Thursday 31 December 2020

2020 Year In Review


Well, it’s been a year. Definitely not the year I had anticipated, but a year nonetheless, so what better thing to do than take some time to reflect on everything that happened in 2020. All of this years adventures are linked wherever mentioned, so feel free to take a look at the full posts too! I was one of the first to greet the New Year, celebrating in style in a backpacker’s hostel in Bundaberg in rural Queensland where I was undertaking rural farmwork in order to apply for a second year visa to stay in Australia for a little longer.

I spent New Year’s Day at the beach with my best pals, swimming in warm ocean waters and watching orange, pinks and reds paint the sky as the sun went down. A pretty good start to the year if I may say so myself. The next few months were spent completing my farmwork, and I’ll have full coverage of the highs and lows that came with that coming soon to this blog. Packing tomatoes, picking lemons, and packing sweet potatoes may have been some of the most physically strenuous work that I will ever have to do, but I loved the social aspect of my time there.

 
During this time, I also got my first tattoo (probably not the last), and of course spent ample days at the beach – I was in Australia, I mean, you have to! Soon enough I was celebrating the end of farmwork and saying goodbye to some of the best people I’ve ever met; before catching a morning train back to Brisbane for the next leg of my adventures.


A friend and I took a day trip to North Stradbroke Island for a little getaway, and then I headed off on my own for a whirlwind tour around Australia, flying first to Sydney to see the city, some foggy Blue Mountains, visit the Hunter Valley wine region, and meet some of the local wildlife; and then bussing it to Canberra. Known as one of Australia’s more boring cities, I actually really liked Canberra, and would recommend it to anyone interested in history, politics, culture or education, as the city is full of museums.


I fell in love with the next place I visited – Melbourne – and truly hope that I have the chance to live there upon my eventual return to Aus. I saw wild penguins in Phillip Island, toured the Yarra Valley wine region, and took a tour along the Great Ocean Road to see the Twelve Apostles and some truly stunning scenery. My tour ended in Adelaide, and you can read all about my Australian adventures on this blog – everything is linked in this post, or you can type what you’re looking for in the search bar!

I had plans to spend some time in Adelaide and the Barossa Valley, but there was a concern that if I stayed any longer, I might not be able to fly out should things shut down due to Covid-19, which would be a major problem considering I was meant to be attending my brother’s wedding a few months down the line. As such, an executive decision was made for me to cut my trip short and head to the Netherlands to wait this thing out at my parent’s house.


Spoiler alert, I’m still waiting it out, and so North Holland has been my home for the past nine months and honestly, I’ve learnt a lot about Dutch living – so much so to even fill two blog posts of their own. It was pleasant to arrive in the Netherlands in Spring, with beautiful blossoming trees and baby animals everywhere you looked, and it also gave me a chance to improve my cycling since that’s how literally everyone gets around here. I think my proudest achievement of 2020 is learning to cycle one handed, and that’s a skill I know I wouldn’t have picked up had it not been for this weird year.

I swiftly got a job teaching online, and have been filling my free time cycling, painting (four large paintings now in the bag for Ciara’s future house), writing, listening to music (check out the songs that got me through2020 here), and exploring a little bit of the Netherlands, including places like Edam (as in the cheese), Utrecht, and some pleasant smaller towns along the coast. 

2020 has hardly been a year of much travelling, at least compared to what was planned – I was intending to head to the States for my brother’s wedding which has since been postponed, and then smash my way across Europe for a few months, but sadly Covid got to Europe before I did. However, all was not lost, and I did manage to get ‘away’ twice – first to Cyprus where I spent a blissful ten days relaxing on the beach, scuba diving the Zenobia wreck, making authentic pottery, and taking day trips to Ayia Napa, Nicosia, and Limassol. Again, all of that can be found on the blog, so if you’re looking for some escapism, you can find it there! Cyprus is now the sixtieth country I’ve visited, so still on track for 100 countries by age fifty, and you can read all about the places on my bucket list here. My other getaway was more of a staycation, to a Dutch island called Ameland, where we spent a few days cycling, cycling, and more cycling.


