coachellaaaa

I fulfilled a lifelong dream of mine this past April when Drew and I attended Coachella Music & Arts Festival and it was just that, A DREAM COME TRUE!!!

Rewind to sometime last fall, when Sigur Rós announced they would be performing alongside the L.A. Philharmonic Orchestra for a few shows in April aka the most magical set ever, right?! (Right). Because God is real, the dates of the shows coincided with Weekend 1 of Coachella soooo being the millenials that we are, we decided to wait until the Coachella lineup was released to determine if we would make a giant musical weekend in California out of this happy coincidence. You can probably guess what our decision was :) I should also add that not only was this BEST lineup in 5+ years, but this was also the first time I was not at the mercy of BYU finals week so I actually could attend without any other obligations. #BLESSED

TBH I don't have the energy or desire to recount all my favorites from the weekend, but just know there were A LOT! This is what I get for not posting this earlier...at this point I don't care to share lolwoops. Instead, here's a lil video I made from the weekend! Coachella was amazing and I would 100% go again!

best of 2016: music

Per nobody's request, I made my fourth annual list to commemorate my favorite music released in 2016. Over a week late, but here it is.

Top 20 Tracks of 2016:
20. Animal Spirits- Vulpeck
I dare you not to listen to this without bopping your head and dancing along !!

19. Burn the Witch- Radiohead
How could this comeback single that took Radiohead over a decade to finally complete NOT make my list? Those dramatic strings in the first few measures were enough to make their four-year absence well worth the wait.

18. A Lovely Night- Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone
At this point, everyone and their mother is telling you to go watch La La Land if you haven't already. It is definitely one of my favorite movies of the year (I'll talk about all of them in a separate post!) and it's no secret that the music was also great. This song was in my favorite scene in the movie, where Sebastian and Mia tap dance together against that gorgeous L.A. sunset after attending the same party. Can we all agree that no two actors of this time have more onscreen chemistry than Ryan + Emma?? I could marry them both.

17. 22 (OVER SooooN)- Bon Iver
One of my main critiques of 22, A Million is that I truly have no idea how to say (or clearly spell) any of the song titles?! Like why must we be go back to AIM profile aesthetics from 2006? I wasn't overjoyed by Bon Iver's comeback as a whole, but there were a few tracks that again reminded me that I love Justin Vernon's voice more than most.

16. Same Drugs- Chance the Rapper
To be honest, I didn't give Coloring Book a thorough listen until I watched Chance perform on SNL's Christmas episode. I was feeling it and Chance is just so cute?! I never noticed before.

15. Ultralight Beam- Kanye West
Once again, within the year Kanye makes everyone hate him in all other aspects except for his music. This first track is the perfect opener to the nearly flawless Life of Pablo.

14. It's All in Vain- Wet
Wow I just loved loved loved every song from Don't You. My inner dancer will always add my favorite "if I were a choreographer I would choreograph a contemporary/slow hip-hop boy/girl duo to this song" song of the year and this one earned that title.

13. Ivy- Frank Ocean
Hey remember when Frank Ocean faked everyone out at least twice a year for the past four years about his new album release and then it FINALLY happened in August?!? Good thing the entire album is incredible so I totally forgive him!

12. Bourbon- Gallant
This list wouldn't be complete without at least one hella sexy-chill vibing songs from the year and this one totally takes the cake.

11. Feels (Jai Wolf remix)- Kiiara
So I know that this single technically came out in 2015...but this particular remix and Kiiara's EP were both released in 2016 sooo I'm totally justified. She was my favorite new artist from the past two years too, so she deserves this.

10. Kiss It Better- Rihanna
badgirlriri at her finest. ANTI was surprisingly one of my favorite albums of the year and I was jamming to this track in particular when it first came out.

9. A Beautiful Sea- Sing Street
I loved the movie Sing Street so much that I even blogged about it after watching it for the first time. True story. This soundtrack is definitely one of the best from 2016 and I  had a hard time picking just one of the super fun 80's-inspired tunes from the movie. Watch this if I haven't already bugged you enough about it!

8. Cranes in the Sky- Solange
This was truly the year of the Knowles sisters. First Beyoncé hit us with Lemonade (which I will GET TO in a hot second) but then Solange released another politically charged album that truly hit it out of the park. Every single music video from Seat at the Table was visionary and the inspiration behind the making of the album needs to be known. Just today I read an article from Interview mag where Beyoncé conducts an interview with Solange and she talks all about it. Definitely worth the read!

7. All Night- Beyoncé
Told you I would get to Lemonade in a hot second. All I can say about this album is dayummmm. Seriously. The Queen delivered yet again and Lemonade was on the top of almost every single music blog's picks from 2016. WITH GOOD REASON. Quick story, Lemonade was released on the weekend we were traveling to Europe. We were in the airport for a long layover in Boston and figured we should have some good tunes to listen to while we road-tripped across Iceland (rightly assuming we wouldn't have Wi-Fi for the majority of the week), so I bought the album right then and there and we proceeded to watch the film in the airport. Both of us were hooked and surprisingly enough, Drew had zero complaints throughout the next two weeks of traveling when all I wanted to listen to was Beyoncé! He was officially converted to the Beyhive. The end. Oh right, the song. 'All Night' serves as the 'forgive u boo, luv u boo' track at the conclusion of the album and is a new go-to slow jam for me.

