sounds too good to be true.

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To be honest, the trip to Amsterdam is definitely something I will never forget. Not only because Lauren and I spent two amazing days there, filled with adventures and tons of fun, but also because it happened out of nowhere. See, that’s the good thing when a country is so small – you can reach nearby cities in a matter of a few hours. Pure luxury, I tell you. So when I came to Belgium and Lauren and I started planning our days we had together, we got the idea of going to Amsterdam and as it was only a few hours train journey away, we instantly booked it and started off the adventure two days later.

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And, god, it was just so so so cool. We went to amazing restaurants, sat at the canals, went on night strolls, basically walked through the whole city and we even visited their botanical garden, which was so beautiful, I can’t even put it into words. Out of all of this though, I think my favourite part of the whole trip was visiting STMPD RCRDS. Those of you who’ve been following me and my blog for quite a while now will know how much that labels mean to me, but for those of you who are rather new here – STMPD is my dream workplace. I know, might be a bit strange to say it like that, but it really is. Ever since I’ve fallen in love with EDM and ever since that label was started, I’ve been dreaming about working there. Not only because their artists are so freaking amazing, like SO good, but moreover because it just looks like the best workplace and best team to work with. So, because of that, actually being at their office and seeing that very building with my own eyes, a building I’ve seen countless amounts of times just by being a Martin Garrix fan, made me freak out a bit. In short, being there meant the world to me. I’m still so grateful for Lauren actually walking through the whole city with me just to see the studios. Made my year, truly.

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So, that was what we did in Amsterdam. As you can probably guess, the photographing came to no end during the trip, so right now I’ve got these amazing photos that I can’t wait to share with you. So, without further ado, please enjoy.

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And yeah, there you go, guys. These are my favourite shots from our adventures in Amsterdam. I truly hope you enjoy this post and the pictures. As always, I’d love to hear from you, so please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below. I wish you all a great week and, of course, thanks for reading. x

My favourite photographers

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to my blog, a new Monday and a new week. I hope your weekend was good and that you’re all feeling well and happy. Can you believe February is already coming to an end? Because I can’t, at all. It’s gonna be March in just a few days, which means my birthday is already lurking around the corner. And then I’ll be 24. Oh wow. Time really flies by. And I know this sounds a bit sad or dramatic, but, I think, I’m happy about growing older, because, generally, it means growth and moving forward and that’s exactly what I want to do. To grow and to do more and to see more. Make the most of my life, basically. And to continue sharing all of that with you guys. Which I also want to do today, but, as you could see by the title of this post, we’re not going to focus on my life today, but on that of someone else. That of Louis van Baar, to be exact. Welcome to part four of the “my favourite photographers” series. Let’s go.

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Louis van Baar

Let me introduce you to Louis. If any of you are fans of Marty – Martin Garrix – and/or have ever taken a look at his Instagram, you will most definitely have seen some pictures that were taken by the wonderful Louis. You will surely have, because ever since 2014, Louis has been Marty’s official photographer and has thus spent the last five years and a bit traveling the world with him and taking pictures of him and the beauty that can be found on our amazing planet. And I’ll say it right upfront – Louis definitely is one of the best photographers I know and it happens more than just a few times that I look at one of his pictures and wonder how he managed to get such a perfect shot. In the end, he makes a living shooting EDM gigs, which are probably the most thrilling and rapid concerts ever. There are lasers and fire and the hyped-up crowd and, of course, the DJ, who’s jumping around like there’s no tomorrow. Getting a super clear, stunning shot in such circumstances sounds like the most difficult thing ever to me. But somehow Louis manages to get those perfect shots every single time and that’s only one of the reasons why I would call him a genius behind the camera.

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There is also the fact that Louis is super freaking young. I mean, just 26 years old young. That kind of young. And that’s his current age. Which means he started touring with Marty when he was just 21, which, looking at the pictures he took at that time, is mind-boggling to me. I know it might be a bit weird to base it all on age, but somehow, for me, talent definitely must be on another level when it develops that early and leads to such a career that early on.

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Obviously, him being that young, also Dutch and that talented in one, makes him the perfect photographer for Martijn. Because he isn’t just his photographer, but, more importantly, he’s also a really good friend. Actually, their story is super cute – in 2014, Martijn and his team were looking for a photographer for his summer tour and found Louis. They toured for a few weeks and it all went so smoothly, they decided to keep on working together. And now we’re in 2020 and they’re still together. How cute is that? And on top of that, a bit more than a year ago, they published a photography book, made up of Louis’ best shots and some background stories from Martijn. And yes, I have that book. Twice. It’s freaking stunning.

