Best of 2021

Happy New Year! I didn't manage to finish this before the end of the year, so it's now the first post of 2022. :)

 

We've finished 2021 and moved into 2022, so here is my annual round-up of the previous year's posts! :) You can see my posts for previous years at the links below: 

2016's Best of: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2016/12/best-of-2016.html

2017's: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2017/12/best-of-2017.html

2018's: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2018/12/best-of-2018.html

2019's: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2019/12/best-of-2019.html

2020's: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2020/12/best-of-2020.html

 

And now here is 2021's! Star Sparkle also celebrated its 10th birthday in April, so thank you for visiting, whether you've followed the blog longer or more recently. :)

Music 

As I've done for the past few years, I wrote some posts sharing new music for the new year (only 2 posts this year):

New Music for 2021- Part 1: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/01/new-music-for-2021-part-1.html

New Music for 2021- Part 2: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/01/new-music-for-2021-part-2.html

African  

I featured a few African videos during 2021, in Weekly Music Videos,  the 2nd New Music post (Lento, Mr Eazi's collaboration with J Balvin), an African girl group (see International Girl Groups), Current Favourite Songs (Karun's I Know, see below) and Ethiopian and Eritrean music. I also did an African Dance post (see under the Dance section) and an Afropop round-up of posts from the past two years.

 

Simi and Ms Banks- THERE FOR YOU (Nigerian/British): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/01/weekly-music-video_20.html

Xenia Massaneh- Low Key (Kenyan): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/03/weekly-music-video_17.html

Chelsy & Nsoki- Vou Arriscar (African/Portuguese): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/06/weekly-music-video.html

Afropop Round-up- 2019-2021: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/06/afropop-round-up-2019-2021.html

Tyla feat. Kooldrink- Getting Late (South African): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/10/weekly-music-video_20.html

Ethiopian and Eritrean Videos: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/11/ethopian-and-eritrean-videos.html

C-pop 

I first started C-pop Saturday in 2018 and it's become a semi-regular feature! I did 5 posts this past year, the same as 2019 and 2020. I also shared two Chinese Weekly Music Videos and a Gen Neo song (HOLD BACK) in the New Music for 2021- Part 1 post.

 

Jackson Wang- Alone: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/02/weekly-music-video_17.html

WayV- Action Figure: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/05/weekly-music-video_12.html

 

C-pop Saturday:

https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/01/c-pop-saturday.html

https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/04/c-pop-saturday.html 

https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/07/c-pop-saturday.html

https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/09/c-pop-saturday.html 

https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/11/c-pop-saturday.html

 

Eurovision

Eurovision was back to normal in 2021 (or as "normal" as it can be in a pandemic!), after 2020's Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light which was held in place of the usual show. The 65th contest was held in the Netherlands. I wrote my usual two Eurovision themed posts:

Countdown to Eurovision 2021!: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/05/countdown-to-eurovision-2021.html

Eurovision 2021 Favourites: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/05/eurovision-favourites-2021.html

J-pop

I only did a few stand-alone J-pop posts this past year but did include some in the Summer Songs Round-up (see below. I wrote my first J-pop in Public post too (see under Dance)!

MIREI- iya iya: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/04/weekly-music-video_14.html

J-pop Videos: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/05/j-pop-videos.html

New(ish) J-pop and K-pop Videos (August): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/08/newish-j-pop-and-k-pop-videos.html

New(ish) J-pop and K-pop Videos (October): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/10/newish-j-pop-and-k-pop-videos.html

NOA- Highway: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/11/weekly-music-video_17.html

K-pop

I did a few K-pop posts and some Korean songs were featured in other posts such as the 1st New Music for 2021 post, New Music Releases (February) and Current Favourite Songs (see below). There was also more K-pop in Public which I will link to under Dance, and a K-pop Music and Dance Round-up for 2021.

New K-pop Videos: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/01/new-k-pop-videos.html

Rain and Jackson Wang- MAGNETIC: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/03/weekly-music-video_10.html

New K-pop Releases (June): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/06/new-k-pop-releases.html

New(ish) J-pop and K-pop Videos (August): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/08/newish-j-pop-and-k-pop-videos.html

ONEUS- LIT (Taekwondo Ver.): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/09/weekly-music-video_8.html

 K-pop Music and Dance Round-up 2021: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/09/k-pop-music-and-dance-round-up-2021.html

New(ish) J-pop and K-pop Videos (October): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/10/newish-j-pop-and-k-pop-videos.html

 

New Music Releases 

Not as many posts on new music releases as 2020.