6. Real Love Baby- Father John Misty
So happy and 70's sing-songy. If I could have another wedding, I would want to this to be our first dance.

5. I Love You Always Forever- Betty Who
I try to avoid including covers on this list, but I listened to this song on repeat for several days when I first discovered it. If I could have another wedding, I would want this to be in our wedding video.

4. Waves- Kanye West
I give myself a two song limit per artist on here, and I did just that for the artists I believe released the best albums this year.  First of which would have to go to Kanye. Team Breezy + Yeezy FOREVER (they are both terrible people but damn can they sing).

3. Solo- Frank Ocean
This !!!!! I go HARD on the chorus of this song every time I listen to it in the car. Frankie baby, please don't make us wait another four years for more beautiful music. Blonde was simply brilliant and I knew it would be one of my favorite albums of the year before I even listened to it in its entirety.

2. Hey Big Star- Kishi Bashi
Spotify notified me that this was my single most played song in the year 2016, so that pretty much tells you everything you need to know. It's no secret that Kishi Bashi holds a special place in my heart. One of the saddest days of my year was missing his concert in SLC with my husband because I was in Lancaster for Nic's homecoming :( (something I can hold over his head for years to come). Although Sonderlust wasn't a home run for me, 'm'lover', 'Say Yeah', 'Statues in a Gallery' and 'Honeybody' were the other stellar tracks that showcased Kishi Bashi in all his glory.

1. Hold Up- Beyoncé
One of my biggest regrets of 2016 was not finding an outrageous yellow dress in time for Halloween so I could recreate Beyoncé's lewk from this music video. This song was everything amazing about Lemonade and I think I love it even more because of how iconic that music video was. Truly my most played track of the year (but of course your girl hasn't released this album on Spotify yet, so I'm just guessing here).


My honorable mentions are also included in this playlist. Have a listen and happy 2017!

a beautiful sea.

This past Saturday was one of my favorite Saturdays in a while. A few months ago, Drew and I made a day date out of driving up to Salt Lake City to see a double feature at the Broadway, an independent film theater that is part of the Salt Lake Film Society (SLFS). We are big supporters of the SLFS and love that we get the treat to see some great indie flicks that don't always make it down to Provo. We figured we'd have to do it again once all of the Sundance favorites began trickling into select theaters. So on Saturday, we did just that! The day started with Sing Street, then we tried out the new Nordstrom Grill for dinner, finishing off with a late night viewing of Swiss Army Man. I'm still thinking about both movies, so I felt the need to share the goodness over here!

Sing Street is officially my new favorite movie of 2016. It's the kind of movie I could watch over and over again, and I can't think of anyone who wouldn't enjoy it. It's the perfect amount of happy sad. The characters are lovable and hilarious: teenage boys without the teenage angst, who would do anything for their ~art~. And don't even get me started on the music here. When we discussed the movie over dinner, Drew said that it was exactly the kind of movie he wants to make one day. He's always said that if (when!!) he makes a movie, he wants it to be either set in the 80's, or have a score of all 80's music. I've been listening to the soundtrack non-stop since Saturday. The songs that weren't originally written for the movie (all of which are brilliant and incredibly catchy) include the hits of Duran Duran, A-ha, The Cure, and more. What's not to love?? I can't rave about this movie enough! So go watch it now!

"Maybe you're living in my world. I'm not living in yours. You're just material for my songs." 

-Cosmo

 "The problem is, you're not being happy sad. That's what love is, Cosmo. Happy sad." -Raphina

Swiss Army Man was a totally different story. I hesitate to recommend this to everyone because it caused quite the stir at the Sundance premiere, with several people actually walking out of the theater throughout the movie. So yes, it's weird. It's downright disgusting at times. But it's also tender, beautiful, and magical. In summary, Daniel Radcliffe's lifeless body brings Paul Dano's character, a suicidal castaway, back to life. It's unlike anything I've ever seen, and most people agree that it's impossible to categorize. It's a heartwarming story of life and friendship, told in the most imaginative, demented, and visionary way possible. Again, the music is what's really selling it to me! The story dips in tandem with the phenomenal compositions by Manchester Orchestra's Andy Hull and Robert McDowell, with Paul and Daniel helping along with the sound effects in the most hilarious ways. It's the kind of movie that you still think about and talk about with those who watched it with you. So please, if you do venture to see this, let's discuss!

Manny: "You want to go home so you can have love, but you ran away because nobody loves you."

Hank: "Shut up! You can't just say everything that comes into your head, that's bad talking!"

"Before the Internet every girl was a lot more special." -Hank

"If my best friend hides his farts from me then what else is he hiding from me, and why does that make me feel so alone?" -Manny

^^the kind of disturbing yet real questions that really make you think !

Both soundtracks are now on Spotify so I recommend that you 1. Go watch both movies and then 2. Proceed to listen to the soundtracks for a good time! 

I love movies and I love the SLFS so much. I owe it to the fact that I married a huge film buff who has given me an even greater appreciation for the art of filmmaking. I'm trying to make this a thing to write more movie reviews on here, so we'll see how it goes!

best of 2015

It's that time of year again!! Time to share with y'all what my favorites in music were in 2015! My resolution for next year is to have read enough books and watched enough movies that I can also compile 'best of' lists for those respectively...but this year was a little bit too crazy for me to accomplish that. It has been my favorite year thus far, but also the busiest. Maybe I'm losing my cool, but this mostly just contains a lot of my old favorites that came out with new music in 2015 as opposed to many newbies. Which also means this list is pretty pop-heavy, but whatever. It was a great year for pop and I shouldn't apologize for that.

