GRAE New York

GRAE Weekly: 2.24.12 Edition

2012-02-24T12:00:00.000-05:00

How gnarly is that mic Kreayshawn's holding in GQ!

Spotted on GQ ...

Last year Kreayshawn exploded on the scene out of nowhere with breakthrough single Gucci Gucci. This year she's the subject of an interesting GQ profile that dissects her rise to fame, her motley crew, and her fans.

Read That Sh!t Kreay

Spotted on Level37 ...

Remember when you rocked all black everything? Well those days are over. This year spring fashion's all about the pop colors. From neon solids to eye-catching prints, expect to find colorful pieces to add to your wardrobe during your next shopping spree. Level37 posted a great editorial from GQ Taiwan that shows the fellas how to wear color and look sleek. Boys take note.

Read The Bold Standard

Spotted on Becoming Nikki Lynette ...

For the past 2 weeks EVERYONE has been talking about Rihanna and Chris Brown's new songs when they weren't speculating about Whitney Houston. The general consensus has been that Rihanna has no self respect and needs to set an example for women who have been abused. At first I said this was a bad career move for her, but after reading Nikki Lynette's blog my opinion's shifted.

Nikki brings up a good point that maybe Rihanna has forgiven Chris and moved on so she can work with him again. Rihanna has stated before that she doesn't want to be seen as a victim, and maybe by collaborating with Chris she is setting an example for women who have been abused -- just not in the conventional way people want her to. Instead of being a victim, Rihanna comes across as someone who was able to forgive, get on with her life, and not let the public's opinion of her situation control her next moves. Like Nikki says, "Who the hell wants to be a famous victim?"

Read Why Rihanna and Chris Brown doing a new song together isn't the end of the world

Spotted on Mark and Angel Hack Life ...

Every once in a while an article comes along that stops you in your tracks and gives you a kick in the ass. This is totally what happened this week as I read 30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself. It made me stop and reevaluate everything. Of course I had to send it to my friends. They all agree it's just what we needed to hear, so I thought I'd share it with you too.

Read 30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself

Spotted on YouTube ...

"Special announcement, the revolution will be televised. The revolution will be televised." Those were the first words uttered by Sean "Diddy" Combs about his new network REVOLT. Since REVOLT's a network created by an artist for fellow artists and music lovers, I'm hoping it will catapult music television to the next level for years to come.

Watch Diddy Announces REVOLT Music News and TV Network

The Pretty Reckless Debut "You"

2012-02-18T11:00:00.000-05:00

I couldn't go to bed last night without watching The Pretty Reckless' new video for You. I love it. It's simple and toned down. The visuals actually remind me of a play I saw at The Kitchen in Chelsea a few years ago. Well done. Nice to see Taylor Momsen's made a great transition from acting to singing. She's one of the few who's believable.

GRAE Weekly: 2.17.12 Edition

2012-02-17T12:00:00.000-05:00

Azealia Banks
(image via Complex)

Spotted on Jeremy Danté ...

The world's still in shock over Whitney Houston's sudden death. In this beautifully written post, Jeremy Danté shares why she was such an icon to us all and how she should be remembered.

Read Whitney Houston: An American Icon

Spotted on I Heart Daily ...

Valentine's Day may be over, but that doesn't mean sharing the love has to end. I Heart Daily recently interviewed Hannah Brencher, founder of The World Needs More Love Letters. The site encourages people to write love letters to the world and leave them in places for people to find. I love that idea! I also love that you can request a love letter to be sent to someone.

Read Cool Girl: Hannah Brencher of More Love Letters
Visit The World Needs More Love Letters

Spotted on Eric Sosa ...

(image via ericsosa.com)

Eric Sosa isn't just an up-and-coming rapper you should know about. He's also a poet whose latest poem Wait is a must-read.

Read Wait

Spotted on Complex ...

