Music Friday: Victoria Justice Expresses Empowerment in Her Debut Single, 'Gold'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today former Nickelodeon star Victoria Justice expresses female empowerment in her 2013 debut single, “Gold.”

In the song, a girl is trying to tell a long-time buddy that she’d like to be more than just friends.

She sings, "Hey, boy, whatcha gonna do / If you want me like I want you, then man up and make your move / I’m Gold, Gold."

Justice explained to Artistdirect how the word "gold" in the lyrics is intended to convey empowerment, not conceit.

"It's not like I'm saying, 'I'm gold. You should love me because I'm amazing and awesome.' It's more like, 'I feel empowered about myself. I feel good as a woman. I have self-respect. You should go for me!'"

Called the “perfect summer tune” by MTV Buzzworthy, “Gold” combines flirtatious, confident lyrics with an upbeat, carefree vibe.

The 28-year-old Justice became a household name in 2010 when she starred on the hit Nickelodeon series Victorious. With the release of her debut single, she followed the leads of fellow Nickelodeon alumnae Ariana Grande and Miranda Cosgrove, who also transitioned from acting to music.

Born in Hollywood, FL, in 1993, Victoria Dawn Justice made her acting debut as a 10-year-old on The WB comedy series, Gilmore Girls. Two years later, she landed the role of Lola Martinez on Nickelodeon's comedy-drama series, Zoey 101. From 2010 to 2013, she played Tori Vega on Victorious.

After releasing "Gold" in 2013, Justice took a seven-year hiatus from the music industry, returning in December 2020 with her single, "Treat Myself."

Trivia: Justice's love interest in the official video for "Gold" is played by Colton Haynes, who starred in the MTV series, Teen Wolf.

Please check out the video of Justice performing "Gold." The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Gold”
Written by Tove Nilsson, Peter Thomas, Jason Weiss, Sam Shrieve, Ben Camp, Jakob Jerlström and Ludvig Söderberg. Performed by Victoria Justice.

I’ve tried to let it go
But these butterflies I can’t ignore
‘Cause every time that I look at you
Know we’re in a catch-22
We’ve been friends for so long but I
Need to tell you what’s on my mind
I’m sick and tired of playing games
‘Cause I know that you feel the same

I know you inside out, so I’m asking now
Take a chance on me
How much clearer can I be?

Hey, boy, whatcha gonna do
If you want me like I want you, then man up and make your move
I’m Gold, Gold
You, me, good as can be, want to be more than your company
So bet your money on me
I’m Gold, Gold

Do I really need to spell it out?
My heart skips when you’re around
I got everything that you need
So come on baby get close to me
So confused that I’m not surprised
From greater bells, and rolled the dice
Know all your moves, don’t know why I fall
Should put me out, but I want it all

I know you inside out, so I’m asking now
Take a chance on me
How much clearer can I be?

Hey, boy, whatcha gonna do
If you want me like I want you, then man up and make your move
I’m Gold, Gold
You, me, good as can be, want to be more than your company
So bet your money on me
I’m Gold, Gold

Na ra ta la la
I’m Gold, Gold
Na ra ta la la
I’m Gold, Gold

Been to cool just to tell you straight out, but by now I wish you figured it out, I wish you figured it, I wish you figured it, I wish ya
You’re not a fool you see what I’m about, so by now I think you figured it out, I think you figured it out, I think you figured it out, I think ya!

Hey, boy, whatcha gonna do
If you want me like I want you, then man up and make your move
I’m Gold, Gold
You, me, good as can be, want to be more than your company
So bet your money on me
I’m Gold, Gold

Na ra ta la la
I’m Gold, Gold
Na ra ta la la
I’m Gold, Gold

Credits: Screen capture via YouTube.com.

Danish Metal Detectorist Stumbles Upon 1,500-Year-Old Gold Treasures

A novice treasure hunter using his metal detector for the first time recently stumbled upon one of the largest, richest and most beautiful hoards of gold artifacts in Danish history.

Ole Ginnerup Schytz was looking for a place to try out his new metal detector, so he asked an old classmate if he could explore his property in Vindelev. Within a few hours, Schytz had literally struck gold — although he initially believed the crunched up, muddied metal he pulled from the ground was "the lid on a can of sour herring."