With that intro out of the way, here are my top 20 tracks of 2015: 

20. Love Me Like You Do- Ellie Goulding

LOL @ me and the fact that my list from 2014 also started with Ellie. She is my #1 girl crush after all. However, I will be honest and say that Delirium was a little bit of a letdown as a whole, especially since it was a follow-up to 2012's Halcyon which was damn near perfect. But don't worry, I still bought my tix to see her take it on tour next year :) This track was certainly a highlight from the album and I don't even care that it was written for the 50 Shades movie (vom).

19. Disciples- Tame Impala

A fun dance-y track from a stellar album. Currents was excellent, but this head-boppin' tune was my favorite.

18. It's Strange- Louis The Child ft. K. Flay

My first of several Hypem treasures to make the list. I love the use of xylophones and synths and everything in between. Honestly listen to this on repeat almost everywhere I walk on campus. It's hard not to sway my hips to this beat when I do so.

17. Hold My Hand- Jess Glynne

Shout-out to my favorite sister missionary Emilee for first showing me this song many moons ago! Don't worry guys, it was long before she actually left on her mission, so no rule breaking here. I just love this happy girl-power tune from the opening bangs on the piano to the last note.

16. Leaf Off / The Cave- José González

I saw José with Drew back in April and even though I was so sleepy by the end of the show (sorry José), it was incredible. I specifically remember loving his performance of this song, but it is only one of the many beautiful tracks on Vestiges & Claws.

15. Landslide- Oh Wonder

Another Hypem find, this song has the kind of sexychill vibes that I live for. The guy/girl duo singing together makes everything sound so intimate and cool. 

14. Anna- Will Butler
The main reason this song made the list is because of this perfect video. How fun is that?! Emma Stone is the ultimate cool girl. The end.

13. Ship To Wreck- Florence + The Machine

MAH GIRL FLO. We all know this chick has pipes and this song showcases that fact beautifully. It is still my dream to see her perform live. I will probably reach enlightenment when it happens. 

12. Cheerleader- Omi (Felix Jaehn Remix)

I will go so far as to say this was the song of the summer. I played this song a ridiculous amount of times when I first heard it. I think everyone was at least a little bit addicted to it at one point, even if you don't want to admit it.

11. Loud Places- Jamie xx, Romy

If I could objectify this song, it would be a glittering disco ball. Does that make any sense? Just listen to it and I bet you'll agree with me.

10. Fool for Love- Lord Huron

Lord Huron is a band I fell for back in 2012 when they made their debut and returned with a sophomore album this year! Not quite up there with Lonesome Dreams, but this track fits in seamlessly with all my original folksy favorites.

9. Gibraltar- Beirut

Yessss Beirut is back! My two favorite tracks from No No No were in fact No No No and Gibraltar, but the use of all that percussion working so coherently with Zach Condon's silky voice made this track a stand-out for me.

8. Omen- Disclosure, Sam Smith

Everyone's favorite collaboration, wouldn't you say? Ever since the world discovered Latch, it's been made clear that these guys are a match made in heaven. Caracal is chock-full of hard-hitting collabs, but this one is by far my favorite. If you need further convincing, they even did a cover together of Hotling Bling on a BBC Live session that is pure GOLD.

7. Make Them Gold- CHVRCHES

It's no surprise to anyone that this made the list. CHVRCHES is claaaassic synth-pop genius as well as an all-time favorite of mine. Every single track on Every Open Eye ruled. I saw them live for the second time this year, and that ruled just as much. I chose this song because it could totally be in a John Green movie adaptation when the guy and girl are driving around together with the windows down. Think about it.

6. push pull- Purity Ring

When Purity Ring dropped the magic that was Another Eternity, I had trouble listening to anything else for a solid month. push pull is just one of many dazzling tracks, but I distinctly remember being so transfixed during their performance of it when I saw them in May. This was for sure my favorite concert that I attended this year. Wait I lied, Taylor Swift was...but this was a very close second.

5. Where Are Ü Now- Justin Bieber, Skrillex, Diplo
Yes, unfortunately it happened. I became a Belieber. I've always been a fan of his Christmas album, but this year Justin made quite the comeback and made us (almost) forget how much of a douche he is. What Do You Mean, Sorry, and Love Yourself were all standouts from Purpose, but this song just makes me lose it on the dance floor.

4. Tennessee- Kiiara
Definitely the best Hypem track I discovered this year by far. I get the chillest of vibes from this and I hope she will soon release many more songs!

3. Entropy- Grimes, Bleachers
I am such a fan of Grimes AND Bleachers so naturally I am obsessed with this collaboration and hope it happens again in the future. This song is just so happy and makes me feel so good whenever I listen to it.

2. The Only Thing- Sufjan Stevens
Ugh. Where do I even begin? I couldn't even pick a favorite from Carrie & Lowell because I love them all equally, but I decided on one I loved just an infinitesimal amount more than most. This is Sufjan at his best. He returned to the stripped-down sound of Seven Swans, but it was even better. I love Sufjan the most when it's this simple. Just him, his hella sad lyrics sung by his beautiful whispery voice, and a guitar or piano. Listening to this album was like listening to him for the very first time, but it's even more intimate, personal, and beautiful. Can't rave about it enough.

