Hottest 100 winners

(I'm having trouble writing this as I am sitting in an internet cafe that has just finished playing Sean Kingston's greatest hits, and currently it is Pitbull's verse in Usher's DJ's Got Us Fallin' In Love. Send help/internet in the comfort of my own home).  

Were we all as confused as I was?

I was at work until 2:30pm on Australia Day...not complaining...but kinda complaining because it meant I missed 100-50 of the top 100. Although if you have to miss half, that's the half to miss.
Anyway, I listened to 50-1, and it was hella good. All the obvious ones were in there such as Allday, Peking Duk, Sticky Fingers, Mark Ronson, SIA, Chet Faker...but I am sorry where were Kasabian, Dune Rats and Mac Demarco?
Pwoah...it wasn't until the next day when I was in a more 'with it' head space that I really had a look at the top 20 and to tell the truth I didn't vibe that hard. Nah...that makes it sound like I didn't like the lineup, I actually very much did enjoy the majority of the songs, I guess I was just surprised at who was ranked in the top 20.

20. Sticky Fingers - Gold Snafu

...Obviously I was 100% for this, although I was really really surprised it wasn't ranked higher. It was so popular I really expected it in top 10.

19. Ball Park Music - You Only Love Me When I'm There

I got excited when this came on because to tell the truth I completely forgot about it until it played. I got excited and my extremely intoxicated friend said to me -
"Did you know this is a cover of an Arctic Monkey's song?"
I knew it wasnt, but it wasn't until later that I realised he very much got in confused with She Only Loves Me When I'm There...which pains me.

(Dear Baby Jesus. Somebody to Love by Usher and Justin Bieber is playing now).

18. Lorde - Yellow Flicker Beat

There's always going to be a Lorde song in the mix isn't there. I'm not going to lie, I haven't listened to her much this year, but the people love her so here she is.

(It's like I'm huffing paint and I love her the more I suffer...Rihanna and Eminem. Love The Way You Lie is such a mood kill while I try and write this).

17. Illy - Tightrope

This fucking chorus gets stuck in my goddamned head all the time. Hell didn't know it was Illy though. Hell don't really know who Illy is.

(Michael Jackson The Way You Make Me Feel...finally some decent tunes. I can't listen to this song without picturing Will one of the first times we hung out together when we had both been drinking and he pulled me up and danced with me in front of everyone there. I doubt he would remember it......"acha hooo")

16. Alt-J - Left Hand Free

Yeah...of course. I approve. This is brilliant. It's deserving. Although again I expected it to be ranked higher...Higher than (spoiler alert) their song Every Other Freckle at least, (although I personally like Every Other Freckle more).

(I found earphones. I can finally listen to other songs. Wait Ruby by Kaiser Chiefs is playing...wait, this is the second time it's played. If Maroon 5 plays again after this either they are repeating the cd or I've gone back in time).

15. Kite String Tangle - Arcadia

THANK GOD! This song came on and I got really excited, emotional and just overjoyed. This song played a pretty big role in my life this year. My ex-boyfriend once (whilst we were dating) said to me "I hope this is our breakup song" hahahahhahaha, he doesn't deserve a song this good, he didn't even get a breakup song I don't think, maybe he would have if he kept his decent personality. Instead, this is Daniel and my song. One of my truest, closest, grooviest, hottest, kindest, most interesting, thoughtful and most admirable friends, Daniel...this was our song. I can't listen to it without thinking of him, so I called him. He has been overseas for 7 weeks and it was the first time I heard his voice since then, it was magical. We vibed hard. If he is reading this...please come stay with me in Brisbane soon, I miss ya.

(Maroon 5 is playing.....Maps)

14. Alt-J - Every Other Freckle

Sorry, I spoiled this one before. This is the sexiest song ever written. If this song doesn't turn you on you should reassess your sexuality.
The pull off some really basic and kind of ordinary lyrics...they smashed this song. Honestly. Pwoah. I can't talk about this, it's so hot.

