JunkiePop.

How do 5 gay men walk? One Direction.Welcome to the world of pop music.

[yourjunkiepop]

'Don't look back baby, follow me.'

[yourjunkiepop]

#TheDigitalQuest: Mission Accomplished.

26th January 2014: 10 - 1pm. 

[yourjunkiepop]

Taking the world by storm, one vamp at a time.

They might be called 'The Vamps', but they are not at all, intimidating.

Meet The Vamps. A four piece pop-rock boyband from the UK. They've been making waves across the atlantic in the UK, supporting the likes of JLS, Little Mix, Lawson and The Wanted. 

Guess how old these teenage heartthrobs are? Bradley Simpson, 18, James McVey, Tristan Evans, 19, Connor Ball, 17

I first picked up their music when 'Can We Dance' premiered on radio. My first impressions were fairly good. While their music is easily recognizable as teenage pop-rock, they have a distinct sound to their music. A cross between Lawson, Jonas Brothers, with a pinch of Boys Like Girls. 

Their debut EP, Can We Dance contains four songs - three covers, one originals. 'Can We Dance' was chosen as the lead single, which peaked at #2 on the UK Singles Chart. I would call this EP a teaser for even bigger things to come for these talented boys. 

My favourite track from the EP was the cover 'MMM Bop' by American pop rock band, Hanson. The track was released in 1997, when the boys were probably still, infants. Undoubtedly (as with all teenage pop rock tracks), the song was bouncy and ridiculously catchy.

The light synths and minimal production allowed their vocals to shine - making their risky cover sound authentic and surprisingly pleasant. Oh did I mention, the pop-influenced production reminds me another talented electronica one-piece band, Owl City. 

Fast forward to 2014, the quartet have bigger plans. The band dropped a new single, 'Wild Heart' on 19th January this year. Interestingly, the single is available in nine different versions. 

'Wild Heart' is exactly what you would listen to while suntanning at a beach in Miami. There is a tinge of folk influence, while retaining their pop rock influences. A formula made popular by sleeper hit, Let Her Go (Passenger).

The genre has since been exploited explored by the likes of Avicii (Wake Me Up), Pitbull (Timbre) and Flo-Rida (How I Feel). 

'Tonight we'll dance/ I'll be yours and you'll be mine.

While another British boy-band tries way too hard to pull off something that sounds genuine and less manufactured,  'Wild Heart' is a breath of fresh air.

Good job lads. My ears are peeled. 4/5

junkout. 

[yourjunkiepop]

Tips on how to make a viral video. 

(contrary to popular belief, we don't have huge Vine followings)

[yourjunkiepop]

Perfection.

[yourjunkiepop]

Pretty much sums up my memorable #SPOH14 experience. 

[yourjunkiepop]

CONFIDENTLY EARGASMIC

Junkiepop on replay. 

5/5

[yourjunkiepop]

She adores her ... yeah. 

[yourjunkiepop]

'Do all you can to make your dreams come true.'

[yourjunkiepop]

DMC, two years on.

It's been close to two years since I've embarked on my journey in Singapore Polytechnic's Diploma In Media and Communication.

Here's what how I think I've changed as a person since April 2012.

1. I'm now more socially-adept, though occasionally still, socially awkward.

A huge part of being in a polytechnic is making new friends and creating new bonds with diverse groups of people. Back in secondary school, I was introverted by nature. I was completely fine with eating alone and working at my own pace. However, it was a different picture at SP.

No doubt, friends play a huge role in making your school life more vibrant. Social conventions occur - where we subconsciously conform and adapt our surroundings, to look for sense of identity and belonging in or beyond our very own social circles.

I'm proud to say that though I have yet to find a clique/social group that I strongly identify with, I’m glad to see how much I’ve opened up to the external environment around me. Personally, I am proud of the progress I've made thus far. Still a long way to go in terms of opening up, but I’m humbled by how much I matured over the past year.

Some two years ago, my introverted nature would have never brought to where I am today:

- I now make a conscious effort to take initiative and be proactive about social interactions - something that I would never have been able to accomplish two years ago.

- I now pay more attention to the feelings and emotions of people around me - quite a feat, considering I was used to be emotionally numb to the people around me

Well, almost my poly friends call me Shane. Sometimes I feel that perhaps 'Shane' is the new identity that I have adopted. Unknown to many, the quiet, reserved and introverted 'Shi Nan' still resides deeply inside me.

