Andrea Flavia William

Universal Music Singapore - Amy Winehouse: Make-A-Wish-Foundation

2012-02-03T23:46:00.002+08:00

Amy Winehouse

Universal Music Singapore is doing something really awesome and you should be a part of it. In line of paying tribute to the late Amy Winehouse, they will be donating $1 to Make-A-Wish-Foundation with every 'Lioness: Hidden Treasures' album sold. This is Amy's 3rd album and lets face it, she is an amazing singer with power vocals and soul in her music.

Amy's father, Mitch spoke about his late daughter and her album.

“I spent so much time chasing after Amy, telling her off that I never realized what a true genius she was. It wasn’t until I sat down with the rest of the family and listened to this album that I fully appreciated the breadth of Amy’s talent, from jazz standards to hip hop songs, it really took my breath away. “Halftime”, I’d never heard before, is just incredibly beautiful. If the family had felt that this album wasn’t up to the standard of “Frank” and “Back To Black” we would never have agreed to release it and we believe it will stand as a fitting tribute to Amy ‘s musical legacy.”

In order to support this cause, all you have to do is buy the album and the $1 donation will be made. This will go on till Wednesday, 29th February 2012. So if you are a fan of Amy Winehouse or if you just wanna support this cause, you know what you have to do.

XOXO
Andrea Flavia William

Liveomusic VJ | Feature Writer
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

Personal Post: January has been INSANE!

2012-02-02T23:50:00.000+08:00

One of my new year resolutions was/is to write more personal blog posts as for most of 2011, I drifted away from publicly displaying my life on the internet. However, I thought that Ill probably sum up the month's activities.

This month, I got to stay in Singapore's most expensive condo called, The Sail at Marina Bay.

The Sail at Marina Bay

My aunt owned one of the apartments there and it was available so my friends and I stayed there for a weekend. We got treated like royalty and the facilities were amazing.

My view

This was my view in the night. Look at how amazing it is. AHHH.

Camwhoring at the apartment

It was good staying over, getting away from my home for the weekend. I should do this more often.

The following week, I stayed over at the National Service Recreational Country Club (NSRCC) as it was Ephrem Music Ministry's 14th Anniversary. Ephrem Music Ministry is my church's music ministry that Ive been in since I was 12. That was an amazing weekend too.

Finally fulfilled my craving for a strawberry margarita.

I FINALLY had my margarita. Great dinner and company at NSRCC. We ate at a bar in front of the beach. The breeze and ambiance was to die for.

We took a group picture after dinner.

I would go back there again. We stayed at one of the bungalows at NSRCC and pretty much had a blast. I went to school from the Country Club, and did my work all there. It was my way of trying to balance school, work and fun at the expense of no sleep.

Here are some of the photos from the weekend.

Meet Jill. The baby of Ephrem. The EVIL baby of Ephrem.

Ephrem turns 14 years old and yes, we had a cake!

Beside celebrating Ephrem's 14th Anniversary, I also got to interview 2 well known indie rock bands. Award Winning band, The Naked and Famous who are from New Zealand, as well as famous British indie band, Bombay Bicycle Club.

I felt kinda weird interviewing The Naked and Famous because we were on different frequencies. They were nice people and all. The worst thing was that my throat was so painful and I was losing my voice. Thank goodness that the interview wasn't for radio/video, it was for an article. You can check out my article here.

Me with The Naked and Famous

Interviewing Bombay Bicycle Club was fun. I was on the same frequency as them, probably because they are brits. It was great meeting them and guess where the interview was held? At Marina Bay Sand Hotel. It was my first time there. Check out my view when I was interviewing them.

Yes MY VIEW!

The view was great, we were right at the sky terrace. The band was great and I wish them all the success! Here's a picture of me with them.

Bombay Bicycle Club and I

After interviewing Bombay Bicycle Club, I went for the SIMPLE PLAN CONCERT! AHHH. Yes my favourite band in the world! LOVE THEM TO BITS.

Simple Plan Concert

After Simple Plan, I fell sick the next day for like a week. I wasn't in school for a week. It sucked, but oh well. I am feeling so much better and life continues.

In terms of school, I'm hanging in there.

This was pretty much the MAIN highlights of my January. How was yours?

xoxo

Andrea Flavia William
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

Sephora Studio Blockbuster Make Up Palette Review

2012-01-31T17:00:00.000+08:00

Sephora Studio Blockbuster Make Up Palette

I was really excited when my mum bought this palette for me from Paris, and finally, here's my thought on it.

Background of the Palette

Portable case with 193 makeup products.
96 eye shadow shades
84 shiny lip glosses
3 Blushes
4 Cream Eyeliners/ Cream Eyeshadows
1 mini Sephora mascara
2 mini Pencil Eyeliners in Black and Brown
Large mirror and applicators included in kit

The eyeshadows are grouped to make it easier to come up with different looks.

Eye shadows
The pigmentation of the eye shadows are pretty decent. Other brands like Urban Decay and Smash Box is definitely better. I like the diversity in colour selection for the eyeshadows. The good thing is that the shadows are grouped according to neutrals, bright, medium toned colours and so time. The colour placement also makes it easy to come up with a focused look.

Pigmentation of the eyeshadows

Based on the photo, you can see that the eyeshadows are pretty alright. Not all have the same pigmentation but it's good enough.

Blushes, Bronzer and Eyeliners
There are 3 blushes and 1 bronzer in the palette. My favourite blush is the darkest one which is kind of a rose-pink-mauve colour. It's unique. The other colour is a barbie pink and a coral-pink blush with tiny golden sparkles. The bronzer on the other hand isn't that fantastic for contouring. It's too sparkly. I guess you have to use it as a brown-golden blush.

From left: Rose-Pink-MauveBlush, Barbie Pink Blush, Coral-Pink Blush, 1 bronzer, Brown Eyeliner, Black Eyeliner

Look at the right side of the photo. There's the brown and black eyeliner. They aren't that super creamy but decent enough. The black eyeliner was pretty hard to remove from my hand, it kinda shows staying power.

Lipsticks/Lip Glosses
According to the information on the box of the Palette, there are 84 lip glosses. However when I was playing around with it, I realised that some were actually lipsticks. Some of the lipglosses are really creamy, pigmented, and some are just sheer. Others are pretty glossy and some just should not be in the palette.

Sephora Studio Blockbuster Make Up Palette Lip Glosses and Lip Sticks Swatches

These are just some quick swatches I did. Its really messy. Despite that, you can see that some colours are really creamy. Those are the lip sticks. The colour range is pretty decent. However I think that they overdid the lip gloss section. More should have been done to work on the formula of the lip glosses.

Cream Eyeliner/Cream Eyeshadows
The Cream Eyeliners or Shadows (as you can use it for both) are surprisingly good and I love that!

Look at how intense the black shade is on the left side of the picture.

The green, blue and black colours are amazing. The black is really creamy and pigmented. I'm not too sure about the staying power but I am excited to see how it will work out. This is one feature of the palette that I absolutely like.

Conclusion
This is a nice palette from Sephora. It's worth the money. But if you have a decent amount of make up in your collection, you don't need it. If you are starting out with make up, this palette will definitely help you.

xoxo

Andrea Flavia William
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

Elf Daily Brush Cleaner Review

2012-01-27T20:59:00.000+08:00

Hello there my lovies! I suddenly feel like I'm in a good mood and that's great! Today, I am going to do a review on the Elf Daily Brush Cleaner. I hope that it will be useful to you, especially if you are planning to get it or if you're on a lookout for a brush cleaner. :-D

Elf Daily Brush Cleaner

I recently purchased the Elf Daily Brush Cleaner because it was recommended.