13. Vance Joy - Mess is Mine

Much like Lorde...it's the Hottest 100...there's always going to be some Vance Joy in the mix. I used to be a big Vance Joy fan, I haven't listened to much of his new stuff this year, but everyone seems to love him...so again, here he is.

12. Glass Animals - Gooey

This is one of those songs that everyone thinks they were the first to discover. Like every teenage boy goes through that faze where he thinks he discovered Kurt Cobain and Anthony Kiedis's Scar Tissue...chances are many many people around the world fell in love with this before you did, but who gives a fuck? Love it. It's brilliant. I love it. It's the epitome of groovy. I feel like my best friend's mum when I say groovy. But this is as groovy as flare pants and odd socks...which simultaneously came back in when this song was released.

11. ZHU - Faded 

I can't listen to this song unless it's 3 months ago at 1:34am, I have told my parents I am sleeping over at Shaye's but really we are in Susie (Shaye's car) going to meet my now boyfriend and his friends at the beach.

10. Asgeir - King And Cross

I just had to YouTube this...I'm going to be so honest. I have never heard this in my life. Oh wait, yeah I have. Like once when I was drunk so it's only a vague memory. I expected to not like this for some reason. Oh it's quite good. Ooo I don't like that electronic bit. The beat's good though. I'm going to move on. This has potential. I reckon I might rediscover this in a month and totally dig it.

9. SIA - Chandelier 

ARE WE SURPRISED THIS ONLY GOT NUMBER 9!? I'm not a huge fan of this song, purely because it was pretty much the only song played on the radio this year. But I would have put my life's savings (which is about $300 at this point because I'm really poor and rent is due today) on this song being number 1. I'm genuinely very very surprised.

8. Chet Faker - 1998

Chet Faker does no wrong. Apart from that time he got mad at his crowd for filming and not appreciating him enough. Let's let it slide because his music is the perfect balance of lovely and sexy, and party tunes and solitude sounds.

7. Chet Faker - Gold

Haha. Copy and paste.

6. Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk

I'm dancing in the internet cafe just thinking about this song. I filmed (yeah weird) a blog post on this but never posted it. This song is the best. It was my Schoolies song, but then when I came home my boyfriend and his friends discovered it so it became my holidays song, then my friend Coby learned it on guitar and played it to us at Woodford so it became a Woodford song, then I danced to it and didn't want it to ever end. This song is PERFECT. I don't get sick of hearing it. It played at work the other day and the girl I was working with changed the song...I don't like her anymore.

5. Peking Duck ft. SAFIA - Take Me Over

I bought a peking duck sushi roll the other day and did not dig it. Then again it was from Coles and it was $2.30.

4. Milky Chance - Stolen Dance 

Everyone seemed to think this would be number 1. I didn't think so. I really liked this the first 3 times I heard it.  Now I don't hate it, but I don't listen to it much. It really takes me back to just before I graduated, when I seemed to always be in the passenger seat of a car at 1:34am. Milky Chance looks nothing like I expected.

3. Hilltop Hoods - Cosby Sweater

I hate this song.

2. Peking Duk ft. Nicole Millar - High 

This song gets me drunk. I feel like every time I hear this I've been at a party and having a much better time than I expected to have. It's always with the people I went to school with, who I don't expect to have fun with anymore...but then this song comes on and it's not the music I listen to, but drunk Stella digs it. Don't think it should have gotten number 2 though. Maybe 5.

1. Chet Faker - Talk Is Cheap

I'm surprised, but feel like I shouldn't be. This song is so complete. Oh man, I forget how good this song is and then I listen to it again and see my future before my eyes - growing old with Nicholas Murphy (Chet Faker). I could marry that man. He's 26. That's a pretty big age gap. Oh well. He knows how to finish a song, he knows where to stop. He knows where to push the limits. He'd be a good lover. Ha. He covers the song Lover. It's a sign.

