You want to talk about style? Talk about Florence. Her music is style, her voice is style, her free spirit is style, her individuality is style. I've never been obsessed or infatuated with celebrities or bands. I'm not much of a groupie. I never understood that emotion tied to someone you don't know. I didn't mourn the loss of Kurt Cobain or Michael Jackson. I find the national mourning of Marilyn Monroe odd, though the conspiracy theories are interesting. The death of Heath Ledger twinged my heart, still not sure why, perhaps because we were close in age. My husband is obsessed with Paul Weller, my best friend is infatuated with Johhny Depp, I myself have a heightened sense of curiosity for Robert Pattinson, but obsession for a stranger? What an unusual concept. Enter Florence and her machine.
When I lived in Athens, Georgia, my husband, friends and I would go to this bar called 283 every Friday. I found out recently that the bar was closed, very sad. I got to know the bartender, Rachel, very well over the course of, dang, three years and she had this personality that sparked happiness and inspiration in others. She had those happy, free-spirited, fearless, willing to take risks, optimistic qualities I'd love to have. I loved hanging out with her because she radiated energy and made everyone around her feel like all of your dreams were possible. Florence does this for me.
I first discovered Florence by youtubing the lyrics to Dog Days are Over. The next few hours were spent listening to every Florence song on You Tube. My absolute favorite is Cosmic Love. I listened and watched that video nonstop for weeks! The colors she uses in her videos are rich and majestic. Her passion oozes from every note and every dance. Her lyrics are poetic, her stories emotional. It's not another cookie cutter pop song about getting drunk and being stupid.
She has that quality Rachel had, she's an individual and fearless. My most crippling hold up is internal fear. Fear of failing, fear of screwing up, fear of not being in control, these hold me back and I fight to change that personality trait. Florence and her music inspire me to say f*ck it, close my eyes, and jump. When I found out that she was touring in the states I told my husband that I didn't care when, where or how much it would cost (now that says a lot because I am a tight wad), I was going to go see her in concert. I also said with or without him, not as a threat, but something in me told me I had to witness this uncontrollable passion in person. So, for my birthday, he got me/us tickets to her show in Central Park. I'm usually very stoic, but I feel like my son when he knows Santa is on his way.
I plan on drinking some wine, probably Pino Grigio since it's an outdoor concert and will be mid to upper 80's and dancing around like I do in the privacy of my living room to Madonna's Confession Tour DVD. What? I'm really good, promise.
Here are my other favorite Florence and the Machine songs: Rabbit Heart, Drumming Song, My Boy Builds Coffins, Howl, You've Got the Love, and Swimming.
Have a wonderfully free-spirited weekend!
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