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Janet Devlin vs. Janet Devlin

07 Monday Sep 2020

Posted by Paul Kiser in Arts, Book Review, Entertainment, habits, Health, Lessons of Life, Life, Mental Health, Passionate People, Public Image, review, Women, Writing

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2011, 2020, album, artist, Book, Book review, Confessional, cutting, Depression, Janet Devlin, Mental Health, Music, music industry, My Confessional, pop, review, singer, singing, songs, The X Factor

Album and Book REVIEW:  Confessional [album] and My Confessional [book] by Janet Devlin

The Case For and Against Janet Devlin

Your Honor, if it pleases the court, I would like to prove that Janet Devlin is highly intelligent and that she deliberately and systematically has used her intelligence to attack and humiliate Janet Devlin to cause both mental and physical harm.

Someone who produces both an album, titled Confessional and a corresponding book, titled My Confessional, as Ms. Devlin has done, is not of below-average nor even average intelligence. The feat itself proves my contention of higher than average intelligence, brilliant creativity, and an artistic skillset that exceeds the capabilities of most humans. 

In 2011, Ms. Devlin, at the age of 16, gained worldwide fame with a viral performance of Elton John’s, Your Song on Britain’s The X Factor television show. The official video of this performance has over 40 million views. Again, proof of her outstanding intelligence and abilities.

I contend that Ms. Devlin has used her intelligence against Janet. I contend that Ms. Devlin knows that Janet is so intelligent and talented that she perceives almost limitless possibilities and that Ms. Devlin has deceived Janet into believing that if she does not succeed at everything she might see as a possibility, then she has failed.

Further, Ms. Devlin has relentlessly humiliated and shamed Janet by degrading her, forcing her into addictive coping behaviors, and instilling a belief in failure.

The Evidence

Ms. Devlin has admitted to her acts against Janet. In her album, Ms. Devlin admits her sins against Janet. In her book, Janet details the acts that Ms. Devlin convinced her to do to herself.

Of the twelve songs in the album, almost all expose, in raw emotion, the savage cruelty beset upon a child and then a woman by Ms. Devlin. Her mind driven into depression by the belief of failure. In this album alone there is ample proof that Ms. Devlin has tortured Janet for most of her life.

In the twelve chapters of the book, Ms. Devlin writes of using self-doubt to cripple the efforts of Janet to the point that she took to seclusion and alcohol to cope with her feelings of inadequacy. One only has to listen to the music and read the words to know the truth.

The Defense For Janet Devlin

Your Honor, as I represent both the Plaintiff and the Defendant, I must admit that Ms. Devlin admits to her behavior. She has confessed in both word and song to her crimes. She, in fact, has used both the album and book to not only reveal the truth to all that will listen, but she has also gone so far as to bring awareness of how a highly intelligent and talented person can be lost in depression and self-abuse.

Though her actions are reprehensible, the final act of exposing the truth to the world may have a greater impact on Janet and anyone who faces the emotional and physical trauma caused by depression and addiction.

For this reason, I ask that the court grant a reconciliation between Ms. Devlin and Janet on the condition that any further acts of abuse, humiliation, or shame be dealt with quickly and severely. The Prosecution and Defense rest…so that we may listen to the album again. 

Review – Album:  Confessional, Book:  My Confessional

Release: 5 June 2020 Album:  Insomnia Music, Book by Omnibus Press 

Album Category:  Pop, some Gaelic influences

The raw truth of Janet Devlin’s life is disturbing; however, the album, Confessional, that lyrically exposes her internal battle is not a collection of morose songs. The listener might not realize that some songs deal with dark subjects of depression, self-harm, and addiction. This makes the album more than just a confessional, but a highly crafted artistic canvas of emotion and music.

The album begins with an anthem that announces the scope and purpose of the music collection. With one exception, the tracks lyrically stay true to the theme of the anthem. The exception is Big Wide World that is almost a giddy emotional outburst from the rest of the album. Musically, songs such as Cinema Screen, Away With The Fairies, and Holy Water, have an upbeat feel, while other songs carry a softer and/or somber tone. This gives the album a balanced feel that combats the serious, and sometimes disturbing, lyrics of many of the songs. 

Book Category:  Autobiography  [Book Format: Hardcover]

The twelve chapters of the book share the title and order of the songs on the album; however, this is not a “why-I-wrote-this-song” book. Each chapter seems to loosely relate to the album but not in a way that is overt. Ms. Devlin uses prose to tell the story of her life in the book and uses lyrical poetry and music on the album to give an emotional feel to that story. 

