So Taylor Swift's Presentation is considered Conservative? It shouldn't be just relative, you know.

Recently, I've overheard some people question why Taylor Swift's presentation has remained quite 'conservative', compared with others in the music industry. There was even a suggestion that she may be 'dog whistling' to more conservative elements of society.

Excuse me, Taylor Swift's presentation as conservative? It's like saying that the Westboro Baptist Church has remained quite mild in their homophobia, compared with homophobes in Africa. Relative comparisons like that are meaningless, and are eroding the meaning of our words and our language.

In my modest opinion, whilst not meaning to be judgemental, I actually prefer Taylor Swift's presentation style prior to 2014, when she was, in fact, more modest. Whilst I fully respect those who don't see it the same way as myself, there is always a moral virtue in presenting modestly, I believe. It's not for 'dog whistling' to conservatives.

Listening to Hailee Steinfeld: Is Life all a matter of Perspective?

I've been listening to Hailee Steinfeld's new single Rock Bottom a lot these few weeks, and I've been having trouble picturing what she means by the 'right side of rock bottom' and how one can 'keep falling' from there. I've asked a few of my friends, and they don't seem to know either.

One friend, who just came out of a life crisis and a bad relationship, did remark to me that she may be at 'the right side of rock bottom', having just come out of rock bottom itself. She certainly didn't want to 'keep falling' though.

Does anyone want to 'keep falling' in life or in relationships though? Initially I thought no, but then, Hailee did say she 'hope that we keep falling', right? Given that some people like to ride roller-coasters (not me), the idea that there's an appeal in 'falling' sure makes some sense.

Why's there a song celebrating the idea of 'rock bottom' anyway? Wouldn't one hate to be there?

Life's confusing. But maybe it's all a matter of perspective.

Anyway, have a listen and tell me what you think.

Meghan Trainor's No - Feminist or Not?

Ever since Meghan Trainor's No came out a few weeks ago, my friends have been arguing over whether it should be classed as a feminist anthem or not. On one side is the argument that it should be, because it encourages and empowers women to reject unwelcome advances from men. On the other side is the argument that a song like that actually achieves nothing much, and nothing will change just because of it.

Both arguments look valid. However, let me offer this thought:

Cultural change is a gradual process, made up by many small events and actions. There's no one big act that will change the world, rather, every little bit will help.

So there it is. I believe Meghan Trainor's No is indeed a feminist anthem. Case closed.

The rise of Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn - Does it really mean people are dissatisfied?

The recent rise of 'outsider' politicians with radically different agendas to what we're used to has raised discussions in many quarters as to whether people have become very dissatisfied with the world we are living in.

I think the answer is 'yes'. People feel like their politicians are not reflecting their beliefs, that their democracy is 'broken', and that they don't have the true freedom to be who they want to be in life. They feel like the ability to get ahead in life is no longer there. People everywhere are feeling this, from twenty-somethings in quarter life crises to older adults who have been made redundant and yet cannot afford retirement. They also feel like the decisions about our future is not being made by them, that they are not being listened to by the political class. In other words, representative democracy has become unrepresentative.

Whilst I can understand why people are looking to the likes of Trump, Sanders and Corbyn, I also believe that they are not the answer. Not that any politician is, anyway.

I believe we need to fix our system, badly. For example, there should be more emphasis on liberty, and politicians on all sides should be focussing on the concept of liberty and 'living together' in a liberal society. Representative democracy should also be supplemented by an increased use of direct democracy in the form of regular plebiscites or referrenda, in my opinion. A decisive victory for climate action at the ballot box will stop any further protesting from corporate interests, for example.

Furthermore, it's dangerous to look to our politicians to solve everything. We need to remember that not everything needs to be done by the government, and that non-governmental solutions are often better. Inspiring people, lifting people up from a feeling of helplessness, is a collective responsibility, for example. Governments cannot do that. Speaking up against those forces which are making people feel oppressed, which is clearly not limited to our governments, is also a collective responsibility. Only broad-based discussion and consensus in society will push those forces back. Finally, changing the culture so that 'outsiders' are not excluded anymore, including but not limited to combating racism, sexism, homophobia and disability discrimination, is something we all need to do, together.

Wholesome Music of the Month: Kelsea Ballerini - Peter Pan

Whatever else you may like, we all need a dose of wholesome music in our lives, just like how we all need wholesome healthy food. It's good for your life, I promise.

Kelsea Ballerini is the most promising young country star since Taylor Swift, in my opinion. Peter Pan is the latest (I think third?) single from her current album, and I think it's one of her best.

Check it out:

The Hunger Games, Divergent, and... Do we need more future dystopias? (Part 1)

Many futuristic dystopias have landed with great impact on the book and movie worlds in recent years, with The Hunger Games series and the Divergent series probably being the most popular. The appeal of this genre is undeniable.

Why do people love future dystopias? I think the answer can be found in the fact that these stories revolve around strong characters, who survive and don't bend their principles in the face of the adverse circumstances surrounding them. It's not that people enjoy the brutal dystopias, but rather the strength of those who survive and find a way to thrive in them.

But do we need the context of unrealistic made-up future dystopias to show us this 'strength'? After all, this strength, the spirit of survival, bravery and optimism, can be found everywhere in real life. And I believe, as both a reader and an author, when it's based in a context similar to real life is when it really shines. It's why I've chosen to base my Princess's Spirit Trilogy in our recent history (well, a semi-fictionalised version of it, but it's still in the context of our world in the early 21st century).

Bravery, optimism and defying the odds, are all things we love to celebrate. It's not just to be found in future dystopias. It's everywhere around us.

Taylor Swift, Meghan Trainor and TaraElla: We all like a bit of Reinvention

The TaraElla Show is back, a month earlier than expected! (And yes, I did complete that novel early. Go to the Books page to download your own copy, if you're interested in checking it out.)

I would like to re-open with an idea: reinvention. It's what you do when you want to keep things fresh and sustainable for the long run. It's what you should do when life feels stale.

Taylor Swift is arguably the queen of pop today. Yet I think she is also the queen of reinvention. I mean, if you've still got that Taylor album from 2009 (the name's Fearless, I think), take it out for a listen. You'll find that she sounds completely different nowadays. She also looks different too, by the way. And she's way more popular nowadays too. A reinvention success story.

Rising star Meghan Trainor appears to have had some reinvention in 2016 too. She looks nothing like she did in All About That Base nowadays, in my opinion. No, she is definitely much cooler nowadays.

You see, reinvention makes people cool and fresh. If you haven't reinvented yourself in some time, now's probably the time to consider it. Try on a new look, adopt a new attitude, and see where you can go from there! Life doesn't need to be stale, remember.

p.s. The TaraElla Show blog has also undergone some reinvention whilst we were away. You will see how things have changed in the coming weeks. I hope you'll enjoy the new format just as much.


Download the full song here.