tournament 👑 The Ultimate TABS S2 is...... (results at page 339)

[Kern]

Idk I feel like Lacy spilled a little here and even slayed a bit 

[Yvess]

1 hour ago, lacy said:

 

MY BRAIN GOES AHHHH with the pressure!

 

Hello everyone! Liv here, your guest judge for TABS Season 2 Round 5!

 

I'm fashionably late, but that's okay, I've had a busy week, with the release of guts n' all.

 

Now, however, As rapper Playboi Carti says, I DELIVERED.

 

Now it'd be appreciated if all of you did the kindness of not melting down at me. Mwah.

 

I've been told to not reveal my rankings to you yet, but give you my notes and thoughts, so here we go!

 

This was so difficult, because all of you made such excellent submissions. Well, not all of you, but y'know.

 

I would also like to thank the four of you who submitted a song I'd never heard before, but managed to impress me so much that I've added the song to my library. You will be seeing a little in your notes if that was you.

 

And let us begin, in playlist order!

 

Shakira - Inevitable

 

  Reveal hidden contents

On my initial listen, where I was not yet reading a translation, I noticed the sound/vibes were very aggressive and this was preventing me from getting in my feels.

However, thematically it is thoroughly depressing, as it should be. It seems like she’s blaming herself and her “flaws” for the breakdown of this relationship. She’s listing out all her secrets and confessions, and yet really minor things like not understanding football make it in. This highlights how good of a person/lover she is possibly without her realizing it.

I do hope she is now bathing on Sundays tho, we don't stan being smelly.

Jessica Simpson - Particles

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Every time this girlie says “Baby” I get chills

I can’t deal with the whiplash, at times her voice is so soft and it allows you to wallow in sadness for a few moments, then suddenly her voice is so powerful you’re dragged out of it again.

Conceptually beautiful but depressing. My interpretation is that she is struggling, and turning to something (maybe drugs, but that that’s not really important) to be able to manage. And whatever her coping mechanism is, is driving her partner away, but she’s still so reliant, so she just has to feel her partner slip away more and more everyday.

“And if I need to rearrange my particles” is a beautiful concept. Because a particle is infinitely small, it sounds like she’s offering to change tiny things that most people would overlook or learn to love in order to be perfect for her partner. But the plural of “particles” says to me that’s changing so many little things, she’s now not even the same person.

Katy Perry - The One That Got Away (Acoustic)

 

  Reveal hidden contents

I love the adlibs in the second verse

I love how she mentions the matching tattoos in verse one, then “I heard you got your tattoo removed” in the second verse

I didn’t feel like there was anything deep or hard hitting enough conceptually or anything particularly thought provoking.

P!nk - I Don’t Believe You

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Truly beautiful instrumental progression.

It’s sounding like miss pink is stuck in a loop of exhausting fights, and instead of getting apologies from her partner, she’s having to convince herself what he’s saying isn’t true. She’s also clinging to any reason to stay “And the passions there so it’s got to be right, right?”. A perfect track for the denial phase I fear.

“It looks like you’ve given up, you’ve had enough, but I want more” gives me a sinking feeling in my chest, to know the other party is ready to let go, and would probably be indifferent to you ending it, but still trying regardless.

Not the strongest concept, not the strongest writing, but my god the vocals and that instrumental progression take me on a ride every listen.

Ciara - I Bet

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Why is some random rapper doing adlibs nnn

It’s beautiful and we love that female empowerment and not taking that shitty behaviour from men. Period. But this feels less like an emotional wallow song and more like the kinda song that pulls you out of that and back into your baddie era. Beautiful song, just a little off theme.

Infectious hook

I will give you that the final lyrics “Right now it’s killing me, ‘cause now I have to find someone else, when all I wanted as you” to tie us back to the sad theme.

