Les Misérables

I had heard about the musical Les Misérables and that there was a movie version of it and although I love musicals and movies combined together, I did not have much interest in watching this one, up until I saw the trailer one day.

Weeks later I sat at my desk with my laptop and I watched two different versions of Les Miserábles. First the 25th Anniversary Concert and then the movie.

The Anniversary Concert is called "Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary" and amongst the cast there are a few very talented stage actors which are part of my personal favourites. These actors are Ramin Karimloo and Hadley Fraser who took part in "Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall", Samantha Barks who usually plays Éponine in "Les Misérables" at the West End and Nick Jonas who has a special place in my heart due to his Jonas Brothers past.

I enjoyed watching the Anniversary Concert but because there was no staging the scenes, I didn't really understand the whole story as I had never seen any version of Les Misérables.

After watching the concert I watched the movie and let me tell it is bloody brilliant. It's such a good movie that I bought myself a DVD of it as soon as I could. The fact that it is a musical with pretty much no dialogues - so they sing a lot which I love! - combined with the fact that it has the most incredible cast combined with the fact that it has such a powerful message, sold me right away!

The more I watch it the more I fall in love with it!

Even my sister who does not like musicals likes the songs of this one!

This musical has only made me love musicals even more and it has made me understand that they're what I want for my life!

Love,

Carolina Rosa

Festival Season

Less than two weeks from now I am going to be attending a Summer Music Festival called NOS Alive. This festival takes place in Lisbon (Portugal) every year and it is a 3 day festival. This year it will present us - the audience - with a variety of artists. If you'd like to know who the artists are here's the link to where you can find that: NOS Alive Artists.

I am going to be attending the 3 days because there's an artist each day that I want to see. During the first day a lot of people will be performing but I am only interested in seeing the brilliant James Bay. Then on the second day I want to listen to the great music of the great Kodaline. And finally on the third and final day I want to sing along to the beautiful songs of Sam Smith.
Obviously I will be watching some of the other artists as well but I am going to see these 3 artists primarily.

I will be vlogging the 3 days and I will most likely combine the footage into one video which will be going up on my second channel - Carolina Rosa.

I am not sure when will the footage be up but I'll try to upload it on the 12th of July so keep your eyes peeled on that day.

Comment down below if you're excited for festival season - which I am aware has already started but for me it only starts in July.

Love,

Carolina Rosalie ♥

Diogo Piçarra

In 2012 the 5th edition of "Ídolos" - which is the portuguese version of the british music contest "Idols" - aired here in Portugal. I actually didn't watch the show but I do know who own and that was a young gentleman named Diogo Piçarra.
In recent weeks I have fallen in love with a song of his - it's called "Tu E Eu" - and I can't get enough of it. Also recently I read a tweet which said something along the lines of "Diogo Piçarra is the proof that portuguese music is still good". When reading that I thought to myself that I couldn't agree more.

From my teen years till now I rejected pretty much any sort of portuguese music because I just didn't like it. I didn't reject it all but the people that made great music, the ones that to me had good and even great songs didn't have the type of music I enjoyed. So I never heard portuguese music! But now that I have found Diogo's music enjoyable and I might even dare to say that I'm a bit obsessed with one of his songs, I will definitely open myself to more portuguese music and hopefully I will be surprised.

For all of you non-portuguese people who most likely don't know who Diogo is - and also to the portuguese people who also don't know him -  I am gonna leave here his links so you guys can check him out if you'd like to!

Diogo Piçarra's links:
Youtube channel - https://www.youtube.com/user/diogopicarra
Vevo channel - https://www.youtube.com/user/DiogoPicarraVEVO
Twitter - https://twitter.com/diogopicarra
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/diogopicarra
Instagram - https://instagram.com/diogopicarra
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/3tOS3iTJSHwowFPRdR4Wsf

This is the cover of his first album "Espelho"

That tweet that I mentioned was absolutely right. His music is great and the fact that he's portuguese makes me feel even prouder to be portuguese too!

Love,
Carolina Rosalie ♥

Il Divo

In 2006 my father bought a DVD, a concert DVD of one of Il Divo's concerts. Everyone loved that DVD, it had the most beautiful lovely songs. From the day my father brought that DVD into the house it became something that would constantly be playing, even if no one was sitting there to watch it.
I remember loving one special evening - the day my father brought the DVD to the house - spent by the heater, reading my first ever book in english - which was actually an illustrated dictionary - whilst the DVD was playing. That was one of the loveliest evenings I've ever had in my life.
But I remember that I was the one person in the family that was not immediately and obsessively in love with Il Divo's songs but as I grew I fell more and more in love and I truly discovered the beauty of their voices, their songs and the way they perform them.
Now I say 'Thank God for Il Divo!'

Last year Il Divo came to Portugal - not for the first time - and I really wanted to go see them but I didn't go. Now I really regret it and I really hope they come to Portugal again and this time I will not miss the concert even if I have to go all by myself!

