Music

The superstar releases a new album and the hype around it is as epic as the disc itself. First, Eminem gives the fans a clue by appearing on the Monster tour with Rihanna in August wearing a T-Shirt depicting the words Shady XV. He then also tweeted a photo of himself wearing the same shirt. The next clue was on the night of the MTV VMAs, when he again used Twitter to build up the mystery. Eminem tweeted a trailer for Shady XV and noted the project would arrive on Black Friday. The trailer didn’t exactly reveal what Shady XV actually was, but it did flip through images from Eminem’s past, including some D-12 snapshots and a 50 Cent cameo or two.

Eminem’s camp soon confirmed that Shady XV would be the two-disc compilation spanning the greatest hits of Eminem’s Shady Records. The Roman numeral title represents that it is the fifteenth release from the label on its fifteenth anniversary.

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The next lure and snippet to keep the fans on their toes came two weeks before the album’s release when Eminem made headlines for a lyric he dropped as part of a promotional cypher featuring himself, Slaughterhouse and Yelawolf. The cypher was a nearly nineteen minute long video of the stars giving us a cappella lyrics with the backdrop of their home towns. The rough and ready Shady Cxvher includes Eminem talking about punching singer Lana Del Rey like he was Ray Rice, (the Baltimore Ravens running back who was suspended for domestic abuse) amidst a lot of other tumultuous insults and lyrical mastery. His talents run riot here as he runs rings around his counterparts for delivery, timing and flow. See for yourself…

Eminem – Shady CXVPHER (A capella verse)

Eminem also sent out a series of short videos to promote the album which depicted old black and white cartoon like clowns juggling chainsaws and little girls wielding machine guns! Not your average cartoons to say the least. Coordinating with the new album title the series is appropriately (or inappropriately if you like) named Shady XV Quinceañera, which means the celebration of a girl’s fifteenth birthday – Shady Records turns fifteen this year.

Leading up to Shady XV’s release, Eminem also shared a demo version of his iconic track Lose Yourself where the rapper revealed that he can’t even recall recording it. “I don’t remember where I was at when I recorded it,” he said. “I don’t remember any of the first verse.” Dr. Dre had to remind him of the song’s existence! This is the one they didn’t release…

Eminem – Lose Yourself (Demo version)

Never has a greatest hits album been so highly anticipated, as this one comes with a whole disc of original music to boot. To add to this Eminem is currently the second-highest selling male artist of the modern era (second to the talents of, believe it or not, Garth Brooks!) and therefore anything new coming from the house of Shady is going to be met with seriously high expectations. The album was released on November 24th; Shady XV is a two-disc compilation that features both new and classic tracks from Eminem and members of his Shady Records label roster.

All of the new music on Shady XV lives on the first disc featuring twelve tracks from Eminem, Yelawolf, Slaughterhouse, D12 and more. Eminem serves as the executive producer of the entire project and features on most of the tracks on Disc one. There are many collaborative moments on the first disc; the debut single from this was Guts over Fear starring the haunting vocals of Sia. The track was released on the same day as the album and features on Denzel Washington’s new film The Equalizer. Hear it now…

Eminem – Guts Over Fear ft. Sia

The track Detroit vs Everybody has Big Sean, Danny Brown, Royce da 5’9”, Trick Trick, Dej Loaf alongside Eminem…

Eminem – Detroit vs. Everybody

Paul Rosenberg (Eminem’s manager and co-founder of Shady Records) commented on the idea behind the new album in a recent interview with Music Times; “One day we were sitting talking about what we were gonna do this year. We’ve starting rolling out the Yelawolf album, that’s going to continue this year, and Slaughterhouse is still working on their project, so we were like, ‘Alright, we want to get something out this year because it’s the 15th anniversary of the label,’ and then it dawned on us that this would actually be the 15th project we’d be releasing, which just sort of lined up nicely. So we thought it would be a good time to go back and do a retrospective on the ‘greatest hits.’ They’re not gonna all just be hits like, Lose Yourself and In Da Club, these massive songs, but some of the sort of favorites of the fans and ourselves as well. And then also the chance to put out some new music, as well, because we just want to keep releasing stuff. So there’s gonna be a compilation of new music from the artists on the label as well.”

The second disc is a showcase of the best artists on the Shady Records label including some classic tracks by Eminem, 50 Cent, Slaughterhouse, Yelawolf, D12, and more. Joe Budden (Slaughterhouse member) expressed gratitude for being included on the album. “We’re all really happy to be a part of it,” he said “I, for one, am extremely blessed to be a part of such a consistent, dominant label with a label head who’s one of the greatest MCs who has ever graced the microphone.”

Due to there being extensive material on the label, a lot of tracks could not be included on the second disc of the Shady XV album. This gave rise to the release of the Shady Classics compilation; a 66-track, three-hour mix-tape of previously released material that is now mixed together for the first time. This archive of the Shady Record label’s legacy is also available now.

Shady XV Tracklist Disc 1 1. Eminem, “ShadyXV” 2. Slaughterhouse, “Psychopath Killer” (feat. Eminem and Yelawolf) 3. Eminem, “Die Alone” (feat. Kobe) 4. Bad Meets Evil, “Vegas” 5. Slaughterhouse, “Y’all Ready Know” 6. Eminem, “Guts Over Fear” (feat. Sia) 7. Yelawolf, “Down” 8. D12, “Bane” 9. Eminem, “Fine Line” 10. Skylar Grey, Eminem, & Yelawolf, “Twisted” 11. Eminem, “Right for Me” 12. Eminem, Royce Da 5’9″, Big Sean, Danny Brown, DeJ Loaf & Trick Trick, “Detroit Vs. Everybody”

Disc 2 1. 50 Cent, “I Get Money” 2. D12, “Purple Pills” 3. Eminem, “Lose Yourself” 4. Obie Trice, Kuniva, Bobby Creekwater, Ca$his & Stat Quo, “Cry Now (Shady Remix)” 5. Yelawolf, “Let’s Roll” (feat. Kid Rock) 6. Slaughterhouse, “Hammer Dance” 7. 50 Cent, “P.I.M.P.” 8. Eminem, 50 Cent, Ca$his & Lloyd Banks, “You Don’t Know” 9. D12, “My Band” 10. Obie Trice, “Wanna Know” 11. 50 Cent, “Wanksta” 12. Obie Trice, “The Setup” (feat. Nate Dogg) 13. 50 Cent, “In Da Club” 14. D12, “Fight Music” 15. Yelawolf, “Pop the Trunk” Bonus: Eminem, “Lose Yourself” (Original Demo Version)

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Kina Grannis burst into the world of YouTube in 2007, when her video for debut single Message From Your Heart won the Doritos Crash Superbowl contest and aired to nearly 100 Million viewers during Superbowl XLII.  Shortly after, Grannis released her first full-length album Stairwells and on the strength of the record, played sold-out across the globe.  In the fall of 2011, Grannis was catapulted into the limelight again when she released a stop-motion music video for In Your Arms off of Stairwells.  Made with more than a quarter of a million Jelly Belly Jelly Beans, the video went viral and has since amassed more than 11 million views.  This May, Kina returned with her sophomore full-length effort Elements.  Elements landed in the Top 50 on the Billboard 200,  #4 Folk Albums (Billboard), and #2 Singer-Songwriter Album (iTunes). Recently, Kina broke the 1 million subscriber mark on YouTube and boasts an incredible 150,000,000+ views.