The “I love you”’s : (((

Tinashe - Know Better

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Initially I saw the direction lyrically, but not with the sound of the track, until... my god the beat switch

Angelic voice, when she layers those vocals oh my god

“Honestly what’s another breakup to a girl like me?” Feels like it’s got multiple meanings, while as she says, she can easily get with someone else and that’s a confidence boost, it’s almost like internalized shade? Maybe internalized **** shaming, if “girl like me” is supposed to mean a girl that’s had a few partners. Maybe it’s internalized shade because she’s in the industry and a lot of these relationships are unserious so this should be normal? Or maybe its not internalized and she’s shading her partner who probably thinks like that. I don’t know maybe I’m wrong and maybe I’m overthinking it but I love a song that provokes thought.

Nicki Minaj - Grand Piano

 

  Reveal hidden contents

One of the most traditional ballady ballads submitted.

The layered vocals in those high notes are beautiful (I had no idea Nicki could SING I fear)

I found the hook way too repetitive.

None of the lyrics really spoke to me in particular, there was nothing all that profound. However I feel like this is less about what she’s saying, but more how she says it, and it was a beautiful song regardless.

Madonna - Drowned World / Substitute For Love

 

  Reveal hidden contents

This instrumental starts out so gentle and atmospheric, but as it progresses it loses its emotional vibe, it gets too powerful.

It didn’t particularly get me in my feels, which is the whole point of this round I fear.

The highlight of this track for me was the hook and and the term “Substitute for love”, I feel like that’d be a really unique thing to call a person you’re in a relationship with where love isn’t present, but I fear she’s just talking about fame.

Rihanna - Stay

 

  Reveal hidden contents

This song is infectious yet never strays from its emotional tones.

I would love to go in depth about the metaphors but you little ******* are screaming at me to get this post done

I love the duet. I love how Missy’s verse instantly talks about love being a two way street with the line “it’s not just something you take, it’s given” making great use of the feature placement.

Highly emotional song, absolute classic that has a grip on us all.

Kelly Clarkson - Maybe

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Miss Kelly talks on how she is difficult to love, but should she be given true care, affection and love, things could be cute for them.

I love the line “I’m gonna try to give you every little part of me”. Girlie is trying, but wanting to do something and being able to do something are not the same. I can relate to trying your best to be the best partner you can be and struggling.

Halfway through the song the instrumental progresses away from the ballady approach, which doesn’t work well for the emotional vibe we’re going for.

Her vocals do however have a lot of passion and emotion to them.

Hearing the repetition of “I just need to be loved” was cute.

SZA - Special

 

  Reveal hidden contents

This one got a grip on me I fear.

The introductory verse talking about her physical appearance. Feeling inadequate compared to girlies achieving “perfection” without even using makeup. Hearing her list her “flaws” is heartbreaking, we need more songs about body positivity I fear.

“Hate how you look at her cause you never saw me like I was an art piece” hits hard I fear. Having to deal with (presumably her man) gazing at others but never looking at her that way : ((

“I wanted to be thick, now I wanna be thin” - I could vent about this for hours but the way women are expected to be both, and shamed for not having the “right” body type but the “right” body type keeps changing - there’s literally diagrams of the “”ideal”” woman body by decade and no two are alike.

Beautiful vocals, beautiful instrumental, but they are truly just vessels for these lyrics to make it out into the world.

FKA Twigs - cellophane

 

  Reveal hidden contents

The most emotional vocal performance on any song submitted

Very repetitive, but it works so well I can’t even criticise it

Some of the vocal effects and and samples are odd but it adds to the song so beautifully, and the instrumental behind the crazy effects is so perfectly on theme

It’s cryptically written imo but I think she’s talking about the sacrifices she makes for her relationship and the struggles of trying to keep her relationship out of the public eye

Kylie Minogue - Bittersweet Goodbye

 

  Reveal hidden contents

A very impressive vocal performance, there is a lot of emotion in her voice.

From what I understand it’s about enjoying the last few hours you have with your partner, because you both know the relationship has to end tomorrow. But it seems more like a breakup due to circumstances and not because either of them want to be apart.

It doesn’t provide a lot of lyrical content to think and reflect on, but it tells a very emotional story.

Mariah Carey - Outside

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Too much emphasis is being put on her demonstrating her vocal range, which only comes off as distracting and takes away from the emotion of the song. The emotions she is trying to convey with her voice come across as not genuine.