Azealia Banks. I knew the name. I saw her photos. I heard she played a Chanel party. But what did I really know about her? Not a damn thing. Until now. I came across a recent Complex profile on Azealia a few days ago. Why didn't I know about her before! I can totally relate to her "everything going well then suddenly losing it all" backstory, plus I love that she wants to stand out and bring something new to the scene. I can't wait to hear her debut album, "Broke With Expensive Taste." Isn't that title everything!

Read Who Is Azealia Banks?
Watch 212

Just a reminder for those of you in NYC or heading to NYC today and tomorrow ...

Today, 2/17 and tomorrow, 2/18, JackThreads has a mobile pop-up shop in Union Square West between 16th & 17th streets. The shop will have collections from WeSC, GoodWood, and more before they're online on the 19th so make sure you check it out so you can brag you were the first to know. Read my previous post for more details.

Fashion Forward: JackThreads Mobile Pop-Up Shop in NYC

2012-02-16T09:30:00.000-05:00

NYFW may be over, but that doesn't mean your search for new style has to end. This weekend add JackThreads Mobile Pop-Up Shop to your busy NYC life. On Friday, 2/17 and Saturday, 2/18, JackThreads will be setting up shop in a fashion truck presented by Gillette from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Union Square West between 16th & 17th St.

Visitors to the pop-up shop will get an exclusive look at five spring looks with pieces from GoodWood, WeSC, and more before they're available on jackthreads.com on the 19th. Make sure you try on whichever looks you like and take a Polaroid in your fave so you're entered to win it. If you purchase anything from the truck, you'll receive free shipping AND a Gillette Fusion ProGlide Styler. Sounds like a good deal to me.

If you can't make it to the shop, make sure you visit jackthreads.com and join. Who doesn't love a members-only club with clothes?

Austin Brown Releases "Menage a Trois" Video

2012-02-15T13:48:00.001-05:00

Yesterday Austin Brown released his new single Menage a Trois, and today he debuted the video on Vevo. I'm glad that didn't take long. Menage a Trois is the most played song on my iPod right now. What makes it such an addictive track is the modern soul sound Austin does so well. While the song title may have you thinking dirty thoughts, it's actually about a guy who's in love with two girls and can't decide which one to choose. Clever right!

Check out Menage a Trois below and a behind-the-scenes video from the shoot.

Battle of the V-Day Songs

2012-02-14T16:04:00.000-05:00

If you're free today at 4:30 p.m. EST and love Jason Mraz, tune in to youtube.com/presents. Jason will be live streaming and you know he always sings his heart out.

Now what's with the male singers releasing sexy songs on Valentine's Day? Earlier Austin Brown released Menage a Trois then Usher and Diplo dropped Climax. Who do you rather?

Austin Brown - Menage a Trois
Can't wait to see the video premiere on Vevo tomorrow!

Usher & Diplo - Climax
I totally wouldn't have known Diplo produced this if I hadn't read it.

I'm also liking City of Light by Danny Aiello & Hasan. The video was released a year ago and it's super-sexy. Fun fact: I went to school with one of the dancers. Small world, lol.

In Review: Grammy's 2012

2012-02-13T09:30:00.000-05:00

Sophia Grace & Rosie go to the Grammy's!
(image via Yahoo!)

Another year, another Grammy's. Only this time the biggest night in music came 24 hours after Whitney Houston's shocking death. Grammy producers couldn't let the show go on without doing a well-deserved tribute and called in Jennifer Hudson to do the honors. Boy was she amazing! Now that's how you do a proper tribute.

Here's my live rundown of the rest of the show ...