2. I’m now driven by sheer passion and hard-work.

I was well aware that it was my passion for communications that drove me to choose a polytechnic course over the traditional JC route. I strongly believe that it is important to do what you love wholeheartedly, and be proud of the end-result. You are responsible for the decisions you make.

As cliche as it sounds, it actually works for me. I'm driven by the sense of satisfaction and gratitude from the learning opportunities that I am given to grow. 

And I will constantly remember Mr Mario's words of encouragement: 

'Sometimes, you might lose your direction and question why you are forced to do such things. But always keep your passion burning alive, and someday, trust me, you'll be there.'

3. I’m aware of that I need to step out of my comfort zone.

After entering DMC, the emphasis on group-work and teamwork has never been greater. Granted, it was a steep learning curve. It was initially a challenge to work with people with different strengths. Eventually, I did realize that the harsh reality is - everyone had different work ethics, perspectives and ability thresholds. 

---

As you can see, it’s been a pretty fulfilling journey of self-discovery so far. 

If you're reading this a potential junior of SP, make a wise choice on your future path. Think through and always remember to be passionate about what you do and live life (hopefully) without any regrets.

[yourjunkiepop]

2013: Top 10 Male-Female Duets.

It was a great year for pop music. From Miley to QueenBey, Huffington Post neatly summarizes music's best moments this year. 

2013 also marked the re-emergence of a music trend: Male-Female Love Duets. These duets have the following classic trademarks: 

- A studio recording that is sold as a single, B-side, remix or album filler. Live performances are excluded. 

- Male - female verse sing offs. The track features parts where both singers trade verses. Tracks where the opposite gender merely appears over the bridge are not part of this equation. 

- Emotional tributes. The track features oh-so-familiar classic romance themes, such as breakups, relationship troubles, future romance outlooks etc. 

- Stripped down audio production. These tracks revolve around play-safe genres such as R&B, Soft Rock, or Pop.

Here is my list of Top 10 Male-Female Love Duets of 2013: 

10. #Beautiful - Mariah Carey (Feat. Miguel) 

Forget about Triumflop (Get 'Em). #Thishashtagsong is cheezy as hell. But hey, it features R&B crooner, Miguel. Thankfully, it received moderate success on the Airplay and worldwide charts. Still, a memorable number. 

9. Highway Don't Care - Tim McGraw (Feat. Taylor Swift) 

Touted as one of the top country hits of 2013 by Billboard, this was a powerhouse collaboration to begin with. This should have been country's crossover hit this year, instead of that pathetic Nelly radio remix. 

8. Who You Love - John Mayer (Feat. Katy Perry) 

Pretty obvious who they love huh. Critics praised this duet as 'lovely' and 'old-skool'. Didn't really work well for me. It was a tad too sleepy and cheezy. Kudos to the pretty original music video though. 

7. Almost Is Never Enough - Ariana Grande & Nathan Sykes

Janoskians were clearly unhappy, but nothing could stop this cute real-life couple from getting together! Who knew the youngest member of the Wanted, Nathan Skyes had such powerful vocals? An endearing composition nonetheless. A++

6. Everything Has Changed - Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran

Like hello, they're bffs. Ed Sheeran currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee - the homeland of Taylor Swift. Did I mention how cute the music video was? Awwwwwww. 

5. Loving You - Matt Cardle & Melanie C

Despite a snub by radio broadcasters, this song did fairly well on the UK charts, peaking in Top 10 territory. A classic throwback composition with well-crafted lyrics by the X Factor winner himself, 'Loving You' is probably one of the underrated duets of the year. 

4. Say Something - A Great Big World (Feat. Christina Aguilera) 

You could say that Christina's vocals nailed the track. Finally, #JusticeForXtina. Bucking on the trend of emotional ballads, this track comes close to being the next cross-over hit into 2014. Peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, the track is best described as 'powerful, delicate perfection'.  

Most recently, it served as the winning song of X Factor Season 3 heartthrob, Alex and Sierra. 

3. Let Me Go - Avril Lavigne (Feat. Chad Kroeger)

Despite being one of 2013's biggest flops, 'Let Me Go' was a sucker duet. And hey, the twist at the end worked well in the song's favour. It was surprisingly pleasant and radio-friendly. Way to go, Avril. 

'Love that once hung on the wall, used to mean something. But now it means nothing. The echoes are gone in the hall. But I still remember, the pain of december.'