Based on Elf's website, it states-
"An anti-bacterial daily brush cleanser for quick cleaning in-between makeup applications. Disinfects brushes to provide a fresh and clean application every time. Helps to keep your brushes lasting longer for extended use."

I have to admit that the product has a funky smell. It's not that bad but some people might find it otherwise. I use this on a daily basis to spot clean my brushes and so far so good. This is a hygentcic habit because cleaning them once a week or later than that will cause a build up in bacteria and it will soon lead to acne on your face. You do NOT want that. Thus, spot cleaning it daily will remove at least 80% of the make up on the brush and disinfect it.

I will highly recommend this product to you. However, there is only one problem. The spray cap is terrible. I hope it's not terrible for all the products, just the one that I got. For me, I have to spray a countless of times before the product comes out, and because it's not coming out, the pressure built up inside causes the product to come out from the side of the bottle. This makes it a little bit messy and inconvenient. I am gonna repurchase this product once Ive completely used up this bottle. If it happens again, it's the company's fault!

Other than it, the Elf Daily Brush Cleaner has really made my life easier in a way. So kudos to that. Plus, it's really cheap. It's like USD 3. I got it for SGD 10, which is way more expensive after the conversion. But 10 bucks is still pretty cheap.

xoxo

Andrea Flavia William
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

EcoTools Bamboo 6 Piece Eye Brush Set Review

2012-01-25T19:26:00.000+08:00

EcoTools Bamboo 6 Piece Eye Brush Set

EcoTools has been known for their environmentally friendly, cheap and really good make up brushes and I wanted to get my hands on them to try it out.

I saw this particular set online and wanted to buy it. Little did I realise that they were actually travel size brushes. Despite that, I have to admit that I adore all the brushes in this set.

I stayed over at a country club, and condo over 2 weekends and brought this with me. I had to go out to interview bands and stuff and that meant I needed to look polished, and these brushes helped so much to achieve whatever look I wanted to pull off.

There are 5 brushes and a recyclable cloth to store the brushes. The cloth comes with a mirror.

From Bottom: Blend Brush, Highlight Brush, Crease Brush, Shade Brush and Smudge Brush. The names are in printed in the brushes.

The 5 brushes are as follows:

Blend Brush
This is the biggest brush in the set. It is very dense and the bristles are soft. I use this brush to highlight under my brow bone.

Crease Brush
This is an angled brush that is good for defining your crease. Extremely good for a smokey eye because the angle in the brush helps you to create your outer-v shape to darken your crease colour. This brush is also good for blending colours.

Highlight Brush
I don't know why this is called a highlight brush. It's like a tapered blending brush that's good to blend colours. The bristles are soft, but dense enough to achieve a flawless blend of colours.

Shade Brush
The Shade Brush is this small brush that's really good for detailed work on your eyes. I personally use it for a colour below my water line and the brush also enables me to smudge the colour I applied there. Alternatively, you can use it for your inner corner of your eyes because the density of the brush enables it to pick up a lot of colour from your shadow and apply it within a small surface. Because its a small surface, the colour pay off its intense.

Smudge Brush
This brush works the same to the Shade brush. But I ALWAYS use thus particular brush for the inner corner of my eyes. It's so small and easy to use to intensify and brighten your eyes by placing a bright colour there, and blending it out.

So far, I have not had any complaints with the brushes. I like that it is travel size, but also wish I had the normal sized ones. If you are starting out with make up, buy this. It's inexpensive and the quality of the brushes are good. They have not shed their bristles so far. Thus, it's all good. I'm probably planning to get more brushes from EcoTools. Yay to environmentally friendly brushes!

xoxo

Andrea Flavia William
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Review

2012-01-23T19:28:00.002+08:00

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer (Oil-Free)

Many have said that the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer is one amazing product that is 'THE BEST' in the market, but the question is, is it really true?

After using this product for more than 3 months, I am honestly unsure if I like it or not, and whether it's worth the money. (because this cost a BOMB)

This is what I can tell you.

Positive stuff:
-The product blends well
-Feels very light on your skin
-Makes your skin feel 'A LITTLE' glowy
-Love the packaging

Negative stuff:
-Melts off your skin easily, very very easily
-Coverage is actually crap for what it claims to be. (It's barely build-able)
-It cost me around SGD 80 which is equivalent to a make up forever HD foundation. Price is comparable to Dior, Chanel, Lancome and all and these brands are way up there.
-Colour selection isn't that fantastic

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Frawn

Verdict:
-Don't waste your money on this because the product does not live up to the whole hype revolving around it.
-If you are looking for something with convenience and don't wanna use foundation, try using a BB Cream. I will recommend you the Misha one. It does everything a tinted moisturizer is supposed to do, and it has great coverage, feels light and other added benefits.

Check out my review of the Misha BB Cream here.

xoxo

Andrea Flavia William
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

My Top 10 Favourite (Contemporary) Artistes and Bands of 2011

2012-01-19T21:03:00.002+08:00

Contemporary music is very debatable. You might enjoy it, or well, you might hate it. In radio, you survive on contemporary music. I thought of doing my top 10 favourite artiste/band whom might have surprised me in 2011. So without further ado, let me introduce number 10 on my list!

Number 10 - Jessie J

Number 10
British singer Jessie J. She surprised me with her vocals and attitude. From her hit single 'Price Tag', to 'Nobody's Perfect' and 'Domino', this English girl is working up the international charts song by song and I think that she is one singer that is here to say.

She will be playing in Singapore in Feburary. Keep checking my blog for more details!

Number 9 - Paramore

Number 9
Paramore has definitely been through a lot for the past 2 years...(with band issues), but despite that, they are still holding on strong and making music as they go. The band had a gig here in Singapore in 2011 and even though it wasn't a sold out stadium, the band still did a pretty awesome show for the fans.

Number 8 - Cobra Starship

Number 8
Cobra Starship is simply amazing and I blame it on Gabe! Ever since 'Night Shades' was released in 2011, the band has been below the grid. I feel that the album wasn't promoted well. Nonetheless, they are still an amazing band whom I absolutely adore.

Number 7 - Patrick Stump

Number 7
Lead singer of Fall Out Boy, Patrick Stump, decided to go solo, lose tons of weight and take on the music industry. With his first single, 'This City', this boy change the perception of how the world saw him as the rocker boy. His album, Soul Punk, has such a different unique sound to Fall Out Boy. He really surprised me in 2011.

Number 6 - Katy Perry

Number 6
Katy Perry is...well, Katy Perry. What I think of contemporary artistes, I think of this California girl. She has won so many awards that its just hard to keep track. The sad thing is that Russell and Katy are divorced now. It's sad.

Number 5 - All Time Low

Number 5
Put your hands up for All Time Low. After being signed to a bigger label and touring the world, this awesome band has imprinted their sound in many countries around the world. Their latest album, Dirty Work, is AMAZING. I love listening to the album. Their latest single, Time Bomb has a great music video. You should check it out.

Number 4 -Good Charlotte

Number 4
Good Charlotte doesn't have any new material after their studio album cardiology which was released at the end of 2010. However, I am obsessed with them because they were one of the first bands that I fell in love with. Besides, seeing them live in concert was the best feeling ever. They need to continue making great music in years to come.

Number 3 - One Direction

Number 3
This British boy band took the world by surprise after X-Factor. Put them next to The Wanted, Ill honestly take these boys any time. In terms of music, looks and well, basically the whole package. The boys will be in Singapore soon so all you directioners, keep a look out.