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When you take a look at Louis’ pictures, you can clearly tell that he has a special style. Big shots with lots of colours and a feel of dimension that makes it seem as if you’re in the picture. He quite frequently takes pictures of landscapes, architecture, and cities they visit, most of the time during helicopter flights. In short, the photos are breathtaking. In my opinion, they are so grand and aesthetically pleasing, that I could easily see them hanging in someone’s villa or be part of some special photography installation at a gallery. That also goes for all the shots he takes during Marty’s gigs, which never fail to perfectly capture the feeling of his shows. The lasers, the fire, the energy, and excitement – you can feel it all through the pictures. That’s why Louis is such a genius photographer. He doesn’t only capture the colours, the view, but also the feeling, the moment. What an artist.

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I highly recommend checking out his and Marty’s Instagrams as well as Louis’ website to take a closer look at his art. I’ve also gone and picked out a few of my favourite shots of him, which you can see down below. I hope you like them. Obviously, none of them belong to me, all the rights go to Louis. Additionally, here’s the link to their photography book, which I can also highly recommend. It’s one of those books you can have lying on your table as a piece of art or decoration. It is that pretty.  And yeah, besides that, I hope you enjoyed this post and getting to hear Louis’ story and to see his amazing pictures. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below. And, of course, I wish you all a nice week and thanks for reading. x

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Until the sun comes up

Hola everyone.

So, I went to a gig yesterday. I know, what a surprise. Me going to a gig… that never happens. It’s not like I go to one every two weeks now. No big deal. But yesterday was a one. A big pretty big deal. And yes, I know, I say that about every single one, but it really was special. Because it wasn’t just a rock or indie gig, like usual. No no no. Yesterday, ladies and gents, I finally, after so many years of waiting and hoping, got to see the genius that is ZEDD live. I still can’t believe that I’m actually able to say this. I’ve seen Zedd live. What a time to be alive.

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You might wonder now why it took me so long to see him. Well, you might as well ask him that, because I feel like some miracle happened when he decided to go on tour in Europe and not just America. And, of course, I know that he focuses on playing in clubs and at festivals and the US is just the number 1 spot for that. And he lives in LA, so it totally makes sense. Which just makes me even happier that I was finally able to attend one of his shows. And he did not let me down, not at all. I’m still on such a high. And my EDM gig addiction is back and stronger than ever. If I could push a button to rewind it all, I’d do it in a second. I’d just relive it over and over and over again.

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But before I get into his show, I need to praise the venue Printworks in London for… being what it was, basically. Because it was freaking fantastic. I’ve never been to a place like this. It was so cool, I can’t even fully describe it. It was a factory hall, but wasn’t at the same time and had the highest ceiling ever and looked and felt very industrial but in the best possible way. You know what, I think you should just see it for yourself – click here to check out the website. Basically, it was the best venue for a concert like this and I can’t wait to go there again.

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So much about the venue – now let’s talk about the real deal. Zedd. And his freaking jaw-dropping show. As already mentioned, it was my first time seeing him, so, frankly, I didn’t really know what to expect. Like any other EDM fan, I always thought that his music was amazing, but I never really listened to it, as it tends to be quite poppy. But obviously, I also knew that he was an incredible live act, so not going to his show wasn’t an option. And I don’t know what my expectations were, but Zedd crushed them. The show exceeded even my craziest dreams, it was that good. The visuals were absolutely amazing and don’t even get me started on the music. I’d call myself a fan of House and I’m especially into those drops that you don’t see coming. The deep, slow, intense ones that don’t make you jump but moreover lose your mind. You know the drop is like that when everyone around you goes “OOOOOHHHH” as soon as it arrives. And that didn’t just happen once last night. I actually found a compilation of his drops, so if you want to find out what I mean, just give the video down below a listen. I think it was this mix of his radio hits and other popular tracks (he even played Bohemian Rhapsody with literally the best drop ever) with those breathtaking electronic drops and his own remixes that made the set so damn good. Thinking back to it, there’s literally nothing I would change about it. Complete satisfaction. Also, I might add now that Zedd, or may I say Anton, isn’t just freaking talented, but also very very cute and I love that he still has a German accent in his English. Too cute.

