If you are a music lover like myself, you are always anticipating at least 2 things: 1) The release of a new album from any of a number of your favorite artists and 2) The release of a new artists who gets 'it' right. Of course you always hope that the newly released album is worth your money. Afterall, what's the point of eagerly waiting only to be disappointed. Right?
I'm always hoping to build up my already extensive music collection. I love music. I cannot imagine a world without it. Can you? I'm sure a lot of people can; we can't all be music fanatics. Suffice it to say, I cannot begin to fathom a world without music though. I think that life would be a lot less fulfilling and definitely uneventful without the presence of music to take you through the good, bad, mellow, indifferent, joyful, sorrowful, exciting, romantic, heart-breaking, etc, etc times.
There is no way to explain that feeling of pleasure and satisfaction when an artist (known or unknown) releases a single or album that makes you go 'YES! Alright! OMG! Mmm Hmm'. They give you that song that you just have to close your eyes while you listen to it because you want to block out any possible distraction that might cause you to miss the slightest word, note or rhythm.
There is that song where the melody or hook just gets into your brain, takes a hold of you and embeds itself in your entire being; that song that you just can't stop humming the tune of, or singing a particular line or chorus over and over and over for the entire day. You all know what I'm talking about right? I'm referring to infectious music; rhythmic tunes; lyrics and melody that are completely captivating.
Alright, alright... I'll get to the point already. I've just been babbling on and on about my love affair with music as if that's what this blog is all about. Well, you know what, my babbling does have a lot to do with this blog because British sensation Natasha Anne Bedingfield is one of those fairly new artists whose music I have come to like over the past few years.
Her debut album Unwritten (2004) debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, went multi-platinum in the UK and achieved gold status in the U.S. The second single off the album These Words became Bedingfield's first number one hit in the U.K. Her third single, which is one of my favorites of her songs, Unwritten went on to become the most played song on U.S. radio stations in 2006. Remember I spoke of infectious hooks, well this song definitely has that. Once you heard the music of this song and listened to it a couple times, that was it; you were hooked; you couldn't get it out of your head; it was like an anthem.
I am pretty sure that the words to the chorus of this song haunted (pleasantly) many people the world over. It speaks of freedom, release, empowerment, independence - just letting go.
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
Add to those lyrics the music and a refreshingly cool video and you've got a perfect combination of a well put together song. Of course talent is one thing but when you combine talent with beauty and brains, damn - that's something else altogether.
Although Bedingfield failed to win any awards for this album despite several nominations - including a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the song Unwritten, the up-and-coming singer definitely made her mark on the music industry, more specifically in the pop genre. The album garnered international success and sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide.
2007 saw the release of her second album N.B in the U.K. The same album was released but titled Pocketful of Sunshine in the U.S. in January 2008. This album drew on several other genres other that pop. Bedingfield broadened her scope to include some R&B, electronica as well as reggae influences making the album a somewhat more mature body of work than her first
The album delved more into what the artists had experienced and was experiencing in her life. It received mixed reviews from fans and critics alike. I still am not sure how I feel about it as well. What I do know is that it was a bold and I think positive step that was taken by Bedingfield to explore what was going on in her life and include it in her music. The album did not garner as much success as the first. Love Like This is my favorite song off the album. This song was done in collaboration with Sean Kingston.
In my humble opinion, she is yet to find her niche in the music industry. She's still searching and experimenting. It is critical, however, that she does not take too long to figure out where she wants her career and music to go. She has a lot of potential and I would hate to see her miss an opportunity to solidify her status as a dependable, fortified mainstream artist. With the influx of so many artists attempting to break into the music/entertainment industry, it has become extremely important to be timely in planting your roots firmly in the ground.
Bedingfield is poised to release a third album this year. I am of the opinion that this album will either make or break the artist and hope that this is something of which she and her management team is cognizant. I would like for her to succeed. I would love for her to start releasing songs that will win her awards.
Bedingfield was born in Surrey, England to New Zealand parents Molly and John Bedingfield both of whom are charity workers. She is known to visit New Zealand at least once per year for vacation and has said that it is there that she does most of her writing. She loves it there and is always revitalized and re-energized on her visits. In her early years she took guitar and piano lessons and has aspirations of adding actress to her portfolio.