Upon my return, and with no trips to the hairdressers on the card with increasing restrictions, it seemed like a good idea to dye my hair, so after testing out whether blondes have more fun than redheads, I’m checking to see what it’s like for brunettes. I’ve also been presenting a few shows on UK Country Radio which has been great to get back to my country music roots and connect with friends from across the globe who haven’t heard my voice in a while!

It was a quiet Christmas here, although I did finally make it into Amsterdam for the first time during my stay here, which was pleasant to see the trees and lights and get in the festive spirit. I celebrated at home with my family with a sunrise cycle, plenty of food and a well-deserved day off. Quite a change from my Christmas last year, but pleasant nonetheless. 

It would be easy to dwell on the ‘what ifs’ had this year been different, and whilst it probably won’t go down as one of the best years of my life, there have been some real silver linings. I had a great start to the year filled with great people and great experiences; and even lockdown has had some highlights: unlocking my creative juices, getting fitter than I’ve ever been, reconnecting with old friends, and knowing that this might be the last time I’ll have this much free time. I hope 2021 will be 'good different' and I’ll have some more exciting stories to share with you, but the fact that I’ve managed to fill an entire blog post with this year speaks for itself!

Monday 28 December 2020

Songs That Got Me Through 2020 (Part 7)

 We did it! Give yourself a pat on the back for surviving 2020. I’m sure we all had our own coping mechanisms for getting through this weird year, but I can assure you that my year would have been much worse had it not been for all the great new music I discovered this year. Thanks to everyone who has followed my journey over the past few weeks as I recounted my favourite songs of the year (you can check them all out here). Read on for the final instalment!


Heart’s in Your Head – Renee Blair

I really hope big things are on their way for Renee Blair. A lot of the artists I find on my various recommended playlists tend to have maybe one song that I like, add to my playlist, and then never hear about again. Not Renee – her music has managed to find it’s way into a fair few of my recommended playlists, but hey, I’m not complaining. She has a voice that puts her in the same echelon as some of my other favourites like Danielle Bradbery and Kelsea Ballerini; and is already writing with country songwriting royalty Shane McAnally. My two top songs of hers - Heart’s In Your Head and Soon As I’m Happy – hit that sweet spot of genuine lyrics mixed with a catchy melody. Well worth a listen.  

https://genius.com/Renee-blair-hearts-in-your-head-lyrics

 

 

Every Other Memory – Ryan Hurd

You might be familiar with Ryan Hurd as Mr Maren Morris, but he is undoubtedly more than that. In Every Other Memory, Ryan sings about listening to ‘old school Springsteen’ – little does he know that that’s exactly what I hear when I listen to his song. Every Other Memory hits a little too close to home for me, but that’s kind of what I love about it – his songwriting is so real, whether that be the cheeky To A T or the cute recollection of his first encounter with Maren in Love In A Bar. If you’re looking for some country music with a bit more edge, Ryan’s your guy. 

https://www.amazon.com/Every-Other-Memory-Ryan-Hurd/dp/B086YMW8JC


Jungle – Somebody’s Child

My recommendation for this song comes from a rather surprising source – Obi Wan Kenobi himself, Ewan McGregor. Well, I don’t know exactly how much say Ewan had in this particular song, but I discovered it while watching Ewan’s motorcycle journey in Long Way Up. Needless to say, it played as we saw sweeping shots of the South American jungle, and I immediately pulled up my phone to search this song after hearing that insane guitar intro. Irish songwriter Cian Godfrey, aka Somebody’s Child, doesn’t necessarily have a voice that I would initially gravitate to – it’s rather abrasive and raspy and honestly, not what I’m used to – but I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t a fantastic piece of music, so it definitely makes my list! 

https://genius.com/Somebodys-child-jungle-lyrics

Somebody Else’s Problem – Lauren Alaina

From Somebody’s Child to Somebody Else’s Problem. Lauren Alaina is an underrated superstar - check out my reflections on C2C over the years for more on that. She has phenomenal vocals – she didn’t become runner-up of American Idol for nothing, and only didn’t take home the win because that went to another fantastic vocalist, Scotty McCreery – any other year and I’m sure she would have scooped it. Lauren has been a constant on my playlists this year, with songs like Run, Seen You In Your Hometown, and her duet with Dustin Lynch Thinkin’ Bout You, but I really like Somebody Else’s Problem. Sometimes it’s important to have a song like this to give you a reality check and know that it’s time to start treating people who don’t serve you like an old car – trade them in for an upgrade, and let them start being somebody else’s problem. 