1. Downtown- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Eric Nally, Melle Mel, Kool Moe Dee & Grandmaster Caz 
No, this is not a joke. I am 100% serious with this choice. I know it's laughable, but I kid you not, Drew and I will blast this song almost every time we start driving anywhere. I've listened to it so much that I've practically mastered all the lyrics, raps included. It's a brilliant and hilarious combination of so many good things. Like the chorus just makes me so happy I can't really explain why. The music video is such a spectacle, you can't help but love it. And can I just say Eric Nally's voice is insanely amazing? I thought it was a woman's the first time I heard it, which makes me love it even more. So yeah, oddly enough this is my favorite song of the year.

Welp, there you have it. Thanks for reading, and please share your favorites with me! I'd love to hear them. In the meantime, check out my Spotify playlist with all of the above songs, plus another 25 of my honorable mentions: 

wedding: part III

Bet you thought you heard the last of my wedding by now, huh?? HA JOKES ON U. But guess what?! Our wedding video is finally finally DONE. It really is a Christmas miracle.  I have been waiting for this finished product for almost four months now and after watching it as many times as I have (too many to count), I can honestly say it was worth the wait. It brings back so many joyous/hilarious/tender memories of what was the happiest August weekend.

There's not much else to say about the video other than it's perfect, but I will anyway because there are people I need to thank! Firstly, I have to give my sweet husband a lot of credit, because I have been constantly nagging him for the past few months to get this effing thing done. I've been so annoying and Drew has been so awesome. Even though I give him a hard time about it, I really am very thankful he's been too busy to work on this sooner. He's been hired on for so many other projects this past semester, not to mention the fact that he recently accepted a new job where he will soon be working full-time, all while finishing up his last semester of college. He works so hard and I am so proud of him! I am constantly impressed whenever I get to see his finished projects. He is so creative and talented. Hire him! ;) 

And of course, the work of our trusty camera man for the weekend cannot go unnoticed! Jordan was such a champ throughout the entire wedding and we were so glad that he was able to fly out to document these special events for us. He captured all of the best moments and I would be lying if I told you I didn't spend hours upon hours watching the raw footage he first gave us, all of which I loved just the same! He was so fun to work with and I was so happy with how well he worked with our fabulous photographer, Monika :) You guys are the bomb.

So without further ado, here's the video! You'll laugh, you'll cry...because you're laughing so hard (#namethatquote)

Videographer: Jordan Wheeler
Editor: Drew Tekulve
Song 1: Samskeyti by Sigur Rós
Song 2: The Ballad of Mr. Steak by Kishi Bashi

PS- if you care to see more of our wedding in pictures, hop on over here and here! bye!

i could dance to this beat

Hiiiii remember me and how I said I had a bajillion things to blog about from the month of August? Here's the last of it, I promise. After our perfect wedding weekend and our equally perfect honeymoon in Kaua'i, we flew to California for honeymoon week pt. 2 if you will, before starting real life in Provo. It started off with a few days of recuperating, followed by a day in San Diego, a day in L.A., and concluded with our open house. I just got all the pictures back from our open house, so I figured this was as good a time as any to talk about all of it.

After fighting off the jet-lag for two days, we decided it was time to leave the house. The San Diego Temple was high up there on my list of temples I want to visit, so our first day consisted of just that. We went for an endowment session in the early afternoon and it was completely empty. Considering it was an August day in California, we were pretty surprised. Shouldn't there be weddings going on left and right? Well, lucky for us we got the whole place to ourselves which was a really cool experience, plus we got a private tour of the sealing rooms. That temple is, in my opinion, the second prettiest temple of our church. Nothing beats D.C. though. Obviously ;) The architect is actually Catholic, which makes total sense because it is the most castle/cathedral-like of all our temples today. Similar to the D.C. Temple, it just pops up out of nowhere as you're driving on the freeway and is the most stunning and regal site.

 The next day was spent in L.A. as I anxiously awaited the main event of the week...Taylor Swift's 1989 tour at the Staples Center!!! (Hence this blog post title being T-swift lyrics. But which one?! 10 points to Gryffindor if you can finish them). It is a very long and convoluted story as to how I miraculously got my hands on a ticket the day before the concert, so HMU if you want to hear about it. In the meantime, we stopped by to play at the The Getty Center. This place is an architectural marvel. I was honestly more captivated by the buildings themselves than the actual artwork inside. And I'm a museum lover, so that is saying something! After walking around for a few hours, we hit up a chic little Thai-Japanese fusion restaurant in Santa Monica and then I said goodbye to Drew as he dropped me off at the Staples Center to party with Tay all by myself. Thanks Dad!! Seriously though, Drew earned so many dad points that night. Luckily he spent the majority of the concert hanging out with some old friends who live in L.A., but having to navigate back to pick me up amidst the insane post-concert traffic must have been brutal. It brought me back to the days of my own daddy dropping us (me, Ynna, and whichever friends came with us) off at Jonas Brothers concerts and having to kill three hours before picking us up again. So sorry guys. Good thing I married someone so patient and kind who knew how much attending this concert meant to me :)

But about the concert...it was such a party and I loved every second of it. Here's the thing, I have a weird relationship with Taylor where I actually think she'd be extremely annoying in person. Her girl next door, adorkable, gift-giving, cat-loving persona seems a little more forced each day, but I still love her and her music and her glam squad of friends. Say what you will about her, but she's a genius in the industry. Not to mention the fact that she puts on a great show. I've never witnessed so many pyrotechnics, moving stages, back-up dancers, or costume changes in one concert. It didn't even matter that I was dancing and singing by myself, THAT'S how much fun I had. I did however wish I had my mom or Ynna sitting next to me (the biggest T-swift fans I know), but I'm glad that by the end of the 1989 tour, we can all say we were in attendance at one of her shows in our respective cities.