Springsteen opens the Grammy's with We Take Care of Our Own ... Gaga rocks out ... I'm still not sure why he's called "The Boss" ... oh hi Max Weinberg
"There's no way around this. We've had a death in our family." - LL Cool J before leading everyone in a nice prayer for Whitney and her family. Well done!
Oh hi Victor Cruz sitting behind Adele.
Bruno Mars and The Hooligans rockin' out to Runaway Baby in gold and black. Twitter goes crazy with talk of his perfect hair and teeth. I call him my teen idol even though we're in our 20s.
Alicia Keys & Bonnie Raitt do a tribute to Etta James. Can't forget about Ms. Etta.
Adele wins Best Solo Pop Performance for Someone Like You ... work that glam hair and sequins girl!
Chris Brown's performance was okay, but that set would look great on display at MoMA or New Museum. Hope their curators were watching.
Kanye West & Jay-Z's Otis wins for Best Rap Performance ... and neither are there ... Jay's probably with Bey & Blue Ivy and Kanye's probably is avoiding T-Swift & Amber Rose
Friends and I agree Reba McEntire doesn't age as she introduces Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson's performance of Don't You Wanna Stay. I spot a tattoo on Kelly's back. Does anyone know when she got that?
The Foo Fighters perform Walk. I wish they sang Rope just so I can hear David Grohl scream, "choke on a kiss!"
Rihanna sings We Found Love. I still prefer Tinashe's cover. The Princess of China collab would have been better if she wasn't out of breath from all that dancing. Chris & co. finished their set off nicely with Paradise. I'm obsessed with their graffiti set. I could totally live in it.
Sidenote: Aaah, a Chipotle commercial! Best food ever!
Victor Cruz forced to salsa after a Chipotle commercial aired 5 minutes before. Interesting timing.
Foo Fighters win for Walk.
Ryan Seacrest introduced Maroon 5. I've been listening to their first album nonstop for days so I'm excited to see Adam and the boys. Foster the People the people also perform. I didn't know who they were at first. (Thank God for my Twitter friends who do!) Also, why was Uncle Jessie not performing with The Beach Boys? He's the reason my generation knows who they are.
Paul McCartney performs.
Chris Brown wins a Grammy and gives a nice little speech. I think his chest tats would make a great graphic tee. We should team up for a clothing line. Get me his number and/or Twitter handle!
The Civil Wars sing before Taylor Swift performs. They could have kept singing. Also, T-Swift does realize we're being honest, not mean right?
Neil Patrick Harris! Why are you not hosting? Anyway, Adele wins again in a new dress!
Apparently LL Cool J watches way too many Kate Beckinsale movies.
Katy Perry has a clone. I knew it!
Lady Antebellum wins. Taylor Swift does not. All is right with the world.
I love Gwyneth Paltrow's dress!
Adele performs Rolling in the Deep and gives me chills.
The Band Perry opens the tribute to Glen Campbell. Aww, they're so cute. Blake Shelton takes over and then Glen comes out. I love that he can remember his songs. Mom and I agree his doctors must be baffled by his case.
Carrie Underwood should sing more jazz and tour with Tony Bennett.
Bon Iver wins Best New Artist. I flash back to 2011 when Esperanza beat out Drake while my Twitter folks say Nicki and Skrillex were robbed. I actually think J.Cole was robbed. That kid's got stories for days.
I'm still amazed Jennifer Hudson sang I Will Always Love You without breaking down in tears. Go girl! Well done. What a pro!
EDM takeover with David Guetta, Chris Brown & Lil Wayne. P.S. Did Weezy just roll out of bed? (Sidenote: No, he was not arrested backstage.) Anyway, finally Foo Fighters perform Rope. The moment I've been waiting for: David Grohl yells, "Choke on a kiss!" Yes! Also, dear Deadmau5, I want your headgear.
Drake introduces Nicki Minaj in a suit, bow tie, and iced out Rolex. Nicki, no wait, Roman went on to "perform" and annoy/confuse/scare/offend everyone. I hope that's what she/he was going for?
Adele wins another Grammy!
Oh look, Adele wins another Grammy! Clean sweep baby! Go girl! So glad it's her year!