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Kina, you’ve just wrapped up the first leg of your Elements tour. You’ve been all over Europe meeting fans and giving intimate performances. You’re now back in the states and gearing up for more shows. Tell us what shows you have lined up for this last month of 2014 and what you loved about your tour time in Europe?
December should be a great month! I’ve got a short run of shows down the west coast of North America that I’m really looking forward to. After that, it’s basically straight into Christmas time! I’m very much looking forward to having some down time at the end of the year with my family.

The Europe tour was one of my favourites yet. We had just enough time to wander and explore in all the cities, which was amazing, and the crowds were just the best I’ve ever had. So much fun!

The Fire

Our most favourite thing we’ve read about you is that you first debuted your performance skills in front of stuffed animals at the adorable age of 4. Now you’re touring the world and practically becoming your own brand. When did what you love doing turn into a career?
Haha, yes, that was certainly a favourite pastime. Music didn’t become my career, however, until about a year after I graduated from college when I started sharing my music on YouTube for the first time. From there, things really took off.

Your YouTube channel has some crazy numbers going on. Right now you’re at almost 159 million video views and over 1 million subscribers. How long has it taken for these numbers to get to where they are today?
It’s definitely been a slow and steady. I started my YouTube channel just over 7 years ago. For my first 2 months on YouTube I did a video a day, and then switched to a video a week for a long time.

Kina Grannis – In Your Arms

How many original songs have you made since you were first capable of creating, writing and recording your own material?
There must be a few hundred at this point. (Most of which no one will ever hear.)

Out of all of these songs, which is your favourite at this point?
Can never pick a favourite. They’re all just parts of me.

Kina Grannis – Valentine

It’s interesting that your new album is available on vinyl. Why did you decide to have this option available to fans, and do you plan on releasing more material on vinyl in the future?
People had been requesting vinyls for some time, and I personally had always wanted to release something on vinyl as well – it just seemed like the right time. The problem is that pressing to vinyl is a lot more expensive. I hope I get to offer more music on vinyl in the future.

Can you tell us a bit about the triangles featured in the artwork of your new album Elements, how the album title came about, and how it all relates?
The triangles are the symbols for the 4 elements – earth, air, water, fire. The album logo is actually a combination of all 4 (and just so happens has a K in the middle of it as well). The name Elements came to me very naturally when I was driving one day. I was thinking about the song titles – winter, dear river, the fire, write it in the sky, and I realized that there were a lot of natural and elemental themes in the songs. On top of that, these songs are really about what’s most important – love, loss, future, past, growth, beginnings, endings – all the many elements of life.

Kina Grannis – Write In The Sky

How would you sum up your new album in just three words?
Honest, emotional, hopeful.

Kina Grannis – Dear River

Speaking of your music videos, the emotion filled vid to your song My Dear shows beautiful clips of your wedding day. We are assuming the song was written about your husband, Jesse Epstein. When you wrote the song, had you already planned out how it would be filmed? Or was it the other way around? Also, how did Jesse react to it all?
The idea for the music video for My Dear actually didn’t come to be until long after the wedding. We’d had all that footage taken for ourselves to look back on, and at some point it just seemed like it would be a really special thing to get to share it with everyone. Jesse and I made the decision together, he’s always been very supportive of me, whether it’s wanting to keep things private or share things.

Kina Grannis – My Dear

It’s pretty cool that Jesse is also very musically talented and you two have collaborations together. Is this how you met?

We actually met in high school at a community service event. I later taught him how to play guitar (and he quickly became better at it than me).

Kina Grannis & Jesse Epstein – Riptide (Cover)

Speaking of collabs, you’ve done many which can be seen on YouTube with different artists. Do you have anyone on your wish list that you haven’t paired up with yet?
The #1 collab of my dreams would be with Imogen Heap. I admire and respect her so much as a musician and I would just about die to be able to collaborate with her in some way or another.

Your song Little Worrier off of your new album is very nurturing. What inspired the lyrics to this song?
To make a long story short, I went on a writing retreat by myself in the woods, the sun went down, I realized I am by no means brave enough to be alone in the woods at night, I heard footsteps downstairs, I was paralyzed and thought I was about to be murdered, and then… it was a mouse. The next day, I realized I’ve always been a worrier – whether about the past, future, friends, what other people are thinking, etc–so this song is a reminder to myself and other worriers out there to just let it go. Worrying doesn’t change anything, it just makes now more sad/stressful/scary.

Kina Grannis – Little Worrier

Going back to your younger years, what were your earliest musical influences, and do you remember when you first discovered Indie music?
My biggest early influence was a Belgian band called K’s Choice. None of my friends knew them, but they felt like my little secret. They taught me how important music could be to people (namely, me).

Your style seen on tour and in music videos is so trendy and wacky, yet entirely unique and simplistic. Where do you get your clothes and accessories?
My current favourites are Topshop, Urban Outfitters and Madewell.



You have your own clothes/Kina merchandise available in your online store. Would it be a dream of yours to have your own clothing line some day?
I think that would be incredibly fun.

2014 has kept you pretty busy with a new album release, loads of YouTube videos and touring. What is in store for Kina in 2015?
That is something I am very interested in finding out, myself 🙂 I guess we’ll just see how it unfolds.

Elements (Deluxe Version) tracklist 1. Dear River 2. The Fire 3. My Dear 4. Winter 5. Oh Father 6. Little Worrier 7. Throw It Away 8. Forever Blue 9. Maryanne 10. Write It in the Sky 11. My Own 12. This Far 13. Sorry (bonus) 14. Home (bonus) Elements Extended Trailer Digital Booklet

Buy Elements (Deluxe Version) on iTunes, Google Play or her website.