- Stella xx

Moving out

Do you remember a few months back I wrote a blog post about how everything in my life was suddenly and uncontrollably changing? Well, a similar thing has happened, except this time...thank goodness...it's all positive and has all been completely my conscious decision. I have left home and am now living in Brisbane with three of my friends (two of which I was friends throughout high school with, and one of their friends who I met for the first time a week before we moved in, and I luckily instantly become really great friends with her as well). In March I will be starting university at Griffith University studying Journalism for a few years, which I am really looking forward to.

But for now I am just settling into a new home and a new lifestyle – trying to find a new job, survive on internet cafes until our wifi starts up in “10-20 days” (!), not stress too much about money, fall more and more in love with our townhouse's local possum, Kylie, and visit/be visited by the people I love back on the Sunshine Coast (which is only an hour or so away so it’s not hard at all). So far everything has been going really well, we have been in the new house for only about a week. I went back to my old home for the weekend, and my boyfriend, Will, has come and stayed with me for the majority of the days that I have been down here…so really, I haven’t felt too homesick and it therefore hasn’t been a hard move at all. Yet haha. I properly listened to Broods for the first time a few months ago with one of my friends who I am now, coincidentally, living with. The song Mother and Father stood out to me upon first listen...at the time I think it resonated with me because of the line:

"I don't want to wake up lonely, I don't want to just be fine" 

I had recently gone through a breakup and hadn't met Will at this point so I think that lyric really connected with my 'fears' of the time. Ugh that sounds a bit wanky...sorry. ANYWAYYYY I think I connect with this lyric in a completely different way now. Living away from my home, being away from everything that I have gotten so used to over my last 17 years...although I am not homesick right now, and this is honestly up there with the happiest I have ever felt, there is still that fear that I am going to wake up one morning and feel a bit alone, a bit homesick, and 'just fine'.

To tell the truth, this song really just opens my eyes to all the emotions I could potentially feel in the future if I begin to get home sick. I miss my Mum, and my Dad, my boyfriend - Will, my dog - Olive, Sarah and free wifi...but I'm okay, I still get to be around all of the people I miss every week when we visit each other, and there's been enough on my mind throughout the move to distract me from any real negative emotions. But it's dumb to fear and emotion I don't yet feel...I shouldn't be scared of feeling an emotion I may or may not feel in the future. Instead I should enjoy the moment that I'm in, enjoy this new 'adulthood' of living away from home, and just not fear an emotion that I may never even feel.
Despite not letting these super emotional and relatable lyrics bother me, I still really love and appreciate this song, it's really worth having a listen because it's beautiful.

- Stella xxx

The perfect film clip?

My one true love, Childish Gambino, released his film clip for Sober yesterday, and I'm going to make a bold statement...it may be one of the most fitting film clips I have seen created for a song.

I am massive fan of all of Donald Glover's works, and I was delighted to see him produce yet another amazing piece. This film clip is super simple, showing Donald dancing in an empty restaurant to impress the one other customer (a super bangin' gal).

I think the effectiveness of the film clip basically comes down to its simplicity. Childish Gambino's film clips tend to always have extremely engaging themes, and are portrayed with simple and easy-to-watch camera shots. Take for example Sweatpants - that film clip was extremely effective and engaging to watch due to the bizarre themes and interesting concepts in conjunction with the simple camera shot following Childish Gambino through the diner. It's this whole "easy to watch" concept I think. There's not too many things to watch, or too many angles so you have to be actively watching the entire time...it's just simple - easy - effective.

Nah, I just watched this film clip again...this is brilliant. I thoroughly enjoy this video. It's realistic and therefore engages the audience more because we can relate to it more easily. It's humorous plus Donald Glover can actually dance...which for some reason I was surprised by.  It isn't predictable...the girl doesn't get up and dance with him at the end THANK GOD...she gets up and gives the impression she's going to groove, but then she just collects her food and walks out...it's awkward and exactly how it would happen in real life.