The blending of the album and book creates a deep connection to the hidden life of someone betrayed and shredded by a twisted reflection of herself. The book doesn’t allow the reader to be a casual participant. The experiences of depression, cutting, anorexia, isolation all are exposed, but not as the evil afflictions that we think of them. Ms. Devlin becomes the Siren that takes the reader into dangerous waters of mental oddities and self-destruction and gives us a glimpse of how our brains can twist self-harm into a release from self-loathing.

There is no clear explanation for the cause of the type of behavior that Ms. Devlin has lived with since she was a child; however, it is not just a reaction to external trauma, nor an issue of a ‘defective’ brain. What Ms. Devlin accomplishes with the blending of the album and book is an inside view of how a highly intelligent person can be mired in a world of self-loathing and addiction…and perhaps a map of how to get out of that world.   

BOOK:
Informative  ★★★★★
Relevancy  ★★★★★
Readability  ★★★★★
Visuals  ★★★☆☆

Katy Perry’s ‘Chained To The Rhythm’ Liberates Pop

10 Monday Apr 2017

Posted by Paul Kiser in Aging, Branding, Business, Communication, Generational, History, Politics, Pride, Public Image, Public Relations, Women

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2017, album, cd, Chained by the Rhythm, Katy Hudson, katy perry, Music, Pop Artist, pop hits, pop music, Pop star, singer, song, Songwriter

Katy Perry: Rhythm Unchained

A successful pop song needs two critical elements. First, it has to ear appeal to the current audience. This is a standard that evolves over time as pop music tends to find a formula that is addicting, then thousands of wanna-be stars pile on their version of the style, and boredom ensues.

The best pop stars manage to experiment just enough to create a new, fresh sound, without leaving the bounds of the genre. Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, and Shakira have been consistent leaders evolving pop music in the last ten years. This is not to say that other artists haven’t helped to evolve pop music, but these three artists have been the 100-pound royalty in the recording studio.

The second element is lyrics that engage the human brain. Some singers tend to copy the current style of pop music, then tell us about their latest break-up, but that appeals to those who have precious few brain cells to engage. Katy Perry, Gaga, and Shakira typically go beyond the obvious, and trigger thoughts and ideas that touch, rather than tell.

In the past decade years Katy Perry has produced I Kissed A Girl (2008,) Hot N Cold (2008,) Last Friday Night (2010,) Teenage Dream (2010,) E.T. (2010,) California Gurls (2010,) Firework (2010,) Part of Me (2012,) Wide Awake (2012,) Birthday (2013,) Roar (2013,) This Is How We Do (2013,) Dark Horse (2013,) among her top hits. This would be a lifetime of work for most artists, yet she continues to push her status as one of the monarchs of music.

Katy Perry’s latest release, Chained To The Rhythm (2017,) from her upcoming album/CD, is more than just another mega-hit for her. From start to finish this song is a statement about the dark side of the American Dream, and about the unreasonable expectations created in a world where status is equated with human worth, yet this is not a song or video that portrays a downcast view of our current society. Instead, it is an upbeat, happy song that masks the underlining message just enough to engage the audience into the music. It isn’t until the end of the video that a person realizes the full impact of the content of the song.

This mastery of creating music with the key elements of a great pop song, and then weaving in a serious social message, without detracting from the entertainment value, is rarely achieved in the restrained environment of pop music. It keeps Katy Perry relevant as a master of pop music, and as a human being.

Is Taylor Swift Planting Pity Stories?

31 Saturday Jan 2015

Posted by Paul Kiser in Branding, Honor, Internet, Public Image, Public Relations, Social Media Relations, Women

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#katyperry, #superbowl, #taylorswift, HollywoodLife.com, katy perry, Music, pity, pop, Super Bowl, Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift:  Queen of Pity

Taylor Swift: Queen of Pity

Taylor Swift has always been a pity hound. Her ‘woe-is-me’ songs¹ about her failed relationships and enemies have one common denominator, namely, Taylor Swift.

But in the past few months stories about Katy Perry planning to “Diss” Taylor Swift at high-profile events, including tomorrow’s Super Bowl, have been surfacing. Hollywood Life ran almost identical headlines:

Katy Perry & Rihanna Plotting To Diss Taylor Swift At MTV EMAs (Hollywood Life, September 24, 2014)

Katy Perry Planning To Diss Taylor Swift During Super Bowl Performance (Hollywood Life, January 3, 2015)

Multiple media outlets picked up both stories, but all pointed back to Hollywood Life’s story without further evidence of fact. In addition, the actual source of the accusation is never revealed by Hollywood Life, so one can only speculate as to who has the most to gain by planting a ‘woe-is-me’ story.