Kina Grannis chose our Sunday Sessions this week. Click here for the playlist.

Follow Kina Grannis on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram or become a Patron.

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The 27 Club became a well known group of famous musicians in the late 60’s including Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin, but really hit the mainstream when twenty-five years later Kurt Cobain (then once again in 2011 with Amy Winehouse’s death), joined the long line of famous musicians that have died at the tender age of twenty-seven. Generally, the main causes of death were drugs, alcohol, suicide or a violent end. Welcome to the 27 Club.

It’s a phenomenon and a mystery… Why were these young people so troubled? What is the significance of the age 27, if any? There are plenty of theories as to why this age seems to be so unusually common for these performers to only reach this young age. Some consider that the psychological problems concerned with fame, fortune and a cocktail of drugs and alcohol take their toll at this age between youth and maturity consequently affecting their decision-making and luring them down the path of destruction before being able to get a grip on their own true being and reality.

Some theories go as far as reading in to the moon and the stars and their alignment during the times these people died or were killed. Many theories are simpler and look into the similarities of the psyches between those who died similar deaths. The following is a brief look into the most famous musicians on the list of FIFTY stars that joined the 27 Club over the last 122 years.

1. Brian Jones – July 3rd 1969, Cotchford Farm, Hartfield, East Sussex

Brian Jones; excellent guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, was the founder and original bandleader of the Rolling Stones. Once fellow band members Keith Richards and Mick Jagger formed a strong bond and songwriting relationship between them, Jones’ position in the band flagged. He developed a serious drug dependency resulting in his eventual expulsion from the Stones in 1969. Jones was found drowned a month later in his swimming pool at his home. The bassist for the Stones Bill Wyman quoted, “He formed the band. He chose the members. He named the band. He chose the music we played. He got us gigs… Very influential, very important, and then slowly lost it – highly intelligent – and just kind of wasted it and blew it all away.” The cause of death was concluded as and remains to be, death by misadventure, despite later claims that murder was a possibility.

2. Jimi Hendrix – September 18th 1970, Notting Hill, London

The most influential time of Jimi Hendrix’s short career spans only four years but he managed to become one of the most influential instrumentalists and electric guitarists ever. At the time of his death there was much speculation as to the cause of death. At one point it was thought he committed suicide, due to struggles with his management, his rock and roll lifestyle and consequently poor health. After some dispute it was claimed that the cause of death was asphyxia due to choking on his own vomit after taking an overdose of sleeping tablets. An overworked, overstressed accidental death? Or, a plea for peace?

3. Janis Joplin – October 4th 1970, Hollywood, L.A., California

Janis Joplin was a big name in the psychedelic acid-rock scene in the late 60’s becoming better known as the “Queen of Psychedelic Soul” and “Pearl” to her friends and was described as having a “devastatingly original voice”. Joplin was one of the stars to grace the stage at Woodstock warbling out the opening number (and shockingly her only number one hit) Mercedes Benz. Janis joined the 27 Club just a few weeks after Jimi Hendrix after being found dead on the floor alone in the hotel room in which she was staying. Cause of death was listed as heroin overdose, possibly compounded with alcohol. Intentional overdose or just a lonely way out?

4. Jim Morrison – July 3rd 1971, Paris, France

Jim Morrison, lead singer of the power band The Doors, a self-confessed poet, singer songwriter and eclectically wild performer was pronounced dead in Paris aged 27. Being labeled one of the most iconic and influential frontmen in rock music history Morrison was the embodiment of the hippie counterculture rebellion.  Morrison was apparently found dead in the bath in a Paris apartment. The cause of death was allegedly a heroin overdose yet is still under dispute. There was no postmortem or autopsy on his body due to French law at the time claiming no sign of foul play. Morrison was also an alcoholic and a troubled soul that dabbled in many illegal substances over his short life; his long term companion Pamela Courson claimed that he accidentally snorted the heroin that killed him believing it to be cocaine.

5. Kurt Cobain – April 5th 1994, Seattle, Washington, USA

Best known as the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter for the band Nirvana, Kurt Cobain became a 90’s icon for Generation X and “the spokesman of a generation”. Since their debut, Nirvana, with Cobain as a songwriter, has sold over 25 million albums in the US, and over 75 million worldwide. During the last years of his life, Cobain struggled with heroin addiction, illness and depression. He also had difficulty coping with his fame and public image, and the professional and lifelong personal pressures surrounding himself and his wife, musician Courtney Love. On April 8, 1994, Cobain was found dead at his home in Seattle, the victim of what was officially ruled a suicide by a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head. The circumstances of his death at age 27 have become a topic of public fascination and debate. After a tumultuous few months of alleged suicide attempts, sickness, rehab attempts and disappearance from the detox programme, he was found dead at his home by an electrician. He had apparently been lying dead for almost five days with a gunshot wound to the head plus heroin and diazepam in his blood system. He left a note to his imaginary childhood friend “Boddah” which claimed that he had not “felt the excitement of listening to as well as creating music, along with really writing…for too many years now”.

6. Amy Winehouse – July 23rd 2011, Camden, London, UK

The multi-award winning singer songwriter Amy Winehouse was the biggest female artist of her time when she met her maker in 2011. She was only on her second album but had achieved world-wide success and a huge acknowledgement from the world of music. Her music stretched over the genres of Reggae, Soul, Ska, Jazz and R&B producing hit after hit and touring frequently over her short-lived career. Her blast to fame and fortune alongside an alcohol and drug problem plus a volatile, attention grabbing relationship led Amy’s demeanor to change as well as a dramatic alteration in her physical appearance (something which was prominent for her, see the beehive hairstyle and many many tattoos for example) and consequently her ability to stay focussed on her career faltered. She was often incapable of singing, on occasion of even being able to stand when about to go onstage. Her fame became as much of a problem for her as her alcohol and drug dependencies. Those close to her claimed that Amy just wanted to go down to the pub and hang out with the locals and that her new found fame could not permit such a simplistic outing causing her to go on a downward spiral. It was a sad day when this talented young lady let it all get flushed away. She was found dead in her home in Camden, due to alcohol poisoning. Following her death was the revival of the media attention to the 27 Club, of which three years earlier she had expressed a fear of joining.