The real reason we were in California was to get everything ready for our open house which took place in the Tekulve's backyard. Besides our families, we had so many people come to help during the day to set up and it was all thanks to them that it turned out so beautifully. It was such a pleasant evening meeting so many of Drew's friends from his home ward or high school that I had heard so much about before. It was so awesome to see everyone that wasn't able to attend the wedding come by to offer their love and support for us! *Bonus*: it gave me another excuse to wear my wedding dress <3

All open house pictures by Kylie Chevalier

Welp, that concludes my stories about August and all the craziness and happiness that it was. Definitely the best summer of my life thus far. Thanks for reading and hopefully I'll have some fabulous upcoming posts all about ~*newlywed wife*~ so stay tuned if you're into that kind of thing.

wedding: part II

The best party that I have ever and will ever host went down at our wedding reception and it was perfect. My reception venue was probably my favorite that I've ever encountered. I first visited John Wright for dinner over Christmas break with my parents, and of all the places we later looked at for potential venues, I couldn't stop thinking about this one. The setting was unreal and fit our vision perfectly. The building itself was so cool with lots of exposed brick and pipes that I knew would compliment my décor so well. But then THE VIEWS, MAN. You'll see what I mean later on, but the restaurant sat right on the Susquehanna River and was the perfect backdrop for the event.

If there was one detail about my wedding that I loved most of all (other than being sealed and having a husband forever), it would be my dress. I probably explained how it came to be at least 40  different times that night, but I will do so one last time for y'all. The dress itself is a strapless bhldn from a few seasons ago. I fell in love with it as soon as I first saw it online many moons ago, and told myself that I would get married in it. I miraculously found the dress whilst dress shopping in Georgetown and there was one more left in stock in my size AND on sale, so of course I ordered it A$AP. Can you say meant2b?!? Next was the tricky 'how do I make this modest without looking heinous' debacle that all us morms can attest to. I found a beautiful lace bolero on Etsy and brought it to a seamstress here in Utah who not only lined it but attached a sash to the bottom of it to make it look like one single ensemble. The last touch was the veil which I designed at Sweetheart Bridal. And VOILA! It was so unique and beautiful and the one comment I got the most was "it is so you!" Maybe that's a good thing, maybe that's the only nice thing they could think of, but I 100% agree. I wouldn't have been able to pick out a more "me" dress if I tried. 

What did I tell you about the view. AH I cannot. The brick building overlooking the river was just too much for me. From the venue itself there were also some pretty picturesque views of the farm land that my hometown is famous for, so I'm glad my wedding could reflect that as well. It was the most perfect day and the outdoor pictures turned out beautifully!! We were seriously so #blessed with wonderful weather (aka lighting) all weekend long. I have a testimony of the power of prayer! But really. I had been praying for nice weather for a while before the wedding and it was calling for a 90% chance of thunderstorms the entire week leading up to it in both D.C. and Wrightsville. Die weather apps, you have no power over my wedding. 

If you've read any of my other posts (so flattered if you do!), then you are probably aware of my love for antiques, vintage markets, and decorating. Naturally, I wanted my wedding to reflect my love for these things. Thanks to the help of Fiffer Raush, Betsy Kohr, and of course my mother, we were able to make my dream reception a reality. I was smitten with all the little details that came together so perfectly. I think I was most proud of that flower wall. Our house was a paper flower making factory as my mom and I worked on them for hours on end during the week prior to the reception. Look familiar to anyone?! My friends made similar ones at my bridal shower and I loved them so much that we recreated them for my reception. So thank you to my girl Carly for the idea!

One of the more ~tender~ moments of the evening was our first dance as Mr. & Mrs. Tekulve. We chose Q&A by Kishi Bashi because I guess you could say it's our jam. Kishi is our jam in general, and we both have a lot of fond memories involving his music. His concert in L.A. last summer was one of the first we ever attended together, and we even deemed his album Lighght as the anthem of summer 2k14. That summer dating each other and going on so many adventures was one of my favorites ever (second only to this past summer because hi, I got married). The lyrics are TOO precious, as Kishi wrote them about his own wife. It was the perfect song for us and dancing with Drew then, and always, is one of my all-time favorite things <3

For the full effect, feel free to listen to our dance mix HERE as you peruse these photos. This was by far my favorite part of the night because I ~*LIVE 2 DANCE*~. Both Drew and I love tearing it up at parties, weddings, or even in our apartment, so we knew that our own wedding would have to top them all. And in my opinion, it totally did. Because we are both very passionate about music, we made the cocktail/dinner playlist and the dance mix ourselves to assure that only the very best and our very favorites were played. We gave our DJs the biggest headaches for giving them such specific instructions and for not actually letting them do their job, but I have no regrets. Nobody likes a sub-par dance playlist with only five people pity-dancing. Highlights of the mix included everyone losing their SHIZ to Countdown, belting out Burnin' Up with my fellow JoBro super fans (you know who you are), and playing Time of My Life as our "exit" song, because it was the closest I could get to fulfilling my childhood dream of remaking the Dirty Dancing finale at my wedding.

