Song #4: Otherwise known as "the Time when I became obsessed with Sia...again"

(Remember this Passion Project?)

So, I'm still going to do this, LOL. I meant to post this song before leaving Brasil, but then I got caught up in packing and last minute preparation, and promptly forgot.

In South Africa, we didn't really have wifi. So, as jazzed as I was about this project initially, it kind of fizzled out when I wasn't able to blog about it.

However, I'm going to resurrect it. Because I have a lot of songs and artists that I want to share and this is the best way to do it.

"Chandelier" by Sia

Right before leaving Brasil, the Grammy's were on TV. Now, I don't normally watch the Grammy's, and I definitely didn't watch them in Brasil, but I DID see Sia's performance of this song, on the Internet, the day after the Grammy's aired.

Why did it strike such a chord with me? I was super intrigued by the fact that Kristen Wiig performed this song...let's back up. Kristen Wigg, a comedian, DANCED to this song, along with Maddie Ziegler (who apparently was/is on Dance Moms? That's a show, I guess? Regardless, this young lady can DANCE). So many things about this peaked my interest, but one of them was the fact that this was performance art at its finest. Yes, one could argue that MOST live performances are in their own right, a type of art form, but this was so much more and - I'm going to let you in on a secret about me - I'm kind of in love with dancing. I am fascinated by body movement and how people manipulate their bodies to evoke emotion and tell a story. And, it was SIA, an artist that I've liked since 2004, but have only really heard a few things from her throughout the years. Needless to say, an internet search was in store.

By the end of that search, I had listened to this song about 12 times in a row and had purchased the entire album from iTunes...

Here is the official music video for "Chandelier." Enjoy!

Here are some runners-up, also by Sia:

• I'm In Here
• Breathe Me

World 4: The One with the Warp Zone

Song #3: Oh oooh, and They Come Unstuck

Lady, runnin' down to the riptide

On average, I’d say we go to the beach once a day in Brasil. Sometimes it’s just morning walks along the boardwalk/shore, while other times it’s spending hours, midday, riding the waves. Often, it’s both. Regardless, beach culture is a HUGE part of life in Brasil.

There is a saying in Portuguese that states, “Vamos to mar um banho de mar,” which means “Let’s take a sea bath.” The ocean in Natal is warm…like, really, really warm. When you step into the water, waves lapping at your toes, there is no shock to the system due to temperature change. It is, essentially, like stepping into bathwater. It’s glorious. I cannot express to you my surprise at discovering this the first time I ventured into the water. We had recently been to Chile where the ocean was, well, cold. And from my experience in Seattle…aren’t oceans supposed to be freezing? Not the case in Brasil, my friends.

And I love you when you're singing that song

Despite going to the beach almost every single day, I have yet to tire of it. However, every.single.time I’m in the water, “Riptide” by Vance Joy plays in my head. Sometimes it bounces around for hours, while I bodysurf the waves and try not to lose my bikini. (It’s a true test to see which part you'll save: either the top or the bottom. My go-to is the top…it’s much easier to grab your chest and secure your top while corkscrewing, underwater, in the current, but that’s just my opinion.) Other times, only a snippet of the song plays in my head - one go around and it’s done. But, just like clockwork, this song always makes an appearance.

I got a lump in my throat 'cause

I don’t have much to say about this song, other than the more I listen to it, the better it gets. (I have a feeling that, yes, at some point, I will get sick of it, but that has yet to happen, so…there ya go.)

You're gonna sing the words wrong

I haven’t really listened to any other song by Vance Joy - which isn’t even his ACTUAL name. In fact, the only thing that I know about him is that he is Australian and he was born in 1987…and he has adorably curly hair. Yes, I googled him. But, “Riptide” is good and I enjoy the lyrics and I’m pretty sure that it will always make me think of riding the waves at Ponta Negra.

So, because it's winter for most of you (whhhaaaatttt?????), listen to this and think warm thoughts. :)

"Riptide"