People identified as being in the 27 Club

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No matter where you are in the world there are some weird and wonderful things to be doing in this joyful month. From burning devils to whirling dervishes or some seriously demonic beats there are some religious, musical, artistic and simply mind blowing spectacles out there to get your festive spirits flowing. Here is our list of the not-to-be-missed festivals going on around the world this December.

Budapest Christmas Fair

WHERE: Budapest, Hungary
WHEN:  28 November – 1 January
WHY: At the end of November Vörösmarty Square turns into a festive market place. The location is ideal; the Square is in the heart of the city at the end of Váciutca. Cottage-style wooden stalls and two outdoor stages take over one of Budapest’s most attractive spots during the couple of weeks preceding the end-of-the-year holidays. You can smell the scent of traditional honey cookies, mulled wine, cinnamon and fir from afar. The rich fragrant simply lures you to the market.

Programs on two stages every day from 17.00 till 20.00: folk, jazz, world music concerts, dance house performances entertain visitors to the fair. On weekend mornings puppet show will be on stage; sure to delight families with children. 122 stalls offer high-quality products (selected and approved by special a jury of folk art experts).
Gastronomy: besides the usual fair delicacies (kürtös kalács, bread pizza baked in clay oven, roasted chestnut) you can taste traditional Hungarian Christmas dishes: stuffed cabbage in, roasted goose thigh, pork knuckle, grilled sausage and meat.

National Finals Rodeo Las Vegas

WHERE: Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas, USA
WHEN: The first full week of December
WHY: Get stuck in and attend the hoedown and gift show (and hope for the rare chance to attend the rodeo).
It could be argued that Las Vegas is a never-ending festival, a glorified fairground where the lights never go down. But there are moments when even Vegas outshines itself, and the 10-day National Finals Rodeo (NFR) is prime among them. Go to watch the most entertaining show of cowboys doing what they do best in the most vibrant and exhilarating atmosphere going.

Quema del Diablo (Burning of the Devil)

WHERE: Guatemala City & Antigua
WHEN: 7 December
WHY: If you want some brownie points ahead of Christmas, there are few better ways than to help the Guatemalans burn the devil. In local traditions, the devil lurks in the corners of homes, beneath beds and among garbage. Each year, as a prelude to Christmas, homes are cleaned and on 7 December the rubbish is collected in the streets. Often, an effigy of the devil is thrown on top, just to really sort him out. At 6pm the piles of garbage are set alight, chasing out the evil spirits and ushering in a devil-free Christmas season. To accompany the burn there might be marimba bands and there will certainly be fireworks…another rocket up the fleeing devil’s behind.

Mevlâna Festival – Whirling Dervishes

WHERE: Turkey
WHEN: 10-17 December
WHY: To be mesmerised as the dervishes whirl..In the Islamic world the 13th-century Sufipoet Celaleddin Rumi, or Mevlâna (Our Guide), is all but considered a saint. One of the world’s great mystic philosophers, his poetry and religious writings are among the most beloved and respected in Islam and beyond. Madonna is an unabashed fan, and Mevlâna is said to be one of the biggest-selling poets in the USA. He also believed that union with God was possible through dance.

SantaCon

WHERE: San Francisco, California, United States
WHEN: 13 December
WHY: SantaCon is a bar crawl in which participants dress as Santa or other Christmas characters. It is also known as Santarchy, Santa Rampage, the Red Menace, and Santapalooz which originated in San Francisco, USA. It has been critiqued as being nonsensical and rowdy but it’s quite a spectacle seeing thousands of red Santas roaming the streets and getting into the festive mood.
It began in San Francisco in 1994 and has since spread to 44 countries around the world. In 2013 it was scheduled in 300 cities, including New York City, London, Vancouver, Belfast, and Moscow. The New York SantaCon is the largest, with an estimated 30,000 people participating in 2012. The authorities are getting wise to the event and additional security is added each year to keep the Santas on their best behavior!

Burning the Clocks

WHERE: Brighton, UK
WHEN: 21 December
WHY: Burning the Clocks is a unique community event in which local people make their own paper and willow lanterns. After carrying them through the city in a lantern parade they pass them into the fire on Brighton beach, as a token of the year’s end. Then a dazzling fire show is set in motion, in which a massive fire sculpture is ignited, live music plays, and fireworks light up the sky!

Burning the Clocks was created in 1994 as a way to celebrate the festive season regardless of faith or creed. It is free and the route is suitable for all ages and abilities. Over 2,000 people now take part in the parade and over 20,000 spectators turn out to watch.

Junkanoo Parade

WHEN: 26 December
WHERE: Nassau, Bahamas.
WHY: Long before the spectacular ‘rush-out’, the exuberant Junkanoo dance troupes – groups of up to 1,000 – will have been busy rehearsing their dazzling routines. The musicians will have perfected the hypnotic rhythms they’ll perform day and night on a cacophony of goatskin drums, cowbells, whistles and horns, and the imaginative costume designers will have worked non-stop to weave their own special magic with beautifully coloured crepe paper and cardboard.

As the Junkanoo parade moves through the streets of downtown Nassau in the early hours of the morning (generally from 2am to 10am), the energy of the dancers and the beat of the music motivates the vast crowds of supporters and spectators to start moving in their seats, or on their feet, or in the trees, or on balconies – wherever they have found a spot from which to watch this soul-stirring festival!

Sunburn Festival

WHERE: Goa, India
WHEN: 27 – 30 December
WHY: Sunburn, Asia’s largest music festival, is a three day electronic dance Festival held in the beach and party destination of Goa. This massive festival is an amazing blend of the best dance music, entertainment, world class food and multi-cultural shopping and was ranked by CNN in 2009 as the 9th Best Festival in the World. Last year the Sunburn Festival in Goa took place in Vagator and witnessed around 120 Artists and over 200 hours of Music. it had over 10,000sq.m. of exotic festival area with seven gigantic stages. The 8th edition (December, 2014) will witness 150 DJ’s including Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Knife Party, Sander van Doorn, Sasha, Krewella, Baauer, Danny Avila, Head Hunterz, Deniz Koyu, Dubvision, Paul Oakenfold, Matthew Koma, MAKJ, New World Sound, Michael Woods and many more in the phase one international line- up. Not to be missed this life time!

Hogmanay Festival

WHERE: Edinburgh, Scotland
WHEN: 29 December– 1 January
WHY: Because, there’s a wee party going on in Scotland. For Scots, the New Year has always been a more important celebration than Christmas, and largely they’ve managed to convince the world of the same through the enormous Hogmanay celebrations that engulf Edinburgh. Three days of spectacular events, incredible bands and amazing crowds from every corner of the globe. See Shetland Vikings bearing fire-lit torches, hear beautiful choral singing in St Giles’ Cathedral, enjoy birling to traditional Scottish music on the Mound, and watch top stars and incredible fireworks from Princes Street Gardens. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay shows the world how to party!

