‘Girls’ Generation make you feel the heat..’

Well even if you don’t,let me introduce Off The Radio:KPOP Edition!

SONEs don’t be too disappointed though,because I’ll be introducing T-ara’s new song Lovey Dovey! After retro Roly Poly and dramatic Cry Cry,here comes the shuffling song!

Lovey Dovey was composed by Shinsa Dong Tiger and Choi Gyu-Sung. It is a club style music with electronic sounds and strong beats.

Here’s the live performance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cFJ1LTUTs7E

Check out the official MV below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_sa1GWrN6eQ#!

It reminds me of the Korean movie Hindsight.

Be warned,it’s 15 minutes long!

The song is a little less catchy than Roly Poly but has an interesting chorus with surprisingly sad lyrics as it sounds like an upbeat song.

You may not think much of this song at first but I guarantee that the addictive chorus will be stuck in your head after listening to the song !My favourite part is the starting part of the song.There is  actually no climax in this song but it uses a repetitive hook to catch the attention of listeners.

That’s all for now,enjoy the song!

We have a guest blogger from the VJ student population (YES you don’t have to be in Subjectif to write for us) presenting to us a two part edition of Off the radio, and it’s ALL about divas!

The X Factor: USA recently concluded its season premier with a bang, the winner being Melanie Amaro. Riding on the victory of Melanie Amaro (in my opinion, a potential Diva), I would like to introduce all of you to several songs from note-worthy Divas!

In this series, I’ll like to have the honour of introducing you to two songs from two wonderful women who have made a significant impact in the music industry. First up, we have “I Have Nothing“ by Whitney Houston!

This song is released as a single from the movie “The Bodyguard” and peaked at Number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, among other awards. This song is brilliantly sung by Whitney Houston because one can feel the emotions and feelings she injects into every note . My favourite part has to be the build-up towards the chorus where she gradually sets the atmosphere and finally belts out strong and solid notes in the chorus. I bet your grandmother would love it too.

Looking real glamorous there Whitney!

Whitney Houston’s list of awards include: 2 Emmy Awards, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22American Music Awards, among a total of 415 career awards as of 2010. She is also one of the world’s best-selling music artists, having sold over 170 million albums and singles worldwide. If that isn’t good enough for you, I wonder what is.

Next up, we have my personal favourite, “Listen” by Beyonce!

Once again, “Listen” was written specifically for the 2006 film “Dreamgirls” whose lyrics make reference to tenacity, love, the refusal to defer dreams and finally rise towards fame. This song has a lot of meaning to it if closely listened to and the sound of Beyonce’s voice is heavenly. The Queen of R&B has the amazing talent of executing both soft and loud parts smoothly and gracefully, allowing her listeners to experience her feelings as she sings the song. I like the Bridge the most because it is when her voice is the strongest and has the most emotions to it. Indeed, this is a song not to be missed.

 Like Whitney Houston, just mentioning Beyonce’s list of awards from 2009 onwards would make your jaw drop. In total, she has won 16 Grammy Awards, 11 MTV Video Music Awards, and a Billboard Millennium Award. In 2009, Billboard named her the Top Radio Songs Artist of the 2000s decade, and ranked her as the 4th overall Artist of the decade (and as the First Female Artist of that period). Beyonce has also sold 75 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. With achievements like these at the age of 30, she could practically “run the world” in time to come.

So that’s all for this article! Part 2 of the Diva edition will be coming soon so stay tuned and continued being inspired by these wonderful singers.

(Oh and do click on Beyonce’s picture in case you havn’t heard of the Gadhafi problem)

2012 is the year we’ll finally see if all those rumours about the end of the world comes true, so what better than to prepare for it with a song full of attitude,

Look at Me Now (Karmin Cover)

mmmhmm.

Imagine surviving the As, the Os, whatever major exams and probably a worldwide catastrophe and singing this song, “Look at me now!” (with Nick providing that really snazzy beat in the background)

I must say Karmin’s cover of Chris Brown’s original song is pretty ingenious, and to be really frank, I like the cover more than I do the original. And hey, can Amy rap! I mean, Busta Rhyme/Lil Wayne’s rap verses when delivered well leaves the rest of the world behind in slow mo, and she really did justice to them.

(Oh, and if you’re planning to learn the verses, you probably want to learn the Karmin cover because it’s more PG and if you’re going to be rapping in school. Ahem)

Have a great new year yall!

 With that, I would like to express the following:

This  goes out netizens who scold the fans of various popular media on online forums and youtube comments.

Sometimes, I do watch trashy reality programmes.

I think Justin Beiber and Lady Gaga have real talent, and I do truly like an artist as “mainstream” as Katy Perry.

But people like us aren’t necessarily “brain-washed” minions of modern society!

Please do not treat us like the plague. Put simply, different people have different preferences. This fact is not worth getting your underwear all up in a bunch!

Britney songs make me happy on a boring bus ride home, darn it. Sue me.