Welp, that's all folks. Thank you to Monika and Jordan for flying out so you could work your magic behind the camera to capture this weekend in pictures and video for us to keep forever. Thank you to our bridal party for traveling so far and looking so fly in your matching outfits. Thank you to all of our friends for your outpouring of love and support. Thank you to my wonderful family for giving us the most perfect wedding. Thank you to Drew for being mine forever. And thank you for reading!!!

best of 2014

Tis the season for end-of-year lists! After finishing the fall 2k14 semester of hell, I was looking forward to spending two weeks at home full of sleeping far too much, reading for fun, and having the compilation of this list be the only stressor throughout my entire trip. It has been absolutely glorious. So without further ado, here is the best music of 2014, according to me: 

Top 20 Tracks of 2014:

(in no particular order because having to rank these proved to be impossible)

20. Beating Heart- Ellie Goulding

Would this list even be a list by me if I didn't start off with my #1 girl crush? The answer is no. I love Ellie and everything she releases is glorious. Remember when I saw her in May from the front row and we made eye contact and I died a little? Me too. 

19. Halmstad- Linnea Henriksson

I first discovered this Swedish pop star two years ago when she released "Lyckligare Nu" and I listened to it on repeat for a solid two weeks. Her music has an addicting quality to it that I just can't quit. I reacted about the same to "Halmstad" and listened to it until I had all the wrong Swedish lyrics memorized.

18. Somethin- Waterbed

Previously known as MVSCLES, Waterbed came out with a couple of truly great singles this past year. I first discovered them on Facebook a few months ago and I'm anxiously awaiting a full length album! 

17. Get Away- CHVRCHES

I was scratching my head when I heard about the re-release of the "Drive" soundtrack, because 1, that movie is only three years old and 2, it already has an awesome soundtrack. But when I learned it meant the making of this synthpop track from one of my favorite bands, I didn't complain. Fun fact: the CHVRCHES concert in April was the first show Drew and I attended together. Awww :)

16. Love Never Felt So Good- Michael Jackson ft. Justin Timberlake

The release of XSCAPE was such a happy surprise to the fans who are still mourning the loss of the King of Pop. Classic MJ, always making you envious of his dance moves when you try to sing and dance along. I personally like to pretend I'm one of Justin's back-up dancers on tour whenever I listen to it.

15. From The Night- Stars

This groovy jam warranted a written post from me on Provo Yacht Club a few months back. This is my shameless plug about the music blog Provo Yacht Club, created by Drew and Andy. I frequently contribute to the writing, and new music is released on the daily. Check it out so you can read more about not only this track, but oodles of other fresh tunes.

14. Stay With Me- Sam Smith

If this breakout star of 2014 didn't make your list, check yourself. I had a difficult time choosing just one of his many beautiful ballads, but I had to go with his most famous single. From the first three notes he just reels you in and gives you all the feels. So much heart and so much talent. Thank you Sam, you have the voice of an angel. Now pretty please come to Salt Lake City in the near future.

13. Let Go- RAC

Strangers Part 1 by RAC was full of some of the best remixes of the year. This track was no exception. It gives you a spring in your step and you can't help but bop your head to the beat.

12. Oh Sailor- Mr. Little Jeans ft. The Silverlake Conservatory of Music Youth Chorale

I'm a sucker for anything that features a children's choir in it. I think it adds such a beautiful and innocent touch to any song. This one was even more upbeat than what children's choirs normally contribute to, which made it that much more fun. 

11. Say You Love Me- Jessie Ware

This song spoke to the contemporary dancer in me. I just pictured a duo between a boy and girl with lots of lifts, lots of emotion, and lots of sexy chill vibes. 

10. Rollercoaster- Bleachers

I've always been a huge fan of FUN., so when I heard about Jack Antonoff's new side project, I was eager for some more happy-go-lucky beats. Bleachers did not disappoint and all of the tracks on the album were definitely tons of FUN. (sorry)

9. In the Future- Architecture in Helsinki

If I can dance to a song, no matter how dumb or poppy it may be, I will like it. People always make fun of the breathy quality of the voices in Architecture in Helsinki, but I love them and I love this song. So much spunk and sass. 

8. Beggin For Thread- Banks

Speaking of sexy chill vibes, this right here is the queen of them. I looove this chick and her concert in Salt Lake this past October was amazing. She's gorgeous, impossibly cool, and just the right amount of #dark.

7. New Romantics- Taylor Swift

I'm pretty sure my white girl card would be revoked if I didn't mention my girl Tay. Once she finally came to terms with the fact that she has actually been a pop singer for the majority of her career, she exploded even more than you thought she could. Taylor just knows what sells and how to sell it. As I've once heard, "life's too short to pretend you don't like catchy Taylor Swift songs." WHY this song is only on her deluxe edition still remains a mystery because it's my favorite on 1989. You can bet I'll be in the crowd screaming along with preteen girls when she takes this baby on tour. 

6. Shattered & Hollow- First Aid Kit

Oh where do I even begin with these soulful, sisterly, Swedish songbirds? Stay Gold was pure genius and these two are some of the best folk singers out there. Their concert this past November was definitely my favorite show I attended in 2014. It was a religious experience. Also they were so glam and I would kill for their tour wardrobe.