Highlighted as one of the ‘Top 100 things to do before you die’ and recently the only festival to appear in the ‘Discovery Channel – Top 25 World Travel Experiences’, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party is one of the world’s greatest New Year celebrations.

As the bells strike midnight, join hands with friends from across the globe in the world’s biggest rendition of Auld Lang Syne! Spend the first day of 2015 on a journey through Edinburgh’s Old Town and discover nine incredible new worlds, presenting the very best in music, art and theatre, created and curated by Scotland’s most innovative artists and musicians.

Reveillon

WHERE: Copacabana Beach, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
WHEN: 31 December
WHY: To party with the beautiful people and experience one of the best ways to see in the New Year is to join the party on Rio’s mighty Copacabana beach, where the spiritual and the secular come together for one amazing night. Rio’s biggest holiday after its spectacular and rowdy Carnaval sees around two million people pack the sands to welcome in the New Year – you won’t be laying out a towel and throwing a Frisbee on Copacabana beach this night.

From about 8pm, top bands perform on stages strung out along the 4km-long beach, pumping out a variety of Brazilian and international music. At midnight, a spectacular fireworks display lights up the night sky for up to 20 minutes. The hardiest of revelers keep things going all night long and watch the sun rise the next morning.

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Megan Davies is a Nashville-based singer/songwriter originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. At 24, she recently graduated from Belmont University, where she studied songwriting and classical guitar. Spending her days in classes and her nights recording in her room, she has amassed dozens of demos culminating in the release of two EP’s: Writing On The Walls in 2008, a collection of acoustic songs written during high school, and Apartment Sessions in 2011 which consisted of demos recorded in her dorm room while studying at Belmont University.

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In the summer of 2013, Megan began uploading covers to YouTube – collaborating with both her younger sister Jaclyn and other singer-songwriter friends in Nashville. Since then, she has amassed over ten million views and one hundred thousand subscribers. The Coffee House on XM Radio voted Megan and fellow artist Emily Hackett’s cover of Lorde’s Royals the Best Cover of 2013. Her covers have also been featured on websites such as RyanSecreast.com and Buzzfeed.

Lorde – Royals (Acoustic Cover)

Megan is inspired by everything from commercial pop to indie folk to experimental rock. Currently she is playing shows and working on writing and recording more songs. Most of which are posted on her SoundCloud and YouTube.

When did you first discover YouTube and how big of a part of your life has it become?
I’ve always been a fan of YouTube, way before I started posting videos. A lot of what I know on guitar came from watching my favorite players on YouTube and trying to learn what they were doing. It can be an incredible learning source for so many things. Nowadays it’s become a huge part of my life, in addition to adding this whole other visual component to what I do.

With almost 10.5 million video views, you’ve got yourself a huge internet fan base. Did you ever picture yourself taking off like this?
Never in a million years. I still remember being excited when Jaclyn and my mashup of Radioactive and Pumped Up Kicks hit 1,000 views.

Radioactive / Pumped Up Kicks (Mashup Cover)

Your sister Jaclyn can be seen in a lot of your videos singing with you. Were you two singing together growing up, or is this something you discovered later on?
Yeah we sang a lot together growing up. I was always writing songs and wanting her to sing them with me.

You’re currently living in Nashville, but originally from Pennsylvania. What sparked the move and how has Nashville living been treating you?
I originally came to Nashville to study guitar at Belmont University. I absolutely love the city. There are so many talented people around, it’s inspiring to live here as a young artist.

Along with posting videos to your channel, making music and everything else, you also do shows. Where can people go to catch one of your shows?
Right now the majority of my shows are in the Nashville area. However, I’m planning to do some out of state touring in 2015. The best place to stay up to date with those shows is on my Facebook.

Your enchanting song Dive In is a smooth mixture of melancholy piano, and heartfelt lyrics. Where did the inspiration for this song come from, and what came first; the words or the melody?
Thanks for the kind words. For that song the melody and lyrics came at the same time, which is a rare thing for me. But I think because I knew what I wanted to say, that made it a lot easier. The message is about taking risks and not fearing the unknown, which is something I’m trying to do more of these days.

Megan Davies – Dive In

If you could describe your own personal sound in three words, how would you describe it?
Raw, Passionate, Acoustic

Do you feel that your sound has fully formed with a strong, definite identity, or do you see yourself evolving?
Evolving, but towards a definitive identity. This past year has been the biggest growth for me musically. When you discover an audience, it gives you confidence to be who you are. You stop second guessing yourself, and you just create.

We love your new cover of Heroes (We Could Be) featuring Landon Austin. How did you two meet each other and can we expect more collaborations with him in the future?
Thanks. Landon and I actually went to the same school, though he was a few years ahead of me. Being the YouTube newbie I am, I reached out to him when my channel started growing just to get some advice. A few months later we did two covers together, one for each of our channels. It was a fun experience, and I hope there will be more in the future.

Alesso ft. Tove Lo – Heroes (We Could Be) (Acoustic Cover)

Who in the music industry has influenced you the most throughout your musical growth?
So many. Musically I love Imogen Heap, Radiohead, and more recently Ed Sheeran. Some of my favorite guitarists are Tommy Emmanuel, Jerry Reed, and Kaki King.

What can fans expect from Megan Davies in 2015?
Lots of new music!

Finally, looking back over 2014, what memories make you the happiest?
Working with friends. I love creating on my own, but everything is more fun with friends.

Megan Davies chose our Sunday Sessions this week. Click here for the playlist!

Follow Megan Davies on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Google+ or check out her work on YouTube and SoundCloud.

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Ricky Martin Live at Viña del Mar, Chile, earlier this year, was a sensational show. The show was so good it’s one to keep in your collection – download it with Creation 5 and watch it when you’re traveling or off line.

Ricky opened the first day of the festival to an audience who were chanting, shouting, cheering – the atmosphere and anticipation was intense. Ricky did not disappoint with his performance – he had over 10 different costume changes, sang 18 hits and the choreography and lighting were absolutely brilliant.

During this 2 hour show he performed all his latest hits, plus a few of his old chart toppers, performing 3 songs in English “Come with Me”, “She Bangs” and “Shake Your Bon-Bon”.