Based on Swift’s history of pity pimping, it would seem more likely that she is planting stories about Katy Perry, than the Queen of Pop actually conspiring to use her Super Bowl honor to acknowledge the lesser wannabe pop star.

¹Songs and who the song is allegedly about (source):

  • Forever & Always – Joe Jonas
  • Better Than Revenge – Camilla Belle
  • We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together Again – Jake Gyllenhaal
  • Dear John – John Mayer
  • Out of the Woods – Harry Styles
  • Bad Blood – Katy Perry

Thank you Apple!

08 Friday Aug 2014

Posted by Paul Kiser in Business, Communication, Customer Relations, Customer Service, Ethics, Information Technology, Management Practices, Opinion, Public Image, Public Relations, Technology

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account, Amazon, Apple, Google, Google Play, iPhone, iPod, iTunes, Kindle Fire, Music, music library, password, scam, security, security questions

Apple's end product without iTunes, a useless piece of technology

Apple’s end product without iTunes, a useless piece of technology

Recently I was freed of my Apple conflict. Thanks to Apple’s security policy regarding my iTunes account, I no longer use it for buying music.

Like most people I have always used a PC. Apple computers were interesting, but I was always leery of the Apple agenda. I did have iTunes and an iPod and purchased songs through iTunes for most of my musical entertainment.

A few years ago I was given a Kindle Fire for Christmas and I began buying some music from Amazon, but then I had a split music library. One with iTunes. One with Amazon. Fortunately, I quickly discovered that my Kindle Fire couldn’t handle storing my songs, apps, and movies in the Kindle, so that ended my brief affair with Amazon music.

Then last year I was introduced to Google Play. I found that with their service I could play all the songs from my computer on my Android phone. Still, a question remained about the iTunes service I’ve used since I transcended from CD’s to digital.

In this past year, Apple made the decision for me. Apple has created a password security process that is complex and leads the customer to being locked out of his or her iTunes library with no recourse but to start a new iTunes account.

Here’s the way the scam works. During a purchase of an iTunes product, Apple forces the customer into a convoluted process that requires her or him to change their iTunes password and answer a limited choice of possible questions about the customer’s childhood memories. For several months after the customer has been forced to go through the new password procedure Apple allows him or her to make purchases from iTunes without giving the new password. The customer has no cause to recall the password until sufficient time has passed to make the customer forget the new password

However, after six months or so, Apple will spring the trap and make the customer give the complicated password before a purchase. Upon failing to give the correct password, Apple then requires the customer answer the questions about their childhood memories, which are so lame that most people won’t remember the answers.

So, then you contact Apple and get help, right?

Contacting Apple’s “Support” is where you find out how deep the password rabbit hole goes. They will ask for your password. You already tried that and they will, surprise, surprise, also find you don’t know it. They will ask for the answers to the childhood questions. You still don’t know the answers. After that they will ask you for the original credit card number with which you set up your account  iTunes account. When you can’t produce that number, they will ask for the serial number of the first Apple product you owned. In my case, this is the 1st generation iPod that was recalled several years ago.

R.I.P. iPod

R.I.P. iPod

That’s it. Because you can’t answer any of their ridiculous questions they will tell you they can’t do anything more for you. You must set up a new iTunes account and the past digital downloads  must be repurchased.

So now I must thank Apple. I no longer have a conflict with my digital music libraries. Google Play is the best choice and I won’t be purchasing anything from iTunes.

I suppose that someone will file a class action lawsuit with Apple in a few years. Apple emails will probably reveal their strategy to make customers repurchase their digital libraries and a settlement of a few dollars per customer will be made while the attorneys make millions of dollars.

In the meantime, I will listen to ALL my songs I purchased through Google Play. 

Lady Gaga’s ARTPOP Release a Full Frontal Lesson in Pop Music Y2K+13

20 Wednesday Nov 2013

Posted by Paul Kiser in Public Relations, Social Media Relations, Technology, Women

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Applause, ARTPOP, Donatella, Lady Gaga, Music, pop music, popular music

Lady Gaga is the artist that some love to hate, still it’s hard not to be in awe of Lady Gaga’s success. If you want a textbook case of how to create anticipation over an artist’s work, then study Lady Gaga’s newest musical release, ARTPOP. Sans costumes and masks, Lady G demonstrates why she is the reigning queen of popular music even without the flash.

ARTPOP by Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga’s newest ‘album’ ARTPOP 

Delivery of Product
It’s important to have a historical perspective of the journey of an artist’s music from the recording studio to the listener’s ear. When ARTPOP was released last week, millions accessed the ‘album’ without buying a vinyl disc, recorded magnetic tape, cd, nor any tangible media. This is old news, but much of the music industry still fails to accept that the world has changed. Today, music goes from recording studio to the listener in the time it Sarah Palin to say something stupid, yet the music industry is still trying to figure out how to keep old revenue streams (e.g.; CD sales) going despite the new reality.

