Now Playing: January

 January 1st // "Escapism"  - RAYE (Live At The Royal Albert Hall)

    I loved this song when it dropped, but for the first time I'm actually listening to what she is singing about. What a crazy, powerful song to blow up on. I think she is best with massive orchestras and bands because her voice can match the energy. When I saw her at ACL in 2023, her performance was nowhere near what it was on this audio. Her crowd will probably triple after the recent "Oscar Winning Tears" viral sound on TikTok, and the Grammys performance. What a year for the artists who have been around FOREVER and are finally getting showered with praise. I actually thought that Adele is now irrelevant vocally with RAYE in the picture....songwriting from both women is fantastic though. I am so excited to see RAYE again at Bonnaroo so I can scream all the words. (2023)

January 2nd // "Cafuné" - Sofi Tukker & Channel Tres

    This is such a fun collaboration oh my god. I got back into an EDM kick when the Bonnaroo lineup dropped and I think I overlooked Sofi Tukker's latest record. I could have added at least 3 of their songs to the blog, but this showcases the best of both artists. I stand by Channel Tres being the one artist Harry Styles could make a song with....just think about it. Sofi Tukker sings in Portuguese because one of the members studied in Brazil, and they have a poet who helps write songs there. I remember they performed at the Grammys in 2020 when the crowds had to sit alone in various rooms around LA; I was so disappointed they couldn't have a true performance. (2024)

January 3rd // "Peace You Need" - Fred again.. & Joy Anonymous 

    OH MY GODDDDD I have no idea if he played this at Bonnaroo in 2024 but if he did, I know we all transcended. The way you fall back into the beat with the bass is my favorite part! It goes in my mental playlist of songs that contain "that special something" 100%. He makes such cinematic EDM - I just want to spin around with my headphones on to this song. Tame Impala and Harry Styles both have songs that do a fantastic job of taking away the production, teasing the build up, and then slamming you back into the music full-force....nothing like it in a live music setting. (2024)

January 4th // "The Giver" - Sarah Kinsley

    My folk queen. I can't lie, I love when artists layer their vocals like Elliot Smith!! Im obsessed with artists harmonizing with themselves wow. Her voice reminds me of Gracie Abrams, but she has a larger range. Minute 1:35 gives me the chills in the best way oh my god; she sounds like Suki Waterhouse. "He forgets the words, so I teach him to say 'I love you'" AHHHHHHHHH. Such a vulnerable song, I just know almost everyone has experienced this. I'm officially paying attention to Sarah Kinsley. (2022)

January 5th // "SHIVER" - John Summit & HAYLA 

    I only knew "Where You Are" from John Summit, but this song is so massive. It has the same singer that is featured on "Where You Are" too, so you know it's a great song. I'm seeing John Summit at Bonnaroo and SXSW this year, it's going to be so sick. I play this on repeat at my internship; it's so hard not to lose yourself in a formal setting. (2024)

January 6th // "Day One" - Interstellar Soundtrack, Hans Zimmer 

    Words can't describe how much this soundtrack means to me. I have a mental playlist containing songs that take me .2 seconds to identify; I could win $10,000 on that one game show. Interstellar is my favorite movie and film score of all time! The way composers are able to convey emotions for a scene, sometimes without even seeing any content, is extremely impressive. I start to reminisce about my years playing the French Horn in middle school band...part of me wishes I stuck with it for longer; I took the entire experience for granted. I can't turn back time though, so instead i'm officially saving up for a keyboard so I can teach myself to play again. Music is so healing! I get the chance to hear this soundtrack live next month at the Hans Zimmer Live show, but it's the same night as the Grammy's.....my Barbenheimer. (2014)

January 7th // "Grigio Girls" - Lady Gaga

    I forgot how much I loved this song and truthfully, that it existed. A song that makes me think of my best friend; I think there aren't enough songs out there about friends or people you love in a non- romantic way. It is so tragic that friendships sometimes end too soon. Her friend Sonja passed away before she famously filmed her performance of "I'll Never Love Again" in A Star Is Born, where you can see the emotion in her eyes. (2016)

January 8th // "GLOW" - MICHELLE 

    I was brushing up on my MICHELLE tracks before the concert next month, and I ran into this! Although, I doubt they'll play it. I feel myself smiling whenever this comes on shuffle now. I want to listen to this dancing around my room in my underwear. (2023)

