Volume #7 | Music that gives me goosebumps, a RAYE of sunshine and Katy Perry, queen of the Australian desert.
Mixtape. It's a good feeling.
I'm pickin' up good vibrations.
A good sound = a good feeling. It’s basic music maths.
When you hear a good song for the first time, you’re washed over by its incredible sound. The intensity kicks in, your jaw hits the floor, your eyes open wide and you’re filled with what can only be described as an overwhelming high. You gasp and think “what is this?” Without a second thought, you turn up the volume and tap Shazam on your phone. You simply must find out what this song is. Right. Now.
This is a very familiar feeling for me. It’s when I feel most like myself, most at home in the pure goodness I can hear and the way it makes me tick. Have you ever experienced face goosebumps? Can someone DM Dr Karl and ask him if this is normal? I hope so, because truthfully - it’s my normal when I hear a song that feels good. They appear quickly and twinkle like a gospel choir all over my face. It's as if I have a personalised tool to measure the music that is best suited for me. Suddenly, the hills are alive with the sound of music and, well, so am I!
In 2008, I travelled all the way from Adelaide to London to visit my boyfriend (now husband - yes - it was worth the trip!) I heard ‘Black and Gold’ by Sam Sparro for the first time, a song that wasn’t yet released in Australia. Cue face goosebumps. This quickly became our ‘honeymoon period’ song, and whenever I hear it now, all those loved up memories of my time in the UK with my man come flooding back. It was catchy, addictive and made for the best sing-a-longs.
2008 was a fun year for dance floor hits. Shoutout to my other memorable dancing tunes - ‘Cry For You’ by September and The Potbelleez hit ‘Don’t Hold Back’. Yet none of them felt quite as overwhelming as Sam Sparro.
“I wanna be next to you, black and gold, black and gold, black and gold”
Treat yourself to this acoustic version by Adele:
Speaking of Adele, I was fortunate to see her perform at Adelaide Oval in 2017 when I was pregnant with my first child. To be a part of that famous record-breaking crowd was one thing - I’ve never seen lines as long as those (just what you want when you’re pregnant!) To see Adele perform live was another. Was it worth the wait to find our seats? Absolutely. An enormous show in every aspect, yet unexpectedly intimate. Genuinely - I felt like we were friends, as if her and I were the only ones there. She finished her show with an encore that included the hit ‘Someone Like You’. Now that was a cheek-tingling, baby-kicking moment.
In this Mixtape Volume #7, I’m sharing…
Music induced experiences where I lit up, let’s call them ‘Can You Feel It’ moments. How very Jackson 5 of me. Leave a comment if it gets you right in the feels too!
How to listen to my recommendations and add them to your Spotify
Time for some housekeeping! Throughout every Mixtape newsletter, you’ll see Spotify banners linking songs, albums or playlists. To listen or add to Your Library in Spotify, simply tap the round icon in the top right corner and it will open in your Spotify app. It’s as easy as that! Also, take note of the song titles underlined throughout, which are clickable links taking you straight to Spotify to listen. You’re welcome!
Can You Feel It | Song
Artist: Grinspoon
Song: ‘Unknown Pretenders’
Album: whatever, whatever
Thoughts & Feels: After quite the hiatus, my hard rock Grinspoon heart (big, big fan over here) wasn’t sure what to expect from Phil Jamieson and co. As soon as it was released earlier this year, I hit play on their new single. One minute I was getting the kids ready for bed, the next I was stopped in my tracks. BOOM. It’s them. They’re back. My family witnessed quite the happy dance as I was enveloped in all the thrills of the Grinspoon sound. I can’t wait to see them live again next month.
Grinspoon’s ‘whatever, whatever’ is nominated for Best Rock Album at the upcoming 2024 ARIA Awards. F**k yeah!
Can You Feel It | TV Performance
Artist: The Veronicas, Jessica Mauboy & Tina Arena
Song: ‘Chains’
When: 2015 ARIA Awards
Thoughts & Feels: I love the delicate opening by The Veronicas, then Jess Mauboy appears and nails the first note with her beautiful deep tone. But the finest face-tingling moment is when Tina Arena arrives centre stage in time for her dramatic vocal climax. She is everything. It ends on an exhilarating, diva-pop high. An iconic Aussie anthem done so, so well.
