Girlboss Review

When I initially saw the trailer for Girlboss I wasn’t sure how I felt about the leading lady Sophia. I’m down for equality and how gender should not define who can run a company, but Sophia’s character didn’t inspire me. However, her story did which is why I gave this show a chance and boy did it take me for a loop.

Girlboss is a Netflix original series that gives a loose, “Really loose”; retelling of Nasty Gal CEO Sophia Marlowe and how she became her own boss; creating her own online business selling vintage clothes. There is more to the show than just this basic synopsis. It isn’t just about young lady overcoming “the man” but is also about growing up, facing reality, and realizing that one person cannot do everything by themselves.

(Warning: Possible Spoilers. You have been Warned....I’ll tell you when it’s over.)

The story was very interesting and let’s be honest I binged this show. Hard. One of the major things I loved about this show was the character growth, especially with the main character Sophia. Throughout most of the show it was very difficult to like her. I respect her fearlessness, creativity, and wit that helped her overcome various obstacles. Because let’s be honest, she was selfish, self-centered, and she knew it. And she didn’t care, which was one of the problems.

I think it’s good to create shows where it expresses anyone (man or woman) with enough focus and effort can chase their dreams, creating something amazing. However, Sophia’s reasoning for starting Nasty Gal was childish. Since no one would let her be her disrespectful, lazy self at work, she was just going to do something else. She tried to justify it with not wanting to be trapped in the adult world, “Where dreams go to die”, but from the first two episodes it was clear, she just didn’t like not being able to do what she wanted.

If wasn’t for the amazing supporting cast I think I would’ve stopped the show after episode 3, but I’m glad I didn’t. The spunky neighbor Lionel (played by RuPaul), the saucy (and jerky) drummer Shane (Johnny Simmions), boring but informative Dax (Alphonso McAuley), and my personal favorite Sophia’s supportive best friend Annie (Ellie Reed) helped keep the show going. Without them I wouldn’t realize the other crucial elements that this show had to offer, and what made me such a huge fan.

As the series goes on Sophia starts to become more out of control, ending up building rivalries with other vintage sellers such as Gail (Melanie Lynskey, Two and a Half Men). Who due to Sophia’s disrespectful and cocky behavior, calls in other vintage resellers to concoct a plan to close Nasty Gal’s eBay page for good; and succeeds. On top of that Sophia’s behavior causes a serious break in the relationship with Annie, who ends up giving Gail the final push she needs to follow through with the sabotage.

These changes make her go visit her mom on Christmas, who she hasn’t seen in years; this meeting stirs a lot of changes in her. Sophia enjoys like-mindedness f* the world attitude they both share, however when she notices a lot of the selfish and radical behavior that her mom exhibits that is similar to her own; this is when she begins to realize how wrong she was. Gaining more humility to make amends with those she has hurt and start fresh.

The series ends on a few pinnacle moments in Sophia’s life and seeing how she is grown from the first episode made me thoroughly enjoy the series. Not only did she launch her own website which was a huge success but showing her gratitude and stating she could not have gotten there without them was a huge step and change in her character. However, it wasn’t a complete happy ending which leaves the possibility to season 2, as she is still struggling to cope with the one relationship she couldn’t repair, the one with her boyfriend Shane who cheated on her with one of his bandmates. Also, leaving the big question; what’s next for Nasty Gal?

(Spoilers Over.)

This show was full of some amazing actors, props specifically to Britt Robertson who transformed Sophia from a self-centered young adult to the ambitious more likeable woman who created Nasty Gal. There were so many characters I loved that I could talk about forever, a crazy but intriguing story, and it showed a side of San Francisco that made me love it even more. Sure, the show can drag on a bit if you were not a big fan of Sophia at the beginning like myself, but once you reach the end; you are hoping that they do a season 2. Overall: 8/10.

 Let me know what you guys thought of the show and until next time. See Ya!

Humanz: Gorillaz Album Review

After seven years, a new album by Gorillaz has finally been released, and I’m sure many fans like myself were just as excited as I was for this day to come. Gorillaz is a genre all its own each album full of collaborations and flairs of electronic, R&B, new wave, hip-hop, and alternative music. So, with the new album coming out there was a lot expectations and questions swarming around this album. However, they did not disappoint and this album has been on repeat since I woke up.

Humanz, Gorillaz newest album; is one of the longest albums they have put out to date. With over 27 tracks which consists of 7 interludes and 20 music tracks. This album has kept up the Gorillaz tradition of collaborations, in fact this is the biggest element of the album. All but one track has at least one other featured artist. With such artists like Popcaan, Grace Jones, Jehnny Beth, Benjamin Clementine, Zebra Katz, and so many more helped create the overall vibe of the album. With so many different artists, the musical theme of this album is a mixture of electronic, hip-hop, and R&B which is a bit different from their other albums. And it’s not bad. The consistent beats of each song makes it difficult to not bob your head along and I could see this being a good road trip album for me in the future.

The only downside to this album, is the same thing that makes it just as enjoyable. There are a lot of collaborations. These artists seem to overtake the songs so much, that it’s a rare treat for the familiar vocals of our lovable 2D to appear. Busted and Blue, is the only song that is just Gorillaz, the chill song sounded like the familiar tracks of their first two albums despite being slow-paced. The different flairs seemed to make the album different from their original works as well, mainly Demon Days; their best-selling album. So, if people were expecting another Demon Days they might be disappointed. But it’s Gorillaz, so what do you expect.

What makes them have such a strong fanbase, is to mix the new and old together, combining different musical styles to create a new experience with each album. After such a long hiatus and the current music today, I could see Humanz being one if not the most popular album in their current career.

There is so much to love about this album that if it wasn’t for the lack of Gorillaz frontman himself, this album would receive full marks. Humanz will be a treat for old and new Gorillaz fans and will definitely give you new artists to look into after you get tired of this album. Although, I think that might be a while.

9/10

Most Notable Tracks: Saturnz Barz (Feat. Popcaan)

Personal Favs: Busted and Blue, We Got the Power (Feat. Jehnny Beth), and Hallelujah Money (Feat Benjamin Clementine)
Check out the full album here on Spotify: Humanz (Deluxe) on Spotify
Or purchase it wherever you get your tunes.