The Big Time Become "Walkney" and a Symbol for Change

What some may have been speculating is actually not necessarily true. The Big Time is far from over.  All bands tend to go through different phases throughout their careers but this is definitely not a phase. This is a movement. A movement for change and awareness.

Inspired by Derek Mrdjenovich's late mother, Walkney is the newest venture for Derek and fellow The Big Time bandmate, Aaron Porta. It's been about 6 years since the beginning of The Big Time and a little over a year since their most recent release, Imaginary Heart. The Big Time have travelled across the country and have received undying love from their close-knit fanbase. I've never missed a tour and honestly never will. These guys work so hard and are so talented. This change is simply the next step for them in a long and successful inspirational journey.

After a countdown featuring pictures of letters in ASL (eventually spelling "Walkney"), the very anticipated announcement was made in the form of walkney.com.


Check out the announcement below to hear the inspirational story of Walkney, reminisce about The Big Time, and see little Derek signing along to the Backstreet Boys. Not to mention, that outro song needs to make its way to us real soon.

Hope. Love. Awareness. Change.

Make sure you're following Walkney on Twitter for the latest updates!

Derek

Aaron

Walkney


WALKNEY ~ AS TOLD BY MADS
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Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello's "I Know What You Did Last Summer": Breakthrough for Young Artists

If you haven't been completely absent the last couple weeks then you've been (not so) patiently awaiting the infamous "I Know What You Did Last Summer" by Shawn Mendes and Fifth Harmony's Camila Cabello. Now this track could've really been hit or miss but lucky for us it is actually, in my opinion, one of the top singles of the year. If you haven't heard it yet, check out the video below:

Basically takes your breath away. The back and forth between Mendes and Cabello is enough to get your blood pumping whether you can actually relate to the lyrics or not. Not to mention their voices actually go well together. It's rare to find a collaboration where duet partners seem to be made for each other. Their vocals weave in and out of one another's making for a powerful song with a mature emotional appeal. 

The video is another thing to admire. Everything about this song was just done so well it makes you see the holes that exist in the music industry. Why isn't everything produced up to this caliber? Sad, really. Ryan Pallotta is a star in his own right for giving us this amazing visual representation of the struggle reflected in the lyrics. Walking towards each other but never quite meeting? Literally just makes you want to scream.

Not only have these two introduced us to what we have been missing for quite some time but they've shown us the power of young artists! These teens have the power to shape the music world into whatever they want it to be. Joining the likes of Alessia Cara's #10 sleeper hit, "Here," and Bea Miller's "Fire N Gold," "IKWYDLS" is a game changer. I personally hope we see more of these naturally gifted and inspiring youngsters move their way to the forefront of the industry. 

Check out Shawn and Camila performing

"IKWYDLS" on Kelly & Michael:

Keep up with Shawn and Camila! 

Twitter: Shawn, Camila

Youtube: Shawn, Fifth Harmony

Facebook: Shawn, Fifth Harmony


I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER ~ AS TOLD BY MADS
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William Singe: From The Collective to the World

So you might have already seen this guy here and there on your Facebook timeline or Youtube suggestions but do you know who he is?

Will Singe is a singer/songwriter from Australia that is slowly becoming the next big up-and-coming artist. Will wasn't always a solo act though. He used to be 1/5 (and then 1/4) of the Australian band The Collective along with Trent Bell, Julian De Vizio, Jayden Sierra, and Zach Russell.

Let me just tell you that I did love and STILL love The Collective! They were one of the best group of guys just oozing talent and getting away with some hilarious antics. They were formed on the fourth season of the X Factor Australia and finished in third place. Their debut single "Surrender" was released in 2012 followed by their self-titled album. They have since released a couple other singles including "Another Life" and "Burn the Bright Lights" as well as some pretty amazing covers. Earlier this year The Collective sadly was no more as the guys decided to pursue solo careers. But enough of that let's talk about Will!

The Collective (from left): Trent Bell,
Julian De Vizio, Zach Russell, Will
Singe, Jayden Sierra

Will has always had an insane amount of talent and I could tell from the start that his voice could easily stand on its own. And now other people are definitely taking notice. Earlier this month Will announced that he has been signed to Paradigm Agency here in the US which hopefully means lots and lots of new music from Will! He also announced that a US tour is in the works which is equally if not more exciting (at least for me).