https://musicrow.com/2020/02/lauren-alaina-reveals-cover-art-track-list-for-getting-good-ep/


 

Missing June – Miki Ratsula

Time for some soft, easy, and very very vibey indie music right now. Missing June made it’s way into my life just at a time when I needed to take a chill pill. Miki’s high vocals are a gift for the ears, as is the production, the lyrics, the bridges – it’s a full package. It’s the type of song that you want not only as the soundtrack to your roadtrip, but to your life. I may not be missing June of this year (thank goodness that’s over), but it’ll get you nostalgic in all the right ways. 

https://genius.com/Miki-ratsula-missing-june-lyrics

 

 

Slow Dancing – Aly & AJ

Some artists just transcend time – you like them as much as you did back then, even though their music is completely different. Why? They evolve, just like you do. Take Aly & AJ. They provided the soundtrack to my Disney Channel teenage years with songs like Potential Breakup Song, Chemicals React, and Like Whoa (all of which are still absolute bangers) and now they’re providing the soundtrack to my mid-twenties with songs like Take Me and Slow Dancing. In the same way I hope I have, Aly & AJ’s music has matured like a fine wine. Plus, some more stunning lyrics: “I don’t need anything fancy, I just need me and you slow dancing. Hell’s bending keeping me captive, Heaven’s here, it’s right where you’re standing, slow dancing.” Listen to this song – that’s an order.

https://www.kkbox.com/sg/en/song/Dg10046GbOq6LzJo6LzJo0XL-index.html


Pretty Heart – Parker McCollum

I credit my latest foray into the world of country broadcasting for this one. I’ve recently been presenting on a national country radio station, and that’s where I first heard Pretty Heart. I was fairly surprised when doing my research for this post that Parker is only 28 years old – his music and vocals sound older, and I wouldn’t have been surprised had someone told me that this song was actually by Jon Pardi or Luke Combs. The fact that I would associate Parker with those legends shows you just how good this song is – one to watch. 

https://www.umgnashville.com/news/parker-mccollum-releases-new-song-pretty-heart/

 

 

Christmas In The Country – Thomas Rhett

It would have been wrong of me to finish the series of the songs that got me through 2020 without including at least one Christmas song, and I can think of none better than one by Thomas Rhett. He’s blessed us with some fantastic country songs, including his beautiful cover of The Christmas Song and this original Christmas song. I love the way that it conjures up images of Christmasses straight out of a Netflix movie – old school lights hanging off the roof, front porch mistletoe and cups filled up with some feel-good Christmas cheer. Sounds like heaven to me. Whilst I might not be having a Christmas like that this year, the idea that I one day might could just be the one thing that keeps me going through the next year too! 

https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Country-Thomas-Rhett/dp/B081DHCGWQ

And there we have it! One full year summed up in my favourite songs. I hope you enjoyed reading this series as much as I enjoyed making it – I can’t thank you enough for your support in taking the time to check out my blog, and hope that you’ll join me again on my musical and (hopefully) travel adventures in 2021. If you’d like to stay up to date, you can join my email list by inputting your email address in the box in the top right, and follow me on social media @CiarasCountry. Thanks so much for reading!

Monday 21 December 2020

Songs That Got Me Through 2020 (Part 6)

It’s almost the end of the year, which means almost the end of this blog series. Thank you so much to everyone who’s stuck with me from the start (have a look at my last post here) – please let me know whether you listened to any of my tops tracks of the year (and if you liked them!), and indeed what blog series you’d like to see me tackle next by dropping me a message on Twitter @CiarasCountry. Lucky for you, it seemed like I saved the best songs for the end of the year, so read on for more of the great songs that got me through this year!


