Mollie's Feel-Good Feed: Sex Education, Kanye and spray tans

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

I might be in the minority here, but I get so excited when the tell-tale early signs of Autumn appear. The leaves beginning to turn a beautiful brassy brown, falling to the ground, the comfort of a warm cup of coffee on my daily walk with Alfie or the return of layers to my wardrobe. This is the time of year when new TV series and big releases from huge chart toppers emerge, which leads nicely onto my first recommendation of the month…

Albums

It only feels right to start my column today with the release of two of the biggest albums in years being, dropping in consecutive weeks. With three tracks in the Top 20 already, it’s safe to say Kanye West’s tenth and latest studio album Donda, named after his late mother, has been incredibly well received by fans and critics alike. Not only is it his tenth album, but it’s also his tenth number one album, which highlights that he’s just as relevant today as he was all those years ago. A true sign of stardom. Kanye is known for being controversial and regularly makes the headlines. Just last month he petitioned to change his name to Ye (pronounced yay!), but when it comes to the music, he delivers every single time. Stand out tracks from the album are Hurricane ft. The Weeknd and Jail featuring Jay-Z, which have charting already. The album continues to deliver with collaborations from Travis Scott, Kid Cudi and Ty Dollar Sign.

Just as highly anticipated is the release of Drake’s 6th studio album Certified Lover Boy. No doubt battling with Kanye for the number one position this week when it charts. This album also features huge collaborations from Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, and Ty Dollar Sign, so it’s hard not to draw comparison between the two. But as a music lover it’s really a time to celebrate two massive artists releasing after years of waiting. If I had to pick? I might lean towards Donda, but I truly believe an album should be measured on how much you still love listening to it months and even years after its initial release. Only time will tell.

Singles

With the album chart holding focus right now with the above albums, the singles chart has taken a slight back seat. Especially as Ed Sheeran has managed to hold on to the top spot with Bad Habits for over two months already. Not a bad lead up to his fifth album. However, a track that recently caught my eye comes from singer-songwriter L Devine. Hailing from coastal town Whitley Bay, L Devine delivers tracks that I love for their honesty and openness. Feeling like an extract from a diary, L Devine shows yet again how to write lyrics that connect with so many people and turn them into a catchy pop hit. With an instantly distinctive bass line, her latest release Priorities is a firm favourite with me.

TV Shows

If you’d spent any time with me this week you would most certainly have had your ear chewed off about the imminent arrival of the third series of Netflix’s Sex Education. I've felt like this day would never come, thanks to delays due to Covid. But the need to re-binge series 1 and 2 is finally over as the next series is out this month. This British comedy-drama appeals to me for so many reasons but I think primarily because of its boundary-breaking honesty and ability to speak to the younger generation. Tackling taboo subjects and topics, such as sex lives and sexuality. It became a firm favourite and the leads in this huge hit have become household names off the back of it. Beautifully shot, I can't help but be in awe of the production achieving an American style aesthetic whilst actually being filmed in South Wales. If you haven’t yet tucked into this series, it’s worth adding to your watch list, but perhaps not one to watch with the in-laws.

Fashion

After spending time in Wales myself these past few weeks I was incredibly lucky to soak up how beautiful the country is. I feel slightly disappointed that I didn’t know that the filming of Sex Education was in fact very close to where I was… I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t have been tempted to drive over to accidentally stumble upon some of the filming in action. However, whilst there I spent a lot of time outdoors on the beach and gained a new found love for Copenhagen brand Summery, whose pieces I wore almost every day. With print being their signature style, it allows you to pair their pieces with simple items and let the print do the talking. Whether it’s their gorgeous summer dresses or their autumnal sweater vests and jumpers (yes, I have been staring starry-eyed at their website) this is a brand that knows how to offer up style whatever the season.

With the chillier months creeping up on us, I have started to put away my summer dresses for now and focus on the staple items in my wardrobe like jeans and jackets. Finding the right jeans can be difficult, but this is where my love and appreciation for Citizens of Humanity goes into overdrive. I’ve spoken before about how tricky it can be to find the best jeans, and sometimes it does in fact just come down to a brand either working for you or not. With CoH their denim feels like it moulds to my body, as if they had been tailor made for me. With their endless styles it’s hard to pick a favourite, but this season I’m certainly going to be finding myself in their Emerson and Olivia styles. Whether you’re more into the boyfriend fit, the high waisted skinny or the low waisted flare, Citizens of Humanity are worth taking a look at, and although they may be on the ‘spenny’ side, I do believe with jeans you get what you pay for.

Citizens of Humanity Emerson jeans, £240 | Harvey Nichols

Wellness

If you’re anything like me you might find it hard to switch off at the end of the week, especially if you're going through a busy or stressful time. Until now, I’ve found that cooking and TV programmes have been a welcome distraction to help slow down my mind in the evenings. However, my new addiction is listening to The Chillest Show on Radio 1. Hosted by Sian Eleri every Sunday evening at 7pm, it’s become a must while my partner Stuart and I are either preparing dinner or just winding down. The combination of Sian’s dulcet Welsh tones and the music she brings to the show make for relaxing Sunday feels, and I can't recommend it enough for anyone like me, wanting to switch off from the day.

Beauty

If you’re London, Manchester or Brighton-based you might already be in on the not-so-secret now, Secret Spa. Beauty treatments from the comfort of your own home, this beauty brand has become a real favourite of mine. This week I was lucky enough to go to the National TV Awards and as they have done before, Secret Spa came to my rescue when I was looking for a natural tan (without the worry of the sun’s rays) and a little eyelash tint. As I’ve learnt the hard way, there really is no glamorous way of getting a spray tan in a salon, it’s normally followed by throwing on an old black tracksuit and trying to make it into the car as quickly as possible. But the appeal of a tanning booth popping up in my own hallway, then jumping into a dressing gown and getting straight into bed was an absolute no-brainer for me. Wherever you are in the country I’m sure there are similar services available, but I’m pretty certain Secret Spa will be revealing their secret in far more areas soon. Keep an eye out….