5. How Did It Get Dark So Fast?- Tall Tall Trees

I love me a talented banjo player. Mike Savino played for Kishi Bashi on his tour this past summer when I saw them in LA, and his banjo solos were spectacular. Just when I thought I had this list finalized, he dropped this phenomenal EP a few weeks ago. Thanks Mike, keep it up.

4. Chasing Kites- iamiamwhoami

I know I said these aren't in any particular ranking, but starting with this song (thus indicating my Top 4), they are. Despite the 40 second long intro, this song is perfect. This Scandinavian goddess's album Blue is all around amazing, but this song is by the far the best track. If you haven't noticed, this list is composed of a lot of synth-pop...sorry but Iamwhatiam (see what I did there?)

3. To The Top- Twin Shadow

Oh man. This song. I give Drew full credit for making me fall so hard for this song. It sounds so powerful it could be an anthem for a generation. I can't help but feel triumphant and joyous whenever I listen to it. Both Drew and I can't help but to belt out the lyrics any time it comes on either. Sadly, Drew was in London when Twin Shadow opened at the Twilight Concert Series in July, but I think I sang loud enough for us both.

2. Jealous (I Ain't With It) and Come Alive- Chromeo

Ok ok I know I broke the rules. But it was literally impossible to choose between these two fantastically fun tracks from Chromeo's White Women. I am all for the nüdisco craze that has recently swept the music scene. Many other songs of this genre receive honorable mentions from me. Both of these have been my go-to dance party songs this year, and I don't think I could ever tire of them.

1. The Battle of Mr. Steak- Kishi Bashi

According to my "Spotify 2014 Review," this is my most played song, Lighght is my most played album, and Kishi Bashi is my most played artist of the year. I previously deemed this the summer song of 2014, but I will go so far as to call it the song of the year. Well, my year at least. A lot of fond memories come to mind any time I listen to it. It takes me back to the happiest road trip to sunny California where me, Drew, and friends attended Kishi's incredible concert, soaked up the sun at Newport Beach, and I visited Disneyland for the first time. It is the ultimate song by the ultimate Japanese pop/classical violinist. 

Top 5 Albums of 2014:

5. Goddess- Banks

4. White Women- Chromeo

3. 1989- Taylor Swift

2. Stay Gold- First Aid Kid

1. Lighght- Kishi Bashi

 Congratulations if you've made it through this monstrosity of words and hardly any pictures. I really enjoy making these lists every year, so thank you for taking the time to gander at it. I would love to hear what your favorites are too! Here's to 2015 and hopefully another year of spectacular music!

For a complete list of my favorites from the year, check out my spotify playlist which includes all (32) of my honorable mentions.

(every)body likes you when you're 23

ANDREW'S BIRTHDAY WEEK 2K14 went a little something like this:

Monday: As one of Drew's birthday presents, I bought us tickets to see First Aid Kit play in Salt Lakc. We went with one of Drew's friends Colin and met up with some other friends at the show as well. This was the ~*dreamiest*~ concert and I loved every second of it. These Swedish sisterly songbirds were absolutely incredible live and I adored everything about their set, from their gold wardrobe to the glittering backdrop. So glam. And what concert would be complete without post-In-N-Out? To ring in Drew's birthday at midnight we of course had to go and sing him happy birthday on the ride home.

Tuesday: Mitt & Ann Romney graced BYU with their presence at our Tuesday devotional. Naturally they came to wish Drew happy birthday. I brought the donuts. Best quote from the devotional? In regards to receiving a lot of advice throughout his campaign: "Someone told me I should go a few days without shaving so that I would look more sexy...as if I needed that." LOL claaaassic Mitt.

Communal is for birthdays. I took Drew out to our favorite restaurant in Provo for a delicious meal and more presents to open. We saved room for Sodalicious and spent the remainder of the evening watching episodes of 'Goosebumps' and then 'The Nightmare before Christmas'. I dk, it was his choice.

Wednesday: Since Andy's birthday was two days after Drew's we decided to host an Andrew Birthday Bash on the day in between their respective days of birth. So on Wednesday night we picked up Chipotle burritos for a birthday dinner, followed by partying with birthday pies and friends. ALSO, that night we posted the full-length promo vid for Provo Yacht Club's launch party. In case I haven't told you about this already, it's a music blog started by Andy and Drew. Not only do they (and other blog contributors, including me) post new music on the site daily, but they will also be hosting a number of dance parties in Provo as well. SO CHECK IT OUT NOW: www.provoyachtclub.com and Facebook for the event info. I promise it's cooler than my blog.

Friday: So Thursday was spent doing all the homework we neglected to do during the week. But on Friday we went to see Vance Joy who put on the most chill show. We met up with a bunch of other people there and enjoyed dancing and singing and meeting new friends. It was the perfect ending to the week. Happy birthday Drew, I'm really glad you were born. Blink 182 is dumb, because EVERYbody likes you when you're 23. Especially me :)  

goodness gracious i can't seem to stop

I think the title of this post encapsulates my attitude toward concerts perfectly (also they're lyrics to one of my favorite Ellie songs so like, duh). Anyone who knows me knows that I prefer to spend my time/money at a concert over most things in life. This past week was one of the happiest I've had in a while because I was lucky enough to attend three concerts by three of my favorites artists of all time. Spring and summer are the most wonderful times of the year not only because they mean no school and warmer weather, but also because summer tours kick off. It just so happened that these three particular tours all stopped in Utah within a week of each other. I'm not even mad. So here's a recap/review!