Number 2 - These Kids Wear Crowns

Number 2
Canadian band, These Kids Wear Crowns just too Singapore by Surprise. They were in Singapore for Music Matters 2011 and it was their first time playing out of their country. So Singapore is a very special place to them. Besides that, they also performed live for Celebrate 2012, which was broadcasted nationwide. They will be back in Singapore soon for a full concert. The band is awesome, great guys, great music. I was very fortunate to interview 2 of the band members.

Number 1 - Simple Plan

Number 1
If you know me well enough, you will already know that number one on my list is Simple Plan. Their new album, Get Your Heart On is simply amazing. They just had a concert in Singapore a few days ago. I can go on and on about the band, but Ill just stop here and not bore you!

So for 2011, which singer/band surprised you?

XOXO
Andrea Flavia William
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

The Naked And Famous Interview with Liveomusic

2012-01-18T21:03:00.000+08:00

The Naked and Famous

The Naked and Famous, an indie band from New Zealand, came down to Singapore last weekend for The People's Party. At the New Zealand Music Awards, the indie band took home awards for Single of the Year, Best Group, Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Best Alternative Album and they won Best Music Video for Punching In A Dream, produced by Special Problems.

After gaining intense popularity in New Zealand, the kiwi band decided that it was time for the world to feel connected to their music. I got to sit down with the lead singer, Alisa Xayalith and the drummer, Jesse Wood, to talk about their band and music.

Alisa Xayalith (Vocals), Jesse Wood (Drummer)

VJ Andrea, Liveomusic: For all the Singaporeans who have not heard of The Naked and Famous band, how will you introduce yourself?
Alisa Xayalith: Hey Singapore, don’t judge a book by it’s cover. Listen to our whole record and you will be able to get a true sense of what the band is really about.

VJ Andrea, Liveomusic: How did you meet each other and decide to form a band?
Alisa Xayalith: Aaron, Tom and I met a music collage. Aaron and Tom were studying audio engineering and I was studying contemporary music and performance. We met through some mutual friends and we started talking about music and realised that we had a lot of things in common. Tom and I then started writing songs and the first song that we wrote was ‘serenade’, which was released on our first EP called This Machine. We didn’t meet David and Jessie until early 2009 until we began writing for our studio album, Passive Me, Aggressive You.

VJ Andrea, Liveomusic: What is the story behind the band’s name?
Alisa Xayalith: It’s a name that Tom chose. It’s a really ironic and cynical name that encompasses the rock and roll era like stardom, which is just so stupid, and it’s a joke name to us. It’s not what making music is about, it’s not the drive of wanting to be creative and to be a artiste. So this is almost like a reminder of what we are doing

VJ Andrea, Liveomusic: What were you expecting in Asia and how is it different?
Alisa Xayalith: We didn’t have any expectation because we are just taking it all in for the first time. We were definitely anticipating Chinese food, as we love Asian food.

VJ Andrea, Liveomusic: You will be playing at the The People’s Party tomorrow at Scape, alongside bands like Bombay Bicycle Club amongst others, what are you looking forward to the most?
Alisa Xayalith: We are looking forward to just play to the Singapore crowd for the first time. I am always amazed to see how many people would have listened to the record and sing along and this is something that we experienced in Indonesia, Bangkok and Hong Kong. We don’t really know how well received we are here and playing shows is a great indication of how many people have fallen in love with our music. It just makes us want to come back to Asia even more.

VJ Andrea, Liveomusic: After playing in Indonesia, could you tell what was your audience reach?
Alisa Xayalith: It was actually a lot. I could tell those in the crowd actually listened to the whole album because they were singing along to the songs. I felt really connected and it feels like a more personal experience playing to the crowds here in Asia as supposed to Western crowds, which can be very rowdy and drunk and they like to throw things.

VJ Andrea, Liveomusic: How are you planning to break into the Asian music market here?
Jesse Wood: To be honest, this is actually our first step. It’s hard to get a gage of things till you come here and we have been looking forward for this trip for quite a while. Hopefully by doing promotions and shows, people will come and see us and tell their friends about us soon, we will be back again in Asia playing shows.

VJ Andrea, Liveomusic: After your studio album, ‘Passive Me, Aggressive You’, are there any plans for an upcoming album that we can look forward to?
Alisa Xayalith: We have been touring the last year and it’s required energy from us. It can be tiring and this leaves very little room to be creative. We have been conscious to stay creative, no matter how small or large. We have built up material for a second album; however, we have not exactly developed the concept yet.

VJ Andrea, Liveomusic: What is your creative mojo? How do you get inspired to write songs?
Alisa Xayalith: There’s something inside of you that drives you to be creative and want to express what’s inside of you. I get inspired randomly and I think that if you keep being creative and start the process of writing, it kinda just flows out naturally.

VJ Andrea, Liveomusic: After being better known around the world, how has it changed your life?

Jesse Wood: Individually, it means that we can focus on music full time. Its very liberating to be able to do this because not many people get this opportunity to be a musician full time. We are not too fest on becoming famous, as long as we get to keep on making music, that is the most important thing for us.

VJ Andrea, Liveomusic: What is the most challenging thing about being a band?

Alisa Xayalith: The most challenging thing about being a band is being able to be a functional family. We are together 27/4 and its important to ensure that our relationship is sound because I have heard so many stories where bands that tour a year or two and at the end of it, they hate each other. I think the biggest achievement for any band is to stay happy and healthy together.

I wanted to know some of the most random things about the band, so I decided to play a game with them. It's called the Ramdom Shit 101. They couldn't stop laughing at the name for this segment and I have to admit, It was 4am in the morning when I thought of these questions. There was only one rule to this game, they had to blurt out the first thing that came into their minds.

Random Shit 101

Who is the cockiest in the band?

Jesse Wood: We all have our moments. Alisa is the least cockiest!

Who takes the longest time in the bathroom?

Alisa Xayalith and Jesse Wood: Aaron!

Who is the funniest?

Alisa Xayalith: David!

Who is the weirdest?

Alisa Xayalith: DAVID!

Are there really more sheep than people in New Zealand?

Alisa Xayalith: YES!

Jesse Wood: Its the same as Australia though.

Who’s the worst drunkard?

Alisa Xayalith: Me! 3 glasses of wine and I’m all yours.

If you guys weren’t in music, what do you think will be your job/career?

Jesse Wood: Computer Programming

Alisa Xayalith: I will still be trying for music

To end, which country would you like to visit on tour? (a country that you have not been and performed in)

Jesse Wood: Mexico!
Alisa Xayalith: I am stunned, I actually have no idea!

The band was very down to earth and for them, it was really all about the music. It was nice interviewing them. Random fact, Jessie J actually did a cover of the band's hit single, Young Blood.

Here are some photos I took with them:

Alisa, Jesse and I

The Naked and Famous and I

Here's a message that The Naked and Famous had for all their Asian/Singapore fans.

"We are so thrilled to be in Singapore. Can't wait to play to you guys! xo
Much love, The Naked And Famous

For more information on them, click here to check out their website.
Like them on Facebook here.
Check out their YouTube page here.

XOXO
Andrea Flavia William

Liveomusic VJ | Feature Writer
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

Simple Plan live in Singapore, 15th January 2012

2012-01-17T14:55:00.000+08:00

Simple Plan Live in Singapore

Thanks to Midas Promotions, the boys from Simple Plan finally made their pit stop in Singapore for a one night concert at the Fort Canning Park last Sunday, 15th January 2012. Ever since their new album, Get Your Heart On was released, the Canadian punk/rock/alternative band has been embarking on their world tour. Since I grew up listening to the band, I had my own expectations for how the concert was going to turn out.

I kinda like this picture I took

Take a look at their set list for the concert.