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I think the last cherry on top was actually the overall feeling I had throughout the show, which wasn’t just thanks to Zedd and his music, but also to my friend, who had kindly said yes to coming to the show with me and who I’ve now infected with my addiction, which makes her my official EDM buddy. Here’s to fighting for Tomorrowland tickets and me dragging her with me to Amsterdam to ADE next year. Dancing around in that big hall, being squished in-between that huge crowd of people, with Zedd in front of us playing his heart out and the beats blaring in our ears and hearts and the lights flashing in our faces – that’s heaven right there. And definitely an experience I’ll never ever forget. I already can’t wait to do it all over again sometime.

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Also, if any of you guys are fans of EDM and ever get the chance to see Zedd live, please don’t miss out on it. Honestly, you will not regret it, I swear. He really is that good and definitely deserves all his success. Another musical genius. And another memorable, uber-phenomenal concert experience for the books. And with that we’ve come to the end of today’s post and my fangirling about last night. As always, I hope you enjoyed this post and I’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions, so please don’t hesitate to leave them down below. And, of course, I wish you all a great weekend and thanks for reading. x

Sziget Festival – Part Two

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to my blog and another Friday. I hope you’ve all had an amazing week and that you’re doing good. And, regarding what we will be talking about today, I hope you’re in the mood for another trip to paradise – aka Sziget festival – and that you already enjoyed my recent post about the first two days of the festival (click here if you want to check that out). I am so excited to tell you all about day three and seeing Marty again and what happened after that and how my mum and I got home at half-past 5 in the morning. In short, I’m crazy happy to tell you about anything and everything and I can’t wait for you to read it and to relive all these moments with me. Are you ready? Yes? Then let’s jump right in, shall we?

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Day 3

As I mentioned in my previous post, Sziget couldn’t have been more perfect than it was. It was an absolute dream come true and I’d do lots of crazy, crazy things to be able to go back and do it all over again. And Day 3 especially. The moment I woke up that day, I knew that exciting things were ahead. Because it was the day I’d finally be seeing Marty again, after a year. Some of you might know that ever since seeing him live for the very first time in 2015, also at Sziget, I’ve been to one of his shows every single year. It’s become a full-on tradition now. It’s become my thing to see him every year. And I couldn’t wait for the fifth time, especially because of the fact that it was at Sziget. Our five-year-anniversary and at Sziget, just like the first time. It was bound to be perfect. And on top of that, it was also STMPD-Day, so after Marty’s show, his label would be taking over a stage for the rest of the night and I was so ready for that.

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So, as soon as my mum and I got on the island, we once again went for a little walk around the island and went to the beach (yes, the festival even has its own beach). There weren’t many acts on for us to see, so we still had some time left to just wander around, do some people-watching, visit the funfair again and get some food. Again, I need to mention that the whole festival is an absolute paradise and crazy beautiful. I love it with my whole heart.

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At about 4 pm we walked over to the Volt Stage to see Wild Front, who I was super excited for, as I had already seen them at the beginning of the year in Brighton at a teeny-tiny venue. As you can imagine, it was pretty cool to see this small band play at my favourite festival. I don’t know, it just felt like some part of Brighton was visiting me there. And obviously, they were absolutely fantastic. If you haven’t heard of them, you should definitely go and check them out – here’s the link to their youtube channel. And after seeing them, it was already time for us to head to main stage and to get ready for Marty. Just like in 2015, mum and I wanted to save ourselves a spot at the second barrier, so no one would be jumping around in front of us. So we waited, about 3 hours, but unfortunately, at first, we didn’t really get a good spot for us to stay at. There was no way we would be able to see anything if we weren’t right at the front – I don’t know what happened this year, but somehow all the other festivalgoers seemed to have grown way more than us. They were all so freaking tall. But, obviously, it wasn’t the time to give up. So while my mum stayed at our spot and watched 6lack (some kind of rapper/RnB artist), I went over to another stage to check out Gang of Youths and then go on the hunt for a good spot. And guess what, we really managed to get front row, right at the barrier and I think even at the exact same spot we were in 2015. It was quite emotional, to be honest.