2. Stay - Rihanna (Feat. Mikky Ekko)

An unapologetically honest and blunt duet written by Mikky Ekko, 'Stay' revolves around the hit-and-miss (no pun intended) relationship Ri-Ri had with Chris Brown. The song was a large hit, duh. Ok enough.

'Stay' was emotionally-empowering. Something we have not seen from Rihanna since Russian Roulette (2009). 

1. Just Give Me A Reason - P!nk (Feat. Nate Ruess from fun.)

Arguably the blockbuster love duet of 2013. Peaking at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, the song is nominated for 'Song Of The Year', at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards. Well deservingly so. 

The track goes on about the desire to hold on to salvage a wrangled piece of relationship. It is as raw and vulnerable as the list of 'why' questions your partner fills you with during a fight. Trouble, trouble, trouble.

Well-written relatable lyrics + A-grade production (Jeff Bhasker - Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Drake, Emeli Sande, Natalia Kills) = #1 hit. 

junkout. 

[yourjunkiepop]

FFT: The Selfie Syndrome

Source: The Best Computer Science Schools

Selfies, selfies and more selfies. So much so that it is now the Word Of The Year by Oxford Dictionary. 

Indeed, Social Media is an integral part of our lives. Through text, pictures, comments and status updates, we share glimpses of my life to my friends and social circle. While platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram allows individuals/like-minded groups to socialize and interact, these platforms are now littered with a bunch of 'black-sheeps' - the narcissistic. 

It irks me to know of people who make use of social media platforms to pursue gratification, and boost their already-inflated egos. 

According to a recent infographic devised by a US Kentucky based social media marketing company Nowsourcing, social media is possibly, breeding a bunch of narcissistic self-centered individuals, - who are preoccupied with their self image and self worth - hence the term, 'The Selfie Syndrome'. 

Here are some classic narcissistic examples. Have you encountered any of such instances? 

- Body-builders. Males who incessantly flood our news feeds - not with their overwhelming shots of masculinity, but with their never-ending after-gym responses. Yes, we get it. You probably made a lot of gains today. But no. This is social media. Not bodybuilding.com. 

- Staunch homophobes. Yes. You are allowed to express your opinions freely. But don't go around flaming or discriminating homosexuals, just because you're not comfortable with their presence. Spread (or preach) love, not hate. 

Remember, 

An opinion is like a penis, it’s okay to have one, it’s okay to be proud of it, hell, it’s even okay to play with it (in your own time). But it’s not okay to whip it out in public and try to shove it down the throats of others.

- People who constantly flaunt about their HIGH-FLYING LIFE. Yes we get it. You failed to get into #teamcambridge, instead of #teamoxford. And you're only going to Asia for a holiday, instead of Europe. For once, keep your list of 'first world problems' to yourself. 

The list goes on. 

Note the difference between personal self-esteem, and narcissism. 

Self-Esteem is a form of emotional self-worth - built upon on our achievements and accomplishments. It revolves around our beliefs, principles and emotions. Narcissism is an attitude built upon your fear of failure, weakness or inadequacy. It is a form of ego-defensive mechanism, centered around your self perception. 

Your perceived poor/weak self esteem is NOT as excuse for you to be narcissistic. 

Granted, there are varying degrees of narcissism. And I strongly believe that we all have a selfish side to ourselves. 

But, if you are insecure about yourself, work on it. Do not pull others down, to supposedly, make yourself feel better. Social Media is not a tool to plug and fill your emotional void. 

Kudos to those who make social media a vibrant and lovely place to be in. 

Read more: Is Social Media to Blame for the Rise in Narcissism?

junkout.

[yourjunkiepop]

Feedly: The she-mazing content reader.

Ever had a situation where you found it extremely troublesome to read up on the latest music happenings and gossips from online sites? 

Introducing Feedly. 

A handy news aggregator app that allows you to organize, read and share content from a variety of sources.

From Perez Hilton, to MTV to TMZ to Idolator, all you have to do is

1) Add your content feed (in the form of a URL, topic, or RSS feed)

2) Organize and sort your categories. 

If you manage some form of news-sharing website or content sharing community, Feedly is extremely useful. It allows you to share and stream content to your respective social networks, at the click of a button. 

The social network integration includes Facebook, Google+, Twitter and LinkedIn. You can even email the article through your pre-defined email client. Pretty dang useful tool, I would say. 

For instance, I could tweet about an article from my feed, and share it with my followers. 