Whitney Houston, A Look Back at the Voice that Captivated Us All

2012-02-11T22:55:00.000-05:00

I was in shock when I heard Whitney Houston died this afternoon. I would have thought the news was another R.I.P. hoax on Twitter, except my source was Harvey Levin from TMZ. Contrary to what a lot of people think, TMZ doesn't go around reporting things like this important without confirming first so I trust them.

I grew up on Whitney so her death is extremely sad, even moreso than MJ's. I can recall belting out I Will Always Love You at the top of my lungs when I was 4 and playing The Bodyguard soundtrack on cassette for hours on end.

When Whitney was at the top of her game, there was no stopping her. That voice sent chills up your spine and demanded your attention. Whitney's talents weren't just limited to singing; she was also a great actress. The Bodyguard, Waiting to Exhale, and yes, even Cinderella will always be classics to me.

I know Clive Davis must be hurting right now. Through all her ups and downs that man was the one person who always believed in her, a rarity in a fickle industry. Though we lost her before her big comeback, we'll be able to see Whitney on the big screen once again in Sparkle with Jordin Sparks later this year. I know all Whitney's fans will be there, tickets in hand, to support.

Here are some of my fave Whitney songs. To me, they're everything.

I'm Every Woman
A 90s girl power moment for the ladies.

Could I Have This Kiss Forever with Enrique Iglesias
When Enrique released with Rhythm Divine and Be With You I thought he was okay. When his duet with Whitney came out I thought the kid had staying power. Turns out I was right.

I Have Nothing
An amazing power ballad from The Bodyguard soundtrack.

It's Not Right, But It's Okay
If someone ever does you wrong, listen to this song. Whitney will tell you what to do.

I'm Your Baby Tonight
How great were all the costume changes in this video!

The Star Spangled Banner
Till this day no one can sing the national anthem like Whitney. Such a great moment in musical history.

Queen of the Night
Another dose of girl power off The Bodyguard soundtrack.

When You Believe with Mariah Carey
Two divas. One uplifting song.

I Will Always Love You
I used to belt this out all the time when I was a kid trying to match her range. A girl can dream.

GRAE Weekly: 2.10.12 Edition

2012-02-10T12:00:00.000-05:00

Diplo, A-Trak, Skrillex in Billboard
(image via Billboard)

Spotted in Billboard ...

In 2011 Diplo, A-Trak, and Skrillex were all over the mainstream making it the year of the DJ. These three aren't your run-of-the-mill fist pumpers. They're real artists who are taking their craft to the next level. In their latest cover story, Billboard gets Diplo, A-Track, and Skrillex to talk about the growing EDM movement.

Read Skrillex, Diplo & A-Trak: The Billboard Cover Story

Spotted on Goop ...

Still have no clue what to do for Valentine's Day? Gwyneth Paltrow to the rescue! This week's Goop newsletter is all about pleasing your other half for the holiday of love and beyond. Note to future bfs: Make me the Easy, Cheesy Omelette with a side salad and I'll be a happy girl.

Read Beyond Valentine's

Spotted in The New York Times ...

With NYFW upon us once again, the Times took the time to catch up with Project Runway alum Christian Siriano. It turns out his challenges weren't over once he won the reality competition. Since showing up on the scene Christian's had a tough time gaining acceptance from the industry. While the buyers seem to enjoy his wears, the editors are a bit hesitant to accept him. As a fellow twenty-something I can relate. Some people are willing to take a chance on you while others are not. Hopefully as time goes on more editors will see Christian's a talented designer and not just another reality show winner.

Read Christian Siriano Seeks Fashion Industry's Approval

Spotted on 60 Minutes ...

Adele's the biggest name in the music industry right now. Her sophomore album 21 was the top-selling album of 2011 and she's nominated for 6 Grammy's. After having vocal cord surgery last year, she'll be performing at the award show on Sunday night for the first time in five months. If that wasn't enough, the British songstress also gets to sit down with Anderson Cooper on 60 Minutes. Be jealous.