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So we waited through Tove Lo, who we had both already seen at a Coldplay gig, and then it was finally time for Marty to come on stage. I was so hyped up, not only because I would be seeing Marty again, but also because I would finally be seeing his ANIMA show. Every year Marty and his team premiere a new show at ADE and then work with it until the next year. And this year, it was the ANIMA tour and as for all the pictures and videos I had seen online, I was more than ready to finally experience it all myself. See it with my own eyes. Feel it with my own body. And mentally bow down to Gabe Fraboni and Lorenzo de Pascalis and the rest of the team for creating something as genius and beautiful as this.

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When I look back at how the whole show went down, I still can’t believe that I really got to experience all of it. For me, it actually started as soon as Tove Lo had left the stage and they started to build Marty’s set-up. Because that’s when his team came out. And when I got to see Gabe. I couldn’t believe my eyes. As some of you might know, I don’t just listen to Marty’s music and go to his shows. I watch his videos, behind the scenes clips, heck, I even watched the movie he was in. Usually, when I’m a really big fan of someone, it’s the most important part for me to familiarize myself with the whole team and not just the band. I basically want to know everything and everyone. And Marty’s team was no exception. So I haven’t just been a fan of Marty since 2015, but his whole team. Of Gabe, Louis, Lorenzo, Damien, everyone. And just the simple fact of actually being able to watch Gabe prepare for the show, set up the lasers and get everything ready cranked up my excitement by a thousand. It was all really happening.

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And it didn’t just end there. Gabe (Marty’s show/creative director) wasn’t the only one who was there. I saw Louis (his photographer) and Watse (his manager) and then his mum came around and Julian (one of his closest friends and also DJ) and some of his other friends and I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I was at that very moment when I saw his whole team come together. All the people I had watched clips of for years were suddenly all there. And because of his mum and his friends, it felt like it wasn’t just another show, it felt like a family event, something very personal and special.

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Obviously, my excitement peaked as soon as Marty came on stage. It felt so good to finally see him again and hear his music. And god damn, the show was absolutely mind-blowing. It was really out of this world. I remember once hearing Gabe say that ANIMA was their best show to this day and, wow, he wasn’t exaggerating. There were fireworks and lasers and breathtaking background clips and the phenomenal music and then the team handed out glowsticks so the whole crowd turned into a huge rainbow and it was all so perfect. And Martijn just looked so good. Holy moly. I felt like I was in a dream, like it all was way too perfect to be real. But it was really happening. I was really there, having the time of my life. And once in a while I turned around and looked at the back tower where the mixing board was and where Gabe was working his magic and just watched him do his work. Watched Marty’s mum dance a bit. And I might just add that one point, Louis was suddenly standing right in front of us, taking pictures of the crowd and I couldn’t believe my eyes. I mean, I literally have his photography book at home and now he was standing right in front of me. I was shook.

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Altogether, I can just say that the show was freaking fantastic. I danced and jumped and laughed and cried more than once and I felt so at home and happy, I never wanted it to end. Marty is just such a phenomenal artist and live act, I could go to his shows every single day and I wouldn’t get bored. If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend going to one of his shows. You won’t regret it, I swear. And I loved Marty’s energy. You might know that about two months ago, he had to have an operation on his foot and then wear a plaster until about two weeks ago. I bet it still hurt a bit, but he fought through it like a trooper and just jumped around on one foot. Talk about being absolutely adorable. And he also looked so happy. And I was so happy that he was happy. In short, the field was packed with happiness.

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But that actually wasn’t the highlight of the day. No no. The highlight happened when the show had already ended. You should’ve seen me at the end when Marty played his last song. I cried so freaking much, but not because I was sad, but because I was just so happy and full of gratitude and love. First I had watched his mum film the crowd from the tower during the last part of the show. And then after Marty had left the stage, everyone came up to Gabe and they all hugged and clapped and celebrated and by witnessing all of that, I felt like I was part of that too. Like I was seeing something very special. I cried so much, I think my mum was actually weirded out a bit, but in a good way. I mean, she knows me and she let me hug her very tightly and shed a few tears on her shoulder, so it should be fine. And then she followed me through the crowd, because, obviously, now that the team was packing up all their stuff, I had to try and get a closer look while they were still here. So I dragged her back to the tower and there he still was, Gabe, the first one to show up and the last one to leave. And I just stood there, looking up at the tower, watching him. But, you know me, obviously I had to say something. I don’t even know what got into me, I just knew that I probably would never get the chance again to talk to him. So I went up to the barrier and called his name. And what happened then is basically the cutest thing ever. He had his back facing me and then turned around when he heard me, but at first he didn’t know who had called his name, so I called again and then he looked at me and suddenly the biggest grin spread across his face. I’m sure I must have looked like a total mess who had just cried her eyes out, but I was smiling at him nonetheless. So we grinned at each other and I shouted how amazing the show had been and thanked him for everything and he thanked me back and smiled. And although the whole interaction probably lasted for about 30 seconds, it felt like an eternity for me. But it didn’t end there.