January 9th // "Smoke" - Caroline Polachek

    I first heard this teased on NPR's Tiny Desk because it came on after Chappell Roan's, and I was too lazy to change it. Besides Samia, Caroline Polachek has the only Tiny Desk I have watched all the way through before knowing the music. Her voice is so insane....she moves notes around in the back of her throat somehow; she's so entertaining to watch. As it turns out, "Pretty Impossible", her opening song on the Tiny Desk set, is the sister song to "Smoke"! I recognized the similarities instantly; apparently she references her other songs in her live production too, which is so impressive. She gives me the impression she loves the art she makes more than anyone else. I have to get deeper into her discography to see her brain....(2023) 

January 10th // "Beggin'" - Chris Lake & Aluna 

    OH, this song gets me going. Nothing else to say about it. Makes me want to learn to shuffle. (2023)

January 11th // "Is There Something in the Movies?" - Samia

    I discovered Samia at my internship, and she is perfect for me. She writes like Phoebe Bridgers; so beautiful. "I left you in life cause you don't need my pen to embellish your noteworthy parts. And I only write songs about things that I'm scared of, so here, now you're deathless in art", insane lyrics to have on your debut record. I learned she recorded at Sylvan Esso's studio, which immediately caught my attention. When I was doing my deep-dive, I also discovered her mom is an actress in my favorite comedy of all time, VEEP. Honestly, I might be a bigger fan of her mom....(2020)

January 12th // "in my head" - Ariana Grande

    I am never not singing, "look at you, boy I invented you. Gucci tennis shoes, running from your issues", in my head! The music video went platinum on my YouTube; who cares that it was for an ad. Her and her team had such creativity during the Thank u Next era. This is one of the songs I think about when I see people saying Ariana Grande can't sing her old songs...bitch. She has always been an R&B dabbler. (2019)

January 13th // “Marry The Night” - Lady Gaga

    I think this is my favorite Lady Gaga song of all time. This came on shuffle today after YEARS, and it was like listening to it for the first time again. Old Lady Gaga is still so fresh to this day. I found this song so empowering when I was a child; the music video especially showcased her artistic ability. I was so impressed with this entire concept for a video. I cannot believe this came out 14 years ago...the dancing and broadway of it all. Artists don't do this enough in today's world. It is her entire life story in a 13-minute masterpiece. (2011)

January 14th // "Two Vines" - Empire Of The Sun

    This song came on shuffle for the first time, and I immediately bought the vinyl. Where was I when they were releasing music all those years ago? I am counting down the days until the concert in Atlanta! (2016) 

January 15th // “How Did It End” - Taylor Swift

    This is one of those songs that really showcases Taylor Swift's songwriting; when she takes an extremely common scenario that can be explained in a single sentence, and turns it into something as good as this. I decided it really is impossible to land on a top 5 for this record. Acoustic is what she does best, miss country girl! This song almost sounds hymnal...like bells ringing - "come one, come all, it's happening again". One of the best runs in the entire album ends with, "my beloved ghost and me. Sitting in a tree, D-Y-I-N-G". (2024)

January 16th // "Pump The Breaks" - Dom Dolla

    OHHHHHHHHHHH Bonnaroo is going to go fucking crazy. (2021)

January 17th // "Dream Song" - Samia

    So gentle. "There are 6 minutes of brain activity after, after the body's dead." Insane thing to put in there. I am so intrigued about her impending album because this is from 2020....I will be checking her out. (2020)

January 18th // "Hot & Heavy" - Lucy Dacus 

    Ever since I moved out, I have been relating more to songs that talk about returning to where you started/grew up. I also love songs that make me drive fast! "Now you're a firecracker on a crowded street", I love this lyric; it's like flying too close to the sun. The outro is so gorgeous too! I love an outro! Lucy Dacus is checking all my boxes; I am going to venture past the 3 songs saved to my library one day. (2021)

January 19th // "From The Start" - Laufey

    I finally started listening to Laufey when I started my internship, and she is stunning. Her voice is so classic, like Lana Del Rey. She is jazz/bossa nova, while using modern lyrics. This track makes me want to sit on a patio with my loved one, while we bask in one another. I see such vivid images of The Jetsons, the 50s era of WandaVision, or the intro Sabrina Carpenter used for her Short n' Sweet Tour. I learned so much about her; her twin sister is her creative director, she is classically trained multi-instrumentalist, and she is a major fashion fan. I could do an entire blog post about the siblings that work together in this industry....I should do it. (2023)