Check out a few of Will's covers below! You can purchase Will's music on iTunes and get his mixtape  "The Re-Introduction II" here.

Will's cover of "Hotline Bling" by Drake

Will's cover of "679" by Fetty Wap 

     The Collective's cover of "Lazy Love" by Ne-Yo      

The Collective's 2012 single "Surrender"

Keep up with Will! 

Twitter

Facebook

Youtube

Website

Soundcloud 

WILLIAM SINGE ~ AS TOLD BY MADS

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5 Covers You Need In Your Life

We all love a good cover. At least I love a good cover. I noticed that lately I've been actually obsessing over five covers in particular. So in no particular order, check out my list of the top 5 covers you absolutely need in your life:

1. Nathan Sykes - "Marvin Gaye"

If you know The Wanted or you read my review of their Word of Mouth Tour way back when, this name will sound familiar to you. Nathan Sykes has since moved on after The Wanted's split and has gone and made himself a nice little solo career. His debut single "Kiss Me Quick" is gaining attention faster than I can type this and he recently announced that his next single will be called "Over And Over Again" and filming for the official music video has already begun. Check out Nathan's mashup of Charlie Puth and Meghan Trainor's "Marvin Gaye" and Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It on":

Twitter

Facebook

Vevo

Purchase Nathan's 2016 calendar here!

2. Demi Lovato - "Take Me To Church"

Can we just talk about Demi Lovato for a second though? This girl has some serious pipes. She ceases to amaze me. Demi covered Hozier's "Take Me To Church" in the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge earlier this month and it was more than amazing. This powerful and soulful rendition has been replaying in my head for the past week. Recently Demi's been under fire a bit for a Tweet she posted regarding Barbie's newest Zendaya doll. All seems to be blown over for now just in time for Demi's newest album Confident! The album will be released October 16th so grab your copy! Check out Demi's incredible cover: 

Twitter

Facebook

Vevo

3. Conor Maynard - "Only One"

So I've never been a huge Kanye fan (don't hate me) but there's something about a Conor Maynard cover that can change my mind. If you've never heard of Conor please listen carefully because I'm about to give you some life advice: Check.This.Guy.Out. I'm serious. I love Conor and his 2012 Contrast album basically travels everywhere with me. I still don't understand why this guy isn't more popular. He is one of the greatest vocalists (in my non-influential opinion) and his latest single "Royalty" will most likely convince you that this guy is the real deal. This cover is a bit older from the beginning of this year but it's still one of my favorites. That falsetto though? I know. You can check out Conor's most recent Diplo & Sleepy Tom cover here and there are plenty more on his Youtube channel as well. Just take a minute and fall in love...

Twitter

Facebook

4. An Honest Year & The Weekend Riot - "She's Kinda Hot" 

So I'm sure everyone's pretty familiar with this 5 Seconds of Summer track as it's been playing non-stop literally everywhere. But one of my personal favorites, An Honest Year, and one of my newly found favorites, The Weekend Riot, released this cover last month and I can't get enough of it! I've been lucky enough to see An Honest Year live a couple times and they never disappoint. I was super excited for this cover. I had never even heard of The Weekend Riot but they have a TON of other covers on their Youtube channel you should definitely check out. Also, An Honest Year just released the music video for their new single "Chin Up, Kid" so give that a look. But first...

Twitter: An Honest Year, Matt, Stephen, Jon, Jordan, Greg

The Weekend Riot, Johnny, Bruce

Facebook: An Honest Year, The Weekend Riot

Youtube: An Honest Year

5. Sam Smith & Disclosure - "Hotline Bling" 

Now, Sam Smith and Disclosure are known for having some amazing collabs. It's just a proven fact. Sam is pretty much the definition of singing perfection and if you don't have some sort of experience while listening to him I don't even know who you are. If you happened to read my In The Lonely Hour Tour review you'll know that I am crazy about this guy and apparently Sam is crazy about Drake! And of course he does the man justice. Sam Smith and Disclosure have a new single "Omen" which showcases just how great these guys are together. I wouldn't mind an entire Sam Smith/Disclosure album in the future so if anyone can make that happen it would be greatly appreciated. Check out the cover below:

Twitter: Sam Smith, Disclosure

Facebook: Sam Smith, Disclosure

Vevo: Sam Smith, Disclosure

Hopefully I've restored your love for a good cover video and maybe even gave you some new artists to look into. My job is done then. 

