New Year's Resolutions: Pop Culture Nerd Edition

It's almost the start of 2017, which means new beginnings and an overflow of Oprah Winfrey weightloss commercials. Yes, I want to be a better person and do great things like the rest of us this year, but more importantly, I'm already planning ahead for all of the music, books, movies, and shows I want to take in over the next 12 months.

Music     

• NIALL HORAN - Let's all take a deep breath because my favorite member of One Direction is releasing an ALBUM. A few months back, Niall released the single, "This Town," which was pure heaven. The simple melody and vocals suited him perfectly, and I have my fingers crossed that the album will follow a similar style. Niall recently told E! News that he's still in the writing and recording process, but "it should be coming soon."
• FALLING IN REVERSE - On a similar note, another of my favorite bands, Falling In Reverse, just released a heart-wrenching single called "Coming Home" which I can only assume means a new album is coming. The song has a different, more relaxed and futuristic vibe than most of their heavier music, which myself and other fans have come to know them for. I'm all for some chill, emotional songs, but it won't be a Falling in Reverse album without Ronnie screaming about an ex, drugs, and the general stupidity of humanity. 

Movies

• BEAUTY AND THE BEAST - It's a tale as old as time, yet I will forever love Beauty and the Beast. A real-life version of the Disney classic will be released in March, with one of my favorite actresses, Emma Watson, as Belle. Only quick clips have been released over the past few months, but we finally have a full-length trailer to hold us over until the movie officially hits theaters. 

Books

• HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD - If there's one obsession that has stayed with me since my grade school days, it's Harry Potter. Over the summer, I got my hands on Harry Potter and The Cursed Child as soon as it hit shelves. However, it's now December and I still haven't touched it. Why? I couldn't just jump into a new Harry story after years since The Deathly Hallows. It just wouldn't seem right. So, I started from book one and am working my way through the series. It's been years since I read them, and the story still holds the same excitement and magic as when I was a kid (as does my undying love for Malfoy). Hopefully The Cursed Child doesn't disappoint.
• GAME OF THRONES - A few months ago, I powered through every season of Game of Thrones and fell in love with everything from the theme song to the million storylines to keep track of. After consulting with several friends about the book series and getting mixed reviews, I decided to give them a try. These will need to wait until after Harry Potter, but I can already see they may very well take until 2018 to finish....talk about small print!

Television

• BEYOND - Every year, Freeform (previously ABC Family) launches a few new series. Some stick like Pretty Little Liars while most fizzle out after one or two seasons. The station is premiering Beyond on January 2nd, and it seems like something I can easily get hooked on. The plot of the show focuses on a guy named Holden who wakes up from a coma after 12 years and needs to figure out what happened to him. In typical Freeform fashion, I'm sure there will be some love interests and sketchy people who you know from the first episode had SOMETHING to do with the coma.

So, if you need me in 2017, I will be binging all of the above while working on my abs and trying to mentally curse out less people on the subway. Happy New Year!

Niall's New Direction

When Zayn quit One Direction, I was (for lack of a better term) a mess. Yes, I was in college at the time and not some hormonal teenager. But when the band whose music got me through endless hours of commuting, calmed my nerves before my very first job interview, and made me crack up after a long day with their stupid video diaries on YouTube, I was bound to take it pretty hard.

To my surprise, the remaining four kept going. I got to see them in concert yet again, and openly fan-girl over their album Made in the A.M., which was just as good and possibly even more creative than any of their previous albums.

However, all good things must come to an end, and Harry, Liam, Louis, and Niall went on a hiatus for an unspecified amount of time. While most fans panicked, I was okay with the whole thing - just look at bands like Green Day. They can go five years without touring, recording, or having fans knowing what they're up to, then come back with music that's better than ever.

So far during the break, each member has started to branch out and work on his own project. Louis and his son Freddie are cuter than ever. Liam just signed a recording contract with Republic Records. Harry is doing random photo shoots and embracing his inner sixties hippie with a brand new hair cut. And finally, in the midst of various golf sessions, Niall just dropped a new single out of NOWHERE that is pure perfection.

"This Town" suits Niall to a tee. While he was never the 1D member to belt out high notes and falsettos, he held his own with a strong but sweet voice. The song has a simple melody and a catchy guitar rhythm, which is what always showcased him on the band's albums in songs like "Don't Forget Where You Belong" and "Change My Mind."



In a recent interview with Ryan Seacrest, Niall talked about how he's working on a FULL album, that will have a very similar vibe to "This Town" with more soft melodies and acoustics. Even though the album is not quite finished, I'll be camping outside my local Target waiting for it to be released if anyone needs me...

Goodbye to 1D (for now!), hello to Zayn.

Last week was a roller coaster for One Direction fans. They're still recovering from the band's current hiatus, the birth of Louis Tomlinson's son Freddie, and rumors that the hiatus is actually a breakup. Throw in their most emotional video to date, plus Zayn's first solo video, and fans may just combust.

On Tuesday, January 26, the band released the video for their song "History." The song itself hints at the hiatus, ensuring fans that "this is not the end" and "we can live forever." Touching, right? This is nothing compared to the video.

As a self-proclaimed directioner since the pre-tattoo days of polo shirts and varsity jackets, I felt overwhelmed within two seconds of the video. The group stands on the XFactor stage looking like absolute babies as Simon Cowell smiles up from his seat, moments after creating One Direction. Knowing what would become of these guys who hardly knew each other is enough to give anyone chills.

The video goes on to show clips of their career - the boys waving to fans, performing sold out concerts, and just being the goofballs that the world fell in love with over the past five years.



A very welcome treat (besides Niall's new glasses) is Zayn's inclusion in the video clips. He was a huge part in the band's success, so it only makes sense that he's shown....whether he actually liked the music they made or not.

Ironically enough, Zayn dropped his first solo song and video for "Pillowtalk" only three days later. Coincidence? Who knows. But it got people talking.

The song is unlike anything he did with 1D. As the name hints, it's about sex - something that many 1D songs touched on but in a family-friendly way. (What did you think "tonight let's get some and live while we're young" meant??)

I didn't know what to expect with Zayn's solo career. Out of all the 1D members, he was by far my favorite singer. At the end of each track, I could always count on him to go crazy with the high notes and runs. I was routing for him to be successful after he left the band, but I wasn't sure I'd enjoy his style of music.

After staying up until midnight on Friday to take a first listen, I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, it's different and more R&B, but it still has a touch of pop to it, much like the route Nick Jonas has taken since leaving the Jonas Brothers.

The music video is a bit much, full of mostly naked shots of Zayn's girlfriend, Gigi Hadid, However, it does tie in perfectly with the song's theme, whether fans want to admit it or not.



While I can't speak for all One Direction fans, I'm happy for both the remaining four boys and Zayn.

Niall, Harry, Louis, and Liam managed to revamp their sound and create "Made in the AM," something that is just as good (or better) than anything that came before. Zayn realized what kind of music he's passionate about, and did something about it.

Whether they all end up having solo careers or if Louis becomes a soccer dad driving Freddie to practice, I'll support my boys no matter where they go.