The 42-year old Puerto Rican star was actually quite disarming with his sensual dancing and had both men and women fawning over him. He won two awards at the festival, a Silver Seagull and the coveted Golden Gull award. The press called his performance ’triumphant’.

The 55th International Festival of Viña del Mar, a town 120 kilometers northwest of Santiago, was transmitted to over 20 countries in Latin America by Chilevisión. Thanks to them we have this HD video to enjoy.

Set List
1-Come With Me
2-Shake Your Bon-Bon
3-It’s Alright
4-Vuelve
5-Livin’ la Vida Loca
6-She Bangs
7-Loaded
8-Fuego de noche nieve de día
9-María
10-Medley: El amor de mi vida / Fuego contra fuego / Te extraño te olvido te amo
11-Frío
12-Más
13-La Bomba / Lola, Lola
14-Pégate /Por Arriba, Por Abajo
15-The Cup of Life
16-Tu recuerdo
17-A medio vivir
18-Tal vez

Ricky Martin – Viña del Mar Performance 2014

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Happy thanksgiving to our popstars that top the bill of delivering the biggest fashion turkeys of recent years…Check out the badly dressed line up of pop & rock princesses doing their worst in the style wars. It’s one thing to go on stage in some crazy get up but when you decide what you’re going to wear to an event (or are even styled in a certain way) it is quite incredible some of the outfits the stars convince themselves are a good idea!

Britney Spears

Oh Britney, what did you do? This is one of her more demure outfit choices but it’s nasty and should never have happened.

Miley Cyrus

There were literally SO many to choose from when it comes to our Miley, but this one – in keeping with the theme of feathered birds – caught our fashion faux pas eyes.

Nicki Minaj

Yet another one of the music world’s fashion disasters who has supplied us with a whole host of outfit mishaps…however, we thought this one summed up her styling pretty well. This picture was taken at the MTV Music Awards in 2011.

Lady Gaga

She’s so famous for her crazy outfits but this one just took the biscuit, put the icing on the cake and almost the meat on the barbie. Her outfits often leave a lot to be desired and not much to the imagination, and remember the meat dress? That was a different kettle of fish, HOWEVER we decided to go for a worse, yes worse, get up which is in tune with our thanksgiving theme. It’s just HORRIBLE and let’s not even talk about the beak!

Katy Perry

Pop princess, popsicle type wardrobe…it’s just too sickly sweet. It was very, very hard to choose between these two, so we’ll leave this one for you to decide.

Kelis

It’s hard to believe this is actually Kelis, she looks scary, shiny, spikey and those shoes are practically extra terrestrial. What were you thinking Kelis?

Jessie J

She’s not the best when it comes to the style stakes, but this little number just hurts our eyes.

Madonna

The most famous pop chameleon of all time, Madonna, has changed her look more times than the Pope has prayed but when it comes to dressing herself for an event, this recent get-up just made us wonder…why?

Ke$ha

This one is classic. It’s neon, it’s a mess, it’s a horror story turned into an outfit and then dragged through a hedge backwards. Ke$ha; really? This looks like a Jane Fonda slasher movie gone wrong.

Rihanna

Last and definitely least here is Rihanna showing off a little more than necessary. No, the stole does not cover anything!

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It’s not even Christmas yet and Beyoncé is already dishing out presents – ALL the remaining 13 videos from her self titled album were uploaded to her YouTube channel last night! Also, to mark the release of her Platinum Edition of Beyoncé, she has made the repackaged collection available to stream on Spotify! This Platinum edition includes six extra tracks with collaborations from Nicki Minaj, Pharrell Williams, Kanye West and the Mr Vegas remix of Beyoncé’s H&M track Standing on the Sun.

It was virtually a year ago when Beyoncé changed the game and shocked the music industry by releasing Beyoncé last December. Continuing in the same vein she has surprised us all again. There has been no promotion surrounding the release of these 13 music videos – no prior teasing or social media pumping up, Beyoncé has just put the videos on Vevo and lets her supportive fan base spur the publicity.

Taylor Swift caused controversy by removing her album from Spotify yet Beyoncé is very happy to have her entire record collection available online.

The special platinum edition box set is available for purchase on Amazon and iTunes.

To watch any of the videos in Creation 5 just tap the title of the video.

Beyoncé – Blow

Beyoncé – Blue ft. Blue Ivy

Beyoncé – Yoncé

Beyoncé – Superpower ft. Frank Ocean

Beyoncé – Ghost

Beyoncé – Rocket

Beyoncé – No Angel

Beyoncé – Grown Woman

Beyoncé – ***Flawless ft. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Beyoncé – Heaven

Beyoncé – Jealous

Beyoncé – Haunted

Beyoncé – Mine ft. Drake

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“Get ready to celebrate” said Pitbull just before the AMAs kicked off last night in the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. His words were spot on because although it was an award show, it was the live performances that provided a fantastic entertainment spectacle. It was star-studded night for the music industry.

If you missed the show last night, don’t worry, check out our list of the top 10 performances.

1. Taylor Swift – Blank Space

This performance was amazing! Everyone is talking about it – it really was the most original performance in the show’s history. It was the first time Taylor Swift had performed the song live and she really nailed it. She dangled form the ceiling, fed poisoned apples to her boyfriend, played with fire and looked like an authentic psycho. It was an absolutely stunning performance, I guess you could say Taylor Swift: 100 and Haters: 0

Taylor Swift – Blank Space (Live at the 2014 AMAs)

Later in the evening she was presented the Dick Clark Award for Excellence by the legendary Diana Ross. “Tonight we are all honored to present this to a young woman who has taken the music industry by storm,” Ross said.

2. Lorde – Yellow Flicker Beat

We love Lorde, she owns her own style and is the coolest dancer out there. It was her debut performance of the song and it started off just like a movie with her singing in the dark about “Silver and gold scars”. It was all about the music, and the dancing. She is just the coolest cat on the block. She might not have won any awards but alongside Taylor Swift, she was the star of the show.

3. Sam Smith – I’m Not the Only One

No theatrical sets, no gimmicks, just his gorgeous voice. Oh, and the trench coat of course. A$AP Rocky gave a helping hand on the vocals and dropped his verse into the mix. The standing ovation was well deserved.

Sam Smith – I’m Not The Only One (Live at the 2014 AMAs)

Sam Smith won the Favourite Male Artist for Rock/Pop and gave such an emotional speech – as heartfelt as his songs. “I didn’t think I was going to be winning this … thank you to my fan base. Last year, I wrote an album about being lonely, tonight, I couldn’t feel further from lonely,” he candidly said.