Shut Up
Can't Keep My hands Off You
Jump
Addicted
My Alien
You Suck At Love
Your love Is A Lie
Astronaut
Summer Paradise
When I'm gone
Cover Medley: Fuck You, Dynamite, Raise Your Glass
Jetlag
This Song Saved My Life
Welcome to my life
I'll Do Anything
Loser Of The Year
I'm Just A Kid
Perfect

6 songs were played from the new album, the rest were from their 1st and 2nd album mostly. The only song from the 3rd album is titled 'Jump' and that was my least favourite song that they played.

The Cover Medley that they did was really good. A mash up of Fuck You, Dynamite and Raise Your Glass. They really made the song theirs.

When 'This Song Saved My Life' was played, I literally felt the whole place in harmony. It was sweet, peaceful and nice. My friends even cried, and I was more intrigued by the fans. This particular song was written by the fans via twitter and it has an amazing story behind it.

I don't know how they do it, but Simple Plan really had a lot of energy on stage and its remarkable before the night before was their concert in KL. The only issue is that I felt that the concert was too rushed. Imagine seeing your favourite band rush through their concert, and this is the first time that you are seeing them live. It didn't matter to me so much as I've seen them a couple of times before. Besides that, it was pleasant, the crowd was rowdy or crazy and everyone was there to have fun and support the band.

Check out some of the photos from the concert:

Our Concert Tickets


Us after the concert

Brendon Lee and his band opening for Simple Plan

Pierre :)

David :)

Jeff :)

Seb looks hot here :)

Chuck :)

Click here to read other Simple Plan articles:

Get Your Heart On Album Review

Simple Plan at Music Matters 2011

Simple Plan Live in Singapore, 15th Jan 2012

XOXO
Andrea Flavia William

Liveomusic VJ | Feature Writer

http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

Hurt. How do you get over it?

2012-01-06T23:24:00.000+08:00

I asked my friends on facebook to suggest what type/genre of articles I should write on my blog and I was told to write more personal posts about what's happening in my life. I think my life is pretty dull actually because I never seem to have the time for anything extraordinary, but I am still contented with life in a way.

I think I started out 2012 on a bad note and I want to change that. At the end of 2011, I was surprisingly hurt pretty bad from people whom I absolutely love and that set the tone for the past week. I don't want to get into that so I'll just leave it as that.

But I guess this is what I want to discuss today. HURT. I am sure you must have been hurt at least once in your life, whether is by someone or something that happened. The last time I got hurt was a few years back and it took a long time to get over it. The older I became, the more I understood why certain things happen in life. How then, do you get over it? I am the kind of person who usually tends to shut people out of my life and just go on with my daily life acting like everything is fine. Perhaps it's a defense mechanism that protects me from being more hurt. So far, its been doing me well but it's making me more angry, which is bad of course.

This is what I have tried:
-Talking to the people/person that hurt you
-Writing about it to yourself
-Talking to close friends about it because it is better if you speak about it
-Pray (If that doesn't work.....)
-Going into a gun range (I WISH)
-Watch tons of tv shows (it works, takes your mind off things)

If a boyfriend/girlfriend/friend/family member hurt you, they will know it and try their best to do something to change it. If not, then, maybe you should reconsider the relationship. In terms of family, you can't control what family you are born into, but you can control what family you are going to make in the future.

As for me, I am just taking it day by day. I received 2 sad news this week, one was 2 days ago and the other was a few hours back and I am just trying to let it sink. At times like this, I wish I had a biological sister to talk to. As my mum always says, 'Blood is thicker than water', and I completely agree with her on that.

Let me explain this photo. I was trying to take a picture of my hair during my radio show this week and I ended up with this shot that makes me look like I'm either emo/feeling sleepy. Due to the lack of visuals in this post, I decided to upload it. (and also show you my new highlights!)

Well there you have it, a sneak peak into what's happening in my life currently. (which is a very bad example). You asked for it! I hope you have a great weekend ahead!

XOXO
Andrea Flavia William
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

Essential Damage Care Nuance Airy Intensive Hair Mask Review

2012-01-03T18:00:00.000+08:00

Essential Damage Care Nuance Airy Intensive Hair Mask

I know some of you might be thinking....what the hell is the Essential Damage Care Nuance Airy Intensive Hair Mask? What is this brand and why are there foreign words printed on the packaging?

Let me introduce you to this Asian brand called Essential, and this is a new Japanese brand from the Multinational Cooperation, Kao, which also brought you brands like Biore', which might be more familiar to you, as it's sold in the US and UK.

I was introduced to this brand when I was taking a marketing communication module in school and we had to come up with a marketing campaign for Essential. Thus, the extensive research began. My team mates and I came to a conclusion that this brand is really an under dog in the market. The products are actually really good, but no proper branding and marketing has been done for Essential.

Recently, I decided to try out the hair mask because a hair stylist gave me a long lecture about how I should use a hair mask. I didn't want to spend a lot of money, and I didn't like other drug store brands like sunsilk (there's TONS of chemicals), so I decided to try this brand as their unique selling point singles out honey and butter, which is known to be really good for your hair. I bought this for only about $10 or $11 singapore dollars and I really fell in love with this.

The product claims to "Intensively care for severely damaged hair, without the heaviness.
Enriched with 3x more High Purity Honey and Milk Protein to protect and strengthen. Shea Butter repairs and moisturizes. Gives limp and flat hair a light and bouncy feel"

It made my hair so moisturized and my hair has been rebonded and coloured quite a few times already. My hair was so soft and it smelt so good. Many people kept on saying that my hair smelt good and it was thanks to this under dog product that I am introducing to you.

The moment I was running out of this product, I went to our drug store called Watsons and repurchased a new one. I am currently using my second tub and I am really happy with it. I use this 2 to 3 times a week and it has indeed made my rebonding last so much longer. The most commendable thing is that the texture of my hair was really good.

The reason why the products from Essential are pretty affordable and so called 'cheap' is really because the brand is just new and they can't increase their prices without people even knowing about the brand. I have not tried the other products from the brand so I can't comment on them.

There are only 2 ranges of products from Essential. One is the Nuance Airy (which is pink in colour) and the other is the Rich Premier (which is yellow in colour)

Essential Damage Care Rich Premier Intensive Hair Mask

This is how the Rich Premier hair mask looks like. I am going to try this once my current tube of the Nuance Airy finishes.

If you are interested in Essential products, go to their website here. This is their Singapore website. It's nothing fantastic but you get information on the products. Essential products are only currently sold in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. But as we know, there's such a thing as sprees :)

XOXO
Andrea Flavia William
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

What I got for Christmas 2011

2012-01-02T20:08:00.000+08:00

Hope you have had an amazing Christmas and New Year. To kick start this year, I thought of doing a blog post which I have never done before (or never imagined I would do). Based on the title above, you would have already guessed that I am going to show some of the favorite things I got for Christmas. I was inspired to do this post because of youtube, and somehow, girls just wanna know what everyone else got for Christmas. I found it pretty interesting to see what others got so I hope you will find mine somewhat interesting. This can also be a form of inspiration for buying presents for people this year for their birthdays and Christmas.

The best Christmas present I got was from my parents and when they went to France in early december, they got me these 2 things which I simply adore.

Sephora Studio Blockbuster Make Up Palette

The first one is the Sephora Studio Blockbuster Make Up Palette. This was from the Sephora in Paris. It was also available in Singapore but it's all sold out now. I guess the reason why I love this palette is because it's from Paris and I really want to go to Paris one day.