CHVRCHES- The Depot, Salt Lake City 4/22/14

When I first heard that CHVRCHES were coming to Utah on April 22nd, I had a minor heart attack because it was during finals week so I didn't think I'd be able to go. JOKES of course I still went. It was the last night of finals week so I justified this by making it a goal to finish all finals before the last day so I could party with CHVRCHES! ...That didn't happen either and I still ended up taking a final on that last day, but I did fine and it was still the best way to end the semester. I went with Drew, Desireé, and Andy and we all had a svper fvn time. This was the first show I've been to at The Depot and I loved it! It's small and intimate and the crowd was pretty chill. Lauren Mayberry, the lead singer, is so adorable and actually looks like a 12-year-old girl but she sounded just as good live. Dancing to the sweet synth-pop beats of CHVRCHES was the perfect way to say goodbye to winter semester. PS school's out, scream and shout! I love spring so far because I'm not taking classes and working at my receptionist job for BYU's Evening Classes office full-time. This means reading, snacking, scrolling tumblr, taking trips to the creamery, and occassionally answering phones and filling out excel spreadsheets for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. It rulez and CHVRCHES rulez and everyone should go see them. 

Ingrid Michaelson- In The Venue, Salt Lake City 4/29/14

This was the fourth time I've seen Ingrid in concert because she is one of my all-time favorite artists and I love love love seeing her live. She is so cute, funny and witty and has the voice of an angel. The second time I saw her was in Philly two years ago with Desireé. Desireé's mom drove us both and just waited for us until the concert was done. Sis. Miller is like a second mother to me out here at school and I was so excited that she bought herself a ticket too so she could enjoy the concert with us! She even brought us bags of Cool Ranch Doritos again. (But that's another story you should ask me about if I haven't told you already).We all love Ingrid and she never disappoints. I first fell in love with her when I heard 'Keep Breathing' on an episode of Grey's Anatomy, so that song was definitely one of the highlights of the evening. Her band is all so talented as well and I was a big fan of one of her openers, Storyman. Although Ingrid's sound has changed quite a bit over the years from her first albums, I love her just the same and will continue to see her when she tours again.

Ellie Goulding- The Great Saltair, Magna 5/1/14

This concert and this day will forever be one of my fondest concert memories because it was awesome and insane and perfect. I've said this before but Ellie is my #1 girl crush and I have been looking forward to the next time I would see her since I first saw her last February. I don't think I've been this anxious for a concert since the glory days of my Jonas Brothers obsession. Desireé and I planned on camping out all day long at the venue because we were determined to be front row center for this chick. And we did just that. We were the very first ones in line and I know we're crazy but IT WAS WORTH IT. In fact, the wait wasn't even that bad because it was a beautiful day outside and we made friends with some awesome individuals. Me, Desireé, and four other Ellie-obsessed fans were in line first so we figured we should get to know each other since we would be hanging out for the next seven hours. All of them were concert junkies much like ourselves. Not to mention they were all in high school. Listening to them swap concert stories about all the times they've roadtripped to shows and met bands made me realize how much cooler they were than I ever was in high school. They were all so sweet and I was glad we all made it to the front row for the show together. We even swapped contact info with all of them so I'm sure I'll be seeing them again soon at the Utah concert scene! OH and shortly before doors opened, Desireé and I carried our stuff back to the car and when we did a white van drove right by us and ELLIE GOULDING WAS IN THE BACKSEAT. She's so sneaky and had everyone thinking she arrived in one of the tour buses earlier but NOPE there was no mistaking her. She smiled at us and I'm pretty sure my mouth was agape and I almost dropped everything in my hands. So THAT was amazing and just made me even more excited to watch her perform in a few short hours.

OK SO ABOUT THE CONCERT. Easily in my top five favorites of all time. I was actually terrified once I was at the railing and had flashbacks of how terrible the Saltair was in the past and how rough the crowds got. I imagined myself getting trampled and thought I would probably have a more enjoyable time in the back. OH HOW WRONG I WAS. For future reference, if you are directly against the barrier in the front row, it's not even that bad. If you're toward the front but not quite front row...good luck and godspeed because the people directly behind me were getting the worst of it. Of course there were still moments when I thought my organs were permanently rearranged as I was smushed against the railing, but I've been in worse situations (like the time I had to be lifted up and out of the crowd at Passion Pit because I was scared for my life). So the concert was perfect and I had the best seat in the house. She is so fabulous and FUN. Below I added a video that I took during the concert so you can all witness what an amazing performer she is. Not only her, but her backup singers were flawless and I loved watching them. She had such a long setlist too and I didn't want it to end. When it sadly did, Desiree and I took our exhausted but exhilarated selves to In-n-Out, our post-concert tradition. If you did the math correctly that means YES we went to In-n-Out a total of three times in a matter of nine days. You can judge me because I hate myself too. Our diet starts tomorrow. I can't express how blessed I am to have a friend who is crazy enough to go to all the same concerts, and go to such lengths to make it the best experience for both of us. If it wasn't for her, who even knows if we would have attended the majority of the concerts we've been to together. Love ya Dezmillz. 

Anything Could Happen:

Congratulations if you've made it through this entire post as I gave you the play-by-play of my past week. It was certainly one for the books and I am so grateful I was able to attend these shows with my friends (and made some new friends in the process!) I've had the best time and I cannot wait for what the rest of the spring and summer concert scene has in store for me!