Now, turn your attention to more important activities.

To celebrate the twenty-fifth of December, munch on the glorious tunes of christmas carols and jingles. On today’s “Off the radio”, Subjectif recommends you a song that is definitely suitable for this cool weather season. Give it up for -

Baby, It’s Cold Outside (Glee Cover)

What better way to celebrate this not-so-white Christmas than to be serenaded by the vocals of Kurt and Blaine? While yes the closest we can probably get to snow would be the relentless showers all through this monsoon season, it is pretty cold out and, when Darren Criss tells you to stay, you stay.

I mean, how can you say no to a face like this?

My Gawd.

Heh. Merry Christmas dear readers, and look out for more ear-candy on Off the Radio with Subjectif!

A Subjectif-Compiled Summary Of Events:

December 14: Trains on the Circle Line were delayed during morning morning rush hour after technical glitches arose.

December 15: Singapore gets its worst MRT breakdown in 24 years. It causes four thousand people to become trapped in trains on the North-South Line. This is worsened by a message displayed in SMRT cabs informing taxi drivers of an “income opportunity” arising from the aforementioned event. Further exacerbating this situation, commuters involved later complained of a lack of ventilation in stalled trains, and detailed seeing women go faint from receiving too little fresh air.  Minister for Transport Lui Tuck Yew has described this train disruption as an “extremely serious” one

December 16 The deputy chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport, Seng Han Thong, highlights SMRT’s need to improve its technical operations as well as its public communications.

December 17: MRT disruptions are seen again in the North South Line, ending travel between a third ot its 27 stations for seven hours. This is attributed to problems with the power rail system running trains.

December 18: The abrupt braking by one bus driver on an SMRT bus causes a 54-year-old woman, Madam Ding ,to fall and slip into a coma. Her condition is since reported to have deteriorated, due to the development of lung complications. The bus driver concerned has been suspended and further investigations are currently ongoing. Additionally, there were two-hour train delays on both the North-South and East-West Line.

Because of these events, SMRT CEO Saw Phaik Hwa has received a flood of flak, with citizens and emotive netizens expressing their desire for her resignation. This Monday, she responded to these calls by emphasizing the need for her to remain with the organization so as to deal with SMRT’s recent issues.

Will the SMRT saga continue?  If it does…please, not on Christmas.

Now, lets just wait for Mr Brown’s take on this issue. 

Wanna read more?

Still want more?

And there’s a photo gallery too!

A thesaurus had to be used in the writing of this article as there weren’t enough ways to say “breakdown”.

Greyson Chance: Empire State of Mind (cover)

Whether you’re a big fan of NYC or not, this cover of the “Empire State of Mind (Part II) ” (which is a cover of a cover) is definitely something you want to include into that iPod playlist, and put on loop.

What’s great about Greyson Chance is that he’s young (he’s 14!!) , talented and not to mention awfully cute. In case you havn’t heard of this mild mannered, piano playing young star, he sang the songs “Unfriend You” and “Waiting Outside The Lines“ (both of which you should listen to now- this is an order.) However, like with Justin Bieber (*squeals*) there are speculations on whether he’ll keep his angelic voice after the horrors of puberty set in.

Speaking of keeping voices, Greyson Chance is really lucky he’s born in the 21st century, because back then in the past, people used to castrate boys so their larynx doesn’t mature and they can keep their voices. Ughhh. 

But nonetheless, you have to admire Greyson’s “live singing”  While you’re at that, be sure to check out some other covers from the same channel (Billboard.com), and do tell us if you liked the song!

In this second edition, we’re here to dole out some tips on how to make full use of your June holidays to avoid sacrificing our grades when it comes to CT2s or Midyears. Outperforming indeed!

First off, a word of encouragement to the seniors who’ll be facing that daunting challenges of CT2s/Prelims/A levels in quick succession in the next term. We’ve come so far, so don’t let this last chance slip by. Work hard and have no regrets.

To the juniors, Midyears are just the first in a series of tests and exams you’ll face, but don’t be fooled by the ‘deflated’ grades that your seniors might have gotten in their J1 year, only to return with beaming smiles and straight As. Fight on, and you will be rewarded. Nothing without labour.

Photo Credit

Now on to some study tips I’d like to share:

1. Get ORGANISED.

You can’t study when your study table looks more like a dumpster/warzone than well, the table. No, seriously, if you can’t tell what the original colour of your table is, it means you have some decent clearing up to do. But what to do with that half-done tutorial you never got round to finishing? Or that stack of readings you were supposed to complete? Oh… So that’s where all the CT compilation books were!

If your revelation sounds anything like mine, I suggest that you take about 30 minutes to just GET ORGANISED. Put papers you no longer need into a recycling pile; stray stationery back into their place; paperclip or staple loose leafs. I like to put all the stuff I’ve got into little organised piles on the floor by subject, so nothing gets lost and I can find stuff easily for revision.

