Artist Profile: Miranda Lambert

OLA!

Hi guys! Sorry for the two week hiatus, I went to my graduation in Victoria, had a fabulous time, but was so busy that I haven't even had time to think!


So for my blog post this week, I've decided to do an artist profile once a month for some of my favorite artists and to share my musical taste with everyone! This week I decided I would feature country's badass sweetheart, Miranda Lambert.

       When it comes to country music, I feel that I identify with Miranda. She is a strong woman and is encouraging to all women to stand their ground and stick up for themselves. She also stays strong to her roots and doesn't let the glamourous world of stardom push her into the clouds, a quality that is difficult for recording artists to hold on to.

      Miranda Leigh Lambert was born on November 10, 1983 in Longview, Texas and was raised in Lindale, Texas by retired police officer turned private investigator Richard Lambert and his wife and business partner Beverly Lambert. She grew up with a tomboy, country lifestyle, as her father taught her about guns at an early age and as she grew up, she became an avid deer hunter. When she was nine, her parents took her to a Garth Brooks concert and her love of country music began. Miranda and her father began to perform country music in various restaurants.

        At 16, she began to play on the Johnny High Country Music Revue in Arlington, Texas, the same show that launched Leann Rimes' career. This landed Miranda a recording session in Nashville, but she was deterred by the overly pop sound to the music. This sparked her to ask her father to teach her the guitar and to start writing her own music and taking charge of her own career. I love this quality about her. She didn't let the record company dictate who she was as an artist and was willing at such a young age to forego the glamour of instant stardom and gain success on her own terms.

   Miranda's songwriting material is sufficed through many of her experiences both in childhood and adulthood. Her close relationship with her parents has brought the inspiration for such songs as "The House That Built Me". Her parents are very generous and empathetic people and when Miranda was young, they opened their home to an abused woman and her daughter. This experience sparked the lyrics for the 2008 hit "Gunpowder and Lead", a personal favourite of mine. The fact that she is a strong, independent woman that can defend herself is what makes me relate to her.

   Miranda's big television debut was on the singing competition show "Nashville Star", which she placed third in in 2003. She was later signed to Epic Records and began recording her first album, "Kerosene", which merited hits such as the title track "Kerosene" and "New Strings" which both topped the Billboard charts.

    It was clear that after the success of Kerosene, Miranda Lambert's name wouldn't be off the country music radar anytime soon. Her next two albums, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2007) and Revolution (2009) were major successes, yielding memorable hits such as "Gunpowder and Lead" and "House That Built Me".  On Revolution, Miranda entertained collaborative writing styles of such legends as Blake Shelton (her boyfriend at the time), Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum. The lyrics on both of these albums are so heartfelt and give the listener an ability to identify with the situations.  "House that built me" really resonated with me, as I have moved around a lot and still remember my childhood home. I still to this day will listen to this song whenever I need to feel at home.  Revolution landed Miranda 9 CMA award nominations, setting the record for most nominations for a female for the organization.  She won 2 out of those 9 nominations, including Female Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year.

   Her most recent album, Four the Record (2011) is another mecca of heartfelt and beautiful songwriting. The songs "Over you", which she wrote with husband Blake Shelton about Blake's late brother, "Baggage Claim" and "Fastest Girl in Town" are a few of my favourites. The amount of emotion in "Over You" is astonishing. It brings tears to my eyes every time I listen to it. It won the 2012 CMA for Song of the Year and both were in tears.

   Miranda is an amazing role model and is virtually unstoppable. Not only does she have a multi platinum solo career but she has recently in 2011 launched a girl group project, the Pistol Annies with friends, Ashley Monrow and Angaleena Presley. Their first album and title track "Hell on Heels" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Music Chart. Her talent is impeccable and she recently opened an antique shop, The Pink Pistol, in the town where her and husband Blake Shelton live, Tishomingo, Oklahoma.


  Another thing I admire about Miranda is her relationship with husband, Blake Shelton.  They have big shoes to fill, often being compared to country power couple Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, but they do a beautiful job at it.  They don't let the calamities of fame and paparazzi tear down their relationship, but rather are two very grounded and genuine people that have found real love. Their chemistry is pure magic and gives me hope that one day I will find my own Blake!! Who knows, maybe I already have with my boy ;).

  
      Miranda is a refreshing face to country music, as there has become this superficial new country woman persona that can seem diluted and teeny bopper (No offence Tay Swift!), but Miranda brings back a sense of traditional country roots.  She has a take no crap attitude with a traditional country girl lifestyle reminiscent of Tammy Wynette.  She also isn't this stick thin celebrity that looks like a skeleton. She is a healthy beautiful and strong woman that pours her heart out into her songs so that girls like me can feel at home. Thanks Miranda, you brought some life back into the country music scene!!I suggest that all of you beautiful people take a listen.

Xoxo Love you all,

S.


[Sources :

1. ^ "Nashville Star Show and Television Series – Miranda Lambert Musician – USA Network -Character Profile: Miranda Lambert". USA Network. Retrieved 2013-06-24.

