"Music is the universal language of mankind." -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Zamajobe



Zamajobe is a South African artist. Her vocals are enchanting and classic. Each of her songs is extremely soulful and emotional. Many of these songs are slow and rhythmic in form. They flow well with her enchanting dynamics and natural vocal effects. Her chilling ability to transition between notes and breaks seamlessly is unmatched. As an artist, she connects modern style with classic musical movements from across the world.

Zamajobe actually releases music in both English and Afrikaans, sometimes combining the languages within a song. This unique way of creating music is what drew me to Zamajobe in the first place. The instrumentals in her songs, backup vocals while performing live, and even her music videos fail to distract from the pure talent she possesses and the intrigue of her style. It's all very methodical.

In her song, "Ndawo Yami," Zamajobe especially showcases her powerful and emotional vocal ability. This song emphasizes her range, as well as her distinct sound. The video below features Zamajobe's music video for this song.

Despite her lack of international fame, Zamajobe does fairly well in South Africa. However, as with most of the artists I feature on this blog, I feel as though her music could entertain and inspire many people across the world. It is my hope that you will spread the word and share her music with your friends. This is a phenomenal artist. One worthy of international acclaim and recognition.


Sources of Inspiration: Design



I love Ed Sheeran. He is not only one of my favorite artists, but also one of my greatest inspirations in life. As luck would have it, even his website inspires me. While I was looking into some merchandise and the newly released Wembley album/ film, I had an epiphany. I truly respect and enjoy the way Ed Sheeran's website is set up.

I'm not sure if I could mimic the style of this site for a blog on Blogger, but I definitely appreciate the setup nonetheless. The arrangement of social media buttons, featured videos/ tweets, and menu placement are all clear and simple. Everything about the site is easy to navigate and manage, but it remains very appealing to the eyes. Ed Sheeran's official logo and notorious lime green background are prominently featured on the site.

My favorite design aspect, however, would have to be the clear access to an Ed Sheeran music player. Since this is an international music blog, and Ed Sheeran is an international musician, this applies directly to my blog. I feature videos and soundbites on my blog each week with a featured artist and song(s.) By adding a music player option, I could simplify the process of hearing each week's artist substantially. Videos could be placed elsewhere on the blog. This change would free up space on the blog and add a more finished look to the top section, for I would most likely place the player along the top panel.

All in all, I feel as though Ed Sheeran's website is a pretty strong design inspiration for me and my blog. Feel free to check out the full site (linked below) and listen to some of Ed's new music!

http://www.edsheeran.com/splash/jumpersforgoalposts