Brenda: On life and other quirky bits

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Hello, I'm Brenda

I talk way too much for my own good and possess an ego too large for my small frame.

I like to challenge social norms and do silly stuff like work under the table instead of at it. Easily bribed with colourful balloons.

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After having taken a break from all things music-related for close to three years, I decided to audition for Impresario 2012 a week ago.

It was one of the more challenging decisions I’ve made recently. The weeks preceding the deadline had seen me swinging drastically from being “really keen to give it a go” to “meh, I really don’t have the time“.

Eventually, I swung back to the former and registered for an audition exactly on the registration closing date, with zero expectations.

It’s just for a bit of fun and excitement.

Surprisingly, I was barely nervous when I’d usually be a wreck. The whole thing went swimmingly well – my voice was steady (although my hands were trembling slightly) and completely on pitch, I added as much emotion into the song (as I could handle) and made the necessary eye contact.

In short, everything went much better than it did when I rehearsed at home.

The organizing team captured a picture of me just before I entered the audition room … with my big grin and all (and lookin’ just a little bit sleepy).

Impresario 2012
Photo credit to Impresario 2012.

I left the audition room grinning and feeling completely ecstatic. I wanted to give it my best shot, and I managed to. I’ve had my moment. I’m happy enough.

The audition results are due to be released anytime soon. Whether I’m in or out, it doesn’t matter. The experience of the audition itself (and the high I felt for the entire evening after the audition) was already well worth it.

I’m glad I decided to try out.

Unrelated, but I happen to think this contestant is really pretty.

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My new favourite song. I first heard it when I was in New Zealand and subsequently, the song just stuck. Beautiful tune at the chorus and lyrics that make loads of sense. It’s now spinning on repeat in my iPod and I doubt I’d ever get sick of it.

I hope you guys like it too.


Music video for Tinie Tempah’s “Written in the Stars”, uploaded by parlophone on Youtube.

Written in the Stars – Tinie Tempah (feat. Eric Turner)
Oh, written in the stars, a million miles away
A message to the main, oh
Seasons come and go, but I will never change
And I’m on my way

Lets go, yeah, you’re listening now
They say they ain’t heard nothing like this in a while
That’s why they play my song on so many different dials
Cause I got more hits than a disciplined child
When they see me everybody brrrrraps, brrrrrraps
Man I’m like a young gun fully black Barrack
I cried tear drops over the massive attack
I only make hits like I work with a racket and bat
Look at my jacket and hat
So damn berserk, so down to earth
I’m bringing gravity back
Adopted by the major, I want my family back
People work hard just to get all their salary taxed
Look I’m just a writer from the ghetto like Malory Blackman
(Where the hell’s all the sanity at? Damn.)
I used to be the kid that no one cared about
That’s why you have to keep screaming till they hear you out

Oh, written in the stars, a million miles away
A message to the main, oh
Seasons come and go, but I will never change
And I’m on my way

Yeah, I needed a change
When we ate we never took because we needed a change
I needed a break
For a sec’ I even gave up believing and praying
I even done the legal stuff and was leaded astray
They said that money is the root to the evilest ways
But have you ever been so hungry that it keeps you awake
Mate, now my hunger would leave them amazed
Great, it feels like a long time coming
Since the day I thought of that cunning plan
One day I had a dream I tried to chase it
But I wasn’t going nowhere, running round
I knew that maybe someday I would understand
Trying to turn a tenner to a hundred grand
Everyone’s a kid that no-one cares about
You just got to keep screaming until they hear you out

Another one of his songs that appealed to me is “Invincible”, recorded in partnership with Kelly Rowland – which initially led me to believe that Tinie Tempah may end up becoming one of the very few singers/rappers whose entire repertoire of songs will appeal to me. Turned out he didn’t. Other than “Invincible” and “Written in the Stars” (as of end-December 2010), nothing else appealed.

For now, I am utterly in love with “Written in the Stars”. Excuse me while I head back to listening to this song on repeat.

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Happened to hear this song in a shopping center earlier this week. As usual, I resorted to my usual way of taking note of new songs I like – picking out a distinctive phrase or sentence in the song and saving it as a message in my phone.

Then, I went home to Youtube it. Heh.

Seriously now, what will we do without Youtube? (; Before its existence, looking for a song was so much trickier. One phrase can – quite possibly – appear in a wide range of songs and it is hard to tell whether it’s the correct song from lyrics alone. (And I shall not go into downloading music illegally. *Shifty eyes*)

Catchy tune (slightly techno-esque), and really hilarious (but encouraging) lyrics. This is the 2009 remix of the song originally released in 2008.

Hey, Hi, Hello! – Shaun Baker (feat. Maloy)
Hey, what a perfect day
Why you look sad?
You think you’re imperfect
Does drive you mad?

You’ve lost your pride and confidence
Sometimes don’t like yourself
Don’t give up, don’t you submit
Shit on it!

They say you’re small; I think you’re tall
Just say it’s so; Hey hi hello!
They say you’re fat; So what? They’re fat!
Just say it’s so; Hey hi hello!

I know you’re strong; So don’t be wrong
Just say it’s so; Hey hi hello!
Nothing they say; Will wreck the day
Do it your way; Hey hi hello!

I know you’re strong; So don’t be wrong
Just say it’s so; Hey hi hello!
Nothing they say; Will wreck the day
Do it your way; Hey hi hello!

So, who is really cool?
You think – the stars
But they’re irregular
Just regular

Perfect is in the point of view
Don’t change your look, no way!
Someone says ‘I don’t like you!
Shit on it

Shit on it, sings Shaun. Hahaha. I like! Shit on it, indeed.

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