5 COVERS YOU NEED IN YOUR LIFE ~ AS TOLD BY MADS

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Spotlight on Ricky Ficarelli - The Drum Cover You Can't Miss

I just wanted to do a quick little feature on someone I think deserves to be seen. Recently Ricky Ficarelli posted a new drum cover of "Beautiful Now" by Zedd. Not only did this song already have people pumped up while the summer days were still around, but now Ricky's put his own spin on it and it's pretty wonderful.

I was lucky enough to see Ricky when he played drums for Hollywood Ending during their Never  Ending Summer Tour. You can check out Ricky's new drum cover below! He has plenty more on his Youtube channel which you can check out here. See for yourself what this guy is all about. You definitely won't be disappointed.

Be the bomb and join Ricky's squad! He's got an official "Squad" bracelet up for purchase as well as a Skype session, and house party appearance. You can purchase those things here.



Ricky's links:
Twitter




RICKY FICARELLI ZEDD DRUM COVER ~ AS TOLD BY MADS
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Tom and Giovanna Fletcher Announce Baby Number 2!

Can this family get any cuter? Apparently yes. Earlier today McFly and McBusted band member Tom Fletcher posted a video titled "Player Two." I had just woken up and so naturally I was scrolling mindlessly through social media trying to ignore the fact I actually had classes to get to. Now, I've been a pretty big fan of McFly for some time. And by pretty big I mean huge. And by some time I mean roughly nine years. I know, long time. If that isn't the definition of favorite band I don't know what is.

McFly (circa 2004) from left:
Dougie Poynter, Tom Fletcher, Harry
Judd, Danny Jones

Anyway, I love keeping up with the guys of McFly who back in 2013 teamed up with two of the three former members of Busted (another great band dating back to the oh so attractive pop punk/rock early 2000's era). Since then, the newly formed "McBusted" has released a self-titled album and gone on a couple great tours. Not that I would know because the hope of McFly properly coming to the US has long since been lost in the Supercity subscription days. I'm not bitter though....anyway. McFly seems to be "growing up" in a way. If you can call it that. I mean, they're already all hovering around the big 3-0 but I'm talking about growing up in a different way. McFly haven't made an album as McFly since Above The Noise in 2010, however, McBusted seems to be as successful as anyone could possibly imagine they'd be. The guys seem comfortable doing what they're doing and don't seem to be in any sort of rush to change direction.

McBusted (from left): Danny Jones,
Dougie Poynter, Matt Willis, James
Bourne, Tom Fletcher, Harry Judd

But that's enough of that. Let's talk babies. Tom and Giovanna are what you may call "relationship goals." They've been dating for what seems like a thousand years. That's an exaggeration, more like 12 or so but that's a fair chunk of my lifetime so it might as well be that long. They got married back in 2012 which spawned a viral video of Tom singing his wedding speech to the tune of McFly songs. So yeah, it was pretty cute. You can check that out here.

Tom and Giovanna Fletcher
with son Buzz

A couple years ago they uploaded a video announcing they were expecting their first child. This actually drove fans of the band mad with excitement. For obvious reasons. On March 13th of last year, Buzz Michelangelo was born and has since become quite the popular baby. The couple frequently posts pictures and videos making themselves the poster child for the perfect little family. In the video uploaded today, Tom and Giovanna announced they were expecting baby number two and the video is as cute as you would expect it to be coming from them. You can check it out below.

This news comes in the wake of Tom's fellow band member, Harry Judd, and his wife Izzy's pregnancy announcement after struggling with IVF. You can read about Harry and Izzy's story here. It is baby fever in the world of McFly and we can only hope Danny Jones and wife Georgia are up next. Congrats Tom and Gi!

Check out the adorable announcement!

In honor of the 10th anniversary of 

McFly's album Wonderland, 

check out their video for "Love Is Easy" for a 

trip down memory lane:

A couple of side notes: Giovanna happens to be an amazing writer and has a few books you can check out and purchase here. Also, the Eyes Alight Appeal was set up by Izzy and inspired by her brother Rupert. The money raised goes to help those in brain injury rehabilitation. Click here if you would like to get involved or donate!