Quality of Work
While there are rare examples of a great album coming together in a matter of months, most quality music takes time, focus, and dedication. Lady Gaga started work on ARTPOP in 2011 and spent much of 2012 and some of 2013 molding it into a final product. It is said that William Shakespeare did not waste a word in crafting a play. Each line is intended to have meaning and purpose. Such are the songs of ARTPOP.

Art work from ARTPOP

Art work from ARTPOP

How many songs in the ARTPOP collection will be in the Top 10 on the charts is unknown; however, it is clear that each song is crafted for its poetry, musicality, and/or statement on life, sex, and fame. The songs are blatant expressions from the Lady Gaga point of view. This is not music for pre-teens. It is heavily laced with sexuality and statements of passion. She also takes a slaps the fashion industry with Donatella and Fashion! 

ARTPOP is the exclamation point in the pop music industry. Lady Gage uses all aspects of technology and media in conceiving, nurturing, and delivering her artistic creations to the listener. She reaches out to her public, but is not a slave to them. She gives the audience what it wants, and then gives them more. I believe she is sincere singing, “I live for the applause.” (Applause) and just as sincere when she sings, “U can’t have my heart and u won’t use my mind’ (Do What U Want featuring R Kelly.)

ARTPOP is pop music Y2K+13 and Lady Gaga is writing the book on how it’s done.

(NOTE:  This review was not solicited nor was any form of compensation offered in exchange for the views expressed.)

King of Anything: Sara Bareilles song reflects Social Media vs Traditional Media attitudes

12 Monday Jul 2010

Posted by Paul Kiser in Branding, Communication, Customer Relations, Customer Service, Information Technology, Internet, Lessons of Life, Management Practices, Passionate People, Print Media, Public Relations, Relationships, Rotary, Social Interactive Media (SIM), Social Media Relations, Traditional Media

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Bloggers, Blogging, Blogs, Facebook, Kaliadoscope Heart, King of Anything, LinkedIn, Music, New Business World, Newspapers, Public Image, Public Relations, Rotary, Sara Bareilles, Social Media, Social Networking, Twitter

by Paul Kiser
USA PDT  [Twitter: ] [Facebook] [LinkedIn] [Skype:kiserrotary or 775.624.5679]

Paul Kiser

It’s interesting to me how a song can make my day. Today I listened to a new song by Sara Bareilles called, ‘King of Anything‘ and it makes me smile every time I hear it. The song went on sale and the video was released late last month. I have downloaded the song (legally, on iTunes) and watched the video several times and I am enjoying both even though my song count is nearing an obsession.

(see the King of Anything video here)

Part of my attraction to the song is the music. It is an upbeat tune that sounds whimsical even though the lyrics are more serious. The chorus of the song is:

Sara Bareilles upcoming cd Kaleidoscope Heart

“Who cares if you disagree?
You are not me.
Who made you King of Anything?
So you dare tell me who to be,
who died and made you King of Anything?”

In Ms. Bareilles description of the song on Wikipedia, she says, “‘King of Anything’ is sort of a ‘f**k you’ song,” which it is, but I find a lot more in the song that relates to what Social Media has been saying to Traditional Media for over a decade.

Traditional Media (television, radio, books, magazines, etc.) have been ruled by editors and producers. They have sat on the throne of their own making deciding what we should see, hear, and read. Directors and editors have played the role of spoon-feeding the public the information they see fit and controlling the message. Usually their efforts have been an honorable attempt to provide information to the public, but more recently their have been efforts to intentionally influence the hearts and minds of the public with manipulated news through FOX news and via personalities like Rush Limbaugh.

Social Media has quietly become the force that has been giving each person the option to decide for themselves. We can talk, build groups of like-minded friends/followers, research, read first-hand reports, and explore the knowledge and experience of millions of other individuals. Social Media has challenged Traditional Media by asking, “Who made you King of anything?” The result has been a collapse of the house of cards that Traditional Media has built. Advertising and sales revenues have been dropping across the board as people now question the usefulness of media that is controlled by a few, and almost always behind the curve in information and trends.

Single released in May 2010

But back to the song. Sara Bareilles has a great line near the end where she says, “Let me hold your crown, babe.” While I fully understand the meaning (the middle finger is involved,) I’ll suggest that in Social Media we all hold the crown … and nobody needs to wear it to be heard. Traditional Media is dead. Long live the King!

(Sara Bareilles website)

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