 
ok on your own – mxmtoon, Carly Rae Jepsen

 I reckon Spotify must have had a nightmare trying to compile my top songs of the year. Just when it thought ‘ah, here we have her most played songs all sorted, surely they won’t change now,’ a song like this comes along and changes everything. Like 7 Summers in my last post, this is a song that makes me feel happy and sad at the same time – I mean, the content is really sad, from my interpretation is about breaking up with someone and has lyrics like this: ‘And I hate to leave you feeling all alone, but your story cannot start until you've grown. You can find how to be OK on your own, I just can't be the one that makes you feel at home,’ and yet it leaves me with a sense of calm. If its place on this list isn’t enough reason to listen, it also features underrated queen Carly Rae Jepsen whose entire Emotion album is still deserving of a Grammy. 

https://genius.com/Mxmtoon-ok-on-your-own-lyrics

  

This Is How U Feel – Loote, Coastr

 I didn’t realise that this is actually the remix of the original song by Loote, but when researching the artist, it is unsurprising that I like this track, given that Loote was responsible for co-writing and producing the Cheat Codes / Demi Lovato track No Promises which is yet another fun track I would recommend a listen to. This is another party track with a phenomenal beat drop that, for me, conjures up images of running around the streets of Italy at night. Funny how music can make you feel like that!

 https://www.amazon.com/This-Feel-COASTR-Remix-Explicit/dp/B08CGXYKZ4

 


The Way You Break My Heart
– Sadie Hawkins

 From never having heard of Sadie Hawkins or this song, The Way You Break My Heart became one of my most played tracks of the year. Why? Well, it’s just a perfect example of a good song. The beat is fantastic, the lyrics are thought-provoking, and it’s a type of song that I really haven’t heard in a long time – the last time I can think of a song that was kind of like this is Family of the Year’s Hero. TWYBMH is a song for when you know it’s time to move on, but it’s hard to do so; and the band have packaged it up into a totally enjoyable track that will be stuck in your head for weeks, but in the best kind of way. 

https://www.amazon.com/Way-You-Break-My-Heart/dp/B07T1LGQJ9

 

 Better Than We Found It – Maren Morris

 I can’t get enough of Maren Morris. She is a phenomenal vocalist, and certainly amongst the best in country music, which is high acclaim indeed. Not only that, but she creates music that matters. Following the horrific Las Vegas shooting at the Route 91 country music festival, Maren released Dear Hate with Vince Gill – a song which both rightly acknowledged some of the terrible things that have happened in recent years but also presented a message of hope when it was most needed. Better Than We Found It has done this again, in a year that has brought us the murder of George Floyd and the most divisive Presidential election in history. As she puts it simply: “When the lines of tomorrow are drawn, can I live with the side that I chose to be on? Will we sit on hands, do nothing about it? Or will we leave this world better than we found it?”

By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=60270540

 

 

Bartender – Cady Groves

 This song comes tinged with sadness upon finding out that Cady Groves passed away unexpectedly this year before the release of the EP that this track is from, Bless My Heart. This song certainly helped me get through 2020, and is a hugely fun take on James Blunt’s Bartender. Cady took what was in my humble opinion, a fairly standard song, and turned it into something rich and enjoyable. It’s a great shame that we won’t get any more music from Cady in the future, as she has a voice that I would have loved to experience live, but I’m glad that her memory will always live on through her music. 

https://genius.com/Cady-groves-bartender-lyrics

  

 

Monaco – MKTO

 Now, there’s a name you might not have heard in a long time. MKTO, responsible for 2013 hit Classic which, if you’re not a fan of, we can’t be friends; may have made a song even better than that, and that song is Monaco. From the first line: ‘I’ll go wherever you go, chase you through the streets of Monaco,’ this song is an emotive masterpiece that honestly takes me back to happier days when bands like MKTO, Allstar Weekend, and Hollywood Ending were all I listened to. This is a song that makes you feel warm, and excited, and loved.

https://genius.com/Mkto-monaco-lyrics


 Keep In Touch
– Jake Scott

 This is it: THE song, and unless there are any more surprises, it will be my most played song of this year. Why? Because it is 2020, the year when all we can, and want to do, is keep in touch with those that matter, even though that is so much easier said than done. ‘So I won’t say what I want to, cause I want to tell you that I want you. I think you might know it, but I know it’s too early and I’m worried I’ll say too much. But what if I said it, what would go on in your head cause I don’t want to get ahead of myself and I’m scared that I’d mess this up, so I just keep in touch.”

https://soundcloud.com/user-200188413/keep-in-touch

  

