Confessions From A Black Rose

First of all, I want to congratulate you all for surviving 2020. This has a been a dumpster fire of a year and we all have a lot to be grateful for during this difficult time.   We only have a few weeks left in the year.  I wanted to share the music that has brought me joy during this year.  Best of Albums of 2020 (so far)  Future Nostalgia- Dua Lipa Confetti-  Little Mix Disco: Kylie Minogue Chromatica- Lady Gaga It Was Good Until It Wasn't- Kehlani Smile-  Katy Perry Chosen Family Tree-  Kree Harrison Gaslighter-  The Chicks Solitude- Tori Kelly good to know- Jojo Dedicated Side B - Carly Rae Jepsen The Rarities - Mariah Carey Lianne La Havas - Lianne La Havas Alicia- Alicia Keys Best Songs Picture Perfect- Umi Waiting- Amber Mark Borderline- Brandy Artists on the rise Yola Arlo Parks Zoe Wees Pink Sweat$ Enable Ginger Cannot connect to Ginger Check your internet connection or reload the browser Disable in this text field Edit Edit in Ginger Edit in Ginger × Enable Ginge

This past week has been a dark chapter in American history. Over 100,000 American lives were lost to COVID-19.  On Memorial Day, in the city of Minneapolis George Floyd was murdered by four police officers. His death sparked a nation wide outrage. If you would like to know the ways you can support the movement please take a look at this website.  https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/#   It will give you ways you can help. You can sign petitions, donate, find contact information for officials in Minneapolis and find out ways to participate in peaceful protests.  This would also be a good time to register to vote, if you have not done so already. Besides remaining informed, I would advise you all to take care of your health during this difficult time. Make sure you take time to remain both physically and mentally strong.  Keep yourself hydrated. Take your vitamins. Meditate. Pray. Find ways to find joy. It is also a good time to reach out to love ones.  Be safe and be kind to yourself. 

Emily King: "Can't Hold Me" I was introduced to this song through a Spotify playlist a few days ago and I'm obsessed. I feel it is my duty to introduce this song to as many people as possible.   It has to be on everyone's playlist.  When the song begins it feels like the moment when you lock eyes with a handsome stranger. As the song progresses you feel the flirtation and excitement that comes with a new relationship. By the bridge you experience the obsession and frustration that comes with a toxic relationship. At the  conclusion, complete liberation. It is a roller coaster of emotions that you want to relive over and over again. 

The past few weeks the world has been in turmoil. The confirmed cases of COVID-19 have increased significantly. The lives that have been lost are increasing at an alarming rate.  Most people around the world are under stay-at-home orders. The CDC is now advising people to wear face masks in public.   Life as we know it has changed forever. In times like these it is really important to protect your mental health as well as your physical health. Lately, I have found myself gravitating  towards the classic song "Somewhere" from the movie The West Side Story . It has been really comforting during these dark and uncertain days. I particularly love the rendition performed by Il Divo. I decided to share it with you all. I pray that it will bring you solace as well. It is also important to have a good laugh. Chris Mann from The Voice released an outstanding parody of "Hello" (Adele classic) about life during quarantine. Check it out below.

Since I last left you, the world is in disarray. The entire population is dealing with a pandemic we have not seen since The Spanish Flu. We have lost thousands of beautiful souls.  Several countries have ordered their citizens to stay at home. People are quarantined, practicing social distancing or are self isolating .  During this difficult time, it is easy to lose hope. I am confident that we will make it through it. I have compiled a list of shows that  will keep your mind engaged and your moral high.  Here are the best shows to binge watch. Kingdom ( Netflix) Brooklyn Nine- Nine (Hulu) The Good Place (Netflix) Wentworth (Netflix)  Luther (Hulu) (Amazon Prime) The Great British Bake Off (Netflix) * It's listed as The Great British Baking Show in the US Stranger Things (Netflix) Sons of Anarchy ( FX on Hulu) Fleabag (Amazon Prime)  Psych (Amazon Prime) I'm Not Okay With This( Netflix) The Witcher (Netflix) The Haunting of Hill House (Netflix) Black Mirr

Since we are officially into summer, I decided to share the things I'm loving. Binge Worthy Television Kingdom A historical drama that centers around a zombie epidemic that was caused by greed and corruption.  The cinematography and art direction are simply divine. The plot twist in the last few minutes of the season finale had my jaw on the floor. The show continues to prove that South Korea is a leader in horror filmmaking. I could talk about this show for hours.  Dead to Me What I love about this show is highlights the many facets of grief. I have not seen many shows besides Six Feet Under that really dive into ugliness, awkwardness and the guilt of grief. Nor have I seen a show from both sides of grief, the ones in mourning and the ones who caused the grief. A quirky gem.  When They See Us Heartbreaking, riveting and timely mini-series directed by the sublime Ava Duvernay. This show is not for the faint of heart, if it might cause some triggers please hold of