This second gift was from a place called Lourdes in France. This is a significant place in the Catholic church as Catholics believe that Mother Mary appeared to a dying girl here. I quote, "On 11 February 1858, a 14-year-old local girl, Bernadette Soubirous, claimed a beautiful lady appeared to her in the remote Grotto of Massabielle. The lady later identified herself as "the Immaculate Conception" and the faithful believe her to be the Blessed Virgin Mary. The lady appeared 18 times, and by 1859 thousands of pilgrims were visiting Lourdes. A statue of Our Lady of Lourdes was erected at the site in 1864. See Our Lady of Lourdes for more details on the apparitions."

Crystal Rosary from Lourdes, France

This rosary was given to me from Lourdes and it's simply gorgeous, from the colour to each crystal and the cross is so pretty. Since this is from a Holy place, maybe I'll be more holy in 2012 :)

3 dresses from Dorothy Perkins

These 3 dresses were from Dorothy Perkins. I bought the maroon one from the gift cards I received. The middle one was a present given to me by my best friends and the gold one was from my mum. I wore it for Christmas Midnight mass. I only got the chance to wear the gold one, still waiting to wear the other ones for appropriate occasions.

Revlon ColourStay Foundation in Early Tan

I got this from a friend and if you have read my blog before, you would realise that I do actually use this foundation frequently. This is a back up that I received as a Christmas gift and I am extremely happy for that!

Mac Bronzer in 'Bronze'

I received some Sephora vouchers so I bought the Mac Bronzer in Bronze. My Bronzer was finishing and I was thinking of getting the Too Face Chocolate Soleil Bronzer but that was out of stock, so I decided to try this one instead. I have yet to open it yet so let's hope it's really good!

Charles and Keith Wallet

I received this cream coloured Charles and Keith wallet and this is a colour that I never use, but the more I look at it, I'm starting to like the colour alot! That layout of the wallet inside is good!

With the Christmas money I got, I bought a few things online and I am eagerly waiting to receive them!

Real Techniques Core Collection

This is the Core Collection brush set from Real Techniques. It's not available in Singapore and I heard that it is extremely good. These brushes is from a Make Up artist in the UK, her name is Samantha Chapman and I follow her on youtube. Her youtube name is pixiwoo and she does tutorials with her sister, Nicole.

Real Techniques Shading Brush

I also bought another brush from her, and its the Real Techniques Shading Brush. It's really good for applying concealer around your face and it gives you a flawless look.

Elf Daily Brush Cleaner

I have been wanting to try the Elf Brush Cleaner for quite sometime and reviews about this product is generally good :)

Eco Tools Bamboo 6 Piece Eye Brush Set

Ecotools brushes have been known to be good and there are inexpensive. I decided to order this particular set and I am excited to try them and review them for you!

Seche Vite Top Coat

My current Seche Vite Top Coat is finishing so I needed to order a new one. This top coat is known to be one of the best around and it's pretty good to a certain extent. However, my nails do tend to get chipped and I honestly think its because my nails are weak. Nonetheless, still love this.

Revlon Colour Burst Lip Butter in Red Velvet

If you are living in the states, the Revlon Colour Burst Lip Butter is already available to you. However here in Singapore, its arriving soon. I couldn't wait so I ordered 2 colours online. This one is called Red Velvet.

Revlon Colour Burst Lip Butter in Cherry Tart

This second colour is called Cherry Tart. These lip butters have been compared to the clinique ones and they have been such a buzz on the internet.

Loreal Voluminous Dramatic Volume Building Mascara in Carbon Black

Lastly, I finally placed my order for the Loreal Voluminous Mascara in Carbon Black. One of my favourite bloggers/youtuber, Emily Noel, loves this and I trust what she says, so I decided to try this out cos she has been using this for such a long time.

These are some of the things I adore that I got for Christmas 2011. 2012 is gonna be a blast! God Bless you and till the next time.....

With lots of Love,
Andrea Flavia William
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

Goodbye to 2011

2011-12-31T02:24:00.000+08:00

Closing one chapter of your life is not easy. You have to chuck aside all the negative baggage that's in your life and push yourself for a better future. If I were to be completely honest, 2011 has indeed been a rough year for my family. You may or may not know about the intense drama that probably affected my personal life, but I am just glad that it's put to ease.

There were some things that happened this year that didn't go as I planned and hoped for, but the things that I am absolutely thankful for includes attaining a scholarship, being able to retain my faith and be pulled back to church, and balancing my personal and school life better. I'm not completely happy with how well I am doing in school because no matter how hard I try, my GPA doesn't seem to improve. (and that doesn't explain the scholarship) Bottom line....If I want to maintain it (when I need to), I need to improve my academics. The thing about doing mass communication is that you won't be excelling on all aspects you partake, as the area of study is beyond diverse and it's pretty rare to be good in everything. However in the end, each module that you do still affects your overall grades and as we all know, Singapore is driven by paper academics.

I hope for a good 2012, that will be filled with happiness, accomplishments and education. Life is nothing without challenges, and I hope that with each challenge I take, I will know my way, and learn as I mature progressively. Life has never handed me a silver platter and I always had to fight for what I want. That I will continue as I take on 2012.

The world will NOT end, but I believe that people's paradigm will change, and hopefully for the better.

Even though I might or might not know you, I thank you for reading my blog. I honestly do not know who reads this blog but blogger tells me that I do have readers. So yes, thank you. I hope that 2012 will be an amazing year for you, a year where you will achieve all your goals and work towards your dreams.

Have a blessed New Year and since it's still Christmas, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

With lots of Love,
Andrea Flavia William
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

Christmas 2011

2011-12-28T22:53:00.000+08:00

Ephrem Music Ministry

For the past few years of my life, Christmas has always passed by in a flash. Last year, I barely had a Christmas and It was all because of 'Location Video Production', a core film module that we were doing in school. We were in the midst of our film production, despite it being the holidays and that just took all our time away. I remember after my family's Christmas party, I was editing the film late night trying not to kill myself. However, this year, I told myself that I am going to fuck school during Christmas because celebrating it is more important.

This Christmas, I spent it with my family and friends...from my grandmother to my aunts and so on. I enjoyed myself. Ephrem Music Ministry was on duty for midnight mass and we did caroling before that. It was damnn good!

We also baked cupcakes for our families and Ephrem! :)

This is how the cup cakes looked after we wrapped it.

The picture was taken after we tried the first batch of cup cakes

These are the few pictures that I have. I should have taken more :(

Joanne and Geraldine

Geraldine and I

Maryanne and Geraldine

XOXO
Andrea Flavia William
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation Review

2011-12-27T17:14:00.000+08:00

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation (Oil Free)

The Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation is a high end product that has been constantly raved about on youtube and in the states, and I have been wanting to get my hands on it for so long. Laura Mercier products aren't exactly available in Singapore. You don't have it at Sephora here. From what I understand, you can find this exact product at True Colours in Takashimaya, but the price of the foundation has been marked up so much that it's just not worth buying it from the store. It would be significantly cheaper if you were to order it online.

I bought mine at Sephora in KL a few months back, and it was RM 150. I also bought the Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer there which also cost the same price.

Packaging

The packaging of the product is very sleek and I like it. The tube is only 35ml, which means it's pretty small. So if you want to carry it around, it's pretty convenient. I also like the fact that the packaging isn't glass or hard plastic. A tube makes it easy to get all the product out and it just looks better.

Colour Range

To be short, they do have a decent selection of colours but it can be improved.

Price

The price varies from country to country as always. I bought mine from KL, so if I were to convert it to Singapore dollars, it will cost around SGD 70, or less. Given the amount of product that comes in the tube, 70 bucks is considered really expensive. So is this product really worth it? Lets take a look.