Watch Adele on her body image

Spotted on Paper Magazine ...
Have you seen Jason Wu's line for Target? Everything is so cute and chic! Mickey Boardam, Paper's resident man-about-town, spoke to Jason at the collection's launch party. Find out what his inspiration was for the collection and which artist he and Mickey both adore.

Watch Jason Wu for Target Launch Party

Fashion Forward: Beckham Bodywear

2012-02-08T11:30:00.000-05:00

Last week I wandered into H&M on 51st & 5th. Their David Beckham Bodywear window displays were beckoning me to go in. As I checked out H&M's latest wears, I was easily distracted by their giant posters of Beckham. Good thing he wasn't there walking around in his bodywear. That would have caused a serious melee.

Ricky Martin Revives 'Glee' (For Now)

2012-02-07T19:23:00.005-05:00

Three weeks ago I revealed in GRAE Weekly that I was over Glee. In the weeks since I started watching Glee again. No, I'm not back on their bandwagon. I just like novelty episodes and had to see what the cast did with MJ. (I've had Naya Rivera's Smooth Criminal cover looped on my iPod.)

This week Ricky Martin has set his sights on McKinley High before he hits the Broadway stage for the Evita revival. As soon as he sang, "Yo sexy y tu sabes," I knew I was going to be all over this episode. Can't wait to see him tonight!

M.I.A. + Bad Girls + Give Me All Your Luvin'

2012-02-05T14:30:00.000-05:00

M.I.A. is such a busy woman! The same day her Bad Girls video surfaces, she and Nicki Minaj play pep squad in Madonna's new video Give Me All Your Luvin'. I'm so excited for her return and hope she makes a surprise appearance in the Super Bowl halftime show tonight.

M.I.A. - Bad Girls

Madonna - Give Me All Your Luvin' ft. M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj

Four Words: John Mayer is Back

2012-02-04T13:30:00.000-05:00

For the past year John Mayer has been M.I.A. Oh how I've missed him and that bluesy voice. Finally he's surfaced in Tony Bennett's music video One For My Baby. Now John just needs to release his new album, and I'll have my playlist set for the rest of 2012.

GRAE Weekly: 2.3.12 Edition

2012-02-03T12:00:00.000-05:00

Viola Davis winning a SAG in Marchesa is everything!

Spotted at The Sag Awards ...

On Sunday night my Twitter stream was suddenly inundated with talk of red carpets, designer gowns, and celebrities. I had no idea the SAG Awards were that night so you can probably picture the confusion on my face. As I looked through the winners and fashion roundups, the person who stood out the most to me was Viola Davis. I'm so glad she won for The Help. Although I haven't seen that film yet, I feel it's unfortunately going to be overlooked at the Oscars. I love her speech, especially that last line, "Dream big and dream fierce." I also love the Marchesa dress she wore. If you're going to win a SAG, that's the dress to do it in.

Watch Viola's SAG speech

Spotted on Jeremy Danté ...
You already know I'm obsessed with Lana Del Rey. I've spent the past month reading dozens of interviews, features, and Born to Die reviews. For the most part I feel music critics don't understand Lana's image and sound. They're buying too much into the "controversy" surrounding her. Luckily my fave fashion bloggers are loving Lana. Funny how they consider her more of a music icon than the music people. Earlier this week Jeremy Danté did a great article about image and why he thinks Lana is America's answer to Adele. It's totally what I've been trying to say for weeks.
Read Style Vs Sound: Lana Del Rey
Spotted on Twitter ...

Do you recognize this man? Didn't think so. Last week Sky Blu of LMFAO shaved off his hair and is pretty much unrecognizable. I miss his party rock hair already. Hopefully he'll grow it back. In the meantime we can relive his hairdays in old LMFAO videos.

