MUSIC MONDAY: Peter Gabriel - My Body Is A Cage

♫♪♫ I'm living in an age ♪♪

♫♫ Whose name I don't know ♪♫

♪♫ Though the fear keeps me moving ♫♪♫ 

♪♫♪ Still my heart beats so slow ♫♫

This 2020, our own body has become a cage. Out fears took over; we can't afford to be generous of our own presence, to warm others with our smiles and embrace. And why not? There's too much uncertainty going on.

But, hey, fears weakens our immune system. Let's try to breathe deeper and imagine ourselves in a group hug while out in a park or in a sea shore. Do it now. And then tomorrow.

Allow me to share this verse and may it help you on our joint journey to health and normalcy:

Health Verse

O spirit of God—fill my I,

Fill my I within my soul,

On my soul bestow a strength’ning force,

Strength’ning force too for my heart,

For my heart that seeketh Thee,

Seeketh Thee with deepest longing,

Deepest longing for good health,

For good health and trust in life,

Trust in life that through my body streams,

Streams as precious gift divine,

Gift divine from Thee, O Spirit of God,

O Spirit of God, fill my I.

MUSIC MONDAY: Daysha Edewi - What If I Knew I Was Beautiful…

"You say I don't know I'm beautiful
But what if I did?
What if I looked in the mirror and actually liked what I saw?
Make-up or no make-up, flaws and all
What if I woke up really feeling myself
And could pose a selfie on Instagram without any self-doubt
No questions, contemplations or hesitations
Because the only person's confirmation I would need... is my own"

Beautiful words for YOU, beautiful woman! :) 

MUSIC MONDAY: Lily Allen - "Hard Out Here"

♪♪♪ You're not a size six, and you're not good looking ♫♪♫

♫ Well, you better be rich, or be real good at cooking ♫♪♫♪

♪♪ You should probably lose some weight ♫♪

♫♪♫ 'Cause we can't see your bones ♫

♪♫ You should probably fix your face or you'll end up on your own ♪♪

Now this is how you make a comeback! Tackle double standards, body image issues and do a parody of Robert Thicke's "Blurred Lines". 

Love this artist! She's always been very vocal about her opinions and her songs always make you want to lift your middle finger and shove it to the system. Can't wait to listen to her other tracks!

MUSIC MONDAY: To This Day - Shane Koyczan

"To this day

I hate pork chops

I’m not the only kid

Who grew up this way

Surrounded by people who used to say

That rhyme about sticks and stones

As if broken bones

Hurt more than the names we got called

And we got called them all

So we grew up believing no one

Would ever fall in love with us

That we’d be lonely forever

That we’d never meet someone

To make us feel like the sun"

Now THIS is something we should spread generously. Bullying is one of the reasons why it's so hard for us, for our children and possibly the next generations, to recognize our inner light. Let's fight it, let's make it history!

Shane Koyczan and his spoken word was such a great discovery. Read up about this project here and this poem here. 

MUSIC MONDAY: I Am Beautiful - Candice Glover

♫♪ It don’t matter that I’m not perfect ♪♪
♪ I am beautiful ♫♫
♫ I’m not alone ♪♫
♪ And in His eyes I’m so worth it ♪♪
♫ I’m worth every tear ♫♪♪
♫♪ And every scar ♪♫

What a lovely, uplifting song! 

Though I only watch the auditions and the finale episode of American Idol, I would like to congratulate Candice Glover for winning the competition. I heard this is her third time to audition and I can tell how sweet this victory is.  Keep on making beautiful music! (Sorry for overusing "beautiful" today!)

MUSIC MONDAY: Myrus - Pusong Lito

♫ Ang puso ko'y nalilito ♪

♪♪♫ Nalilito kung sino sa inyo ♪♫

♫♪ Ang  isip ko'y gulong gulo ♪♫

♪♪ Gulong gulo kung sino sa inyo ♪

♫♪ Sino ba sa inyo ang pipiliin ko ♫♪♪

♪♫♪ Dalawa lang sana ang puso ko nang di na malito oh ♫♫

The love month has arrived! <3 <3 <3

This song reminded me of "Sana Dalawa ang Puso Ko" which got popularized when I was in grade school. And yes, there's a handful of people playing in my mind and a whole range of emotions tugging at my heart whenever I hear it.

