Five male acts topped the BBC Sound of 2015 list. No that is not a problem.

Earlier on today, it was announced that the insanely talented Years & Years had been crowned the winners of the BBC Sound of 2015. An award I feel they completely deserve as I've been head over heels for them since 'Real' was released this time last year.

The BBC Sound of 2015 is something that is on the lips of every music mogul in the final months of the year, with the longlist released just before Christmas and the Top 5 revealed in January, live on Radio One. Whoever makes that Top 5 is almost guaranteed to have the most incredible (and busy) year ahead of them. If you didn't know, here's who made the final five this year:

5. George The Poet
4. Raury
3. Stormzy
2. James Bay
1. Years & Years

What do you notice about that list? Well done, they are all male. Does that bother me? Absolutely not. They're all amazing acts, who deserve their place on that list for their sheer musical talent. However, it seems to have fluffed up a few feathers with the females of the internet.

As I scrolled through my Twitter feed after the winning announcement was made, I was disheartened to see females, instead of congratulating Years & Years on their victory, complaining that there wasn't a single female in the Top 5. If you take a look at the longlist, you'll see the likes of Rae Morris, Lapsley and female-fronted indie-rock band Wolf Alice sitting cosy amongst all the other nominees. Female artists have been far from ignored on this years list, it just so happens that actually, the guys this year have made slightly better music.

The BBC Sound of 2015 is in absolutely no way a sexist competition, it praises the girls just as much as the guys and if you look back at previous winners you'll see Ellie Goulding, Jessie J, Haim and Adele taking the crowns. Last year, BANKS and lion-haired Ella Eyre were in the Top 3. It's just a matter of fact, that this year, the guys came out top.

If you've paid even the slightest bit of attention to the new music buzz the past few months, you shouldn't be surprised by the Top 5. It was a no brainer that James Bay, Years & Years and George The Poet would be high up on the list, it was just guessing who'd take the other two spots.

I'm not going to get too deep into the feminism argument, but it's stuff like this that really grinds my gears. Just because a female isn't reigning queen of EVERYTHING doesn't mean that the event/company/judges are sexist pigs. We fought for us to have equal rights as men, so let's keep it equal, we can't be on top all the time, it'd get exhausting. The BBC Sound of 2015 is a fantastic competition that praises music in all forms and introduces us to our new favourite bands and artists, so instead of moaning about it, let's all have a cracking good dance off to THIS!

DIY: Studded Camo Jacket

Trends come around these days quicker than you can say "I want one", which for those of us who struggle money wise, yet have an eye for all things nice, can be quite the difficulty. The latest trend that seems to be hitting many high street stores is camo, with studded jackets being a particular favourite in Topshop & Urban Outfitters, however these are retailing at around £40-£50. As I nearly spat out my drink at the price and began to sulk at my lack of disposable income, I thought to take a slight risk and decide to create one myself.

This is the first item of clothing I've ever tried to customise, so was slightly worried as to how it would eventually turn out, but after finishing it & it not leaving my back for the past few days, I'm pretty damn chuffed. Therefore I though I'd show you all how to make your own to save yourself a few pennies!

All you need is to get your hands on a jacket & some studs - simple really! I did also use a pair of pliers to help push the studs, but if your nails are strong enough these aren't a necessity! I ordered my jacket from Forces Uniform & Kit and ordered the Medium at a Tall length, so it was a little extra baggy (I'm a UK size 12). The studs were purchased from ebay, I chose the Gun Metal Pyramid Stud in 7mm and got two packs for £2.99. Both of the products arrived really quickly and in great condition, so no problems there!

Steps to a customised studded camo jacket:

Step One:

Take your jacket and your studs, lie the jacket out flat and place the studs where you think you would like them to go, so you have a good idea of the style/look you're going for and how many studs you will need. 

Step Two:

Once you have your design laid out, simply push the studs through the material (mind your fingers!) and push down the four spikes either side, this is where I used the pliers to help push the spikes down flat & to avoid nail damage!

Step 3:

Repeat step two for each stud you place on the jacket & keep going until you are happy with the way your jacket looks! 

I used three on each shoulder 

11 studs down the side of each pocket

Three studs horizontally & five studs vertically up the collar, plus two studs horizontally & eight studs vertically down each flap. 

So there you have it, my first ever customisation / studding experience and I'm pretty happy with the results, so if you're like me and concerned as to whether or not you'll completely fluff it up by trying yourself, don't be! I've got a jacket I wanted for half the price of high street stores and there will be no others like it, as it's customised to how I want it! Now I'm just going to have to stop myself before I go a bit stud mad and end up with them on EVERYTHING. 

I hope this has been somewhat useful & please leave me a comment / message if you have any further questions!