 Highway Honey – Lullanas

Ending on a high with another great new find from the year, and that is Lullanas. If you like Little Big Town or Maddie & Tae, you’ll love Lullanas. I’ve been listening to Memphis, Pennsylvania Skies and Highway Honey for the perfect melodies, and the soft and sweet harmonies that these twin sisters have crafted. They are country, Americana, and folk swirled into one beautiful package. I hope you check out all of the songs I recommend, but I certainly hope you check out these. 

https://lnk.to/HighwayHoney

  

I love all of the songs in this series, but I think I might love some of the songs in today’s post the most. I hope you enjoyed reading about them, and that you might even check one or two out in your free time. I am always keen to find even more new music, so if you have some songs or playlists you’d like to share with me, drop me a message in the comments below, or on Twitter @CiarasCountry. As always, thanks so much for reading!

Monday 14 December 2020

Songs That Got Me Through 2020 (Part 5)

 Thank you to everyone who has joined me on my musical journey over the past few weeks (you can see all of my previous postsin this series here) – in today’s post, I feel like we’re getting into the part of the year when the best music was being released. Despite only having listened to these songs towards the end of Autumn, some of them ended up being my most played songs of the year, and so definitely deserve a coveted space on my list of songs that got me through 2020. If there were some songs that helped you get through this year, I’d love to hear about them – drop me a message on Twitter @CiarasCountry. Happy reading!


 Mood – 24kGoldn, iann dior

24kGoldn has found a formula for making good music, and he’s certainly go me listening - this year has had me playing City of Angels and Mood on repeat. Why? Honestly, I think they can be summed up with the phrase ‘simple but effective’ – both songs are super short and have simple backing tracks coupled with repetitive lyrics that make them so easy to listen to again and again and again. I’m usually so fixated on song lyrics that I end up focusing more on the lyrics than whatever work I’m supposed to be doing, so I loved having a song that this that I could just switch off and enjoy! 

By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65028699

 

7 Summers – Morgan Wallen

I promised you previously (check that out here) that you’d be seeing more Morgan Wallen in this blog series, and here he is again with a song that ended up taking the #2 position in my Spotify Wrapped most played songs of the year. If this series, and indeed this entire blog itself, tells you anything, it’s that I listen to a lot of music, so this is a pretty big deal. It’s certainly worthy of that spot, and I love this song. It has everything I’ve found I look for in a song – a great intro and backing track, stunning vocals, and thought-provoking lyrics. In fact, for a subject matter that really is a bit sad (But I wonder when you're drinkin', if you find yourself thinkin' about that boy from East Tennessee. And I know we both knew better, but we still said forever, and that was seven summers ago… Does it ever make you sad to know that was seven summers ago?), listening to it makes me happy. Happy and sad at the same time. 

By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65001911


Want Me Back
– Lindsay Ell

Lindsay Ell may well be the coolest woman in country – she’s rocker chick meets modern country, and that’s obviously a combination that just works. Want Me Back is the perfect song for pretending you’re in a music video, where your love interest has come begging for you back, but obviously you say no because you’re better than that now. With lyrics like ‘If I were you, I'd miss my kiss, I'd miss me keeping you up all night. If I were you, I know that losing me would make me lose my mind,’ this song screams empowerment and knowing your worth, and serves as a potent reminder that we accept the love we think we deserve. If we see ourselves as someone others would want back, we start to become that. 

https://genius.com/Lindsay-ell-want-me-back-lyrics

 

 

Thought This Through – Josh Kerr, Emily Falvey 

Josh Kerr has made his way onto the (now long) list of artists who had somehow flown under the radar but I am now obsessed with. I did some research on him for this blog, and it all makes so much sense now – Josh is responsible for writing/producing songs like Maddie & Tae’s Die From A Broken Heart,  Kelsea Ballerini’s Love Me Like You Mean It, Keith Urban’s Neven Comin Down, and Danielle Bradbery’s Human Diary. I could go on, but hopefully that gives you an indication that his own stuff is certainly worth a listen to. Josh and Emily’s vocals are heaven. 