The lucky metal detectorist continued to strike gold at the site, netting 22 pieces dating back 1,500 years to pre-Viking times. The hoard weighed a total of 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds).

The site was subsequently excavated by archaeologists from Vejlemuseerne, in collaboration with experts from the Danish National Museum. The project was funded by Denmark's Agency for Culture and Palaces.

Archaeologists determined that the treasure was buried in a longhouse that was likely owned by an Iron Age chieftain.

"Only a member of the absolute cream of society would have been able to collect a treasure like the one found here," explained Mads Ravn, Head of Research at Vejlemuseerne.

The Vindelev Hoard consists of saucer-sized, beautifully decorated medallions, also known as bracteates. The recovery also included Roman coins that had been made into jewelry.

The burial of the gold may have been connected to a climate disaster that struck in the year 536 AD. Ash clouds from a large volcanic eruption resulted in many years of crop failure and famine.

According to many researchers, the catastrophe of 536 AD caused the inhabitants of what is now Denmark to reject the old rulers and bury lots of gold during this period — perhaps to to save it from enemies, or possibly to appease the gods.

In less than four months, the Vindelev Hoard will be presented to the public as part of Vejlemuseerne's large Viking exhibition, which opens on February 3, 2022.

Credits: Top two images courtesy of Vejle Museums. Bottom two images courtesy of Conservation Center Vejle.

Retiree Finds 4.38-Carat Yellow Diamond at Arkansas Park Within 1 Hour of Searching

It took retiree Noreen Wredberg less than one hour to score the largest diamond of the year at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas.

The Granite Bay, CA, native spotted the 4.38-carat yellow diamond sitting on top of the ground in a plowed field that is actually the eroded surface of an extinct, diamond-bearing volcanic pipe. It is also the only public diamond mine where novice prospectors get to keep what they find.

She and her husband, Michael, had been touring Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas when they realized that the Crater of Diamonds State Park was only 60 miles away on US Route 70.

“I first saw the park featured on a TV show several years ago,” Noreen said. “When I realized we weren’t too far away, I knew we had to come!”

The couple arrived at Crater of Diamonds on Thursday, September 23, a sunny, but cool, fall morning. They started to search in a shaded area near the mine entrance, but her husband suggested they venture farther out to the middle of the field where it was sunnier and warmer.

His suggestion paid off about 40 minutes later when Noreen noticed the sparkling gem while walking just north of a central pathway of the search area.

“I didn’t know it was a diamond then," she said, "but it was clean and shiny, so I picked it up!”

The Wredbergs had timed their visit perfectly because it had rained heavily two days earlier.

“We plow the search area periodically to loosen the soil and promote natural erosion," said Park Interpreter Waymon Cox. "Diamonds are somewhat heavy for their size and lack static electricity, so dirt doesn’t stick to them. When rain uncovers a larger diamond and the sun comes out, its reflective surface is often easy to see.”

Michael brought his wife's find to the park’s Diamond Discovery Center for identification. After examining the stone, park staff informed Michael that he was in possession of a very large yellow diamond.

Park Superintendent Caleb Howell said, “When I first saw this diamond under the microscope, I thought, ‘Wow, what a beautiful shape and color!’ Mrs. Wredberg’s diamond weighs more than four carats and is about the size of a jellybean, with a pear shape and a lemonade yellow color.”

Noreen was surprised and excited when park staff gave her the news a few minutes later, saying, “We really didn’t think we would find one, let alone something that big!”

The Californians named their gem "Lucy's Diamond" in honor of their kitten, which is mostly grey in color with slight hints of yellow.

Noreen has yet to decide if the gem will stay in its natural state or be made into a faceted diamond.

“I don’t even know what it’s worth yet," she said. "It’s all new to me!”

As of this publication, 258 diamonds have been registered at Crater of Diamonds State Park in 2021, weighing more than 46 carats in total. Visitors have found more than 33,000 diamonds since the Crater of Diamonds opened as an Arkansas State Park in 1972.

Credits: Images courtesy of Arkansas State Parks.