4. Mary. J.Blige – Therapy

Just like Sam Smith’s performance, this was without bells and whistles and put her amazing voice front stage. The song was co-written by Sam Smith and her jazzy, soulful rendition of it was stunning.

5. One Direction – Night Changes

One Direction gave a great live performance, they were one of the few of the night’s performers to sing without a backing track – and hat’s off to them, they did a brilliant job. It might not have been the most exciting cut from their Four album, but they did it justice.

One Direction – Night Changes (Live at the 2014 AMAs)

6. Ariana Grande & The Weekend – Problem/Break Free /Love Me Harder

Not only did Ariana dazzle us with her lacy, black dress, she stunned us with her voice in a jazzy, big band rendition of Problem followed by Break Free and then a beautiful performance of Love Me Harder featuring the Weekend and his hair.

Ariana Grande & The Weeknd – Problem/Break Free/Love Me Harder (Live at the 2014 AMAs)

Ariana Grande & The Weeknd – Problem / Break… by uploaderdisney

7. Nicki Minaj ft. Skylar Grey – Bed of Lies

How refreshing it was to see Nicki Minaj let the song be the star – instead of some part of her anatomy. She stood by the piano in a an elegant ball gown and delivered the song without any theatrics.

Nicki Minaj – Bed of Lies ft. Skylar Grey

8. 5 Seconds of Summer – What I Like About You

We are not boy band fans here at Creation 5, but this performance has started to change our minds. Perhaps 5SOS aren’t a boy band any longer? Their cover of the immortal New Wave hit was the best rock performance of the night. Luke Hemmings, Michael Clifford, Calum Hood, and Ashton Irwin truly rocked out, as did most of the audience.

5 Seconds of Summer – What I Like About You (Live at the 2014 AMAs)

5 Seconds of Summer – What I Like About You… by uploaderdisney

9. Charli XCX – Boom Clap / Break the Rules

A great performance from Charli who sang the oh so sweet Boom Clap, dressed in a prom gown, which had the whole audience singing along. She then transitioned into a kick-ass performance of Break the Rules tearing off her sweet prom dress to reveal a tight leather skirt and top. A lollipop got smashed to bits at the end, proving that pop music can sometimes rock as hard as rock!

10. Iggy Azalea– Fancy / Beg For It

After a political-themed delivery of Fancy, Iggy transitioned to her latest single, Beg For It. She seemed to be having mic problems during the song which was a shame. Great showmanship nonetheless.
Iggy won the Favourite Artist Rap/Hip Hop and also Best Hip Hop Album for The New Classic. You might think that Iggy has loads of Awards already, but not so, this was her first one, ever!. “This award is the first award I’ve ever won in my whole life.”  Well congratulations! Let’s hope for many more!

Iggy Azalea – Fancy & Beg For It ft. MØ (Live at the 2014 AMAs)

Iggy Azalea – Fancy & Beg For It (feat MØ… by IdolxMuzic

And the winners are:

Artist Of The Year
One Direction

Favorite Album – Country
Brantley Gilbert, Just As I Am

Favorite Artist – Rap/Hip-Hop
Iggy Azalea

New Artist Of The Year Presented By Kohl’s
5 Seconds of Summer

Favorite Artist – Alternative Rock
Katy Perry

Favorite Album – Pop/Rock
One Direction, Midnight Memories

Favorite Male Artist – Country
Luke Bryan

Favorite Male Artist – Pop/Rock
Sam Smith

Favorite Artist – Latin
Enrique Iglesias

Favorite Album – Rap/Hip-Hop
Iggy Azalea, The New Classic

Favorite Band, Duo Or Group – Pop/Rock
One Direction

Single Of The Year
Katy Perry Featuring Juicy J, Dark Horse

Favorite Female Artist – Country
Carrie Underwood

Favorite Band, Duo Or Group – Country
Florida Georgia Line

Favorite Male Artist – Soul/R&B
John Legend

Favorite Female Artist – Soul/R&B
Beyoncé

Favorite Album – Soul/R&B
Beyoncé, Beyoncé

Favorite Artist – Adult Contemporary
Katy Perry

Favorite Artist – Contemporary Inspirational
Casting Crowns

Favorite Artist – Electronic Dance Music (EDM)
Calvin Harris

Top Soundtrack
Frozen

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Combining her love of classical music with EDM, hip-hop, and dubstep; violinist, dancer, and performance artist Lindsey Stirling is a one-of-a-kind. Born in Santa Ana, California, Stirling grew up in Arizona and began studying classical violin at the age of five. In 2010, she appeared as the “hip hop violinist” on NBC’s America’s Got Talent. After finishing in the quarter-finals of the show, Stirling worked with director/cinematographer Devin Graham and produced her first series of videos on YouTube. Crystallize, was her first major hit, and has been viewed more than 107 million times. In 2012 Lindsey independently released her self-titled debut album, which sold over 200,000 copies in the United States and was certified Gold in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. After successful concert tours throughout the US, Europe, Asia, and Russia, Stirling signed a deal with Lady Gaga’s management firm, Atom Factory, and reissued her eponymous debut album through Universal Music. Lindsey’s second album, Shatter Me, arrived in 2014.

This year, after an 8 week US tour, you then went on to tour for 6 weeks in Europe. Your european tour brought over 100,000 of your fans to come see you live in action. How was this whole experience for you? and are you planning on taking a break to recharge now that you’re back home?
It was absolutely incredible; I felt so honored to be able to perform for so many of my fans all over the world. The fact that that many people were excited and even willing to buy tickets to my concerts still floors me haha; I couldn’t feel more blessed.

Lindsey Stirling – Shatter Me Tour 2014

Lindsey, you’ve sold over a million singles worldwide! This may seem like an obvious question, but are you living the dream?
I’m living the dream! 😀

Lindsey Stirling – Dragon Age

Speaking of living out your dreams, one of our favourite videos of yours is We Found Love which was filmed in Kenya and features some fantastic vocals and authentic African sound. You say that this was one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. Through the video we experience that with you, and that’s what’s so great about it. Tell us a bit about VenTribe and how you came to do this song and film in Africa?
I was dating Devin Graham (devinsupertramp on YouTube) at the time, and he was doing the project with VenTribe and convinced me to come with him to Africa for the project. I figured I might as well participate in the promotion and make a video while I was there, so I contacted Alisha Popat, who is an amazing singer and even more amazing as a person. She strives to be an example to women in Africa and teaches young girls to love and respect their bodies, which I think is amazing. The children I met there were absolutely beautiful, happy, and thriving. I know that not all villages in Africa are like that, but their example was a testimony to me that true happiness can come from loving and being grateful for what you have. These people had so little, and yet they took such pride in the work they did and what they were able to do and contribute in their communities.