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After having packed up everything, he came down from the tower and proceeded to head to the stage and then backstage, which meant he had to walk past us. You can probably guess what happened then. Of course I had to walk up to him and talk to him. And he was literally the nicest guy ever. I again told him how much I had enjoyed the show and thanked him for his work. And then mum took pictures of us, which turned out to be the cutest pictures in existence. And then he left, but not without taking the time to talk to everyone who was waiting for him. I wonder if it feels weird for him that Marty’s fans know him as well and want to have a chat with him. That he has his own fans too. I just hope that he knows that he’s an absolute genius and that ANIMA is a total masterpiece and that there’s a reason why people adore his work. Meeting and talking to him was the definite highlight of my week at Sziget, because, for me, he’s an absolute role model when it comes to believing in your own work and talent and to working your butt off to create something you can be proud of. And I never thought I’d ever get to meet him, but it truly happened and I’ll be forever grateful for that (after I’ve finally realized that it wasn’t just a dream).

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After that, being all high on happiness and emotions, mum and I headed to the STMPD stage. The plan was to at least stay there until 4 am, so we could also see Julian, aka DJ Julian Jordan, so we knew that we had a long night coming up. But a fun one. I remember when Sziget announced that Marty would be playing again, the next thing I was hoping for was a STMPD stage. And I’m still so grateful that that dream really came true as well.

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Overall, these were all the acts we saw on that day:

  • Wild Front
  • Grace Carter
  • 6lack
  • Tove Lo
  • Martin Garrix
  • Bart B More
  • Mercer
  • Justin Mylo
  • TV Noise
  • Julian Jordan

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I don’t think I have to mention that the whole night was absolute craziness. At one point, mum and I were even sitting on the ground in this huge tent, leaned against a pillar and having the music blasted into our ears at 3 am. Yes, we were tired, but I can promise you that we couldn’t have been in a better mood. All the acts were absolutely fantastic and I’m so glad I got to see them all. Also, at this point, I have to thank my mum for being basically the best mum ever and a real trooper and for staying with me the whole night. She’s the coolest and I’ll be forever thankful that she endured hours over hours of EDM music, that she’s not even the biggest fan of, just for me and just so that I could see all these acts and be happy. Mum, you’re the best. And I love you.

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I went to bed at a quarter to 6 am that night (morning?). It’s the longest we have ever been at any festival and although I had little to no voice nor hearing the next day (which I will tell you all about in my next post on Monday), it was all totally worth it, because it had been such an epic night that I’ll never ever forget. Even the walk home was magical. The sun was just coming up, the sky turned into beautiful shades of pink and orange and I introduced my mum to the sunrise, as they hadn’t seen each other for a long time. Altogether, it was an absolutely unforgettable day/night and I loved and cherished every single second of it. And I can’t even put into words how much I miss Marty and his team already. I can’t wait to see them all again soon (hopefully).

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And yeah, that’s basically the whole third day of Sziget. I’m sorry this post ended up being quite lengthy, but I just had to share all these phenomenal memories with you, guys, so I hope you still enjoyed reading all about them. Being able to share all of this with you means a lot to me, so thanks if you’ve made it this far. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below and, of course, I wish you all a nice weekend and thanks for reading. x

Tim’s last farewell

Hola everyone.

How are we all doing on this beautiful Friday? I hope you are all well. Sorry for not posting anything on Monday. As I had mentioned in my last post, I just moved back home from Brighton and got here on Sunday night, which means the past few days have been filled with unpacking all my stuff, washing clothes and getting used to the literal hell that is the outside until at least 7 pm. Okay, no, I don’t want to be one of those cringy people who complain about the weather all the time. I actually really love that it’s 8 pm right now and that I’m typing this while sitting outside, still wearing shorts. It’s this warm. Lovely.