But I'm not here to recall about past pains. I truly like this music video not only because my girl crush Cai Cortez was in it. It made me feel that we plus size Pinays are equally attractive and lovable. That representation, in my opinion, is something we should celebrate about. More music videos like this please! 

MUSIC MONDAY: MIKA - Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)

♪♪ No need to fantasize ♪♫ ♫♫ Since the words are my praises ♪♫ ♪♫♫ A watering hole with the girls around ♪♪ ♫♪♪ And curves in all the right places ♪♫♪
Some people really know how to crack me up, some how to make me feel glowing with gratitude. But only a few can make me feel that way at the same time. And that's what my BFF succeeded to do in this unexpected birthday tribute. I urge you to watch it. But, hey, make sure your kids get parental guidance. Extreme close-ups can get quite shocking. Haha!

Judging by this post, you can tell how much I adore this song. It's the most fitting song to introduce this musical segment of my blog. Put that music and my favorite photos and a few of my quotable quotes together and I'm ready to cry like a 2-year-old kid.

Deej, have I thanked you enough for this surprise? And I dunno what else to say. This really made my day. I love you!

MUSIC MONDAY: Christina Aguilera - Beautiful

♫♪♪ We are beautiful ♫♪♪
♪♪ No matter what they say ♪♫♫
♫♫ Yes words won't bring us down ♪♫♫
♫♪ Oh no ♪♫
♪♪ We are beautiful ♪♫♫
♪♫ In every single way ♪♫♪
♪♪ Yes, words can't bring us down ♪♫♪
♫♪ Oh no ♪♫♪
♪♫♪ So don't you bring me down today ♪♫♫

The new year has arrived. Did you welcome it with songs of optimism or are you still listening to soliloquys of self-deprecation and/or media's repeated features of "who's beautiful"? Do yourself a favor and forget past hurts and sing along. Feel your heart burn with self-love and warmth. You, too, deserve it.

MUSIC MONDAY: Jason Mraz - The Beauty In Ugly

♫♪ You make all the fashion statements ♪♫♫
♫♫ Just by dressing up your mind ♪♫♪
♫♪♫ And if you wanna get free ♪♫♫
♪♫♫ And if you wanna do the passionate thing ♪♪♫
♫♪ And if you wanna get smart ♪♪♫
♫♪For the sake of your heart and all ♫♫
♪♫ You should own your name ♪♫♪
♪♫♫And stand up tall and get real ♪♫♫
♫♪And see the beauty in ugly ♫♫♪♪
♪♫♫ See the beauty in ugly ♪♪♫

Just got home from the Jason Mraz + Toca Rivera's acoustic concert here in Manila. As you can probably tell, I'm still floating in air with unbridled love, inspiration, hope and gratitude. In spite of my distance from the stage, I could feel his warmth, the genuineness in his "I love yous" and his playful energy. It was beyond beautiful!

Speaking of beautiful, "The Beauty In Ugly" was not included in last night's setlist, making my heart crave for this particular track. I suggest you put this song on repeat mode today, too. Spread the love!

MUSIC MONDAY: Billy Joel - "Just The Way You Are"

♫♪ I said I love you and that's forever ♪♫♫
♫♫ And this I promise from the heart ♪♫♪
♫♪♫ I could not love you any better ♪♫♫
♪♫♫ I love you just the way you are ♪♪♫

Attending What's Your DNA? Discover and Nurture Your Abilities this weekend once again made me dialogue with the suddenly short-haired woman in the mirror and re-examine our mission in this short stay on earth. It was the much-needed checkpoint to investigate on how I make use of my gifts and other potentially unexplored strengths that could further enhance the goddess in me. It was a great reminder of my flaws and weaknesses, too...and they don't make me an inferior or less lovable person. Not at all!