Application/Blending

Blending the foundation onto your skin is really easy, as it's a silk foundation. This is my first time using a silk creme foundation and honestly, it feels so light and the coverage is pretty good. You can build it up according to how well you want your coverage to be. My only issue is that before applying the product, you really need to shake the bottle extremely well (EXTREMELY), or the water in the tube will also come out and that's pretty annoying. Other than that, this product is really good. It makes your skin look flawless! (with the help of concealer too of course)

Lasting Effect

The foundation claims to be oil free but it still does make my sin feel a little bit oily. The product doesn't melt of my face and I do use a primer before I apply the product over.

Verdict

My final verdict will be that you don't need this foundation if you are already happy with your current foundation. Only buy the product if you want to splurge on yourself or buy it because of the brand name. I'm really happy with my revlon colour stay foundation and I use the Laura Mercier one for special occasions or if I'm on camera. (not taking photos)

If you're wondering, I am using the colour in Sand Beige and it's perfect for my skin tone.

XOXO
Andrea Flavia William
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

My Top 5 Favourite Mac Lipsticks

2011-12-09T23:27:00.000+08:00

The one thing that I can't leave my house without is a lipstick at hand. I can have the worst looking skin ever for that day, and the lipstick always takes the attention away from that. That's probably one of the main reasons why I wear bold colours on my lips. When I forget to wear a colour on my lip or if I just don't have the time in the morning, the first question that I will get is if I am sick.

Point being made, I absolutely adore lipsticks and thus, I decided to come up with my top 5 mac lipsticks. I chose mac because the first brand of lipstick I ever bought with my own money was a mac lipstick many years ago when I was a young teenager.

The 5 mac lipsticks I have chosen is in no particular order. I will however list down the things I like and tell you why I absolutely love it, and some downsides to it as well. In reality, there's no product that's 100% perfect as we all know.

Russian Red (Matte)

The first lipstick shade that I will like to talk about is a classic, and that's Russian Red, which is a matte finish. This colour honestly suits most skin tones and the red is just gorgeous. A red lipstick is a staple and if you do not have on, it's about time you head out to the store and get one.

This particular lipstick instantly glams up my look and I adore it. However, there is one small thing that I do not like about this lipstick. Due to the fact that it's a matte finish, there isn't much moisture in the formula of the lipstick, causing it to be dry. Thus, you will always need to apply a lip balm before using this and during the day, always use a lip balm to avoid crackling lips which is just hideous. Other than that, this is one colour that needs to be repurchased when I'm done with it.

Hug Me (Lustre)

Hug Me is a light brownish nude colour that is extremely creamy and moisturizing. This was actually my first ever lipstick that I owned many years back. During the first months when I bought it, I was in love with the colour. However, I was then introduced to reds and pinks, so I chucked this colour aside. Recently, I have been loving nude colour lipsticks and I instantly fell in love with this colour again.

My only dispute is that the scent of this lipstick is kinda weird!

On Hold (Cremesheen)

The guy at the mac counter recommended me this colour based on my skin tone and damn did I fall in love with this shade. On Hold is a orang-ish/red and pink colour that is just specular. The colour brightens your face and just gives you such pigmented colour onto your lips. I repurchased this colour again and this is my go to colour if I am 'lazy' to put on make up or if I am running out of the house. I will just put this on my lips on the way to class and I'm good to go!

In a way, the formula for this particular shade can be quite dry on your lips without a lip balm. Nonetheless, I still love it!

Modesty (Cremesheen)

Modesty is a pale nudish-pink colour that was recommended to me recently when I was at the mac store. I was contemplating on buying this colour and left the store. A few minutes later, I came back to the store and bought this. Ever since, I have been loving this colour! Especially when I have dramatic eye make up. This instantly softens my lips and yet, does not suck the life out of my lips due to the light colour it presents.

I am still fairly new to this colour and I have only used a quarter of the lipstick. However, this still had to be in my top 5 because I personally think that this is a unique colour. I usually top this lipstick over a nude gloss and that is just the perfect combination.

The only so called down side to this is that I don't like the colour as much when it is not used over a lip gloss.

House Wine (Lustre)

I was looking through mac's website looking for a photo of this shade and I was alarmed when I realised that House Wine was not there. I really have no idea if this amazing colour is part of the permanent collection. I really hope that it is, because this pinkish berry colour is dearly adored. I got this as a Christmas Gift last year from my best friend and ever since, I have been using it consistently. Now, I'm nearly out of it :(

I love putting the colour just by itself, as well as topping it over my Elizabeth Arden berry lip gloss. The combination is heavenly.

To be honest, this is one colour that I do not have complains about! Oh wait, the fact that it might be discontinued! :(

I will have to check it out!

Swatches of my top 5 Mac Lipsticks

Here's the swatches of the colours I love. I know that 3/5 are bold colours, but hey, bold colours are for me! :)

Hope that this helped and happy shopping for Christmas and the New Year!

XOXO
Andrea Flavia William
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

THE MTV SHOW

2011-12-08T23:00:00.000+08:00

“THE MTV SHOW”

PREMIERES SATURDAY 7 JANUARY

HOSTED BY VJ HOLLY AND INTRODUCING THE NEW MTV VJ RICH

Singapore/Malaysia/Philippines, 8 December 2011: MTV today announced that its new original series, The MTV Show will premiere on Saturday 7 January and will be hosted by MTV VJ Holly and the new face of the channel, VJ Rich Herrera. The weekly countdown show will feature top-rated music videos, movies, celebrity news and popular culture will premiere on Saturday 7 January and air on MTV SEA every Saturday at 12pm (WIB), 1pm (SIN/HK/PH), 2pm (MAL)

MTV’s newly appointed VJ, Rich Herrera, will co-host The MTV Show with VJ Holly reporting weekly news with entertaining commentary, fun trivia plus responding to viewers’ feedbacks and challenges posted on MTV Asia’s Facebook and Twitter sites. Targeted at young and the young-at-heart, The MTV Show is a satirical and irreverent chart countdown that pokes light-hearted fun at today’s pop culture including music videos, movies, celebrity gossips and the latest cultural trends.

The new face of MTV Asia, VJ Rich is an American-Filipino host and sports enthusiast who was one half of the victorious duo in 2010 Amazing Race Asia. Not shy of a challenge, he will inject the winning bravado and wry humour to the flagship show.

“I’m excited to join MTV and it’s definitely an amazing opportunity. It’s the next best thing to being a rock star since I don’t have any musical talent,” says VJ Rich. “I’ve come from the alleys of entertainment from being a crew member to hosting television shows in Philippines, so this definitely tops it. I look forward to connecting with the viewers – to get out there and pay attention to what they are listening and watching to as well as their feedback. It will be mayhem on TV and I can’t wait for the show to start.”

“The MTV Show will be shot on location at Waterfront Studio at Resorts World Sentosa. Rich and I will have good fun presenting the show. It’s going to be a laugh and a great watch for our viewers,” says VJ Holly.

Besides music, movies are also a staple in youth entertainment and the latest blockbusters will be previewed in the MTV Show, together with exclusive clips, interviews and behind-the-scene footages. To extend MTV’s interaction with the audience, the VJs invite them to post materials to the show, from covers of favourite songs, movie reviews to opinions on hot topics of the week. They will respond on-air to the messages or challenges posted on MTV Asia’s website (www.mtvasia.com), Facebook and Twitter.

“We are excited to start the new year with a brand new flagship show on MTV”, says Tan Sian Ju, Vice President of Youth and Music, Viacom International Media Networks. “Our audience expects MTV to be at the forefront of music revolution and popular culture so we aim to fulfill it by providing content that the young in Asia can best relate to. People today want to be heard, and the MTV Show is the place to let them know we are listening.”

