Posted in The Here and Now

Spotify Tour Part 1

Happy Tunesday!! Today I’ll be highlighting some of my Spotify playlists. Feel free to follow me or any of the specific playlists that strike your fancy! I really like curating playlists and love talking about music so I figured hey, why not showcase some of my pet projects.

I’m going to be posting this in 3 parts but the playlist selection is in no particular order.

This is being published in January 2021, so if you read this at a significantly later date, it’s possible the exact titles and emotions for the playlists may evolve. If that happens I’ll try to update this post as needed!


dark & stormy

what’s the vibe: this playlist is for songs that are a little bit sinister. Lots of minor keys, complex chords, and the occasional sad lyricism.

when to listen: put this playlist on shuffle on a moody night when you just want to DANCE and forget that you’re in your feelings but still feel seen by the artists you’re dancing along to

title insight: this is just one of the many playlists i have named after beverages. this seemed the most appropriate based on the goal of my playlist

sample artists: BANKS, MS MR, Lorde, Lykke Li

honey wine

what’s the vibe: this playlist is for songs that you might describe as fun folk. anything that can make a city dweller feel like they’re on a ranch in the middle of a square dance night. it’s similar to my “on my Indie B.S.” playlist but the key difference is honey wine tracks usually have a banjo or fiddle or mandolin at some point.

sample artists: Half Moon Run, Billy Raffoul, Matt Corby, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Birdtalker, Churchill

the vibes? immaculate.

what’s the vibe: this is filled with chillhop and R&B for the most part

when to listen: at the kickback where the friendship is much more important than the playlist but that still allows for lulls in conversation to have you immersed in something tasteful and smooth. we’re relaxing and it’s incredibly chill.

title insight: the vibes are just immaculate, idk what to tell you….

sample artists: Nao, Masego, Chloe x Halle, Brasstracks, Cautious Clay, The Internet, Kid Cudi, WILLOW, Khalid

breath of fresh air

what’s the vibe: i made this in order to spend 7 hours walking one day. ever since, i’ve curated it a bit further to be a collection of upbeat songs that i generally like but don’t necessarily seek out– like elevator music for my brain.

when to listen: on a long long walk in nice weather :~) smell the grass!!! feel the earth beneath u!! smile up at the sun !!

sample artists: Ingrid Michaelson, Sara Bareilles, Julia Michaels, Lizzo, Sylvan Esso, Wrabel, Fletcher, Vanessa Carlton, alt-J, Ruth B., Young the Giant

electro-trash

what’s the vibe: i had an electro swing phase in college, around the time the new Great Gatsby movie had come out (which I never saw but I listened to the playlist religiously). the songs are jazzy and fun and some of them have really good drops as well as repetitive hooks and lyrics.

when to listen: either when you’re going to a roaring 20s themed party or when ur doing work and u gotta focus!!! the repetition and use of loops is incredibly helpful for a scatterbrain like me but if you’re someone who needs pure instrumentals, this might not be for you 😦

title insight: i was embarrassed by my obsession so this was me trying to downplay it. i’m keeping it though because i can’t think of anything better. let me know if you have ideas that are in the bevvy theme!!

sample artists: Parov Stelar, Caravan Palace, Belleruche, The Electric Swing Circus, Swing Republic, Beats Antique, Scott Bradlee

by any other name

title insight: shakespeare quote because i am incredibly unoriginal. this playlist contains songs that are names, that’s it! there are a few that include names such as “What Sarah Said” or “Jenny Don’t Be Hasty” simply because i adore those songs but for the most part they are all just single name titled tracks.

what’s the vibe: there is literally no vibe — the songs span a host of genres

when to listen: don’t lol just find ur name or the names of your friends/boo/family, listen to that song, then keep it movin xoxo


So that’s all for this week! Let me know how your organize your playlists? I feel like my Virgo and Aquarius really woke up and chose harmony and that’s why I’m Like This when it comes to my music playlists!!

Posted in Research, The Here and Now

#MainstreamMediaSoWhite

We’ve all seen the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite, a commentary on the extreme lack of diversity present in this years Oscars Award Ceremony nominations. Unfortunately this exact same phenomenon occurred with the Brits Awards across the pond. With the majority of its non-white nominees being from the International Artist/Group pool, it only makes sense that the hashtag #BritsSoWhite was birthed.

But this post isn’t about the underrepresentation and underappreciation of musicians of color. This isn’t about the inevitable discrimination against groups that have such an impressive effect on modern/pop culture today. It’s about my (ex) gurl Lianne La Havas.

She’s an amazing artist with songwriting talent seldom paralleled. No songs get to me as much as “Gone” or “Lost & Found.” This post isn’t about her music.

It’s about how she didn’t agree with the #BritsSoWhite hashtag simply because if artists want to be nominated they should “just make good music and [they’ll] be fine.” She called the “horrible horrible” hashtag “racist” which is laughable because its entire purpose is to challenge a discriminatory structure. She completely ignored the fact that power structures keep POC at at disadvantage. It’s silly to look at the Brit Nomination lineup, see the minimal POC present and attribute it to the fact that they’re just not as good as their white counterparts.

This post is probably coming out very angry and “blamey” but I’m allowed to be angry when even people who have huge followings, money, and influence are being swept under the rug because of their race, regardless of their talent. If literal actual celebrities are having trouble making it, what’s gonna become of me and all my not-famous, not-rich POC brothers and sisters?

Lianne is entitled to her opinion but it’s heartbreaking to find out someone you admire doesn’t seem to understand someone as prevalent and important as basic representation.