Watch Champagne Showers

Spotted on MissWhoever You Are ...
In last week's GRAE Weekly I mentioned Rock & Republic's NYFW contest that I saw on MissWhoever You Are. This week she's written about her fave pieces from Rock & Republic's new Kohl's collection. I must find a way to make those Platform Wedges mine!
Read Available Now: Rock & Republic Collection at Kohl’s (Online)

Tinashe Releases "In Case We Die"

2012-02-01T10:30:00.000-05:00

In case we die at the end of 2012 like the Mayans predicted, you're going to need Tinashe's new mixtape to get you through the rough months ahead. I couldn't go to sleep until I downloaded In Case We Die and had a proper listening party. On the mixtape Tinashe reminds me of The Weeknd meets an urban Lana Del Rey. It's dreamy, seductive, and edgy. Definitely not what you'd expect from a girl who was once in a bubblegum pop girl group, and I like it that way. (Although I did love her in The Stunners too.) All the labels are going to be after Tinashe once they hear this. She's mentioned before that she's already received offers, but she's holding out for the right one. Smart girls don't settle.

Go download In Case We Die on tinashenow.com, then check out Tinashe's latest installment of Ask Tinashe to learn more about the project. Also, Tinashe's giving away 100 hard copies of In Case We Die so make sure you follow her on Twitter and Facebook for contests.

Listen Up: Yuna - "Live Your Life"

2012-01-29T14:00:00.000-05:00

As I entered my teens *cough cough* 10 years ago, most of the songs on the radio featured The Neptunes' signature bass and snare. As the years have gone by, other producers like Timbaland, Noah "40" Shebib, David Guetta, and Kanye West have been the focus of the industry. Finally Pharrell is making a comeback and showing his range. Last year he produced Gloria Estefan's Little Miss Havana album which I loved. Then a few weeks ago he did Jay-Z's first song as a father Glory. Now he's blessed us with Yuna's subtle downtempo track Live Your Life. Listen to it here.

So, Bai Ling Has a Song

2012-01-28T15:00:00.000-05:00

Last week I was watching TMZ on TV and heard Bai Ling has a new song called U Touch Me, I Don't Know U. I don't make these things up people. I don't make these things up.

I didn't know Bai Ling sang. Technically, I don't know what she does or why she's famous. According to IMDB (yes, I had to consult), she's an actress. Who knew? All my memories of her involve red carpets, parties, and dancing.

Now let's break down the song. Bai doesn't really sing on the track. U Touch Me sounds more like spoken word, but I think it could work in an indie film. Her other song Rehab is another story. It needs some serious (for lack of a better word) rehabilitation.

¡Q'Viva! The Chosen Debuts Tonight on Univision

2012-01-28T10:30:00.000-05:00

They may have separated, but Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony aren't letting that stop them from making money together. Tonight at 7 p.m. they'll be debuting their new Univision talent competition ¡Q'Viva! The Chosen with one of my fave choreographers Jamie King. I think this show could be major! I love talent competitions, but American Idol, X Factor, and America's Got Talent bore me. I'm more of a So You Think You Can Dance, The Voice, and (if I'm up to it) Dancing with the Stars kind of girl. I think ¡Q'Viva! will shake things up. Now I just need to figure out what channel Univision's on and brush up on mi español.

GRAE Weekly: 1.27.12 Edition

2012-01-27T12:00:00.000-05:00

Spotted on Complex ...

In just a year Lana Del Rey has gone from unknown indie artist to the latest Complex cover girl. Her February/March Complex interview gives us a behind-the-scenes look at Lana's rise to stardom and the creation of her debut album Born to Die which drops on January 31st.

Read Lana Del Rey: Can She Live?

Spotted on The View ...

On Monday Katherine Heigl was on The View promoting her new movie One for the Money (in theaters today). Of course her 3 y.o. daughter Naleigh stole the show when she got up on stage during her mother's interview. Katherine said Naleigh loved her guest appearance and wants to be on more TV shows. So cute.

Watch Katherine Heigl on Adopting and Being a Mother!

Spotted on MissWhoever You Are ...

