a moment for some music!
the "your songs" tag
Images from Pinterest
Hello again, dear friends! Today I have a fun post for you: I’ll be sharing some music recommendations with y’all for the “your songs” tag!
For those of you who don’t know, I’m a classically trained opera, choral, jazz, blues, and soul singer, so music and singing have always been (and remain) a big part of my life! So, naturally, when I was tagged by Florina to do this tag, as a fellow musician, I was ecstatic!
I love sharing the music I love and the playlists I create with others because I feel like it’s one of the most intimate and vulnerable and open things I can do. My Spotify playlists are basically like diary entries for me, reflecting the complexities of all my various moods at various points in time. I used to feel really shy about sharing them, but nowadays, I realize it’s a beautiful thing to share yourself with the world and to get to experience life together. Hopefully today’s post will give you just a taste of what my mind, heart, and soul are like! Enjoy—and be sure to make it to the end of the post to listen to the playlist for it!
your favorite song right now
Lately I've been really loving "TARAT TARAT TAT" by Lella Fadda, which I discovered through her COLORS performance of the song. Lella Fadda is an Italian/Egyptian pop singer whose latest album, Magnun, kinda has a light hyperpop sound mixed with a hint of rap. I’ve been obsessed with her music since discovering her, so I highly recommend you give her a listen, even if you’ve never listened to Arabic pop before!
your favorite song five years ago
I honestly don't know because I listen to so much music that sometimes it’s hard to remember specifics from any particular year. I do remember loving "brutal" by Olivia Rodrigo when Sour was first released in 2021, but that was four years ago rather than five. Still, I'll use that as my answer, cause I can't remember much else...
your favorite lullaby or soothing song
I first heard "The Seal Lullaby" composed by Eric Whitachre when it was performed by one of the choirs at my high school, and I instantly fell in love with the song! It's so soothing and enchanting and simultaneously makes me want to cry and smile at its beauty!
a song that makes you cry
I adore The Chicks' cover of "Landslide," for many reasons, but two of them make me tear up every time I hear the song. First and foremost, this was the favorite song of one of my childhood family friends who passed away when I was about nine years old. When I was a kid, she and I used to sing this song together again and again. She wanted to be a professional singer, and it was apparent from a young age that I was a singer too, so we connected over our shared love of singing, music, and this song. So, every time I listen to this song and especially when I sing along, I remember her. Second, since I was about twenty, I've found the lyrics of this song quite relatable, and they make me feel quite wistful.
a song that makes you dance
Lately it's been "Disease" by Lady Gaga, off of her new album MAYHEM (which I've been loving and had on repeat). The song is so reminiscent of her early eras, which spanned my teenage years, so there's almost this sense of youthfulness and nostalgia I get when I listen to "Disease," even though it's a new song. The feeling and the song in general really get me groovin’ and make me want to dance
a song that you covered or performed
When I was seventeen, I performed "Colored Woman" from Memphis in what is one of my favorite performances of mine. At the time I had three years of opera training under my belt and wanted to try out singing jazz, blues, and soul, and I figured singing this song for my high school's Broadway themed concert would be a great starting point. Turns out it was! I worked so hard to perfect singing "Colored Woman," and it resulted in a performance that I'm so incredibly proud of!
your favorite song from a movie
How could I not go with "Defying Gravity" from Wicked?! I've loved the musical and its songs since I was a young teen, so seeing Wicked brought to the big screen was a dream come true! Of course, like all other music nerds, I was curious to see how Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande would pull off the big moment of singing "Defying Gravity"—would it live up to everyone's standards? Well, I, for one, can say that Erivo and Grande's rendition sure lived up to my own standards, and maybe even exceeded them!
your favorite song from a new album
Even though it's been about five months since its release, I'm still groovin' to "DENIAL IS A RIVER" from Alligator Bites Never Heal by Doechii on a regular basis! Honestly all of the songs off of Alligator Bites Never Heal are amazing, but this one is definitely my favorite for its funky 1990s-ish vibe!
a song that makes you sentimental
"My Love Mine All Mine" by Mitski puts me in the most sentimental mood every time I hear it! It reminds me that part of the reason why love is so magical is because it's something that you give away freely but also keep a part of—love never diminishes no matter how much of it you give away!
a song you’ve heard a lot lately
Lately on Instagram and Tik Tok, I've been hearing "DtMF" by Bad Bunny a lot—and I couldn't be happier! I've loved Bad Bunny's music for years, so I'm glad more Americans are being exposed to him now!!
a song you’d sing at karaoke
I remember singing along loudly to "Criminal" by Fiona Apple at three years old, and I think I'd stick to that song at karaoke, lol! It's pretty much a classic in my household and I still love it to this day!
a good road trip song
Since I'm American, when I think of a road trip, I typically think of a coast-to-coast road trip taking you through all the major regions of the US. And, of course, since one of those regions is the Midwest, the road trip wouldn't be complete without music from pop's biggest Midwestern princess herself, Chappell Roan. I also feel like the large midsection of the US typically makes me think of a more country music sound. This all being said, I think the obvious song choice is "The Giver" by Chappell Roan!
a cute love song
I think Laufey is the perfect singer when it comes to performing love songs—she just has the perfect musical style and voice for it! And "Bewitched" by Laufey is just such a perfect, romantic song!! The lyrics and the way Laufey swoonily sings them just make me melt!
your favorite christian song your favorite song from your favorite genre
I know many people may call it "basic," but I really do love pop music! And one of my favorite pop songs is "Tell Me You Love Me" by Demi Lovato. Listen, Demi may not typically be thought of as a pop princess, but you can't deny that the girl's got a real set of pipes! "Tell Me You Love Me" (especially her version recorded at Spotify Studios) showcases her immense talent as a vocalist, and every time I hear it I feel like my biggest dream is to sing like her someday!
a song you love but can’t sing
I absolutely LOVE "Life Itself" by Glass Animals---it's consistently been on my "favorite songs" list for years! That said, it's a mix of singing and spoken-ish word, both of which are done by a male musician in the song. So, given that I'm a woman whose range fluctuates between Alto II, Alto I, and Soprano II, I have a tough time singing along to this one. But I do try anyway, much to the distress of my cats, lol!
listen to the songs
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