https://www.amazon.com/Thought-This-Through/dp/B08CRQNXHY


Brooklyn – Patrick Droney

Brooklyn was definitely a contender for my top song of the year, and I think the best way for me to describe this song is like a mix of Frankie Ballard’s voice meets John Mayer’s style. I’m sure that’s something that appeals to a lot of people, and it certainly did to me. This is the song that plays at the end of the movie, when the main character is sitting in the back of a car driving out of the city as the rain pours down. They’ve lost everything, but they’ve found themselves. If that makes any kind of sense to you, you have to listen to this song. 

 https://genius.com/Patrick-droney-brooklyn-lyrics

 

 

Naked – Ava Max 

I think it’s about time we had some straight up fun pop tracks, don’t you? Ava Max, who you’ll love if you like Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa or Ariana Grande, released her debut album Heaven & Hell towards the end of the year, and again, it has so many great tracks – Torn, So Am I, My Head & My Heart, Salt, but I think Naked is my favourite because not only is it really catchy, but it talks about Real. Human. Connection. Definitely something that a lot of us have missed out on this weird year, but here’s a pop song that tells you it’s okay to be vulnerable, in fact, it’s important because that is the only way that you can truly get to know anyone. Listen up. 

By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64679881


Never Have I Ever –
Danielle Bradbery

If you’ve been reading this entire series of songs that got me through 2020, thank you so much; and if this is the first post you’re dropping in on, well, you can check out earlier editions here, but you certainly picked a good one. Honestly, I would call so many of the songs on this list my favourites, and here’s yet another one. Danielle Bradbery has one of the best voices in not only country music, but music as a whole, and yet she is criminally underrated. I’d like to see her held in the same regard as Kelsea Ballerini, Maren Morris, Lauren Alaina, any successful woman in country (although honestly there are still too few) Never Have I Ever is the perfect song to highlight those spectacular vocals, and if this is your first time listening to Danielle, you’re welcome. 

https://shop.bigmachinelabelgroup.com/collections/music/products/danielle-bradbery-never-have-i-ever-digital-download

 

Sunshine State of Mind – Adam Hambrick 

What’s that? Another of Ciara’s favourite songs? Yes. This song is POWERFUL, and if you’re not pumping your arms to the beat while you lip-sync this song, you’re doing it wrong. This song is perfect for every occasion – getting ready to go to a concert, road tripping down the Pacific Coast Highway, feeling like a boss, doing exercise (this was the song that got me through horrific 3 minute planks). It’s good and it’s fun – what more do you want? 

 https://www.nashvilletv.nl/2020/09/04/adam-hambrick-met-2-nieuwe-songs/

 

 

So many great songs, so little time! I hope you enjoyed learning about some of my favourite songs of the year in today’s post, and hopefully I’ve persuaded you to give some of them a listen. I’ll be back with even more of my favourite tracks next week (it’s another good one) so stay tuned on my Twitter @CiarasCountry to be the first to know. Thanks so much for reading!

Monday 7 December 2020

Songs That Got Me Through 2020 (Part 4)

Back at it with the best of 2020 music (you can check out my last post here!) Honestly, there’s been little else to do this year other than listen to music 24/7, so I’ve had a pretty great soundtrack to keep my ears occupied while I’m working, painting, showering, or reading under the sun in the garden (although those days seem like a distance memory non the freezing temperature has rolled in!) Plus, now that we’ve all had the chance to check out our Spotify Wrapped for the year, I’d love to know what was on yours! Drop me a message in the comments below or on Twitter @CiarasCountry. In the meantime, on with the show…


Thinking Bout You
– Dustin Lynch, Lauren Alaina

My first choice for this blog is a song that just slaps a big fat smile on your face. Honestly, if someone sent me this song, I would hands down fall in love with them right then and there because really, what’s nicer than knowing someone was thinking about you? In this weird era in which our communication with everyone is virtual, even more so than usual, all it takes is calling someone up to make their day and this song really exemplifies that. So, give it a listen, and then call that person up. I can guarantee they’ll be happy you called! 