Lindsey Stirling – We Found Love (VenTribe)

Going back to your worldwide popularity, you now have over 5.7 million YouTube subscribers and over 815 million video views. Did you ever imagine yourself becoming this huge?
I always dreamed of it, yes, and I saw it in my mind and I hoped for it, of course. Did I believe it could happen? Of course I did 😛
I was raised to believe that anything is possible. Does it still shock me when I see how far I have come? Every day. I can’t even begin to describe how humbled I feel by my success, by all of the supportive people in my life, and for my faith in God who guided me where I needed to go.

A lot of your initial popularity stemmed from the time you were on America’s Got Talent. Shockingly, Piers Morgan told you that you weren’t good enough, and Sharon Osbourne commented that what you were doing was not enough to fill a theatre in Vegas. Boy were they wrong. This reminds us of Simon Cowell’s criticising comments to the now very successful Tori Kelly when she auditioned on American Idol. What was going through your head while the judges were dishing out those harsh comments? How did it affect your self esteem at the time, and ultimately, when did you decide to not let that block your road to success?
It absolutely crushed me. I felt humiliated. At the time I wanted to hide under a rock and cry and never come out again. But as the days went by the shame and the hurt fueled the kindling within me into a blazing fire. I knew I could succeed, with or without their approval or help. So I resolved to prove them wrong.

Lindsey Stirling – America’s Got Talent (All Performances)

Speaking of AGT, you returned earlier this year, giving a powerful performance of your hit song Shatter Me alongside Lzzy Hale. You make playing the violin flawlessly suspended in mid-air look so easy. How cool did it feel to be back and bigger than ever? And did you get any feedback from the judges for old times sake?
Man… I gotta admit, it felt massively good to perform for AGT as a successful artist. I didn’t have to say a thing, but everyone there knew it was a massive “in your face” moment for me XD #thankyouagt

Lindsey Stirling – Shatter Me (AGT Performance)

Let’s talk about your Master of Tides video. You’re playing the violin, whilst dancing like a gymnast, whilst submerged ankle-deep in water, surrounded by mer people, who are also dancing like gymnasts. There’s some crazy choreography happening- oh, and there’s a guy who cartwheels on his trident. Pretty spectacular. How did you manage not to slip over through all that?
Believe me, I was nervous! Slipping was a definite possibility, so I put on my best shoes, prayed like crazy, and went for it haha.

Lindsey Stirling – Master of Tides

Where did you learn to dance like that? Tell us the story behind your moves.
I used to love to improve-dance when I was a little kid; I loved watching figure skating and “dancing” shows on TV and I would mimic their moves. As I got older I watched YouTube tutorials and had one or two private lessons.

Lindsey Stirling – Electric Daisy Violin

Lindsey Stirling – My First Dance Lesson

Through your experience, what would you say is the greatest and hardest part about being an independent recording artist?
I’d say the pace. It’s easy to get left behind in this industry if you aren’t putting out new stuff on a regular basis. Fans want new songs/new videos/new material, and of course I want to make my fans happy. So I work really hard to do that. It’s easy to get overloaded and sometimes I have to force myself to slow down. The greatest thing about being an independent artist is that I have so much creative freedom, and the ability to mold and channel my career how I see fit.

Lindsey Stirling – Beyond The Veil

A very special aspect to your music is the diversity of it. You’ve featured in practically every genre under the sun, with loads of artists on different ends of the spectrum. You’ve single handedly proved that violin can accompany pretty much any type of music track and make it better. How does this process usually unfold? Does the artist send you the music and you fill in the blanks? or do you both work together in the creating process?
It’s usually a collaborative effort/I’m allowed creative freedom, but there have been times when I’ve been given material and asked to stay “true” to the writing. In my collaborations with Pentatonix, for example, the violin parts were pre-written for me and I was asked to play them as such.

Pentatonix – Papaoutai ft. Lindsey Stirling

On the subject of collaborations, your cover version of Radioactive with Pentatonix won Response of the Year in the first YouTube Music Awards in 2013. Did this achievement spark the new cover of Papaoutai featuring you and the a cappella group? Fans want to know if we can look forward to more songs with PTX? We’re pretty obsessed.
I absolutely love those guys; if they’re up for another collab I’m all for it!

Pentatonix and Lindsey Stirling – Radioactive

A day in the life of a successful musician is no piece of cake. Are you playing the violin every single day? How intense is the practicing, and do you ever need to take a break from it all?
It’s honestly been difficult to the find time to practice very much on tour due to the insane schedule. I still take private lessons whenever I’m stationed in Los Angeles, which is a great motivator for me, and I plan to practice several hours a day now that I’m home and off tour.

What was it like joining Cirque de Soleil earlier this year for the annual One Night for One Drop in Las Vegas?
That was definitely a unique opportunity; absolutely loved it! Loved the costumes, loved the people, loved the whole production. I was honored to be part of it and I highly recommend.

We want to know what your favourite meal is, and is there a favourite person to sit and eat it with? Here we are indirectly asking about your dating life ;).
Cereal! I don’t really have a dating life at the moment haha, so I think I would choose to eat with my dad. Only I would order him a hamburger because that’s his favorite (“No sissy cereal for me,” he’d say).

From the start you’ve been very open and honest with your fans and the general public about your life. One struggle you had to face in your early adulthood was an eating disorder. What would be your message to others going through similar struggles right now, and how did you personally overcome it?
#1 would be that everyone struggles with something, and you absolutely have to be able to admit you have a problem before there is any hope of overcoming it. #2 Know that you are never alone and #3 It is absolutely critical to ask for and be willing to receive help. We all need it 😉 That’s what we’re all here for …we need each other.

Finally, what are you most looking forward to going into the new year 2015?
I’m looking forward to touring again, making more music videos, and maybe producing a Christmas album.

Lindsey Stirling chose our Sunday Sessions this week! Click here for the playlist.

Shatter Me tracklist 1. Beyond the Veil 2. Mirror Haus 3. V-Pop 4. Shatter Me 5. Heist 6. Roundtable Rival 7. Night Vision 8. Take Flight 9. Ascendance 10. We Are Giants 11. Swag 12. Master of Tides

Follow Lindsey Stirling on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, or visit her Website.

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