Keep reading as later, I highlight Tina Arena’s new release remake of ‘Chains’.
Can You Feel It | Album
Artist: Lady Gaga
Album: Harlequin
What to expect: Classic show tune covers / Jazz / Pop
Thoughts & Feels: Lady Gaga continues to push boundaries across different genres, earning respect for her work as a talented vocalist and actress. I heard she produced an album inspired by her starring role in the soon to be released movie, Joker: Folie à Deux.
So, I thought - what better way to dive into it than during a car ride with my husband on our way to celebrate our wedding anniversary? He’s the movie expert, so he gave me a crash course on the Joker films and Harley Quinn’s character. Apparently, Gaga had such a deep connection with this character that she struggled to let go after filming wrapped, leading her to create an album in tribute.
The result is spectacular. I was all smiles. This album is mostly a collection of covers. Think jazzy show tunes, with a couple of original productions that feature in the movie. I enjoyed every song for different reasons (what a shame you don’t have all day for me to analyse my goosebumps across 13 tracks!)
‘Get Happy’ will make you smile, ‘Oh When The Saints’ is far from the sporting club-song version you might know - her take is fast and fresh. ‘World On A String’ is charming. ‘If My Friends Could See Me Now’ will have you doing jazz hands. Share this album with your parents and grandparents, I’d imagine these songs are nostalgic for them.
Throughout, it feels cinematic and all I can say is - it works. ‘Harlequin’ is as uplifting as it is unique, yet it is unmistakably Lady Gaga.
Can You Feel It | Artist & Playlist
Artist: RAYE
Genre: Jazz / Pop / R&B
Thoughts & Feels: RAYE is quite literally a tingling ray of sunshine. My moment was seeing her perform on The Graham Norton Show about a year ago. She sang ‘The Thrill Is Gone’ from her debut album ‘My 21st Century Blues’, and it was flawless. I had my hand over my mouth whilst smiling for the entire performance. She warms my jazzy little soul and she can do no wrong. Spotify’s This is RAYE playlist has been on repeat in my house ever since.
She’s a stunning vocalist who you’ve probably heard before, recognised for writing and performing successful collaborations with David Guetta, Jax Jones and Jonas Blue.
Her big break as a solo artist came with her independent release of ‘Escapism’, a hit song that captures a sense of freedom and allows this British songstress to truly shine in her own creative way - and shine she did. You must give ‘Worth It’ a spin as well, all the ba, ba, ba, da, da together with the horn section is *chefs kiss*.
In Case You Haven’t Heard…
Tina Arena has remade ‘Chains’ into a dance track with electronic duo Shouse. 30 years since her hit song was originally released, she has re-recorded the vocal and brought it into the now, backed by a stunning choir and uplifting beat. This will make us 30-something women on dance floors happy as larry. Sing it, ladies!
“Baby, baby, I’m in chains.”
Katy Perry’s AFL Grand Final performance at the MCG gets a rightful mention. She took things to a whole new level. Did you enjoy it?
I’m here for the Super Bowl-esque show. It has been deemed a publicity success following her announcement of additional shows for her Australian tour in 2025. Not one but FOUR shows have gone on sale in Adelaide! A moment for little ol’ South Australia please, we often get left out. Not anymore. Thank you, Katy Perry, for proving the tour promoters wrong and showing up for us. You're ‘GORGEOUS’! I’ll see you in June.
Those props were serving Priscilla Queen of the Desert vibes!
The ARIA Awards are the Australian music industry’s night of nights, and nominees have been announced. I’m super impressed with the broad range of artists and genres producing great music in this country. Winners will be announced November 20.
Remember Royel Otis who I featured in Volume #4? They’re nominated for Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Group, Best Independent Release, Best Rock Album, Best Australian Live Act plus Engineer and Producer gongs. Let’s hear it for Aussie indie rock!
Cheers, Mixers!
That was a biggy and you hung in there - thanks for tuning in all the way to the end! You can like this newsletter by tapping the love heart button below or leaving a comment.
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A song that gives me goosebumps is Billie Eilish’s version of Wildflower she did for Amazon Music (on YouTube) the harmonies at the end are devine 🤩✨