By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62773204

 

 

A Little Lime – Jordan Davis

Need some easy listening? I’ve got you. Jordan Davis takes us to a world without a care where all we need is a little lime and a lot of tequila to get us through. Are we sure that actually isn’t the real vaccine for Covid-19? Worth a shot (literally). Jordan also blessed us with another great track in 2020, Almost Maybes, and check out his backlog for some more super songs like Take It From Me and Singles You Up. 

https://www.jordandavisofficial.com/


Warmer
– Rascal Flatts

As if 2020 didn’t already suck enough, this year also heralded the news that country powerhouse trio Rascal Flatts was breaking up after more than 20 years together. However, thank goodness they weren’t going to leave us in the lurch, and dropped latest EP How They Remember You in July. Let me tell you, this album is so good that Rascal Flatts almost became my most listened to artist of the year on these seven songs alone. The songs are so good – particularly Looking Back and Feel It In The Morning, but Warmer takes the cake simply because of how Gary sings ‘time’ in it. Listen just for that.

https://genius.com/Rascal-flatts-warmer-lyrics

 

On My Mind – Rest Acres

Here’s another track that 2019 Ciara never could have predicted would have ended up on my radar, not only because it’s a genre that I really didn’t listen to before (electronic) but because Rest Acres hadn’t even released any music until 5 months ago as I write this. Rest Acres (aka Joel Cassady) is responsible for producing this mind-melting piece of music, with Kate Carswell on vocals. On My Mind is a full body experience that straight-up transports you to another dimension. 

 https://genius.com/Rest-acres-on-my-mind-lyrics


 

Lost In The Wild – Walk The Moon

We all know Walk The Moon from 2014 track Shut Up and Dance which I thought was fun and catchy to begin with, until I heard it for the 50,000th time on the radio and decided that I’d had quite enough of that, thank you very much. Such was not the case with Lost In The Wild, which was added to multiple of my playlists over the year because I simply could not get enough of it. Even without the vocals, this song is heaven-sent – the beat drops and picks up at just the right points. So fun. 

https://genius.com/Walk-the-moon-lost-in-the-wild-lyrics

 

Chasin’ You – Morgan Wallen 

This will not be the last you hear of Morgan Wallen in the songs that got me through 2020, but let me get you onto Chasin’ You to start with. Picture this: it’s late at night and you’re in a dark bar in downtown Nashville and this guy in a sleeveless shirt steps up to the mic. Great, another bro-country song about girls in cut-off jeans with their feet on the dash of his pick-up truck. Instead, he starts singing the most heartfelt song you’ve ever heard of watching someone move on while you’re still chasing them. By the end of the song, you have tears in your eyes. That’s Chasin’ You.

By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64163978

 

 

Midnight Sky – Miley Cyrus

Here’s a wild thought: what if Miley Cyrus is wholly responsible for my love of live music, and therefore for the creation of Ciara’s Country? It’s not that hard to imagine, since her 2009 Wonder World Tour was the first concert I ever went to, and we all know that I’ve been to a fair few concerts since then. For some reason, Miley isn’t usually mentioned up there with the likes of Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift, but why not? Party In The USA was an absolute banger, as were Nothing Breaks Like A Heart and Slide Away, and Midnight Sky is no exception. In fact, it might even be her best yet. She’s found the perfect genre for her raspy voice, and that’s 80s rock. All I can say it’s I’ll take a generous portion of whatever she’s serving up next. 

https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Sky-Miley-Cyrus/dp/B08FKYSCPG

 

Be Kind – Marshmello, Halsey 

Let’s just talk about Halsey for a minute. A high percentage of my favourite songs of recent years have something to do with Halsey – Benny Blanco’s East Side featuring Khalid and Halsey, Without Me, Finally // Beautiful Stranger (is that a country song? Either way, it’s beautiful). Anyway, whatever she’s doing, it’s clearly working. Teaming up with Marshmello was not a bad idea either, as the two of them have created another track to add to ‘songs Halsey just does right’. The message is worth paying attention to as well – I’ll leave this here: “I don't know why you hide from the one, and close your eyes to the one; mess up and lie to the one that you love, when you know you can cry to the one, always confide in the one; you can be kind to the one that you love.” 

By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63818852

And there you have it, another round up of some absolute beauties that helped me through this year. I’m super excited about my next addition to this series as it contains some of my most listened to songs of the whole year! I hope you’ll join me when that’s posted – be the first to know by subscribing to my email list (there’s a box at the top right of this page) or following me on Twitter @CiarasCountry. As always, thanks so much for reading!