New Music for 2021- Part 1: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/01/new-music-for-2021-part-1.html

New Music for 2021- Part 2: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/01/new-music-for-2021-part-2.html

New Music Releases (Feb): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/02/new-music-releases.html

New JoJo Video: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/05/new-jojo-video.html

New Mabel and Normani Videos: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/07/new-mabel-and-normani-videos.html

New Music Releases (Aug): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/08/new-music-releases.html

New Music Releases- Pia Mia and JoJo: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/10/new-music-releases-pia-mia-and-jojo.html

New Alina Baraz EP: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/10/new-alina-baraz-ep.html 

Weekly Music Videos

My favourite Weekly Music Videos from the year (not all new songs):

Major Lazer & Anitta- Make It Hot:  https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/01/weeklymusic-video.html

Ronisia- Doucement (French): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/02/weekly-music-video_10.html

A.CHAL- Nobody Like Me: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/03/weekly-music-video_24.html

Lovers In The Night- Seori: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/06/weekly-music-video_9.html

Mereba- Rider: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/08/weekly-music-video_18.html

Sinead Harnett- Distraction: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/09/weekly-music-video.html 

Pia Mia- 730:  https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/09/weekly-music.html

RINI feat. Wale- Red Light: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/09/weekly-music-video_22.html

Machiot- Em Đi Đâu (Vietnamese): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/10/weekly-music-video_27.html

Nija- On Call- https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/11/weekly-music-video_24.html

thuy- snowing in la: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/12/weekly-music-video_15.html

 

Popular Posts

I thought I'd introduce a section sharing the most popular posts of the year. :) 

 

Dance Videos- (Mostly) Couples' Edition!: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/07/dance-videos.html

B Young- Come Alive (Weekly Music Video): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/06/weekly-music-video_23.html

New K-pop Releases (June): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/06/new-k-pop-releases.html

Summer Songs Round-up- 2020-2021: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/07/summer-songs-round-up-2020-2021.html

Within Temptation- The Purge (Weekly Music Video): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/06/weekly-music-video_16.html

Evanescence- Better Without You (Weekly Music Video): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/08/weekly-music-video.html

I saw quite a lot of traffic to my blog this past year, thank you for all the visits! Some posts don't get many views and then others get a lot, so it's interesting to see which ones are more popular. I appreciate anyone taking the time to read Star Sparkle. :) 

 

Various

Asian Music Round-up: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/03/asian-music-round-up.html

Current Favourite Songs (features C-pop, Western African and K-pop music): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/04/current-favourite-songs.html

International Girl Groups (features Angolan and Thai girl groups): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/04/international-girl-groups.html

More Chillout Songs: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/06/more-chillout-songs.html 

Summer Songs Round-up 2020-2021: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/07/summer-songs-round-up-2020-2021.html

Samples and Covers: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/08/samples-and-covers.html

Ariana Grande Live Performances: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/09/ariana-grande-live-performances.html

Spooky Videos for Hallowe'en!: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/10/spooky-videos-for-halloween.html 

Same Song, Different Singer: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/11/same-song-different-singer.html

JoJo Live Performance: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/12/jojo-live-performance.html 

Christmas Music Round-up: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/12/christmas-music-round-up.html

Films/Music

 

Bollywood

Only a few Bollywood posts in 2021, it would be good to do more in the upcoming year. 

 

Bollywood Playback Singers- Shreya Ghoshal: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/03/bollywood-playback-singers-shreya.html

Nadiyon Paar (Let the Music Play/Play Again) from Roohi: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/03/weekly-music-video_31.html

Deedar De from Chhalaang:https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/05/weekly-music-video_19.html

 Bansuri from Hum Do Hamare Do: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/12/weekly-music-video.html

 

Note: I haven't included a singular Films category because I didn't do any specific film posts this past year.

 

Dance

Quite a lot of dance videos in 2021. I haven't linked to them all here because I did a dance round-up post at the end of the year.

 

Chinese Dance in Public: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/03/chinese-dance-in-public.html

V-pop (Vietnamese pop) in Public: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/06/v-pop-in-public.html

World Dance- African: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/09/world-dance-african.html

K-pop Music and Dance Round-up 2021: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/09/k-pop-music-and-dance-round-up-2021.html

 J-pop in Public Dances: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/11/j-pop-in-public-dances.html

And you can see the dance videos for 2021 in the Dance Videos 2021 Round-up post  https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/12/dance-videos-round-up-2021.html

 

TV

16 and Pregnant Rebooted: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/01/16-and-pregnant-rebooted.html

Teen Mom + Unexpected Round-up: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/02/teen-mom-unexpected-round-up.html

Jennifer Lopez Live Performances (at the Global Citzen concert): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/10/jennifer-lopez-live-performances.html

Various  

Star Sparkle's 10th Birthday + Fave Posts: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/04/star-sparkles-10th-birthday-fave-posts.html 

 

So that's it for 2021! The 2nd post is later this week because of Christmas being at the weekend. Hope you had a good festive season and wishing everyone Happy New Year and a great start to 2022! :)