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But that’s not what I wanted to talk about. Yes, I know, the weather is a highly fascinating topic, but no. Today, I thought, I’d finally write my already announced post about Tim’s/Avicii’s new, posthumous album “TIM” that just got released. Some of you might remember that last time, I briefly mentioned the release and that I had gotten the chance to go to the album release event in London. Which is exactly what I want to fully explain today. And, of course, I want to dig deeper into the whole album and tell you my thoughts. So, buckle up for a hell of an emotional EDM ride.

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As most of you will probably know, I’ve always been a big fan of Tim. He was the one who got me into EDM and I, for sure, wouldn’t be the person I am today without him. Which is also why his sudden death last year hit me this hard. It was the first death of a celebrity that really broke my heart. Even more so after watching his documentary “Avicii: True Stories” and seeing how the industry and his idiot of a manager broke him into pieces. In 2016, Tim announced his official retirement. This, on the one hand, made me sad, because I knew that I would miss seeing him live. But on the other hand, I also liked how he had decided to choose himself and his health. Not the business. Not the money. He just wanted to get better. And I really thought he had. But unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. And now after listening to his new album, I can’t help but ask myself if we maybe ignored Tim’s own SOS.

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Here the music, which suggests a pure love for life, there the musician, who himself was anything but happy with his own. But that isn’t the only reason why the release of “TIM” is inevitably bittersweet. On the one side, us fans all over the world now get the chance to celebrate twelve new hits, but on the other side, the fact that the artist behind these songs cannot celebrate them with us fills the music with a deep melancholy and breaks my heart a little. A certain, profound mix of emotions I also felt while attending the album event in London one week before the official release. In different cities all around the globe, Tim’s team had put up cubes that fans could walk into and experience his new songs for the very first time. But besides getting the chance to listen to a few seconds of the album, the whole event meant so much more. Because in order to get to listen to the snippets, you had to put your hand on the touchscreen placed inside the cube. The screen then connected itself to another cube in another city where somebody else’s hand had also been placed on it. As soon as the connection had been made, you could actually see the other hand next to yours on the screen and after that, the song started to play.

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I know, you could now say that it was all fake and that they just showed some silhouette of a hand, but it wasn’t. I got connected to someone in Stockholm, presumably a girl, as the hand featured a ring. And I know it might sound strange, but in that very moment, I felt such a deep connection to that person. Two human beings, two strangers, doing the very same thing and getting to hear the very same song at the very same second. It was just so special. And it definitely accomplished its goal, as I did not only get to connect to someone who wasn’t even in the room but also to the other fans who visited the cube. I might not have known Tim personally, but I can definitely say that he would have loved this.

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Personally, I would say that the album itself couldn’t be more special and emotional and straight up important. Tim himself was always fond of being one of those songwriters who like to mix heaviness with ease. A concept that runs like a thread through all his musical works – as well as his latest pieces. Because, once you look and listen beyond the fantastic beats and euphoric rhythms of the new songs, you suddenly get to hear lyrics like “Can you hear me? SOS. Help me put my mind to rest.” and “And I think I just died. I think I just died.”. And that is why the release is so bittersweet. The lyrics depict the state Tim was in while writing and producing the new tracks before his death in April last year. They tell the story of someone who was lost but still holding onto the last fragments of strength and hope. But it still wasn’t enough. No wonder I had to fight back tears while listening to the album on the tube in London. Crazy how songs can say so little but mean so much.

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In addition to these unfinished songs, Tim also left countless demo clips, notes, texts and emails behind in which he described exactly how his new album should sound. Enough material that his songwriting colleagues Kristoffer Fogelmark, Albin Nedler, Vincent Pontare and Salem Al Fakir (Vargas & Lagola) decided to complete the tracks without him, but as close as possible to his visions. The result can be seen as the late testimony of a troubled but inspired musician. Or simply as a palette of excellent electronic beats that never fail to put a smile on the face of any music lover. I, for my part, have deeply fallen in love with the following three tracks, for various reasons. They all feature amazing beats, fantastic lyrics and make me want to listen to them again and again. But most importantly, I adore the stories they tell.

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Although it may just be a small ray of hope in the midst of a tragedy, Tim’s family has recently launched the “Tim Bergling Foundation” to raise awareness for mental illness and suicide prevention in the music industry, which I think is an amazing cause and a fantastic idea. The net proceeds of Tim’s new album also go to the foundation, which I think he would’ve loved as well.