There's really no point to this post rather than to express my love for this amazing band! If you're a fan of them too let me know in the comments below.

Love,
Carolina Rosalie ♥

Singer/Songwriter

When I was little I was constantly dreaming about doing some creative with my life and that dream has persisted till now and it will accompany me till the rest of my days. I always knew I wanted to be an actress, although at the beginning of my life - when I was 2 and 3 years old - I wanted to work in the fashion industry. It was in my 4th year of life that I realised that acting was my one and true passion... or so I thought!

Music was always a huge part of my life but I only realised the dimension of its importance when I was 13 years old. I started taking guitar lessons and a few months later I took part in my school's music club where I started discovering that I could sing. Me and one of my best friends at the time, who was also in the music club of our school, were the back-up girls because we did not have any singing experience, we were only starting to get to know our voices and starting to learn techniques.

Eventually I stopped having guitar lessons and for about a year, after I finished 9th grade, I stopped singing. But I turned back to music when I went through a rough time in my life, just after I had turned 16 years old. At that period of my life music was an escape and a way for me to express my feelings. I started singing again which really upset my mum and sister because I'd sing 24/7 if I could. This was a complete new experience for me: yeah, music had been important whilst growing up but never that important... Eventually my mum and sister accepted that I was turning into a "constant singer" and after a few months it was an absolutely normal thing that happened in my life and their lives. 

Nowadays music is an escape, a way for me to express myself and a hobby. And I want to take steps to better myself as a singer, as a songer writer, I want to take steps to become a guitar player, a piano player and a music composer. And my way of doing that is to have music lessons again.

I totally see myself pursuing this passion and turning it into a career and so this time I really want to take it serious. 

There's something about music that makes me feel this mix of emotions, music makes me feel alive. When I sing it's like my problems disappear!

And there's something about the singer-songwriter type of artist that just really attracts me. I love to write, I love to sing and I feel a lot safer and less nervous when I have a musical instrument with me, so to combine these 3 things would be perfect and I find this perfect combination in the singer-songwriter artist!

Love,

Carolina Rosalie ♥

Chapter One

Yesterday was a good day for me! I was already feeling confident and happy from something that happened to me this past weekend and also I was really super duper excited about Ella Henderson's album 'Chapter One' as it came out! I had been waiting for this for over a year and I was looking foward to listening to all of the songs, the whole album. And that's what I did!!

This is not supposed to be a review of the album but it will partially be a type of review. I am writting this post to express the love I have for this amazing girl and everything she is as an artist and as a person.

I actually only started watching 'The X Factor UK' in 2012, the season she was in. Before that I had never watched the show, something I really regret. I watched her audition and I immediately fell in love and from that moment till the end of the season she was my favourite contestant.

Little Mix are my favourite band as well as some of the people who really inspire me and as they were mentored by Tulisa when they were contestants on the show I really wanted Ella to be in Tulisa's group. It happened just like I wanted it to and I was so happy!

I wanted her to win the show so bad and when she was voted off I was gutted and I cried and kicked doors... I was that in love with her! I had to pick another contestant to be my favourite and that place was took by Mr. James Arthur who is (1) one of my inspirations, (2) one of my crushes and (3) one of my favourite singers of all time.

But the reality here is: she quickly became one of my favourite artists and so this album is very important for me. It's her journey, her hard work, her passions, her experiences and her soul all in one place for everyone to enjoy and connected with. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I only listened to the album a few times but I already have favourite songs. Obviously 'Missed', she sang it when auditiong for the show and that is one of the reasons I fell for her and it's such a beautiful great song; 'Hard Work' has got the most beautiful lyrics; 'The First Time', I relate with the lyrics and I love her voice on this song; 'Five Tattoos', I really liked this one when I first heard it on her Vevo channel; 'Glow', her second single, I really like to hear her sing this acoustically; 'Mirror Man' is really catchy; 'Empire', her vocals are killer; '1996' because I relate to the lyrics and also because I'm a "Little Miss from '96".

☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺
One thing I am really looking foward is seeing her on tour! Hopefully it won't take long for her to announce she doing one and dates, places and I hope she comes here and if she doesn't I might have to go to England just to see her perform.
☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺

If for some reason you don't know who Ella is - what's wrong with you? have you been living hidden from the world? - I think you should check out her music because she is amazing!

Here are her links!

*Ella Henderson Vevo: https://www.youtube.com/user/EllaHVEVO

*Twitter: https://twitter.com/EllaHenderson

*Instagram: http://instagram.com/Official_EllaHenderson

*Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EllaHendersonMusic

*Her journey on The X Factor (Playlist): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJQHjmJHb1pZHl8Ibig2uCxxX8jas3nr

*Buy her album: https://itunes.apple.com/pt/album/chapter-one-deluxe-version/id886715155?ign-mpt=uo%3D4

If you are an Ella Star and you love Ella like you love your mum then share some of that love on the comment section and tell me some of the things that you love about her!