2. Get YOUR GAME PLAN.

Photo Credit

Find out which topics are tested for your exams (most teachers would have emailed you a list, along with your exam time and venues).

You might want to do a To Do list, or a weekly schedule. A calendar will definitely come in handy at this point, and be sure to block out any dates you’ve already planned for stuff you’ve signed up for like interview workshops, career talks, meeting friends or tuition. Don’t forget some ‘me’ time as well. I like to keep my weekends free for that.

When you’re done planning a revision timetable, don’t forget to stick to it!

3. Get RID OF DISTRACTIONS.

This is the not-so-fun part where you get rid of everything that has procrastination-causing potential. What am I talking about? The computer, your iPhone, television and for some reason, children’s storybooks (every holiday, I end up reading Harry Potter for stress relief… Don’t judge.).

I’ve discovered a wonderful piece of technology that can help combat the lure of the Internet. Google Chrome extension StayFocusd^ is free and totally works in boosting productivity, especially if you claim to be doing research on some paper you’re supposed to be writing, but end up reading FML like there’s no tomorrow… Just install it in your Chrome browser, activate it and plug in websites that you frequently waste time on. Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr are notorious time-wasting sites. Trust me, I’ve been there. You can change settings to allow yourself to spend anything from 1 minute to 1 hour on all these websites for the entire day- but no more.*

^StayFocusd is a Chrome extension that works only well duh, on Google Chrome. There is no shortlink for the application, so Google to get it!

For Mac users, Self Control available for free at:

http://visitsteve.com/made/selfcontrol/

*If you plan on using StayFocusd temporarily, do not activate the function that doesn’t allow you to switch settings unless you type a scathing, 100 word-long paragraph about how procrastination is a sin without making a single mistake. And it knows about cut and paste. You’ve been warned!

So there you have it, this author’s 2 cents on study tips. May the force be with you in your efforts!

This term has been the most hectic of my entire VJ life, and one of the most amazing!

Yesterday, our soccer girls and guys competed in their finals against SAJC and MJC respectively, wrapping up the sports season along with the other sports team who’ve ended earlier to a rousing finish. We’ve scored countless goals, played our best and cheered our hearts out at match support- not just for the soccer teams but also all the other sportsmen.

Our floorball, softball, cricket, Wushu, Taekwondo, sailing, basketball, badminton, tennis and other teams (apologies if I’ve forgotten) have won medals all worthy of our praise, but most admiration is given to their dedication to training and keeping to the values of sportsmanship and the VJ spirit. I will always remember how the floorball guys gave their all in the finals to try to win the title in a 5-4 finish. Despite being 1st runner-ups, that kind of perseverance is truly inspirational.

At the soccer finals yesterday, us Victorians really showed the stadium what we were made of. Steel. Kidding!

We didn’t lose hope and we didn’t degenerate into sore losers. And at the end of it all, we were the true winners. Soccer girls beat SAJC’s team 3-1, and our soccer boys finished 2nd in the A div 1-0 against MJC. Viva la Victoria!

Our performing arts groups have also done VJ proud! Our Gold-with-honours choir held its annual Symphony of Voices yesterday at the Esplanade to an appreciative audience amid the match support, while Symphonic Band will be holding theirs next Tuesday also at the Esplanade.

At SYF this year, our Guitar, String, IP Dance and Guzheng ensembles clinched the Gold award despite fierce competition, and IP Drama, Dance, Harmonica, Chinese Orchestra and Band all clinched a respectable silver. The hours the respective actors, dancers and musicians put into honing their craft is nothing to be sneezed at either.

With SYF as a biennial affair, these artists have really achieved deserving awards. And the audiences at their concerts were similarly impressed by their pieces.

Take for example, the fact that only 2 pieces are required for the SYF Central Judging and many many more constitute an entire concert program, and the amount of time they had to practice for concert after their SYF! I know for a fact that the Guitar ensemble managed to learn 3 entirely new, challenging SYF-worthy pieces within 1 and a half weeks! That’s 3 days to perfect each piece! I have no doubt that similar situations also happened for the other performing arts groups.

Truly, the performers deserve our applause.

And so with that, I bid Term 2 and it’s craziness goodbye, as our juniors step up to take the helm of CCAs in a rite of passage beginning with CLIC Camp in June. Subjectif will also be changing hands, so we will strive to continue to be the voice of the Victorian community.

Stay tuned for Part II of this series!

Oh and of course, the first issue of this year’s INBOXED! by Subjectif e-newsletter will be sent out too, so keep checking your VJ mail for that.

On another unrelated note, we here at Subjectif will continue to keep you updated with live coverage of the finals happening today and tomorrow on Twitter- your first source of information! Thanks to our followers (more than 370 now!) for interacting with us with your retweets, @replies and own tweets for us to retweet hehe. That’s right, keep following @VJCSubjectif.

Our blog will be having some new updates soon, with a scheduled post on study tips and planning for CT2s/Midyears to make your June hols a productive one!

Till then, NIL SINE LABORE.