            Us Weekly, Collectors Edition. The Women Of Country & Their Amazing Love Stories. Retrieved 2013-06-24. ]

Graduation Dress & Decorum - 10 Gift Ideas

Hi guys! Sorry for the late post, this week at work has been insane to say the least. So for this week, I just wanted to start off by saying Congratulations to all the grads out there, both from high school and from uni! It is such an accomplishment to have finished something that you have put years into.  I know I am feeling a plethora of emotions, both happy to be moving onto my next chapter and sad to be leaving this era behind. Nonetheless, it is an exciting time for all experiencing it! So UBCO had their grad yesterday and today and from all of the photos, the dress code includes a large variety. Some people are going garden party like those shown in the photo collage below (Congrats girls!) , while I have seen others in more formal dresses.

Those girls look fab! Now for my dress.. here is a peak , but look at my horrible tanlines! Any suggestions on how to rid myself of them would be much appreciated so comment!!

Now, Decorum for grad gifts. My coworker and I were having lunch on Wednesday and she was torn on what she should get for her friend's graduation and it got me thinking. Now, for myself I am not expecting anything lavish from friends, even just a congrats shoutout or message is perfect for me!! But if you are wanting to get the grad of your life a gift, its a hard job. Is it formal enough for something huge like wedding style or should it just be a small token that shows that you acknowledge their accomplishment. It's up to everyone's own discretion I guess, but I did some research and here are my

Top 10 Grad Gift Ideas (in no particular order)

1. Bottle of Wine/ Scotch (For the boys). Obviously if anyone knows me, this would be a suitable gift. Now that we are graduated and educated, we want to be sophisticated too !! What better than a gift to start our copious selection of reds and whites to entertain our esteemed colleagues ;) (or just get licked in the first week, haha!).A Couple of my fave Okanagan Wines? Try the Quail's Gate Chasselas, the Summerhill 2011 Riesling, or  the Kettle Valley Pinot Gris for whites and for Reds, The Cellar Hand Red, The Quail's Gate Old Vines Foch and the Mission Hill Cabernet Sauvignon.  And the scotch for the boys, who have now become gentlemen, Try the Talisker 10 year. Yup. I Know that :).

2. Cash. Simple, and straight forward. Those last 4 or 5 years have driven us into debt close to bankruptcy before our careers have even started. So some extra cash on the side is much appreciated to put towards those stacking bills and loans. Or to squander on travelling and more wine :)

3. Gift Cards - Boutiques, Electronics, Clothing, Restaurants. Now, some find these impersonal but I personally love gift cards! Now that I am working full time I feel guilty if I splurge on a new outfit or out on the town for some dinner and drinks! But with a gift card, it's justified because I have to use it up somehow!

4. Spa Day- Massage, Pedicure, Facial , or Hair Color/Cut. Those 5 years took a serious toll on my stress levels. What better than a relaxation massage or pedicure to unwind and take a break! I just so happen to work for a PHENOMENAL salon and spa and maybe if you all are lucky I can swing  you a deal ;). Plus now with the prospect of getting hired at a Big Girl Job, I will need a new, hot professional look !!

5. Flowers & A Heartfelt Card. This idea is for the budgeters. I don't care what any girl says, but getting a nice colorful bouquet of flowers always gets a smile and the warm fuzzy feeling :) Plus a heartfelt card with how proud you are of that special grad with some other personal anecdotes will be sure to get a happy tear and resonate with them :)

6. A Piece of Jewellery - (Watch/Ring/Necklace).  Very traditional and original, but classic and still appreciated! Although this is more for the big spender, it can still be a great gift. My fave for watches obviously a Michael Kors with a big face plate (avail at the Bay, Spare Parts, Holt Renfrew) and for guys, this company I stumbled upon FarmFresh is awesome. A canadian company, their watches are mint, ask my very happy boyfriend :). For necklaces, my fave for right now the Pyrhha Talisman Necklaces! The Reward for Perseverance Talisman (202$) or the Follow your Dreams Talisman (166$) seem quite appropriate.  For Rings, anything Wolf Circus (wolfcircus.com) for girls, and for guys a classic class ring type is very cool.

7. A Gym Membership/Yoga Pass. I know what some of you are thinking, wont that be offensive? But actually, for a lot of students we get really cheap gym passes and fitness classes while we are in school but once we get out, that disappears and memberships can be pretty pricey! So a starter membership or yoga pass for a couple months is actually a great help rather than an offence, just maybe chat with the grad first about their needs!

8. Phone Cards/Euro Train Passes . For that grad planning on spending their next year abroad travelling and gaining some "culture" in Europe. It'll be a nice start to be able to get home when you get beligerantly drunk in Amsterdam and wake up in a barn with no pants and surrounded by goats with a bottle of Absinthe hanging from your neck. (Not saying this from experience or anything)

9. Concert Tickets. In my country lily form, of course music would be a fantastic gift! Now that we have some more time, we can actually attend that concert/festival we have been putting off!! Yes Please!

10. A Painting/Photo Collage of the Grad's day. This is an after the fact gift, but take some great photos at the Convocation and create a scapbook. If you have known the grad throughout their time in school and have some chronicle photos of their time there include those and write little notes. Inexpensive, yet very thoughtful and will last a lifetime.

That's all I got for now, but any of those I would be SOO happy with! Again, Congrats Boys and Girls, all of that hard work has paid off! Whether youre off to an exotic wonderland or are gearing up for graduate/medical/dental school or are just going to enjoy the time as a uni grad like me, that took a lot of work and we should be proud that we got through it! YAY US!

xoxo

S.
(ps. for the photos in the collage, no credit goes to me. As you can see, I sniped them from insta! NO copyright issues ! haha xo)