Any links you could possibly want:

McFly: Twitter, Facebook, Vevo, Website
McBusted: Twitter, Facebook, Vevo, Website

Twitter: Tom, Harry, Danny, Dougie, Matt, James, Giovanna, Izzy, Georgia
Youtube: Tom, Giovanna



TOM FLETCHER BABY ANNOUNCEMENT ~ AS TOLD BY MADS
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New Demi Lovato Single 'Confident' Leaked

Could yet another new Demi song be making its way to our radios before the summer ends? Allegedly this is true. Demi's next supposed single 'Confident' was leaked online last Friday. This new tune is said to be the next single off her much anticipated fifth studio album. Based on the title it seems a bit more Demi-esque as opposed to her most recent single 'Cool For The Summer.' Now don't get me wrong that song's great but a song titled 'Confident' is much more typical of Demi's style.

Demi's always been about loving yourself over all other things and staying true to what you want and what you think is right. Tear-jerking, I know. If this is in fact a single we can expect soon, I predict it will be a stark contrast to her racy and provocative 'Cool For The Summer.' As Demi Lovato becomes more and more of a strong, positive presence in the music world, we've seen Demi show all of her colors and I personally am loving every minute of it.

'Confident' is rumored to grace your radios next month so be on the lookout!

Watch Demi display her own confidence in

her latest single 'Cool For The Summer!'

                         

Stay updated on all things Demi!
Twitter
Facebook
Vevo



DEMI LOVATO SINGLE LEAKED ~ AS TOLD BY MADS
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In the Lonely Hour Tour feat. Sam Smith and Gavin James

Yes, Louis Tomlinson is going to be a dad and that Cara Delevingne interview actually did happen but how is any of that possibly important when I saw Sam Smith last night? Fact: it's not. I went to the In the Lonely Hour Tour and it was definitely an experience for the books. This guy can sing...but I'm sure you knew that, right? Believe me, if you were considering dropping the money on tickets to this show, it's well spent. Here's what went down...

First off I was pretty much just expecting to listen to some laid back, soulful sounds while people around me cry over past relationships. This was half true. Yes it was laid back, yes it was soulful but man was it actually one of the most rocking shows I've been to. I know that sounds weird because, hey, it's Sam Smith. Trust me. This guy knows how to party.

Starting with an incredible opening act whom I'd never even heard of, Gavin James made me want to melt into a puddle right there in my seat. His indie/alt sound was something fresh and his voice was just enough to drive you wild, reminding me a bit of Rixton frontman, Jake Roche. I'll definitely be looking into Gavin for my next music obsession.

Now for the main act...SAM.SMITH. This guy sort of came out of nowhere (at least on my radar). Sometimes I forget his Disclosure collab because "Stay With Me" put the spotlight directly on the man himself and still makes me have all the feels a year after its release. All of the classics were included in this tour including "Lay Me Down,"I'm Not the Only One," and my personal fave "Money on My Mind." There was a little bit of sultry, a little bit of sexy, and a whole lot of actual exciting fun to be had for everyone. Smith's band along with backup singers who are stars in their own rights, contributing exclusively to a mashup of Marvin Gaye's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and Amy Winehouse's "Tears Dry on Their Own," blew me away from beginning to end. They actually had a sold out stadium doing choreography. Needless to say, it was amazing.

What I really couldn't get over though was how genuinely happy this man is. The only pictures I took the entire time were actually of his reaction to the applause and praise from the crowd immediately after each number. Nowadays it's hard to pinpoint the stars who actually realize what's important - THE FANS! These are the people who got you where you are today. Without them, you would just be another starving artist looking for any opportunity to make a buck. That's what I like about Sam Smith. You can tell just by looking at him that he is the most appreciative person you'd ever be lucky enough to meet. He's doing what he loves and he knows this doesn't just happen to anyone. It's always nice to see this in someone who actually deserves it. His talent speaks for itself.

I've never seen someone so passionate about life's journey, overcoming obstacles, and learning from mistakes. The ability to turn something negative into such a positive message for people of all ages to relate to is truly an amazing feat and I applaud Sam Smith for being able to do this with such maturity  and eloquence. It's hard to believe he's only twenty-three. Bravo, Sam.