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Unfortunately, “TIM” doesn’t give us any answers as to what might have happened to him during the last years of his life. But there is something else in the album – a musical heritage that will shape not only the soundtrack of today’s but also that of future generations. Tim may not be with us anymore, but his music will live on forever. And I know that the world will always remember him as one of the greatest artists. I definitely will.

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But what do you think about the album? Do you agree with my thoughts? Please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below, guys. And, as always, I hope you enjoyed this post and wish you all a lovely weekend. And, of course, thanks for reading. x

News News News

Hola everyone.

How are you doing today? I hope so far you’ve all had a great week. While I was thinking about what to write for today’s post, I noticed that it has been quite some time since I last just chatted about this and that with you guys and told you about all the stuff that’s currently happening in my humble life. And this absolutely needs to change, so it’s exactly what we’re going to do today.

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I’m currently sitting in my room in Brighton, which compared to a few days ago, looks quite bleak and empty. You’re probably wondering why. Well, believe it or not, I’ve already started packing up all my stuff, as the time has come for me to move back home for the summer. I, on my behalf, can’t believe it one bit. I mean, where has the time gone? It feels like I just moved here a few weeks ago and started uni and now I’m already done with my first year and moving out. When did that happen? Holy moly.

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To be honest, I’m actually really looking forward to moving back home in a few days. Not that I’m not sad to leave Brighton, not at all. The thought of not coming back here feels weird. But I just can’t wait to see my parents again and my friends and my babies, Molly and Peaches.  I’m just really happy to go home again.

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Also, another peculiar aspect – my voice is pretty much gone today, because, as usual, I basically just got back from a concert. Actually, maybe it’s not that peculiar. Couldn’t be more on brand for me, could it? But oh my god, it was so so so good. I got to see the one and only Wallows live for the very first time at Electric Brixton in London and holy moly, what a show. I have to add that I’ve been wanting to see them live for ages now and was already so damn excited for their concert. And, in all honesty, they did not disappoint. I haven’t been to a lot of shows where the energy was as high as yesterday. The crowd was mad. And I wasn’t the only one who noticed that, as the band themselves pointed it out after about every second song. I loved how you could clearly see how much they were enjoying the night. There was this cute moment when Dylan, the lead singer, went up to the mic after they had finished an especially energetic song, waited for a few seconds and then said: “You guys are the best. That’s all I have to say right now.” I mean, how sweet is that? Isn’t it the best feeling ever when not just you, but the band as well is loving every single second of a concert? Before their last song, they even said that they didn’t want to start playing because they didn’t want the show to be over. So damn cute. I honestly can’t wait to see them again.

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Also, on another music news note – Tim’s new album got released yesterday and I started listening to it the second it was out and I may or may not have cried on the underground in London. It’s such a bittersweet thing. The album is freaking perfect and all around the world there are people celebrating this new fantastic music, but the guy who’s behind all of it, the one who made it all possible, isn’t able to celebrate it with us. I’m utterly grateful that Tim’s team decided to finish his projects and release these songs, but it also makes me so damn sad. Reminds me of the fact that we lost one of the best artists in the world. We miss you, Tim. Every day.

I’m just going to share my two favourite tracks of the album for now, as I want to really get into all of it and then write a thorough post about it, especially as I went to an album release event last week. So, stay tuned for that. And please give the album a listen until then. It really is that amazing.

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And last but not least, I’ve got absolutely mind-blowing news. Leni and I may or may not have found a place for us to live in London. I know, I know. How crazy is that? I honestly can’t believe it. I mean, my brain is literally unable to fathom this information. I mean, just yesterday I got to spend a whole day in this utterly beautiful city that I love with all of my heart and now I’m really moving there. To this city. Which is something I’ve been dreaming about for years. Forever. This is so crazy, holy moly. I think I still need time to fully digest this and then I’ll be able to really talk about it because right now I’m just on the verge of freaking out every single second.

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And yeah, that’s all for now, I think. As already mentioned, I’ve got a few posts planned for the next few weeks, so do check by again. And until then, I hope you enjoyed reading this post. But more importantly, what about you? What’s going on in your lives? Please don’t hesitate to get in touch and leave your comments and thoughts down below. And, as always, I wish you all a great weekend and thanks for reading. x