There are more sharing options and optimization features, if you pay for Feedly Pro. 

But for now, if you are looking for a basic personal content curation tool, Feedly is the way to go. 

My personal Feedly feed. 

[yourjunkiepop]

"But my body belongs to you when I'm on stage."

[yourjunkiepop]

Big Voices, Little Mix.

Let's face it. If you are not a huge fan of pop music originating from Stateside, the next alternative you'd turn to: Brit-pop. 

Over the years, the British Invasion has spawned the facades of every cornerstone of mainstream music, from legends (Rolling Stone, The Beatles), to indie/independent acts (The Killers, Keane Arcade Fire, Mumford & Sons), to most recently, boy-bands (One Direction, Boyzone, The Wanted, Take That)

Hat's off to the Brits. They are about to revive another wave of pop music revolution: Girl-groups. 

Girl-groups have been a proven success formula for pop music. The tried-and-tested message of female empowerment effortlessly gets through. Clashing egos aside, the powerful harmonies and elaborate dance routines instantly strike a chord, male or female fans alike.

Meet the female contenders from the UK: The Saturdays, Stooshe, The Staves, Neon Jungle, and Little Mix.

Top: Leigh-Ann Pinnock, 22; Perrie Edwards, 20 

Bottom: Jade Thirlwall, 21; Jesy Nelson, 22

My money's on Little Mix. 

The brainchild of Simon Cowell and Tulisa Contostavlos, the quartet released their second studio album, Salute in November this year. As a follow-up to their 2012's DNA, the girls peaked at #4 on the UK Albums Chart. Certified gold, might I add. 

It's easy to see why the girls are a hit. One of the lead vocalists, Perri Edwards made waves when she got attached to 1D's heartthrob, Zayn Malik. Their debut album hit #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, making them the first girl-group to hit Top 5 since the Pussycat Dolls. And that's not all. Amidst the multitude of fan-bases worldwide, the ladies too have a dedicated fanbase, 'Mixers'. 

The lead single, 'Move' is sleek and quirky R&B. Veering away from the usual bouncy pop melodies, the lead single was a natural progression to the group's maturing music direction. Topped with slices of eargasmic synths, 'Move' is an irresistible plate of dancing salmon-sashimi. 

The second single, 'Little Me', takes a different stand. It is a vulnerable, yet hopeful track about the need for women to stand up for what they believe in. Written by the girls and long-time production trio TMS, the track is a subtle reminder for personal recognition.  

The resounding midtempo ballad that exudes the need for females to stand up for who they are. It's as if they are saying, 'Be a figure of authority, and never let anyone bring you down. Dare to speak up, and be brave as females.' 

'I'd tell her to speak up, tell her to shout out. Talk a bit louder, be a bit prouder tell her she's beautiful, wonderful, everything she doesn't see.'

Lyrically, one might consider it to be pretty cheesy and recycled, despite the girls delving into a mature R&B direction for their second album. The theme has already been exploited explored by countless female musicians. 

But hey, the formula works. Finishing off with an acapella We-Will-Rock-You-ish harmonies, 'Little Me' remains convincing, and at times, inspiring. 

While we wait for the potential Nicki Minaj hook-up, Check out their second album, Salute on iTunes or at all good record stores. 

Little Me - Little Mix: 3.75/5

junkout. 

[yourjunkiepop]

Third-party taxi booking apps.

According to Wikipedia (the world's most trusted encyclopedia), the definition of 'Social Media' is:

Social media refers to interaction among people in which they create, share, and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks.

While most of us see social media as merely 'Facebook', 'Twitter' and 'Instagram', we forget that mobile applications and virtual online services are also forms of social media.

The rise of social media has facilitated the sharing of information and ideas, which also includes improvements being made to the service industry. 

One example is a unique form of social interaction over virtual reality is the rise of third-party taxi booking apps. Traditionally, I would ring up the booking hotlines, should I need a cab. However, this proved to be unreliable, as lines were usually engaged during rainy seasons or peak periods.

I then switched to the text message service provided by two of the biggest operators we have here, ComfortDelgro and SMRT. This service was fairly reliable, but it was almost always, a trial-and-error attempt. 

I was recently introduced to third-party taxi booking apps by a humble ComfortDelgro taxi driver. To my surprise, I was shown a couple of brochures and marketing material on two of the latest third-party booking apps that have hit the market: MoobiTaxi and Grab-Taxi. 

