Well, let’s starts from the beginning. When we are all grown up, we usually have a role model, who  is guiding  us through life and helping us to develop ourselves. A good role model should be someone who we could look up too. Someone who has ups and downs . Who also had struggles to become successful .

Nowadays, the media environment gives us role models that form our generation today. Girls want to be skinny as Victoria’s Secret models and boys want to have abs like their favourite soccer player. The high pressure of “looking perfect” is a big issue these days. A good example is the high-fashion industry, where size 0 is a must for most luxury labels like Chanel & Co.

The hype about being skinny is huge, but who actually has decided that size 0 is beautiful? Influence occurs every day via social networks and TV which are easy accessible and can have a great impact on younger people.

Do we really want to look up to society’s perfect people, which are probably not so perfect at all, without their Photoshop-faces in real life?

That’s why it is so important to have reasons to love and appreciate yourself. We spend so much time on our lives, demanding perfection.  This version of “I am not good enough ” – can distract yourself so much. The actual secret of all this, is that no material possession, no other people or any accomplishments, can truly make you happy or perfect. It’s all up to you.

 The famous quote – ” You cannot love anyone else, until you learn to love yourself” – is so strong in the sense of being just you.  If you don’t have the perfect nose, body or face, it does not mean that you are not beautiful. Beauty can be described in so many ways.

A lot of pressure can come from the outside world that tries to influence who you are. Living in today’s society that is developing every day can make being yourself difficult. It is so important to have your own values and beliefs, to not let anyone influence your opinion. Always establish your own identity, be original. You need to stand up for what you believe in and show the world the beauty of what makes you unique.

 There is no reason to be someone else. In conclusion, I’d like to share with you the lyric that inspired me to write this piece. Beyoncé ´s song Pretty Hurts says that “Perfection is a disease of a nation, it’ s the soul that needs a surgery”.

The post Perfection is a Disease of a Nation appeared first on The Third Eye.

With his passion to music DJ Armand is playing on the best boat parties on the island, and not only that: I caught up with him to talk about the journey that he has had, what actually inspired him to make music and about the party concept he has come up with for summer 2014.

How did you come to Malta?

It’s actually a quite long story. I left to go to Spain first to perform some gigs there which I had, but without the language it’s impossible there. I spent half a year there and worked other jobs, but obviously I still made some music. After everything, I looked up Malta – I liked the island because it looked like it was full of sun and energy, so I said to myself "Let’s try my luck’. I came here and actually got lucky, that one friend of mine is living with a guy who organized some pool parties and he saw that I was a DJ, so he offered me to play at a party for him.So I did my first boat party, and it actually went so well that afterwards I started to play at some lounges and hotels. And, yeah, in the end he booked me for the whole summertime in Malta. That’s basically how I ended up here.

What was your to start becoming a full time DJ?

It was never full time in the beginning; it was never full time for at least six years. I always did something else, I think it all has something to do with self-confidence and belief. The reason why I became a full time DJ is because I had a lack of discipline to do anything else. I like to do things that I like. Music is something that I really love to do and that’s why I think it became my full time job right now.

Do you think in every country the crowd at a party is different?

Absolutely. I was experiencing it before when I went to play in Switzerland, Russia, Spain and Latvia which is completely different from here. I see that that people are full of energy and there are so many different nationalities here in summer. My favourite people are the Spanish. They come with the mood. You look at them and you want to play. All nationalities are so different. Every place is different.

Do you prefer to play in summer or in winter?

You can have different fun parties in winter as well, but summer is more about sun, the boats , the rhythm. In winter I enjoy playing in clubs and focusing more on the mix, like on the entertaining part. Doing your set and preparing it last minute, because you have only those few hours to entertain the people. In the summer it’s more about fun. It’s more about having a good time, which makes my job a bit easier and better. I would say I prefer to play in summer.

Why are boat parties so special?