More information on The MTV Show and VJs Rich and Holly can be found on: www.mtvasia.com/themtvshow

www.mtvasia.com/vjrich

www.mtvasia.com/vjholly

*The MTV Show will air on MTV SEA every Saturday starting from 07 January, 12pm (WIB), 1pm (SIN/HK/PH), 2pm (MAL)

Christmas Gift Ideas 2012 (for HIM and HER)

2011-12-07T23:43:00.000+08:00

Christmas is around the corner and it's weird because I am not usually THAT excited. This year it's different, and I think that its a good thing for me personally. Last year, I remember going insane handing in deadlines just before and after Christmas, and that made the holiday zoom past in the blink of an eye.

This year, I am trying my best to take in everything as it comes and still be happy! All work and no play is BAD. (and this is coming from me! my friends would laugh when they see this)

Enough said, I got an idea for Christmas Gift Ideas article when I was doing my radio show preparation for my show on radioheatwave tomorrow...

These gift ideas are in no particular idea...so enjoy!

5 Christmas Gift Ideas for both Guys and Girls

For Girls:

Scrapbook

1) Scrap Book – Something which is personal, involves ‘artistic abilities’ and it’s a time capsule of your friendship for this particular friend. Only give a scrapbook as a present if it’s your best friend, sister or girlfriend! It will be absolutely weird if you give this gift to a friend whom you just met.

Budget: $50-$70 for materials, scrapbook and printing of photos. Go to any art store cos the materials are available there. This is time consuming but thus gift will last a life time.

Sephora Studio Maquillage

2) Make up set (for girly girls) – Doesn’t matter if you’re a guy or girl buying this for someone. Most girls will go insane if you buy this for them. It's like an all in one make up kit that can be used for any occasions. Whether it's for a personal use, or the need for a kit for a drama play...these make up kits are just here to stay.

Recommended Item: Sephora Christmas Gift Set. Priced at $79. Includes more than 90 eye shadows, 84 lip glosses, 3 blushes, 1 bronzer, 2 eyeliners, mascara and so on.

CD - Good Charlotte (Cardiology)

3) A CD of their favourite artist! - You can’t possibly go wrong there. To make the gift even more insane, throw in a poster of the artist/band. If you can’t get the poster, print it out at the shop! It’s not that expensive. Just make sure you have a high res photo, and request for the poster material, which is glossy. The poster will cost around $5.

Stationery Kit

4) A stationery kit – Not your boring old stationery sets. There are really cute and elegant designs ones that you can get at a stationery store, from a variety of colours and designs to choose from. Usually includes an organiser, pens and your usual stationary. Something practical that your friend will actually need to use for school next year! You can get these sets at Plaza Singapura. Can’t remember the name but its in Basement 2 next to the escalator!

H&M Gift Cards

5) Gift Cards – If you are unsure of what your friend will like, find out where she shops and go to that store and get a gift card from them and top it up with cash according to your budget…whether its forever 21, H&M and so on, this is such a useful gift that can never go wrong!

Tip: Just remember to call the store up and find out if they have gift cards before actually making the trip down!

For Guys: (Now I actually called up my guy friends to find out what they will want for Christmas!)

BOOZE!

1) Booze – I’m not a guy expert but if my brother receives booze for Christmas, he will definitely be a happy man! BUT, your friend has to be someone who drinks of course…Buy the booze use stick it with a ribbon and a Christmas card. Its simple, and hey, who wouldn’t like booze for Christmas?

Hugo Boss Cologne

2) Cologne – Guys NEED, and I repeat, need to smell good. Thus, cologne will be something that does that. Find out what your friend/bro is currently using and you can either buy the same brand….or go with something different. I tend to like the guy’s Hugo Boss cologne…maybe it’s because Gared Leto is now the model and spokesperson for them.

Point being said, cologne is a classic gift and all men need and SHOULD use it on a daily basis.

Topman Gift Card

3) Gift Cards

My guy friends were saying that getting clothes for Christmas will be nice. But then you ask yourself, what type of clothes and what’s their shirt size and so on. Thus to avoid all the hassle, get them a gift card too! Whether it’s from Top Man etc…just ensure once again that this store is a place where your friend shops at.

Havaianas slippers

4) Sports Wear and stuff related to it

Guys and Sports can never go wrong. Whether it’s slippers from Havaianas slippers (which I swear can last for at least 5 years from experience), or a cap etc…sports wear is a practical present!

Black Sleek Wallet

5) Wallet

This is my personal favourite. I personally can’t stand guys who have wallets which looks like it’s about to die. You can’t go wrong with a black sleek wallet and your friend is bound to use it as it’s a necessity and especially if their wallet looks like they farted on it.

The price yet again depends on your budget!

Finding the perfect gift isn't easy...and I hope this helps you to narrow down your search for the perfect Christmas present. Happy shopping folks, and remember not to do last minute shopping! Always plan ahead!

XOXO
Andrea Flavia William
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

Youtube Star, Clara C Performs on Liveomusic

2011-11-30T19:07:00.000+08:00

Clara C performing on Liveomusic

Youtube has changed the world and there is no denying it. From providing a platform for aspiring film makers to allowing video tutorials on a bizillion topics and of course, discovering Justin Bieber. (or not)

Point being said, Youtube as allowed many talented individuals to be discovered and they include Greyson Chance, Marie Digby, Colbie Caillat and the person whom I got to meet – Clara C.

Growing up with an intense exposure to music, she plays the flute, saxophone, piano, violin, guitar and the list literally goes on. After taking part in three music competitions and winning all of them, Clara's friends forced her to upload her performance from the competitions onto YouTube. Without much thought to it, she uploaded it and soon enough, her video became a hit as people just simply loved her voice. I mean, she’s not your Katy Perry or Lady Gaga (which is good), and her voice just holds so much soul and that makes it soothing to listen to for a change.

When she walked into the Liveomusic studios, she started her 'warm up' exercises to prepare for her performance on the show. From what I heard, DAMN she can reach those high notes and not go off pitch.

"Music was the last career path I had ever imagined. I would have gone into dolphin training before music because I thought it was not possible to have music as a career....and just have a full time desk job!" exclaimed Clara.

As an artiste, she faces the same challenges as many other artistes in the industry. She told me that at one point, she was facing a battle between what she wanted to do and what she was told her fans wanted her to do. Following her heart, she didn't want to compromise what she wanted in her career and listened to herself.

She explains, "At first, I did contemplate on doing the things the people thought my fans wanted, but in the end, I was like scratch that, I was going to do what I feel, and march to the beat of my drum and go with it."

I guess that it was a really good decision because she gained so much popularity that she's now touring the world and living every artiste's dream....all because of Youtube.

She tells me, "YouTube is the reason I am talking to you right now...and its why I am in Singapore right now and going to be touring all over."

Everyone is getting on YouTube right now and Clara says that you need some way to set yourself part from everyone else, be original and have the X factor within you. That's whats gonna take you far and I completely agree with her. Whether it's YouTube or getting a job, it always counts.

Clara's future plans includes another tour next year and her manager is already in the process of putting it together, and this time, it won't be a stripped down acoustic tour. She will be coming down with her entire band, and she assures me that it's gonna be really amazing.

She has one thing to tell all her fans in Asia, and that is, 'Thank you times infinity'....and she repeats herself over and over again in a melodious way and also declares that she can't wait to meet all her fans.

Here are more photos of the talented Clara C:

Clara and Charles J Tan

Clara Singing Passionately at Liveomusic

XOXO
Andrea Flavia William
Liveomusic VJ | Feature Writer
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

These Kids Wear Crowns Headline New Year's Countdown Party, Celebrate 2012

2011-11-28T22:03:00.000+08:00

These Kids Wear Crowns Live in SINGAPORE 31st December 2012

Mediacorp presents...'CELEBRATE 2012', a New Year Count Down Party that will be held at the Marina Bay Floating Platform..and Canadian sensation, THESE KIDS WEAR CROWNS, will be flying in to perform and spend the New Year in Singapore.

