All You Need Is Love

Happy Valentines Day, darlings! On this special occasion, I present you all with this pretty and delightful Doily Hearts design by Bri Emery and Jen Gotch (via Kate Spade's e-valentine campaign).

Remember: Valentines Day is not only reserved for those who are in or are pursuing romantic relationships. February the 14th is for all those who choose to share their heart and show compassion towards others. It is a day to remind the people we care about that we cherish their company, respect them as individuals, and wish them the greatest happiness in life. Love is a universal sensation which we can all embrace and engage in.

All You Need is Love, Love is All You Need.

Music Monday: Sweet Hearts

Priscilla Ahn (whose song "Dream" is one of the purest, loveliest, and most mesmerizing songs I have ever been lucky enough to hear) has joined up with fellow singer-songwriter, Charlie Wadhams for a side project called Sweet Heart. Just in time for Valentines Day, Sweet Heart has released an EP with cleverly titled tracks such as "Dear Sweetheart" (which you can listen to above) and "I'm An Actor, Baby". This EP would be the perfect gift for those who enjoy acoustic, folk, and songs of love.

Download the Sweet Hearts EP for free at ohsweethearts.com

2012 Grammy Awards: The Moments

Adele performing the Record and Song of the Year, "Rolling in the Deep" at the 2012 Grammy Awards.

As host LL Cool J said at the opening of the 54th Annual Grammy Awards, the night was about something truly universal and healing - music. Devastated by the passing of Whitney Houston (to whom this year's ceremony is dedicated to), the music community paid their respects to the late, great vocalist by letting the beat go on. The music-makers celebrated this past year by recognizing the achievements of their fellow artists and by creating some of the finest and most memorable Grammy moments in the show's history. These were some of my favourite moments...

• Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt's cool cover of "Sunday Kind Of Love" by Etta James, in honour of the late Matriarch of R&B and Soul.
• The Regal Reba McEntire introducing Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson's "Don't You Wanna Stay", one of my favourite Country duets of 2012.
• The Beach Boys set by Maroon 5 and Foster the Kids, with a special appearance by the band itself! "Good Vibrations" was especially groovy and showed that the Beach Boys, who are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, are timeless entertainers.
• Stevie Wonder. Need I say more?
• Folk duo The Civil Wars singing a snippet of the entrancing "Barton Hollow," their Grammy award winning song from their Grammy Award winning album.
• Tony Bennett, who received his first Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album accolade of his career for Duets II (which contains his sensational, award-winning collaboration with the late Amy Winehouse, "Body and Soul"), sang his duet with Carrie Underwood, "It Had To Be You".
• Jennifer Hudson's emotionally-charged rendition of "I Will Always Love You" was a stunning tribute to Whitney Houston (and surely brought tears to the eyes of all those who adored her).
• QUEEN ADELE. The vocal powerhouse deliver a rousing rendition of "Rolling in the Deep" (the fact that she can go through vocal surgery and sound that stellar is amazing!) which was followed by a standing ovation from the audience. She also dominated the night with a clean sweep of Grammy Awards, earning a grand total of six trophies in the categories of Best Short Form Music Video (for "Rolling in the Deep"), Best Pop Vocal Album (for 21), Best Pop Solo Performance (for "Someone Like You"), Song of the Year and Record of the Year (for "Rolling in the Deep"), and the prestigious Album of the Year for 21! With her six awards, she matched Beyonce's record of most wins by a female artist in one night. Truly, there is no one more worthy of all the acclaim than the talented and sensational Adele.
• Sir Paul McCartney (along with Bruce Springsteen and Dave Grohl in the band) closing the show with Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight / The End. That Beatles medley is perhaps one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever created, and it was such a pure joy to hear it performed on the Grammy stage. This powerful moment was a reminder of how good songs can be cherished for many years to come.

"In the end, the love you make is equal to the love you take."

The Greatest Whitney Of All

Whitney Houston (1963-2012)
Image from delingcity

"We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will." - Whitney Houston
My goodness. It seems like just yesterday when I was writing about Etta James's passing. I can't believe that we're saying goodbye to yet another music legend - the remarkable Whitney Houston.

Whitney Houston is regarded by many as one of the greatest singers of our time. Since the 1980s, she has released multiple hits, from her first #1 record in 1985, "Saving All My Love for You" to her latest single, "I Look to You". Even more, Whitney is esteemed as an artist who has touched millions of lives. Her songs resonate with people and inspire them to fall in love with music, to become music makers, and to follow their dreams, no matter what. In the wake of her death, I've heard many stories from her fans about how Whitney has had an tremendous influence on them. "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" brings back fond high school memories. "I Will Always Love You" moves many to tears and encourages many aspiring singers to pursue careers in music. "When You Believe", her duet with Mariah Carey, was an unforgettable moment for fans of the two superstars.

Along with "I Have Nothing", which I consider to be one of the most powerful and passionate vocal performances of all time, I'd like to remember Whitney by "The Greatest Love Of All". This song contains an important lesson I wish everyone could hear: "Love yourself for who you are". There was something very human about Whitney. Like any person, she faced her share of challenges in life, but she worked hard to overcome the obstacles in her path. Whitney is an example of resilience and strength, and a symbol of empowerment to women who want to achieve greatness in their lives.

It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we bid farewell to the iconic Whitney Houston.
May you find the peace you deserve.

We will always love you, Whitney.

Love Is...

Please view and share my video submission for PixelMags' Valentine's Day Giveaway! The video is about love in all of its different forms, with the universal message being that 'all you need is love'.

The music you hear in the video is "Valentine" by Kina Grannis.