I give this film clip five stars...I know that's a bold move. It will probably piss off my Dad because "if it's five stars that means it cannot possibly get any better", and in most people's eyes there probably are things they would add to make it better for them personally. But I think, for a film clip to be this popular and effective for such a wide audience - of course there are things individuals would add to make it better for them - but this seems to be simply perfect for a wide range of astute music lovers. Five stars God dammit.

Stella xxx

Sia - Elastic Heart

So, if you have been on the internet recently you have probably heard about Australian musician Sia's new film clip for Elastic Heart. Starring Shia Lebeouf (Transformers, Nymphomaniac, Holes) and Maddie Ziegler (who you may recognise from Sia's previously film clip for Chandelier, or from Dance Moms if you're that way inclined) the clip has unfortunately been at the sharp end of the knife after some pedophilia rumours and backlash from the public.

I found this so upsetting to hear and honestly it makes me incredibly angry. Before I go any further, view this clip for yourself, gather your own opinion and meet me in the next paragraph.

When I first began researching this topic a couple of days ago I never expected to become as passionate and supportive of this clip as I am. This is art, and the negative energy that it has created honestly breaks my heart because I have fallen into a deep love with this video. I find this one of the most beautifully confronting, artistic and thoughtful film clips to be produced in recent years. To tell the truth I am not a huge Sia fan, but that could be mostly to blame on the fact that Chandelier was playing constantly on the radio at work for months on end...but I think I have been converted with Elastic Heart.

When I watched the clip with my boyfriend, he suggested it seemed very father/daughter like. I can see that idea especially in the caring nature of the choreography, although my interpretation was that they were the same person, each character playing different sides of one personality. Upon research I discovered this to be correct. Sia created the clip with the intention of both Shia and Maddie playing herself.





I find it extremely confronting that there were so many viewers suggesting the video had pedophilic intent. Is it the fact that they are wearing minimal clothing? Was it the intense emotion they showed towards eachother? Because I found neither of these things to be provocative nor suggesting of anything sensual. You can see by the movements of Shia's character that he is caring of Maddie's character despite their battle - the way he wakes her, the way he picks her up whilst she lies on his back, the way he places her down. In the same way, Maddie's character seems in control throughout the entirety of the dance - the way she can escape the enclosure, the way she looks at him, the way she approaches him with strength rather than fear, and finally the way she begs for him to escape the enclosure with her at the end. This is clearly not a romantic relationship, nor is it a sinister one.

Although I respect everyones opinions, I do think that anyone making such disturbing claims as to suggest that certain artists, whether that's Sia, Shia Lebeouf, choreographer Ryan Heffington, or director Daniel Askill intended the film clip to present pedophilic values is absolutely revolting. Without coming across too harshly, I do think if you are disturbed by this film clip and find it sexual/sinister than that may say a lot more about you and your mind set than it does of the film clip itself.

I find it very interesting that Sia said Maddie and Shia were the only too people able to capture the two sides of the 'Sia personality'. Throughout performances and interviews Sia does not show her face to the audience nor cameras. She does this as a way of keeping her privacy, and be recognised for her voice rather than her appearance. And what does a super star who does't want their face to be shown remind you of?
...Perhaps Shia's attempt to be not famous -



All in all, I have fallen head over heals in love with this film clip. It is moving, engaging, emotional and simply beautiful. I genuinely feel moved by the section seen at 3:07 where Shia screams through the bars of the enclosure. If that isn't some of the best acting you have seen...pwoah. I have no words.
I am hurt by the disturbing claims and could not disagree with them more if I tried. I commend Sia, Maddie Ziegler, Shia Lebeouf, Ryan Heffington, Daniel Askill on coming together to create such a brilliant piece of art.

- Stella xx