Besides These Kids Wear Crowns, other local artistes like Singapore Idol Sezairi Sezali and Singapore Idol 3 finalist Sylvia Ratonel will also be there to perform for YOU. So give them your support.

Celebrate 2012 Poster

The details are as follows:
Date: 31 Dec 2011
Day: Saturday
Time: 8pm to...THE NEW YEAR!
Ticket Price: SGD 25 (excluding sistic fee)

For more information or to purchase tickets from sistic, click here.

XOXO
Andrea Flavia William
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

Blue, A1 and Jeff Timmons LIVE IN SINGAPORE 28TH FEB 2012

2011-11-25T21:19:00.000+08:00

British Boy Band, Blue

A little birdie told me that Blue will be back in Singapore for a concert on Tuesday, 28th February 2012, alongside A1 and Jeff Timmons. The concert will be held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Weird combination if you ask me but I think these other artistes are also trying to make a come back. Put Jeff Timmons aside, the other two boy bands are trying to make a BRITISH BOY BAND COME BACK!

A1 on the other hand has really aged, don't you think?

Details of the concert is not out yet. Once I get the information, I will definitely tell you. For now, pass the word around alright? Whooo!!

Here's the facebook page that was created for this trio concert.

XOXO
Andrea Flavia William
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

Patrick Stump, Lead Singer of Fall Out Boy goes Solo.

2011-11-24T21:00:00.000+08:00

Patrick Stump. Look at the before and after photo. OMG, right??!?

Patrick Stump is known to have such an amazing and unique voice, and all of us know him as the front man of Fall Out Boy. Since Fall Out Boy has either taken a break or disbanded, Patrick Stump has gone solo to take on the music industry. His solo album, Soul Punk was released on 18th October in the states. Since then, he has been touring the U.S opening shows for Bruno Mars and is currently supporting Panic At The Disco's tour.

The album is NOTHING like Fall Out Boy. It is far from it. The music is really interesting, its pretty original and I am just intrigued by the quality of Patrick's voice. He can sing rock songs, as well as hip hip/soul influenced songs. If he was on American Idol, he would have won without a shadow of a doubt!

Here's an interesting fact on his album, he literally played ALL the instruments and wrote ALL the songs in the album...therefore, it's really a SOLO album! For that, I honestly take out my hat for him.

Look at the before and after picture of Patrick. He was known as the cute cuddly dude of Fall Out Boy (FOB). Now, he's this super hot stud that just came out of his cocoon.

Patrick Stump should come to Singapore!

XOXO
Andrea Flavia William
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

Maybelline Falsies Mascara Review

2011-11-22T22:04:00.001+08:00

The Maybelline Falsies Mascara has been out in the market for quite some time and it has gotten so much rave and attention internationally. Here in Singapore, the mascara was not released and that was really weird as we do usually get everything that is released in the states from Maybelline. However, I managed to get a hold of this product in Changi airport's duty free. I was literally psyched to try it out and give my take on it....so here goes!

I got the mascara more than a month ago and I have been using it regularly ever since, and to be honest, I absolutely love the Maybelline Falsies Mascara!

Maybelline Falsies Mascara

Good Things
-The mascara really fans out every single lashes to give it amazing volume and length at the same time
-The formula allows the product to be buildable on your lashes
-I think that is as good as, or even better than the Lancome Hypnose Mascara (GASP!)
-The formula works for most types of lashes. Short, long, thin, thick. It really makes a commendable difference.

Application is easy and great!

Not so great things
-My only issue is that the shape of the mascara is weird in person. Other than that, its all good.

I have amazing news. If you live in Singapore, you can get this 'Holy Grail' product. Sasa carries this mascara and they are the ONLY distributors. The mascara cost around SGD 20. Paying this amount is nothing compared to forking out SGD 50 for the Lancome Hypnose Mascara.

I really, really will recommend you this product because I believe that you will like it as much as I do. I hope that this short review will help you.

Have an amazing day :)

XOXO
Andrea Flavia William
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

2011 American Music Awards Winners

2011-11-21T22:52:00.000+08:00

Favorite Duo or Group: Maroon 5

Female Country Artist: Taylor Swift
Favorite Country Album: Taylor Swift, Speak Now
Artist of the Year: Taylor Swift

Favorite Soul/R&B Album: Rihanna

Favorite Country Band: Lady Antebellum

Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album: Nicki Minaj
Favorite Hip Hop Artist: Nicki Minaj

Favorite New Artist: Hot Chelle Rae

Favorite Latin Artist: Jennifer Lopez

Favorite Soul/R&B Female: Beyonce

Favorite Pop/Rock Male: Bruno Mars

Favorite Pop/Rock Album: Adele

Special Award (for becoming the first woman ever to have five #1 singles from one album): Katy Perry

XOXO
Andrea Flavia William
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam

Good Charlotte Live at The Coliseum, Hard Rock Hotel (Resorts World Sentosa - Singapore)

2011-11-20T20:53:00.000+08:00

Good Charlotte Live In Singapore

18th November marked the exciting day of the Good Charlotte Concert that was held in Singapore at The Coliseum, Hard Rock Hotel (Resorts World Sentosa). LAMC were the promoters and Jack Daniels brought the boys down for us in Singapore.

I have to admit, this is far by the BEST concert I have ever been to in my entire life. I think this has mainly got to do with their set list for the gig. IT WAS EPIC.

Here's the thing about me, I don't just go for any concert just because some known dude decides to come down. "For example, David A comes down - I go, Lady Gaga comes down - I go, All Time Low comes down - I go." Talk about the epic change in genre. I honestly go for concerts because that particular artiste or band has really impacted my life or childhood in ways that's special to me. Ultimately, it's all about the music. Not the glam of taking photos with every single celeb that steps foot into this small country, or being seen out there because it's 'cool'. That's just utter bullshit.

That being said, Good Charlotte is a band that I have been influenced by since I was 13. Their music is just awesome.

WHOOO!!

Enough of blabbering, the concert was really amazing because of the performance. There was a host for the gig and it was this girl named Charmaine from 91.3fm. I was pretty puzzled because instead of hosting, she was shouting through the mic, which was painful for the ears. Ouch. Someone needs to learn how to do voice warm up exercises. Plus, the sound system was pretty good. Or perhaps, she was just too excited.

The band didn't keep the fans waiting unlike every single darn artiste that plays here. They opened with The Anthem (which was my guess anyway) and they performed songs like Lifestyle of The Rich and The Famous, Girls and Boys, Sex on the Radio, Like It's Her Birthday, Keep Your Hands Off My Girl, The Young and The Hopeless, Sliver Screen Romance, The Little Things and my FAVOURITE song of them all - THE RIVER.

My friend, Geraldine and I went practically insane when they performed the song because I absolutely was obsessed with the song when the album came back a few years back.

Damn Joel is so hot!

There's so many artiste coming into the industry every single day and most of them just have a huge market team behind them. It's just nice to see that people who actually make good music still get recognised for it.

Benji Madden

Joel Madden

I didn't get many photos as I had a memory stick problem, which was such a waste. These just some of the photos that I took. Didn't manage to get good photos of Billy and Paul. Special thanks to Radioheatwave & LAMC for the tickets.

XOXO
Andrea Flavia William
http://mypersonalrecount.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/andrea_flavia
http://www.facebook.com/andreaflaviawilliam