Both third-party apps leverage on the location services function on the various smartphone platforms. Commuters are able to flag a cab based on their current location and look out for the amount of drivers nearby. Drivers are also able pinpoint the exact booking location and plan their journey beforehand.

As an added incentive, commuters are also able to introduce small little 'tips', to entice drivers to snatch their booking offer. Pretty ingenious idea, I would say. 

Fortunately, even as a Windows Phone 8 user, I could download the latest third-party taxi booking apps on my phone. 

MoobiTaxi allows you to pinpoint your exact location, based on your map provider. 

Grab-Taxi features an elaborate user - interface. You are even able to pinpoint the locations of the drivers nearby. 

The MoobiTaxi homepage features a set of instructions for both commuters and drivers alike. It positions itself as the one-stop taxi booking app in Singapore. It is available for iOS, Android and Windows Phone (yep, users like me) platforms. 

I was also genuinely impressed by the other market alternative, GrabTaxi. The homepage features the reasons why the app is already successful in our neighbouring countries, such as Malaysia, Thailand and Philippines. The app is also available on the three biggest mobile operating platforms. 

The two new third-party taxi booking apps are a much welcomed option for commuters, as it facilitates more efficient information-exchange. And of course, short waiting times.

The truth is, such location-orientated apps have already been around for quite some time. Mobile apps such as Groupon, Foursquare, Yulp, and 8DaysEat have already attracted users who are savvy with utilizing their location information to create better and interactive experiences.

New tech startups such as this one have also been leveraging on the ever-evolving location-based marketing landscape. 

And no, we're not gonna call 65521111 during peak hours ever again. 

junkout.

[yourjunkiepop]

A colorful tomorrow.

Last month, I covered 'The Purple Parade', under DMC's Writing Club. Here's the participatory article I churned out:

A colourful tomorrow.

Written by: Soh Shi Nan

12th December 2013

Through history, we know that there is special significance attached to the usage of a rainbow.

In the 16th century, German social reformist Thomas Muntzer was often seen with a rainbow flag, a sign of a new era and social change. Carrying the banner of the rebellion, he fought for social revolution during the German’s Peasant’s War.

 San Francisco artist, Gilbert Barker hand-dyed a rainbow banner with eight stripes in 1978 – a symbol that soon resonated with the future of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Community.

 The usage of a rainbow symbolizes a sign of hope, social change and inclusion – which sums up my experience at last month’s Purple Parade.

 Last month, Hong Lim Park was flooded with a sea of purple, a colour that represents royalty and love for humanity. More than 4,500 people turned up in support for the first-ever The Purple Parade, which hoped to raise awareness for the inclusion of the special needs community.

 The parade was an eye-opener - glimpses of diversity, inclusiveness and hope in our little red dot.

 As part of the parade, a special march-past was held to showcase the diversity in the special needs community. The contingent? Caregivers, teachers, principals, students and volunteers from various organizations, such as St Andrew’s Autism Centre, Boy Brigade, and TOUCH Community Services.

 A benevolent looking parent, whose kid was schooling at Rainbow Centre, Yishun Park School approached me. I told myself, hey, that is pretty near where I am living. (I have been dwelling in the humble confines of my four-room flat in Yishun, for the past five years)

 ‘Can you help me hold this pole? The boy ran away. Don’t know where he is.’

 I humbly obliged.

 It eventually daunted upon me the challenge that I had unanimously accepted. I was supporting the tail end of a massive rainbow structure made of styrofoam. The structure was painstakingly decorated with cute cotton wool clouds – a work of art by the students and teachers of the school.

The pouring rain did not dampen the mood of the students and teachers. A row of purple umbrellas donned by parade volunteers lined the unsheltered route from the contingent tentage, to the main stage area. In unison, the Rainbow Centre contingent marched with pride. Many of them were drenched in the rain, as they made a remarkable entrance into the main stage.

 As we wrapped up our segment, it was heart-warming to witness the hope and jubilation that lid up the faces of the parents and teachers. I did however got myself a new hair-do. My hair was drenched in the blue paint from the structure.

 ‘Thank you so much for helping out!’

 I was actually grateful for that offer. In fact, the rainbow structure was a symbol of progress and inclusiveness for the special needs community. More than just a parade prop, the colours represent cohesion amidst diversity.

More importantly, I caught a glimpse a colourful tomorrow, one that supports inclusion amongst diversity of the human race.