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Just a little list of artists who I listen to obsessively.
I found her on youtube in 2017 after going through a rabbit hole of videos (she did a video with P.A.I.N.T.... iykyk). What drew me to her was not just her incredible self written songs, but the vlogs that she made as she documented her journey of exploration in young adulthood. She expounded on her ideas of mental health and sexuality which was exactly the content I needed to consume at that time. It validated my experience of the world and opened my eyes to a newfound understanding of what I was experiencing myself as a teenager.
Her songs are beautifully sculpted (and sometimes a bit quirky), bringing out some very raw emotions and thoughts that run through the mind. The composition itself is goosebump inducing and just makes your heart swell.
While I can sing almost every song of hers by heart, my absolute favourite is "When". The song is about waiting and longing and never being in the moment. The lyrics, the music, the song in its entirety induces so much emotion, and is something that I feel reflects a journey. She released a re-recording of the song in her 2021 album "Build a Problem" that had a more bodied instrumental and a different tone in her singing. The transition between the two versions almost felt like a contradiction of growth and stagnancy - having changed and experienced so much more, yet still fundamentally harbouring those feelings of longing and invalidation.
If there was one song in the world I would ever want anyone to listen to it would be that. Not everyone would love it, but I do.
Halsey was probably the first artist I ever discovered outside of my mum and dad's playlists. I found her in her early days in 2015 when her EP was first released on spotify. I loved her immediately. Her voice, her lyrics, her iconically mid-2010 styled composition. Everything was just perfect for my angsty little 14 year old self.
I associate each album with a certain point in my life. Whenever I listen to them I remember the feelings I felt at the time, the events that happened and the people I spent my time with. Some are good, some are bad, but all are equally welcomed to feel. I find comfort in the reliability of her music. Those albums will always be there for me to listen to and recount those times in my life.
But aside from that, her music evokes emotions and ideas that resonate with me. They may not be true about me, but the sentiment is relatable - I suppose that's why she has such a large following. And you can always count on her music to help fuel the angst.
I don't have any particular favourites, but I would highlight "Is There Somewhere" from her first EP album. It was my favourite song as an angsty teen and holds a special place in my heart.
I also wrote a short story inspired by "The Lighthouse" from her 2021 album "If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power" that you can read here ;)
I f-ing love paramore. They are peak angst and I always gravitate towards them when I have some crabby energy to expend (which is quite often I would say). I don't know what else to say other than I love them so much.
"After Laughter" is an absolute godsend. It was my oxygen when I was 17 and is still one of the best albums existing to this day. The satire of happy peppy music with extremely angsty lyrics feeds my soul.
My favourite song would be a toss up between "26" from After Laughter and "Hate to see your heart break" from Paramore (that's the name of the album). They are both different to their usual punk rock / peppy angst music. They both have melodic acoustic accompaniment to Hailey's beautiful voice, and speak messages of encouragement - to hang on, to keep going despite the shit being thrown you. They are beautiful pieces that evoke so much emotion and definitely deserve more attention.
A strong contender is "Daydreaming". I always picture the image of what my childhood self thought my 20s would look like - living in a second story apartment with a desk at the window, sipping a hot mug of tea and watching people in the cafe across the road. It's a feeling of hope and happiness, and a little bit of longing.
I found her on Tiktok (this seems to be a trend) and I thought her songwriting was simply poetry. They are beautifully crafted - you can understand her insecurity and shyness not just through her lyrics but in the composition of the music and even in just the way she sings. I think her music gives me peace; I physically feel myself relax when I listen to her.
My favourite so far would be "Prayer". It's a little controversial, religious folk should take it light heartedly if you ever give it a listen. I'm not sure what it is, but there is something about the song that makes me love it.
My best friend Gwyn showed me their music at some stage and I loved how funky it was. I usually gravitate toward their music when I'm in a happy mood, or even if I just don't know what to listen to. It makes me happy just thinking about it.
Now, I was never a directioner in my youth, hence I was skeptical when they all eventually split up and made their own songs. But the moment I heard "Sign of the Times", I knew I had to listen to the whole album.
And it was absolutely worth it. He bloomed after going off on his own, his debut album carving a deep impression in my memory and heart. And each album after that is just a wondrous ensemble of craftsmanship.
If you have never heard of Sleeping at Last, where have you been? They have the most beautiful pieces of music ever heard by humans. Imagine being at the edge of the woods, stars glistening above your head as the smell of pine fills your nose. There's a light cover of snow on the ground as a sprinkle of snowflakes swirl around you. You have a hot mug of cocoa in your hand, the crickets are quietly chirping in the background.
That is what their music feels like.
My favourite is "The Overture". It makes you feel like a little kid looking at space for the first time. Full of wonder and insignificance. It's beautiful.
Another mention would be "The Mentor". If you choreograph dance pieces or make animations or anything please do something with this song and show it to me.
Shoutout to youtube of 2014 showing me Radioactive by Pentatonix and Lindsey Stirling. Iconic.
I think Pentatonix fueled my desire to be able to harmonise, much to my mother's detriment. But it also became a point of shared interest between us that we still share to this day. They were the first live music performance I ever saw, which my mum took me to (thanks mum). My christmas playlist is is made of 95% PTX, and 5% everybody-needs-to-have-this-in-their-christmas-playlist songs. It would be Christmas in October because of how repetitively I would play their newest release.
I would have to say my favourite is "Standing By" from "PTX, Vol. III". It's another one of those 'I don't have a reason for it, I just love it' songs. Definitely worth listening to.
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