Rock & Republic is launching a new line with Kohl's. To celebrate the collaboration they'll be doing a fashion show during NYFW. MissWhoever You Are will be there and you could be too. Check out MissWhoever You Are for the details. The contest ends tomorrow so enter asap!

Read Gearing up for NYFW

Spotted on Arjan Writes ...

When I saw Natalie Duncan's photo on Arjan Writes I was instantly intrigued by how much she reminded me of fellow British songstress Natalia Kills. Her soulful voice on Devil in Me gave me goosebumps. She's definitely one to keep your eye on.

Watch Devil In Me

What Do Drake Fans Say?

2012-01-26T12:00:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Team Drizzy I found another "shit people say" video I can relate to. Right now I'm loving "Shit Drake Fans Say." I'm totally the girl who gets Drake's tweets sent to her phone and said "Esperanza who?" during last year's Grammy's. My favourite part of this is when Meg says, "It's okay Rihanna, Drake doesn't know my name either." Brilliant.

Tinashe Releases Trailer for "In Case We Die"

2012-01-25T13:30:00.000-05:00

LA-based indie artist Tinashe has given us a reason to be excited for February 1st. A couple days ago she released the trailer for her upcoming mixtape In Case We Die. It's all kinds of sexy, but don't let that distract you. This girl can sing and her range is crazy!

Since last summer Tinashe's been releasing a mix of original songs (Artificial People, Can't Say No, and Chainless) and covers (How to Love and We Found Love). The diversity in her sound makes her a young talent to keep your eyes on this year and beyond.

You know I'll remind you when In Case We Die drops next week. Until then, check out the trailer.

In Review: Lana Del Rey - 'Born to Die'

2012-01-25T10:30:00.000-05:00

A week away from its release, Lana Del Rey's much-anticipated debut album Born to Die has leaked. Of course I've heard it ... three times before sunrise.

Even though it's still January I can already tell this one's going to be in heavy rotation on my iPod for the rest of the year. Born to Die's so different from everything out right now. Lana's hip hop-inspired lyrics and sultry vocals over Emile Haynie's orchestral production makes everything sound dramatic and cinematic. It's the perfect combination of grit and glam.

The feeling I get from this album is the same feeling I got the first time I heard Justin Timberlake's Future Sex/Love Sounds and Gym Class Heroes' As Cruel as School Children. Like those 2 albums, Born to Die is unique in sound and brings something fresh to the table. This is definitely one to get when it's officially released next Tuesday, January 31st.

Favourite tracks:
Off to the Races
Diet Mtn Dew
Carmen
This Is What Makes Us Girls

Santigold Returns with "Big Mouth"

2012-01-22T13:30:00.000-05:00

Back in '08 I was all over Santigold's self-titled debut album. I listened to it nonstop for weeks and till this day I always go back it. After working on her follow-up project for the past few years, Santi's back with Master of My Make-Believe. Here's the video for her first single Big Mouth. If you go to santigold.com and sign up for updates, you'll receive a free download of the track.

Fashion Forward: Going Grunge

2012-01-21T13:00:00.000-05:00

(image via Elle)

In the fall of '06 I was a college freshman and grunge had returned to the runway. According to half the fashion-related emails I've received in the past few days, grunge is back again. Glad that didn't take long. I love grunge! There's just something about plaid and distressed denim that reminds me of my 90s childhood. It's like comfort fashion food. Of course I had to put my grunge skills to the test on Polyvore. I found the perfect pieces from Spanish Moss, Topshop, and Dr. Martens to style this My So-Called Life update. Create your own grunge set and post the link in the comments section!

Going Grunge by graenewyork

Picnik Closing? Say It Ain't So!

2012-01-21T10:30:00.000-05:00

So the bad news is my fave photo editing site Picnik is closing on April 19th. The good news is all the Premium features are free now. Let's Picnik!

You know the first premium thing I had to do was create this amazing How to Make It in America collage! Let's hope it makes its way to Mark Wahlberg. I'd be the perfect addition to the cast if he gets another network to pick up the show.