Also make sure to give me some love - if you'd like to ☺ - by checking out my channel and all other links! 

I will talk to you in a couple of days. Thanks for reading! Take care x

Love,

Carolina Rosalie ♥

The X Factor UK

Hello everyone! The X Factor UK is currently happening and it has been for a few weeks now. It's almost live shows time and I am the most excited I've ever been in my life!
This is the first year I am honestly so torn between so many great people. Usually, at Bootcamp and Judge's Houses, I feel emotional about a few performances and from that I pick a couple of favourites. But not this time...
First of all the amazing judging panel is just amazing:
Simon, The Great God of X Factor, is back.
Louis is still in the panel and each year I gain more and more love for him.
Cheryl, the sweetest most adorable person of all, is also back.
And finally Melanie Brown, aka. Mel B, is just spicy - saw what I did there?... But seriously she is just amazing and I love more more and more from weekend to weekend.

Then we've got the contestants... I love multiple contestans from each and every category! I am so torn and I just want all of them to win and be succesful and great and I want to be friends with all of them because they are just so freaking good and they make me feel quite emotional and I love them all! - That was a long one...

From the boys we have: Andrea Faustini, Paul Akister and Jake Quickenden. I love the 3 boys!
Andrea is an italian god who loves pugs and I just love him, his personality and of course his voice and the way he performs in general. ♥
Paul is so humble, such a great singer and I've loved him since last year. I reminds me of James Arthur, just a little bit. I love him! ♥
Jake is very good looking but what I really love his the way he performs, he gives all he's got and more and he sings with such passion! I love it!

"Yeah! Like pugs!"

"Simon: Paul, I think both me and you had a great time during that performance!"

From the girls we have: Chloe Jasmine, Stephanie Nala and Lauren Platt.
Chloe, I love her! She is gorgeous and her voice, her taste in music is so beautiful! ♥
Steph's voice is very pretty, like her!
Lauren has got something about her... She absolutely beautiful and I love her style as well as her voice!

From the groups we have: Only The Young, The New BoyBand and Blonde Electra.
I was very excited about Only The Young because I saw their videos on Youtube - thanks to someone who asked me on Twitter to check out their Youtube channel! - and I really liked them... their voices, their style, their type of music. I liked everything and so I am very excited to see their journey on X Factor! ♥
The New BoyBand is just very exciting to watch and to listen to. There are a few members that I quite liked from previous seasons of the show and that combined with new members just gives it a lot of an interesting fact!!
Blonde Electra are not my type of artists but still I want them to do well because they seem to be very nice, hard-working girls!

From the overs we have: Jay James, Fleur East and Ben Haenow.
Jay's voice is just absolutely amazing. I want him to do so well!
Fleur is again not my type of artist but I really think she can go far in the competition!
Ben Haenow has got to be my favourite over! His rusky voice is killer, I absolutely love him! ♥

It is till very early in the competition for me to say who are my favourites to win - because I might grow some more love for the other contestans, which happens all the time. James Arthur is the perfect example! - but there's 1 person who I really want to see do well in the competition... my favourite italian, Andrea! He is my winner and has been since the beginning! I really hope he goes far and I can't wait to se what the future has for him! I love ya!! ♥♥

There's also a special someone who I hope is brought back in the competition and her name is Lola Saunders! I really hope she is one of the wild cards and I really really want her to stay! She is my other winner and has been since day 1! Fingers crossed and let's hope Cheryl and the public choose her! ♥♥

Comment down below who are your favourite contestans and we can all share some love for them!
Thank you so much for reading. I hope you have a fantastic week. Talk to you soon :)
Love,
Carolina Rosalie ♥

One Direction Concert :)

So 2 weeks ago I went to probably the best concert ever, my first 1D concert! I must say it was a very fun and emotional day, more than I expected. 

The previous day me and my friends had the brilliant idea to go to the airport to wait for the boys, but...... it was a MASSIVE FAIL because they came to Lisbon on the tour bus. But we had a lot of fun and we created really good memories, that's all that matters!! 

So the day of the concert (26th of May) I went to the arena at 4pm and I met up with the girls and also a few other friends. :)

Everyone waiting :)

After all the wait Camryn came and sang amazingly. But what was to come was even more exciting...

One Direction finally on stage!!

*Zayn Malik* 

It would be an amazing photo if it wasn't for the random hand

Ready for the next song

In here Harry was playing the keyboard

My favorite photo

Randomly looking at the floor

Just to show Zayn

Louis singing with all his heart

'Change My Mind'

Doing the dance move from LWWY

Harry's solo in WMYB (sadly the last song)

I have lots of pictures but most of them are not good because there are random arms and hands showing up and some of the pics are not focused as I wasn't taking them, I was filming. :)

I hope you enjoyed, I tried my best to report the first concert of 1D in Portugal for those who didn't have the chance to go and also for those who just want to remember the great time this 2 hour show was.