I like that this song is themed on struggles fitting in, I feel like it’s very relatable in one way or another to most people.

While there the theme of the lyrics is pretty, none of the individual lyrics really spoke to me or got me in my feels sadly

ROSALIA - Lo Vos A Olvidar

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Proving that emotion transcends language with two stunning vocal performances

Billie’s final words hit me like a brick - “If I wasn’t important why would you waste all your poison?”

I’m also in love with the line “One day I’m a goddess and the next day I can break”

Thematically, nothing all that unique, an ex partner wondering if the past can be forgotten and another attempt at being together can be made.

The instrumental keeps on theme consistently throughout, even during the chorus

p.s. I’m going to pretend I didn’t see the manipulation of you using one of my stans to get points hehe

Natalia Nykiel - The Lovers

 

  Reveal hidden contents

The sound is not giving emotion at all, it’s got an electro feel which is a very risky choice.

Thematically however, it’s vastly depressing, shockingly so. I didn’t expect to be hearing about lovers jumping off of roofs. “There is nothing left of love, and neither of us too”.

A beautiful way of expressing how she’s better off without love, and that love is pain.

@ whoever sent this in, are you feeling okay sis?

And with that girlies, I am going to go get some food bc I have been sat here hungry for the last couple hours organizing my rambles and finalizing my rankings. Looking forward to reading the inevitable meltdowns below. Much love! xoxo

 

 

@Julia Fox @khalyan @D e v o n @fiercE @Dessy @ZORBIT @Queen. @PoKiTaurus @blackoutbaby @Legend E @Jai @Invisibility @Psycho @Overprotected @Kylie Verzosa @dejmieeen @stupidjock @fountain @CBC @MusicLoverDude@Not Like The Movies@lacy@Yvess

SO MUCH WORTHY OF GETTING BUMPED!!!

THANK YOU @lacy

BEST GUEST JUDGE EVERRRR

 

send me your rankings plzzzzz

[Kern]

1 minute ago, Yvess said:

SO MUCH WORTHY OF GETTING BUMPED!!!

THANK YOU @lacy

BEST GUEST JUDGE EVERRRR

 

send me your rankings plzzzzz

Girl sent them in our special little chat 

[lacy]

1 minute ago, Yvess said:

SO MUCH WORTHY OF GETTING BUMPED!!!

THANK YOU @lacy

BEST GUEST JUDGE EVERRRR

THANK YOUUUU I did my best, even tho I took a little longer than you wanted I hope I can be invited back another time

 

1 minute ago, Yvess said:

send me your rankings plzzzzz

gorrrrl i deeeed ab 30 mins b4 i posted my notes nn

[lacy]

Just now, stupidjock said:

Girl sent them in our special little chat 

*raises wrist to show friendship bracelet to the camera*

 

[Yvess]

32 minutes ago, lacy said:

THANK YOUUUU I did my best, even tho I took a little longer than you wanted I hope I can be invited back another time

 

gorrrrl i deeeed ab 30 mins b4 i posted my notes nn

oooopppps busy with work rn lmao 

[Yvess]

1 hour ago, Yvess said:

I do hope she is now bathing on Sundays tho, we don't stan being smelly.

 

1 hour ago, Yvess said:

The layered vocals in those high notes are beautiful (I had no idea Nicki could SING I fear)

 

1 hour ago, Yvess said:

@ whoever sent this in, are you feeling okay sis?

LOVE THESE CUTE COMMENTS 

make this girl a permanent judge i fear

 

[Yvess]

R5 SCORES ARE IN!

RESULTS AROUND 11AM or 12 NOON EDT

 

 @Julia Fox  @khalyan  @D e v o n  @fiercE  

_________________________

 @Dessy  @ZORBIT  @Queen.  @PoKiTaurus  @blackoutbaby  @Legend E  

_________________________

 @dejmieeen  @Jai  @Invisibility  @Overprotected  @Kylie Verzosa   @Psycho  

_________________________

 

@stupidjock @MusicLoverDude @fountain @CBC @Not Like The Movies @lacy

[dejmieeen]

Can't wait to be in Top 13, with all that acclaim. Slayage continues.

