We’ve decided to pull a judges’ save out of our ass because once again we were at a deadlock during the elimination round! This meant during your F5 round, nobody was eliminated.
The game is continuing as planned, however this round, we must be potentially heartbreakingly strict. There is not even a remote possibility you will get a sudden death round. Your score is final and the lowest two scores are certainly to be eliminated, as the top 3 will move on to our finale.
To make it to the finale we want you to submit 3 songs. Your only theme/task is to use these songs and your words to tell us a story. The story theme is important and will be reflected in judging. Not saying to write a ton, just don’t give us nothing. You can create any sort of story you want…this round is all up to you!
Good luck! Let us know if you have any questions. Co-host Noelle Heavenlee
Starting with Quarter life crisis by Judah and the lion. This song kind of resonates with me and where I am at now because I'm turning 25 next month and I sometimes feel a little lost in where I'm at. Time just moved by so quickly and now it's like... here we are and I miss how excited and eager I was about things. Like growing up I was so excited about working in the industry but now that I'm here sometimes I'm not even sure if it's where I actually want to be. Just like the song I need a pep talk sometimes haha.
Next will be Confetti by AJ Smith. Whenever I find myself getting into that quarter-life crisis mode I need to remind myself that I should celebrate the small things and instead of being like... well your 25 here you are it should be: you're 25 and look at all you've accomplished! This song goes hand-in-hand with quarter life crisis because this song reminds me that I have accomplished a lot and it's important to celebrate my accomplishments, even when I don't realize that they are accomplishments. "So done being my worst enemy."
This song in my story kind of represents where I want to be and what I am looking forward to. This song mentions themes of felling down and how it's hard to get out of that bad place, but there are things to look forward to. I don't take this too literally because it wouldn't be a wife it'd be a husband and it'd probably be cats haha. But yeah this song is about something to look forward to.
I like to think I'm Ms. Independent, don't need a man and am confident in who I am. I can put up this facade like I am, and I get over excited about crushes too fast and then I second guess myself. It's fun at first because I push away the thoughts that are wise and instead maybe flirt with a guy I shouldn't or get into toxic behaviours just for the thrill and rush of it. This first song represents the fun of it and the back and forth views I have of myself in these moments too.
Whispers - Halsey
When the pleasure and fun from these toxic behaviours wear off, I'm left feeling empty and hating myself. It makes me hate my dad for the trauma he's caused me that's messed up with how I view healthy relationships. It makes me want to fill a void in my chest yet I fill it with not good things or people. Yet in the self hatred, the bad thoughts still try to take control and it's aboslute silent torture.
Broken Pieces Shine - Evanescence
I've been in some dark places, and I still am. Some things I feel are unfixable yet I know I can't give up. Like this finale song states, survival hurts yet but I have to keep trying. That's the reality and it's not talked about often how painful the right choices are.
The first song that I chose is “Drown” by Lecrae and John Legend. I’m not going to lie, this past month has been brutal. My community has seen more devastation than I could ever imagine and I’ve attended a life-times worth of funerals. We’ve had a 14 year old playing in her yard and struck and killed by a drunk driver. Thursday we had a 6 year old die in a car wreck. Yesterday I learned that a young family at my church had a still born baby. And on top of all of that, I have had 3-4 friends, church members, or loved ones pass away from Covid. And this is all in a town of less than 1,000 people. So with all of this death and destruction surrounding me, it can be so easy to just be overwhelmed by all of it. And that’s what this song is about. Drowning in hurt and trying to find someone or something to cling to in the midst of it all.
The second song that I chose is “Soul’s Anthem (It is Well)” by Tori Kelly. This is a rendition of classic hymn. I love the backstory of the original song. It was written by Haratio Spafford who lost 4 daughters in a shipwreck. As he was passing through the shipwreck sight, he wrote this song about peace, even in the midst of trials. What this communicates to me is that God doesn’t just leave us alone in the shipwrecks of this life. Even if my life seems to be coming apart at the seams, God will grant us peace in those moments if we just lean on Him. We are not alone in this!
The third song that I chose is Gary Allen’s “Life Ain’t Always Beautiful”. Gary’s wife committed suicide and this song was released a year later. This song is written from the point of view of being on the other side of the storm and looking back in retrospect and seeing the beauty in life despite the storm. Life isn’t always beautiful, it isn’t always perfect, and sometimes it flat out sucks. But despite the peaks and valleys, there is true beauty in life and it is worth living!
I’m so sorry hopefully I’m not too late for this. I was on vacation this whole weekend and was like non-stop the entire time. I’m gonna post it anyways but I understand if I get kicked for inactivity.
Well my story starts with a man who is addicted to drugs. He has an extreme marijuana addiction, as it is the only thing that keeps him continuing with his life. He’s kind of depressed and in a super dark spot right now. He goes to a bar and meets a lady, who decides she wants to get high with him. They go out back and smoke, and smoke, and smoke, until they finally go back to his place.
In the heat of the moment, they have sex. Little does he know, that he didn’t use protection. Time passes, where they haven’t seen each other again. That is, until she realizes she is pregnant. Now the man has to live with the fact that he is having a child, and whether or not he should be a part of his kid’s life. It’s a tricky situation for him because he knows that he can’t provide the kid with the kind of love she needs until he fights his addiction.
In the final act of the story, he ends up being there for his daughter and really works hard to help himself. But he knows the only motivator for him was his kid. He has come so far because of his daughter making his life whole again.
Some of these artists I have submitted songs from before but I just really like them :P Hope you enjoy!!!
My story revolves around a college kid who is finishing his studies and about to graduate. He is usually very detached from the everyone and he tends to do everything on his own, whether that's having fun or taking care of himself. He douses himself in going to the bar, taking drugs or hooking up with girls. Little does he expect, it makes him feel more lonely after all is said and done.
Noticing him feeling more and more down lately, his frat brothers decided to arrange a night for them to just have fun together. They started dancing around in their frat house and enjoying themselves in each other's company. This gives him a light at the end of the tunnel.
Waking up the next morning, he received a call from his family asking him how the college life is treating him. On the call, he heard the voice of his parents, his grandparents, and his little brother. He doesn't know what, but something in him made him feel more excited to wake up again and again, and enjoy the life that has been given to him.
The life of an adolescent is full of ups and downs, and they often struggle to look for what they need and what motivates them. It is the storyline that I certainly relate to and I hope you enjoy these songs I've laid down for you guys!
