Music has guided me through life’s highs and lows since growing up, I listened to all sorts of genres of music.
I’ve been blessed to have parents who were kids in the 1980s and teens in the ’90s. So with that, I was exposed to plenty of pop culture.
I found my idols in female singers and when I was in fifth grade, I was obsessed with Cyndi Lauper. At a time when my body was transitioning and I felt like the odd one out for my quirky creativity and uncontrollable mood swings, I turned to music made by singers who justified these changes.
“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” was the anthem of my youth. I was 12 years old, dancing to a song that had been out longer than I’d been alive, but I didn’t care. It made me feel happy and empowered.
“Some boys take a beautiful girl and hide her from the rest of the world. I want to be the one who walks in the sun. Girls just wanna have fun,” the song said.
I will always hold these lyrics dear to my heart. Music is powerful, especially in the sense that it can never age. The meaning and emotion behind it will always stay the same.
My opinions about life shifted when I became a teenager as I had pent up frustration when it came to the way society viewed me as a woman. I felt rebellious and was constantly looking for ways to prove my worth. The topic of woman empowerment constantly circulated in my brain.
My playlist at the time consisted of singers like Madonna, Beyonce and Donna Summer, who would all play on repeat.
Blasting their music as I painted out my emotions kept me grounded. Melodious tunes such as “Bad Girls” by Donna Summer, “Express Yourself” by Madonna and “Grown Woman” by Beyonce shaped my thoughts and personality.
They helped me develop into a young woman who knew her rights, her body and her worth. Regardless of my gender, I wouldn’t stand for mistreatment.
As a young adult, my current taste is much more peaceful. Through confusion and lost feelings, I shifted my listening to music that is sweet and fills the silence. Taylor Swift and old Mariah Carey songs never fail to make my heart swell and help me out in times when I feel vulnerable.
Everyone has artists who have helped us grow and soothe their souls. In this chaotic world, music will always be there to guide us.