All artist photos were taken by Marc Berman Photography. Marc kindly allowed us to use the pictures. His work is incredible. You can check it out here.

Reviewing phones isn’t all as glamorous as they’d have you believe. It arrives, you use it, they take it back. Sometimes this matters none. The phone is blagh or doesn’t blow you away. It was a little bit different with the Lumia 1520. When it first arrived I thought it was too big. Windows had only a few apps and while I thought it was a rad phone it hadn’t nestled its way into my heart or jean pocket. I took it for High Tea and it was fun. Then, there was tiger hunting, and it was suggested I keep the 1520 for that little trip and I did. During that time more apps started being released for Microsoft smartphones and I started realising that big is actually better. We bonded. We got close.

It’s funny how a phone starts getting its own personality the more it hangs around. The Lumia 1520 stood out every time. People noticed it. It had presence. When the communication came that the Lumia 1520 had to go home I was sad. We’d become friends. The universe clearly saw this and #IHeartJoburg popped up, conveniently I needed a phone to capture some of the chaos and what better than the Lumia 1520. So we got to hang around together for a few more days.

My long convoluted point is that, much like us, phones have personality.

My two favourite performances at #IHeartJoburg were Jason Derulo and Fall Out Boy. Ironically, I think there are two Lumia smartphones that epitomise each rather well.

Jason Derulo

Jason’s a bit like the Lumia 1520. I had no interest in someone who sings their name at the start of songs and thought he’d be a big brash performer I’d not enjoy. He’d be too in your face and likely annoy me. I was wrong. Derulo was incredible. He held that audience in the palm of his hand and kept them there the entire set. He had some wicked choreographed dance moves and I realised half way through his set that I was singing along. Much like the Lumia 1520 I was once again proven wrong. Big and brash is better. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Fall Out Boy

These guys hit the stage rocking and hard. They didn’t stop. The energy they threw at the crowd lasted the entire show. The performance was slick, well rehearsed and kept me intrigued throughout. For me, they’re a bit like the Lumia 930. For starters the 930 has incredible battery life so it just keeps going. Its also a sleek phone and well packaged. Fall Out Boy’s style was so funky and clean. Pete Wentz came out in this weird leather pants/skirt thingy combo with black and red high tops. It added to the display of their performance but the pop of colour gave it a bit of vibrance too. You’re figuring out the phone comparisons here right?

And with the end of the Fall Out Boy encore so to comes the end of my time with the 1520. Thanks for the memories Lumia! (See what I did there Fall Out Boy fans?)

Which Lumia are you?