The In the Lonely Hour Tour is still going strong. Click here to check out the rest of the tour dates. I recommend this concert highly. Merch is a bit pricey but a great experience overall. Stay tuned for more concert reviews and music news. Check out a few videos below:

Sam Smith's newest Disclosure collab - "Omen"

Sam Smith - "Like I Can"

Keep up with Sam Smith!
Twitter
Facebook
Website
Youtube
Vevo


IN THE LONELY HOUR TOUR REVIEW ~ AS TOLD BY MADS
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Zayn Malik's Exit from One Direction and Why It Needed to Happen PLUS New Solo with Naughty Boy

It's the day no Directioner dared to think about. The day a member of One Direction decided to leave. Luckily for heartbroken Directioners everywhere, the band is continuing as a 4-piece. Let's have a round up of Zayn Malik's painful decision...

Zayn Malik and Lauren Richardson
pictured on his trip to Thailand

Last week, Zayn Malik quit the biggest boyband in the world. To the normal person this seems like a terrible decision. Right? The fame, the fortune. Who would want to give that up? Zayn's statement came weeks after he was pictured with his arm around Lauren Richardson on a trip in Thailand. This was around the same time his fiancée, Little Mix's Perrie Edwards, was pictured sans engagement ring. Zayn later made a statement to his fans saying "I'm sorry for what it looks like" while Perrie Edwards was reported saying her engagement ring was just at the cleaners. Um....? Basically all of this seemed a bit suspect to fans of the band.

It wasn't too long after that Malik announced he was stepping away from the band's world tour due to stress to spend some time with family back in the UK. If that wasn't enough, Malik soon announced his departure from the band altogether. He stated: "My life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined. But, after five years, I feel like it is now the right time for me to leave the band. I'd like to apologize to the fans if I've let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right in my heart." For most fans this decision came out of nowhere and immediately caused social media backfire along with an enormous amount of vines of fans crying, yelling, or just being generally confused.

One Direction's first performance as
a quartet last Wednesday in Jakarta

He was cited saying he just wants to be a "normal 22-year old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight." Unfortunately for Zayn, once in the One Direction spotlight, always in the One Direction spotlight. The band announced their respect for Zayn's decision and assured fans they would continue on as a 4-piece for the rest of their world tour as well as into the recording of their fifth album. Some fans doubt this is possible but others are holding on to any glimmer of hope that One Direction will still go on strong.

Zayn Malik and fiancée
Perrie Edwards

As for Zayn's career, this is possibly the best thing he could have done considering the situation. It isn't that surprising for someone to become burnt out. Four tours and 5 albums in 5 years along with daily media appearances are a lot for one person to handle. Zayn has always been a ridiculously talented singer but among the stress and stigma that is generally associated with One Direction, separating his name from the band might have been a big step for his career. Before this, no one apart from 1D fans even knew Malik's name. He was generally viewed as the brooding one, the bad boy, or simply "not Harry Styles."

Let's face it, apart from the views of dazed fangirls, One Direction is NOT in their prime. I would argue they were in their prime around late 2011/early 2012 even before they became part of a US preteen pop franchise. After One Direction lost the X Factor, fans waited quite a long time for their first single. It was a slow start that took off with sudden explosive momentum. I predict that the new 4-piece 1D is going to have to make some major adjustments to their musical sound. Despite some opinions, Zayn Malik was a very integral part of One Direction and his departure is going to affect them in more ways than one.

A picture of Zayn Malik and
Naughty Boy that caused
outrage among One Direction fans

If Zayn's leaving wasn't causing enough controversy, he apparently has a new solo track. A week after Malik's departure from One Direction, songwriter and producer, Naughty Boy, tweeted out a soundcloud link to Zayn's new track. This sent some fans into a fit of anger as they felt Zayn was betraying One Direction and had already gotten over the separation. Discontent was also explicitly expressed towards Naughty Boy as most thought his releasing of the song was insensitive. It even sparked a bit of a Twitter feud between Naughty Boy and Louis Tomlinson, a remaining member of One Direction. The song has been recently removed.

Zayn and Perrie were spotted today boarding a jet along with Zayn's mother and sisters. Their relationship seems to be intact even though many fans have been blaming Perrie for Zayn's decision to leave.

What do you think of all of this Zayn Malik drama? Did he make the right decision? What about that new solo track? Comment!




ZAYN MALIK'S EXIT FROM ONE DIRECTION~AS TOLD BY MADS
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Long Time No Blog!

It's been a long time. Too long, in fact. I had to set aside the blog for awhile (like many many months) while I was working on other projects. But I'm back! I want to post as often as I can but I've decided not to put myself on any sort of strict schedule so I can put out the best quality reviews and information. Stay tuned....

Mads