[lacy]

6 minutes ago, Yvess said:

R5 SCORES ARE IN!

RESULTS AROUND 11AM or 12 NOON EDT

 

 @Julia Fox  @khalyan  @D e v o n  @fiercE  

_________________________

 @Dessy  @ZORBIT  @Queen.  @PoKiTaurus  @blackoutbaby  @Legend E  

_________________________

 @dejmieeen  @Jai  @Invisibility  @Overprotected  @Kylie Verzosa   @Psycho  

_________________________

 

@stupidjock @MusicLoverDude @fountain @CBC @Not Like The Movies @lacy

 

Can I leak my ranking once the results have been posted?

 

 

[dejmieeen]

30 minutes ago, lacy said:

 

Can I leak my ranking once the results have been posted?

 

 

leak it now

[lacy]

Just now, dejmieeen said:

leak it now

sis i am trying to be allowed back here nnn

[Kylie Verzosa]

3 hours ago, lacy said:

 

MY BRAIN GOES AHHHH with the pressure!

 

Hello everyone! Liv here, your guest judge for TABS Season 2 Round 5!

 

I'm fashionably late, but that's okay, I've had a busy week, with the release of guts n' all.

 

Now, however, As rapper Playboi Carti says, I DELIVERED.

 

Now it'd be appreciated if all of you did the kindness of not melting down at me. Mwah.

 

I've been told to not reveal my rankings to you yet, but give you my notes and thoughts, so here we go!

 

This was so difficult, because all of you made such excellent submissions. Well, not all of you, but y'know.

 

I would also like to thank the four of you who submitted a song I'd never heard before, but managed to impress me so much that I've added the song to my library. You will be seeing a little in your notes if that was you.

 

And let us begin, in playlist order!

 

Shakira - Inevitable

 

  Reveal hidden contents

On my initial listen, where I was not yet reading a translation, I noticed the sound/vibes were very aggressive and this was preventing me from getting in my feels.

However, thematically it is thoroughly depressing, as it should be. It seems like she’s blaming herself and her “flaws” for the breakdown of this relationship. She’s listing out all her secrets and confessions, and yet really minor things like not understanding football make it in. This highlights how good of a person/lover she is possibly without her realizing it.

I do hope she is now bathing on Sundays tho, we don't stan being smelly.

Jessica Simpson - Particles

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Every time this girlie says “Baby” I get chills

I can’t deal with the whiplash, at times her voice is so soft and it allows you to wallow in sadness for a few moments, then suddenly her voice is so powerful you’re dragged out of it again.

Conceptually beautiful but depressing. My interpretation is that she is struggling, and turning to something (maybe drugs, but that that’s not really important) to be able to manage. And whatever her coping mechanism is, is driving her partner away, but she’s still so reliant, so she just has to feel her partner slip away more and more everyday.

“And if I need to rearrange my particles” is a beautiful concept. Because a particle is infinitely small, it sounds like she’s offering to change tiny things that most people would overlook or learn to love in order to be perfect for her partner. But the plural of “particles” says to me that’s changing so many little things, she’s now not even the same person.

Katy Perry - The One That Got Away (Acoustic)

 

  Reveal hidden contents

I love the adlibs in the second verse

I love how she mentions the matching tattoos in verse one, then “I heard you got your tattoo removed” in the second verse

I didn’t feel like there was anything deep or hard hitting enough conceptually or anything particularly thought provoking.

P!nk - I Don’t Believe You

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Truly beautiful instrumental progression.

It’s sounding like miss pink is stuck in a loop of exhausting fights, and instead of getting apologies from her partner, she’s having to convince herself what he’s saying isn’t true. She’s also clinging to any reason to stay “And the passions there so it’s got to be right, right?”. A perfect track for the denial phase I fear.

“It looks like you’ve given up, you’ve had enough, but I want more” gives me a sinking feeling in my chest, to know the other party is ready to let go, and would probably be indifferent to you ending it, but still trying regardless.