According to Coach Ella, Bily Joel initially felt everything would have been perfect if he were just a bit taller like everyone else. But his mother smothered him with appreciation and encouragement, saying he loves him just the way he is. This aided him in his self-acceptance journey and eventual realization of his musical inclination. Aren't you glad and grateful he came up with such an inspiring song?

MUSIC MONDAY: Dan ex Machina - Beautiful Women, Busy Plot

♪♪ Baby sweet baby in my defense ♪♫♫
♪♫♫ You've plain lost the will to open your heart again ♪♫♪
♫♫ I can do it all faster now ♫♪♫

Here's one cool track from Ask A Guy Who Likes Fat Chicks. Yep, he maintains an amazingly honest and empowering website...and makes music! Where can I get one?

Follow him on Twitter here.

MUSIC MONDAY: Gossip - Pop Goes The World

♫ ♪ For once ♪♪♪
♪♫ We'll do what come naturally ♪♫♫
♪♫ We'll approach it casually ♫♫♫
♪♪ With no apology ♪♫♫
♪♪♫ For once ♪♫♪
♪♫ We will have the final say ♪♪
♫♫ Goodbye to yesterday ♪♫♪
♪'Cause we know we're hear to stay ♪♫♫

What else could make you wake up to a gooood Monday morning than this video? Empowering lyrics, great rhythm, exceptional vocalist with to-die-for fashion sense! Beth Ditto is beyond spellbinding that I completely forgot to check out the drummer and the bassist (yeah, I'm such a groupie!)!

I first heard this track from this beautiful entry from The Plump Pinay. Now I'm hooked to their music! I can't stop my fingers looking for more Gossip videos and more Beth Ditto photos! If you aren't doing the same thing yet, here are some photos to marvel at. I love her!

Found this photo from this entry.


Saw this on Wikipedia. Woot!

MUSIC MONDAY: Katy Perry - Firework

♫♪♪ You don't have to feel like a waste of space ♫♫♪
♪♫♫ You're original, cannot be replaced ♪♫♪
♪♪ If you only knew what the future holds ♪♫♫
♪♫♫ After a hurricane comes a rainbow ♪♫♪

What else could be more liberating than to see the big woman in this music video break free from her difficult past and take a plunge into the pool wearing her bikini and THAT lovely smile? Go check out 2:33 to 2:39 now!

As I have expressed here, the beach [or in this video's case, the pool] is big people's runway, too. If there's anyone who stands in the way, that would have to be the shadow of your self-loathing soul. Come on, let go. You have no idea how goooood it feels inside.

MUSIC MONDAY: Banyuhay ni Heber - Tayo'y Mga Pinoy

♫♪♫ Tayo'y mga Pinoy, tayo'y hindi Kano ♫♪♫
♪♫♫ 'Wag kang mahihiya kung ang ilong mo ay pango ♪♪♪

Why is it so difficult to accept our brown skin and not-so-pointed nose? I admit it took me a while to smother my own skin with praises and, up to now, I continue to battle with this desire for rhinoplasty for aesthetic purposes. This is for every Filipino in whatever stage of body acceptance you are in.

P.S. There are postmodern versions from the late Francis Magalona and Sinag. Take your pick.

MUSIC MONDAY: Freshlyground - "Pot Belly"

♫♪♪ Even though I have fat thighs ♫♫♪
♫♪♪ Flabby arms ♪♫♪
♪♪ A pot belly still gives good loving! ♪♫♫

What else could be more romantic than to this song? Thank you, Freshlyground! You just captured what love is all about!

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

MUSIC MONDAY: MIKA - Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)

Photo lifted from Wikipedia.

♪♪ No need to fantasize ♪♫♫
♫♫ Since the words are my praises ♪♫
♪♫♫ A watering hole with the girls around ♪♪
♫♪♪ And curves in all the right places ♪♫♪

What else would be more heartwarming than having one's son write an inspiring song for his mother and the prejudice she's faced for being plus size? Mika, you rock!

P.S. This video made me want to don a puta red corset and show up as one of his back-up dancers! Have you seen this music video?