Music, in my ears, is the freest form of expression; more so than any written or spoken art. Unlike books, films, or plays, music carries an inherent individuality; we may find familiarity in the same song but will associate its melody with vastly different experiences. Here are some of the songs that I resonate with most and perhaps they will make their way into our airband performance later this spring.
However, before I begin, I must provide a disclaimer; there are many more songs that I enjoy beyond the ones listed below, and by no means does any song claim the title of my favorite song. These just happened to match my mood while writing this blog.
Wicked Games – The Weekend
Unsurprisingly the midwest has its limited options when it comes to hanging out, especially in the heart of winter. To pass the time, we have resorted to driving; not the sunset driving on the coasts of California, but rather through neighborhoods. When I have the pleasure of being on AUX, The Weekend → Wicked Games, finds its way throughout the rotation. It finds itself in what I like to categorize as ‘Late Night Vibes’, a blend of the Weekend, Frank Ocean, Bryson Tiller, and Brent Fayiaz.
Time Heals All – Don Toliver
Time Heals All ironically falls into both my Chill and Gym playlists. It just goes to show this song’s true versatility as a song that adapts to its environment. More than that, I like to think this song was a gateway into a whole new genre of rap-infused R&B.
Hold On We’re Going Home – Drake
Classic road trip, specifically the trip back. It transformed our trip into a collective experience even up to the end. Not only is it encapsulated in the lyrics, but this idea of placing a cap on the bottle of the trip and turning a new chapter on the memories made. Moreover, as an older song, it is one of the few that I was able to sing with my parents and enjoy equally rather than their older slow and classical music starkly in contrast to my new rap music. Truthfully a couple of months ago, it broadened musical horizons, revealing the depth and diversity.
Right Now – Akon
As a child, Freedom by Akon was the first album I was introduced to music, or true music, beyond those of TV shows. Despite its age, every month there will be a week where I return to the same playlist and derive the same maximum value each time. It has become nearly a tradition between me and my dad to listen to this playlist each month. It has gotten to the point where I know every single lyric. This song is built into the foundation of me and my father’s relationship.
Locked out of Heaven – Bruno Mars
Song to scream in the car; with friends, siblings, cousins, and even random adults on a bus in Hawaii. I firmly believe that Burno Mars is the Michael Jackson of our time. Sometimes, matter of fact, all the time, I wish I could sing like Bruno. In the car, I sometimes think I sound like that, but I made the horrible mistake of recording myself and my friends. After long hype talks, we prepared our voices and recorded our majestical singing, which turned out to be next to horrendous. Nevertheless, I feel like I can relate to each of his songs on a deeper level even if I do not have the same experiences.
演员 – Joker Xue
Joker Xue was introduced to me in Karaoke bars in China. My dad exposed his singing talent to me after years of dad-lore of his days in high school. This Chinese song is the most out-of-place song in my playlist but will forever own its spot. Most of my singing is mumbled, however, I understand each of the lyrics that roughly translate to “actor”. It diversifies my portfolio and I look forward to exploring new Chinese songs and karaoke when I travel back this summer.
Music will forever find ways into different parts of my life, traveling, in class, and with friends. My music is ever-evolving and Spotify minutes streamed each year are on the constant uprising. I hope you guys can share some of your songs and how they resonate with you.
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