Not the strongest concept, not the strongest writing, but my god the vocals and that instrumental progression take me on a ride every listen.

Ciara - I Bet

 

  Hide contents

Why is some random rapper doing adlibs nnn

It’s beautiful and we love that female empowerment and not taking that shitty behaviour from men. Period. But this feels less like an emotional wallow song and more like the kinda song that pulls you out of that and back into your baddie era. Beautiful song, just a little off theme.

Infectious hook

I will give you that the final lyrics “Right now it’s killing me, ‘cause now I have to find someone else, when all I wanted as you” to tie us back to the sad theme.

The “I love you”’s : (((

Tinashe - Know Better

 

  Hide contents

Initially I saw the direction lyrically, but not with the sound of the track, until... my god the beat switch

Angelic voice, when she layers those vocals oh my god

“Honestly what’s another breakup to a girl like me?” Feels like it’s got multiple meanings, while as she says, she can easily get with someone else and that’s a confidence boost, it’s almost like internalized shade? Maybe internalized **** shaming, if “girl like me” is supposed to mean a girl that’s had a few partners. Maybe it’s internalized shade because she’s in the industry and a lot of these relationships are unserious so this should be normal? Or maybe its not internalized and she’s shading her partner who probably thinks like that. I don’t know maybe I’m wrong and maybe I’m overthinking it but I love a song that provokes thought.

Nicki Minaj - Grand Piano

 

  Hide contents

One of the most traditional ballady ballads submitted.

The layered vocals in those high notes are beautiful (I had no idea Nicki could SING I fear)

I found the hook way too repetitive.

None of the lyrics really spoke to me in particular, there was nothing all that profound. However I feel like this is less about what she’s saying, but more how she says it, and it was a beautiful song regardless.

Madonna - Drowned World / Substitute For Love

 

  Hide contents

This instrumental starts out so gentle and atmospheric, but as it progresses it loses its emotional vibe, it gets too powerful.

It didn’t particularly get me in my feels, which is the whole point of this round I fear.

The highlight of this track for me was the hook and and the term “Substitute for love”, I feel like that’d be a really unique thing to call a person you’re in a relationship with where love isn’t present, but I fear she’s just talking about fame.

Rihanna - Stay

 

  Hide contents

This song is infectious yet never strays from its emotional tones.

I would love to go in depth about the metaphors but you little ******* are screaming at me to get this post done

I love the duet. I love how Missy’s verse instantly talks about love being a two way street with the line “it’s not just something you take, it’s given” making great use of the feature placement.

Highly emotional song, absolute classic that has a grip on us all.

Kelly Clarkson - Maybe

 

  Hide contents

Miss Kelly talks on how she is difficult to love, but should she be given true care, affection and love, things could be cute for them.

I love the line “I’m gonna try to give you every little part of me”. Girlie is trying, but wanting to do something and being able to do something are not the same. I can relate to trying your best to be the best partner you can be and struggling.

Halfway through the song the instrumental progresses away from the ballady approach, which doesn’t work well for the emotional vibe we’re going for.

Her vocals do however have a lot of passion and emotion to them.

Hearing the repetition of “I just need to be loved” was cute.

SZA - Special

 

  Hide contents

This one got a grip on me I fear.

The introductory verse talking about her physical appearance. Feeling inadequate compared to girlies achieving “perfection” without even using makeup. Hearing her list her “flaws” is heartbreaking, we need more songs about body positivity I fear.

“Hate how you look at her cause you never saw me like I was an art piece” hits hard I fear. Having to deal with (presumably her man) gazing at others but never looking at her that way : ((

“I wanted to be thick, now I wanna be thin” - I could vent about this for hours but the way women are expected to be both, and shamed for not having the “right” body type but the “right” body type keeps changing - there’s literally diagrams of the “”ideal”” woman body by decade and no two are alike.

Beautiful vocals, beautiful instrumental, but they are truly just vessels for these lyrics to make it out into the world.

