Estelle and Solange Rock Chicago

I went to Estelle and Solange's concert Wednesday evening at the House of Blues for Honey Magazine. Read my review on my Honey Magazine blog here.

And here's a video I got from Estelle's set before security kindly asked me to put away my camera...

Life Lessons from Estelle from iamchicago on Vimeo.

That Loving Feeling

My boyfriend and I have been together for close to 5 years. He was my handsome, but awkward, next door neighbor my first year of college. We didn't really talk to each other until a chance meeting a year later at a school event. We've been dating pretty much from that moment on.

We've lived together for almost three years now, and while we have our differences, I still say we make a pretty good pair. In lieu of flowers he sends me cute viral videos because he knows my weakness for all things cute (i.e. children, kittens, hedgehogs). He's really funny, smart and just about the most patient and sympathetic person I've ever met.

With all that said, sometimes I wish I could go back to when we were first getting to know each other. When every discovery about him seemed new, exciting and proof positive that we were in fact made for each other ("Wait, you like Ren & Stimpy? I like Ren & Stimpy!"). When you're in the throes of your first relationship, it's easy to make wide sweeping, Sweet Valley High-backed comments like that.

This song by Lykke Li transports me to that time when we weren't living together, when seeing each other involved planning and walking to and from dorms, and, more specifically, my not wanting to say "I love you" first.

Now the excitement is in the comfort I feel in still knowing those facts I learned while eating Harold's Chicken on his twin-XL bed in Pierce and watching DVDs. But oh, those first weeks before we became the Ottitundes.

Editor's Note: The video is kinda odd, but the song itself is sweet. If the gyrating of Swedes is too much for you, you can scroll down and follow the lyrics or read other entries :)

Lykke Li - "Little bit"
by tkf

hands down
i'm too proud for love
but with eyes shut
it's you i'm thinking of
but how we move from A to B?
it can't be up to me
'cause you don't know
eye to eye
thigh to thigh
i let go

i think i'm..

a little bit, a little bit
a little bit in love with you
but only if you're
a little but, a little bit, a little bit
in lo-lo-lo-lo-love with me
oh

ooo-ooo...

and for you i keep my legs apart
and forget about my tainted heart
and i will never ever be the first
to say it
but still I,
yes you know I..I..I..
i would do it,
push a button
pull a trigger,
climb a mountain
jump off a cliff,
'cause you know baby
i love you love you a little bit
i would do it, i would say it
i would mean it, we could do it
it was you and i and if only i..

i think i'm
a little bit, a little bit
a little bit in love with you
but only if you're
a little but, a little bit, little bit
in lo-lo-lo-lo-love with me

come here, stay with me
stroke me by the hair
'cause i would give anything, anything
to have you as my man (2X)

a little bit, a little bit
a little bit in love with you
but only if you're
a little but, a little bit, little bit
in lo-lo-lo-lo-love with me

If You Like It Then You Shoulda Put A Ring On It

• Beyoncé
• New Music

1. I wish I could dance like that.
2. I wish I looked like that.
3. Damn, that's a big ring.
4. I can not get this song or its Fossy-esque dance moves out of my head. Pretty embarrassing, but I try to do them at my desk without the same flawless results.

Kid Sister Mania!

I was lucky enough to interview Kid Sister for UR Chicago's upcoming September issue. Her bubbly personality was infectious and I hung up the phone feeling star struck and envious of her lemons into lemonade point of view.

It seems like this weekend is all about Chicago's favorite Kid Sister! Tonight, she'll be hosting a pre-Lollapalooza Black Kids, The Foals, and the Kills performance—with DJs Flosstradamus mixing as well—at the Apple Store downtown (679 N. Michigan Ave.) at 7. I'm sure the place will be packed so get there early!

Also, Kid Sister posted this bulletin on Myspace. I can't go (work, pout) but if you're interested, you should definitely show up with your dancing shoes on:

“Soooooo, have you ever wanted to be a part of one of my crazy, fun shows? Well yall, guess what? Today is ya lucky mf day! I'm looking for GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS and more girls... Reowr, haha! Yes my Chicago mamacitas if you wanna take part in my show happening this Sunday at Lollapalooza (and score FREE lolla tickets) just come on by to the open call happening tomorrow! There's some very liiiiight, light choreography involved so those with dance/theatre backgrounds are encouraged to audition.


Come by n' say chello to yer girl tomorrow, Friday, August 1st at NOON at the Revere Park Field house at 2501 West Irving Park Rd (one block west of Western av). We'll be set up outside, snackin, sippin and yappin about boyyyyys (what else, haha).
;)
See you there ma babes!!!

smoocherinis,
ks

Please Don't Mess This One Up, Diddy

Oh, Diddy. He's the black male version of Madonna, "reinventing" himself to keep the masses interested/unaware of how untalented he is as a performer. Constant sampling of better artists from eras past became "inventing the remix." He's made the leap from A&R scout to record company founder and owner (Bad Boy), wearer of shiny metallic track suits to a Council of Fashion Design of America award winning designer, Broadway actor (taking on the role Sidney Poitier made famous in the movie version of "A Raisin In The Sun"), and a reality television personality with his takes on the Making the Band series. Don't even get me started on the name changes.

So when one of my best friends from home told me about a new performer signed to Bad Boy, I was a little weary; his two new boy and girl groups leave much to be desired. But signing Janelle Monae—a Kansas City, KS native making waves in Atlanta with her blend of funk, soul, R&B, and futuristic imaginings of the world—is a step in the right direction for the multimedia mogul. Based on the power of her single on her MySpace page, Janelle Monae has many anxious for her star to rise; numerous publications, Andre 3000 and Big Boi of Outkast and even Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama have all sang her praises:



Janelle Monae's sound and style makes her stand out in a sea of record company manufactured and derivative pop princesses, and she's bringing the concept album to R&B (which, correct me if I'm wrong, is very unusual). Her android alter ego, Cindi Mayweather, has fallen in love with a human despite her computer programming and has to run away for fear of being disassembled.

Amazing.

Her debut album is slated for release in September, with an EP out in June. Listen to her single "Violet Star Happy Hunting" and its remix (sans Diddy) on her Myspace page.