Mollie's Feel-Good Feed: From boy bands to Bridgerton

New year, new recommendations

Welcome to Mollie’s Feel-Good Feed, a place where each week Mollie King shares her round-up of the things bringing her joy in these strange and uncertain times. Check back each week for uplifting music, self care tips and, hopefully, a smile being put on your face.

Well here we are then. Hello 2021! Not quite the start we were after, but hopefully a step closer to the light at the end of the tunnel. I hope you and your loved ones are safe and well. I really look forward to giving you more reasons to smile and as many music, TV and self care recommendations as possible for your wellbeing. I’ve definitely missed writing this over the holiday period and I've been asking for your suggestions too on my Instagram account, which have been great and I can't wait to feature them in this column.

Music

I have to start the year with one of the most exciting new artists right now: Japanese-British singer Rina Sawayama. She’s released a track that will have us all jumping out of bed and feeling uplifted. Lucid, which was produced by iconic pop producer, Bloodpop, has elements of his previous work, Rain On Me with Lady GaGa and Ariana Grande. Sounds good already doesn’t it? This song could almost be the second part to that - you can hear it even 30 seconds in. 2021 is currently calling out for some joy and I believe it has already been delivered here. If Sawayama keeps releasing songs of this calibre, she’s one we'll need to watch closely. Dancing shoes at the ready.

If boy bands are your thing, look no further than Why Don’t We. This American boyband have amassed a massive five million followers on Instagram alone and a whopping three billion streams. In line with their much-loved guitar driven sound, Slow Down feels like a mix of John Mayer and Niall Horan (the dream for many a pop fan). They first appeared in 2016 and since then they've bagged a Teen Choice Award and Ed Sheeran has co-written some of their songs. Fans have been on the edge of their seats waiting for their second album, The Good Times and the Bad Ones. Luckily for them, it was released today.

Albums

If country/folk music is more your thing, how does the arrival of Taylor Swift’s ninth album Evermore sound? Released unexpectedly it was a most welcome surprise for country music fans all over the world, especially as it comes just five months after its sister album, Folklore. Perfectly in tune with the world we're living in right now, this album is soft and heart-warming - everything we need right now. It has had rave reviews and scored a number one hit in both the UK and US. The deluxe version was released last week - if you haven’t yet sat down to listen, I would very much recommend it.

TV

With Lockdown upon us again, Netflix is becoming a good friend of ours. You know what I mean don’t you… The friend we turn to in quieter times, the one who takes our minds off what’s going on and gives us some much-needed escapism. Most importantly, it's a non-judgemental friend (apart from when it asks: “Are you still watching?”). And this good friend of ours has gifted us with Bridgerton, the new must-watch period drama. With its modern day take on Regency London, this series, produced by Shonda Rhimes (of Grey’s Anatomy and How To Get Away With Murder fame), is one full of romance, drama and scandal!

Self Care

January has always been a month I’ve dreaded, with the post-Christmas blues and very little sunshine in sight. However, I now use it as a time to throw myself into a challenge. For many of you, fitness is the go-to January task, and mine has elements of that too. For the second year in a row I’ve set myself a new year challenge of being active every single day. No ifs, no buts. This doesn’t necessarily mean running 5K (heavens, I can barely run to the end of my road), it can be anything to keep my body, but equally my mind, active and healthy. One of the biggest things I’ve taken from 2020 is how much of an impact fitness has on how I’m feeling day-to-day. And with that knowledge I’m getting one step ahead with this. My exercise varies from simple squats and lunges in the living room, to walking my dog Alfie in the park. From spinning on my Peloton, to 20 minutes of a virtual yoga class.

For my mental health, above anything else, it has kept me motivated and happy, which are two feelings that seem hard to come by right now. Take up the challenge with me on my Instagram account and let me know how you’re mixing up what you’re doing each day. It's always lovely to hear from you!