FKA Twigs - cellophane

 

  Reveal hidden contents

The most emotional vocal performance on any song submitted

Very repetitive, but it works so well I can’t even criticise it

Some of the vocal effects and and samples are odd but it adds to the song so beautifully, and the instrumental behind the crazy effects is so perfectly on theme

It’s cryptically written imo but I think she’s talking about the sacrifices she makes for her relationship and the struggles of trying to keep her relationship out of the public eye

Kylie Minogue - Bittersweet Goodbye

 

  Hide contents

A very impressive vocal performance, there is a lot of emotion in her voice.

From what I understand it’s about enjoying the last few hours you have with your partner, because you both know the relationship has to end tomorrow. But it seems more like a breakup due to circumstances and not because either of them want to be apart.

It doesn’t provide a lot of lyrical content to think and reflect on, but it tells a very emotional story.

Mariah Carey - Outside

 

  Hide contents

Too much emphasis is being put on her demonstrating her vocal range, which only comes off as distracting and takes away from the emotion of the song. The emotions she is trying to convey with her voice come across as not genuine.

I like that this song is themed on struggles fitting in, I feel like it’s very relatable in one way or another to most people.

While there the theme of the lyrics is pretty, none of the individual lyrics really spoke to me or got me in my feels sadly

ROSALIA - Lo Vos A Olvidar

 

  Hide contents

Proving that emotion transcends language with two stunning vocal performances

Billie’s final words hit me like a brick - “If I wasn’t important why would you waste all your poison?”

I’m also in love with the line “One day I’m a goddess and the next day I can break”

Thematically, nothing all that unique, an ex partner wondering if the past can be forgotten and another attempt at being together can be made.

The instrumental keeps on theme consistently throughout, even during the chorus

p.s. I’m going to pretend I didn’t see the manipulation of you using one of my stans to get points hehe

Natalia Nykiel - The Lovers

 

  Hide contents

The sound is not giving emotion at all, it’s got an electro feel which is a very risky choice.

Thematically however, it’s vastly depressing, shockingly so. I didn’t expect to be hearing about lovers jumping off of roofs. “There is nothing left of love, and neither of us too”.

A beautiful way of expressing how she’s better off without love, and that love is pain.

@ whoever sent this in, are you feeling okay sis?

And with that girlies, I am going to go get some food bc I have been sat here hungry for the last couple hours organizing my rambles and finalizing my rankings. Looking forward to reading the inevitable meltdowns below. Much love! xoxo

 

 

@Julia Fox @khalyan @D e v o n @fiercE @Dessy @ZORBIT @Queen. @PoKiTaurus @blackoutbaby @Legend E @Jai @Invisibility @Psycho @Overprotected @Kylie Verzosa @dejmieeen @stupidjock @fountain @CBC @MusicLoverDude@Not Like The Movies@lacy@Yvess

Our win is inevitable, CAMP RENAISSANCE sistrens! 

 

P.s. my fave line is also “One day I’m a goddess and the next day I can break” sounds so cvntily devastating sounds so me 

Edited September 15, 2023 by Kylie Verzosa

[Yvess]

1 hour ago, lacy said:

 

Can I leak my ranking once the results have been posted?

 

 

sure sis!!!!

[Invisibility]

@CBC you will always be famous

 

Big thank you guest judge @lacy glad you found something new to love through my entry 

[blackoutbaby]

 

[Kern]

are we ready for some results or what

 

[Kern]

On 8/20/2023 at 7:19 PM, khalyan said:

Hope I’m dangerous 

nice throwback 

[Queen.]

44 minutes ago, stupidjock said:

are we ready for some results or what

 

Yes. It's delayed this time. Usually it be earlier. 

[Kern]

2 minutes ago, Queen. said:

Yes. It's delayed this time. Usually it be earlier. 

[Julia Fox]

perched x

[ZORBIT]

omg thank you Honorable Guest Judge @lacy I'm so glad you found my emotional sing worthy to be added to your library 

 

[ZORBIT]

Sadly seated for these Sad Results

[Psycho]

sat

[Queen.]

now sis...