A very subjective look into AWFC

I fucking love London very, very much. It’s an absolute magical city filled with so much history and relevance in so many different ways. Personally, this city means a lot to me for various reasons but the biggest one is Arsenal.

My music career has been kind enough to me to allow me to come here a few times and I’ve taken myself there on strictly footballing trips but regardless of the reason, I always make it a point to visit the stadium, and every single time, without fail, I have a very hard time controlling my emotions.

A big emotion I feel is gratitude because I never have to come to London because of something bad that has happened… it’s either on tour or because I come watch the girls play. Always a good thing and that is a privilege.

I also feel humbled because I know there are AWFC fans and AFC fans from all over the world that have never ever come anywhere near London, let alone The Emirates, so I always take a moment to sit with that and hold space for my fellow fans who cannot make it…

Normally, as soon as I walk out of my hotel I have my headphones on and I have a London/England specific playlist or artist… My first time I remember walking to the stadium listening to The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars by David Bowie… Other times I’ve put on The Smiths, Bloc Party and of course, The Clash, duh.

Every time I’ve come I’ve ended up staying in different parts of town but this time we stayed right in Islington and I hadn’t truly seen so much Arsenal centric stuff unless I was basically in the stadium. To get on a quick tube ride and listen to Haim’s Days Are Gone album aka my favorite album by my favorite band, and to see Beth, Leah and Russo on all sorts of adverts was so surreal. I never get to see anything close to this living in Los Angeles.

I know the sport has grown, I know it in theory, but I just can never not be blown away by the popularity of our girls and to see Beth specially be featured is something that just means a lot to me as a person… The tube’s doors open at the arsenal stop and literally in front of the door I see Katie, Beath, Leah and Alessia. I just don’t know how you guys get used to it!!!!

IT’S INSANE HOW FAR OUR GIRLS HAVE COME!!!!!!

As got out of the station and walked towards the Armory, I had to hold back my tears as the songs I love so much were playing in my headphones. I walked around a desolate Emirates, which is always what happens… it’s as if the universe conspires and for periods of time it’s essentially just me and someone else at the end of the stadium. Those visuals…the magnitude of the place, seeing Steph Catley, Laia Codina, Daphne and Kim’s banners filled me with so much joy.

Someone had to be cutting onions…

On this lovely first day of February at 5:27am I can say that it’s the last show of our tour. We played in Wales last night and we’re very excited about tonight, myself specially because I cannot wait to have fish and chips on this part of England which I haven’t been to since 2010, yikes…

Also tonight our girls play in that FIFA tournament that I know nothing. What I will say is that we should be winning it not because of an arrogance thing but because every trophy we win, symbolic, real, European, domestic, international… they all matter and they all bring more success.

Finally, if you are one of those people that can come to London often or you live here, etc, please take a second to know how lucky you are.

Posted some pics on my insta @demianarriaga

❤

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