Friday Finds: I Am Woman
As I’ve transitioned into being a full-time adult, I am finding myself tapping into sides of myself I never knew existed. All the while, I have unknowingly been seeking out artists and music to reflect those sides of myself and the various moods and energies that come with it. Recently, I’ve been discovering a lot of female solo musicians who have been personally inspiring to me with their various messages of independence, strength, empowerment, sexuality, and respecting your worth. Some of these artists have been long time favorites, including Lana Del Rey, Jhene Aiko, and Sevdaliza. I started putting this playlist together when I realized that there are certain feelings, experiences, and vibes that are highly specific to the female energy and experience – which is how I Am Woman, came to be. I spend a lot of time reflecting on my musical taste, and realized how subtly the artists you follow influence you with their music. Music is a powerful tool in playing with and influencing emotions, but it’s always fascinated me how strongly life experiences can manifest through musical taste. I know they say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but I think it’s possible to get an idea of what a person connects to on a deeper level simply by examining their taste in music. After all, why do you think mix tapes were so popular in the 90s? If you can relate to someone’s music, or their musical taste, it means something more than just liking the same sounds. It means that you, subconsciously, on some level, whether you are aware of it or not, can relate.
Looking back, my musical phases made a lot of sense to me. When I was young, I was mostly exposed to those classic 90s hits, because that was what my older siblings listened to. Throughout grade school, I was obsessed with The Beatles, because I believed in their message of peace and love. As an angsty teenager, Evanescence, System of a Down, and Eminem all spoke volumes to me. I may not have been overdosing on drugs, but that didn’t change the fact that I felt and connected with their energy.
Many people are afraid to venture outside of their preferred genres of music. But I think every genre has something to offer. The more you expose yourself to other people’s taste in music, and give them a chance, the closer you are to connecting as a human being to someone with a different musical pallet – and set of experiences - as you. The more you spend time in environments catering to certain moods and energies, the more likely you are to soak up those energies and seek them out further through music. Through this way, music allows us to not only connect to artists, but to ourselves and each other.
Check Out the Playlist “I Am Woman” Here featuring Lana Del Rey, Jhene Aiko, Banks, Sevdaliza, Alina Baraz, Beyonce, Bebe Rexha, Astrid S, and more!