Because they are full of magic. First of all it is important to experience the boat. Not many people have been on a boat. Partying on water and feeling the breeze, the sunset and listening to cool tunes is all you need to finish a nice weekend. It just creates magic and it’s just incredible. This year we’re gonna start on June 29th with the Xclusive Boat parties, which is our brand that we have created. Our parties are usually in summer on a Sunday; we first thought about Fridays and Saturdays – but we decided that there is enough action on Friday and Saturday, so Sunday is perfect for this event. Sunday on its own is a really lazy and fun day, so it’s cool to put on your flip flops and shorts and not care about anything. The name of the party is called Xlusive Sundays. It’s just pure magic. We start with soulful-house, then we go to lounge beat . It’s so nice when the beat goes through the waves, literally slicing them. It’s just amazing. This is one of the most amazing things on the island. This might be the reason why I am still here.

What type of music do you usually like to play and which genre?

I prefer to play soulful-house and jazz. That has mostly to do with the musical school and my mentor that taught me there. This man is the reason I’m so into music. He is a jazz pianist and a singer and he likes to teach. The vibe took over me and inspired me to make music. Everything he played was positive and never depressing or too heavy. Nowadays, yes I changed a bit and I like a bit of heavier tunes, more Ibiza-sounding influences. So I usually try to mix everything with a bit of soul, with a bit of up-to-date music and I try to put as much live music as I can. I try to work with musicians as much as possible to put life into the music. It has to be really dynamic, full and strong with rhythm.

How many instruments do you play?

I mainly play saxophone. I also can play drums, mostly because my dad is a drummer. I previously used to play in several bands. The guitar and the piano are also on the list of instruments that I play, I can say that I grew up with music.

When did you start DJing and who where your influences?

I actually got into DJing by playing at a school radio, in the end I understood that I wanted to make music. The school gave me a spot for DJing, and then I got my first gig in a club in my city, Riga. My influences in the beginning were rock and pop music, I wasn’t really playing house-music. Coldplay, Nirvana, Green Day – all these kind of punk-rock bands more or less. Later on, I met my mentor/teacher in my music school who introduced me to house-music, which I didn’t know a lot about. That’s how I started to listen to house. Actually my favourite ones are Michael Gray, Bob Sinclar and Martin Solveign – who are big inspirations for me.

What do you usually start with, when preparing a set?

Preparing a set, means that if you want to do a really good one, you have to go at least through 300-400 tunes or actually sometimes through thousands and you take only 10-15 tracks out of them. I usually prepare my set with a lot of patience in my mind. Often I do some research before a set, so you don’t have a big mess.

What makes you to play a particular record? Is there a criteria, or pure subjectivity for selecting what to play on a gig?

There isn’t. It is only all about the vibe. It doesn’t matter what kind of song you play. You feel it, you find it. That’s how I usually select them. It has to be at the right moment, right place and the right spot.

When all the partying is over, how do you like to chill out?

Sleep is for sure something that I miss. I like to cook, it relaxes me and it’s still a creative process. I like to go to the beach. Even if I am not playing on a boat party, I still like to go on a boat and go to Comino and swim. I love to meet my friends who are creative and cool people.

Tell me about your plans for upcoming Summer 2014.

Starting this summer I am working with a group called Privé Events. They really have a nice concept for great parties, so we are doing Friday’s at Bedouin Bar, Saturday’s at club Twenty-Two and Marrakech. Starting June Privè group is taking over every second Saturday afternoon at MedAsia Playa. In early May you can catch me on a nice Monday and Thursday afternoon’s at Westin hotel’s Terrace. And last but not least on wednesday’s Xclusive pool party and sunday’s the Xclusive Boat party is taking place, where i’ll have my residency.

DJ Armand Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/Mr.Armand.DJ?ref=&fref=tsXclusive

Boat Party: http://www.xclusiveboatparty.com/Xclusive

Boat Party Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/XclusiveBoatPartyMalta

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