January 20th // "Neverender" - Justice & Tame Impala

    I never knew Justice existed prior to these collaborations with Tame Impala, but I'm extremely excited to see them headline Bonnaroo! What I would fucking give to see Daft Punk live before I die. (2024)

January 21st // "Severus and Lily" - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt 2 Soundtrack, Alexandre Desplat

    I am in the middle of reading Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince, but I couldn't help myself and watched the series again anyways. The good thing is, I can't remember reading them when I was younger, so I have no idea what happened in the books; there's always more content in the books. Nonetheless, this part of Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows pt. 2 'always' makes me sob. The music is so powerful. I will have to re-watch the last 4 movies after I complete my re-read of the books so I can really understand. I think this could be my favorite song in the entire series, aside from "Hedwig's Theme", of course. (2011)

January 22nd // "CAROUSEL" - Lykke Li

    This entire project is so fucking cool. Lykke Li dropped a deluxe version of her record EYES, and titled it, SEYS. She dropped her entire record backwards....I have never seen anyone do that before. The first song I ever heard from the joint project was one of the backwards tracks, and I lOVED it, so I ventured on. Her music reminds me of Beach House, or a very delicate electronic. The music video is a massive artistic piece; bring these back! I have a mental playlist of songs with outros, and this song is a beautiful addition. Listening to the backwards version now. (2022)

January 23rd // "Red-wine Supernova” - Chappell Roan

    Something in my atmosphere shifted when she performed this live at the Vevo DSCVR Artists to Watch 2024. She does so well live. The joy I felt in my heart when I saw her up there at Bonnaroo! There is seriously no other artist I would rather see during peak-heat on the farm. Her message connects with me so deeply; she is my Princess Diana. Manifesting to the universe that Chappell Roan wins a Grammy. (2023)

January 24th // “I Hate It Here” - Taylor Swift

    "..and ill get lost on purpose. This place made me feel worthless", goddamn Taylor Swift. Stop writing songs about my life. I cannot get over her playing a mashup of "The Lakes/I Hate It Here" live at the Eras Tour. I relate to escapism so much. I think I mentioned earlier how I was missing acoustic songs that were lyric rich - she delivered. I wish I did not have to relate to themes like these in comparison to love songs, but this is where I am. The music will get me through. (2024)

January 25th // "There Are Worse Games to Play" - Hunger Games: Mockingjay, pt. 2 Soundtrack, James Horner ft. Jennifer Lawrence 

    I feel so much when this song plays, it's not even funny. This book series changed my life. I'm so grateful for this series in its entirety; I think we need stories with hidden meanings just like this one. The song Jennifer Lawrence sings at the end, "Deep In The Meadow", is what I would sing to my kids if I had them. I just feel so empty at the end, I wish I knew why. It was a month of film scores, which I think is lovely. (2015)

January 26th // "Sidelines" - Phoebe Bridgers 

    I will never forget where I was when I heard this song for the first time; I had to sit where I was standing and cry. "Watch the world from the sidelines, had nothing to prove. 'Til you came into my life, gave me something to lose. Now I know what it feels like to wanna go outside, like the shape of my outline", I knife to my gut. She has such a nasty habit of writing things that I think about, but cannot find the words to share. 

January 27th // "On My Way" - Brother Bear Soundtrack, Phil Collins

    Phil Collins had no business making two of the greatest movie soundtracks ever, Tarzan and Brother Bear. What a masterclass in songwriting too. An influencer I follow was singing this on her walk and I was transported back to when I was a kid, and I would watch the movie on repeat. Brother Bear is one of those perfect story, perfect soundtrack films for me. I miss when animated movies were the forefront of the industry.....simpler times. (2003)  

January 28th // “Somewhere Only We Know” - Keane

    This was one of those songs I re-discovered 5 years ago, after hearing it once 5 years before that. It felt so familiar when I listened. Truthfully, I am not entirely sure what they're singing about, I just know the song makes me want to feel connected to someone else. The GLEE version is fantastic. (2004)

January 29th // “Hey There Delilah” - Plain White T’s

    A customer at my job paid to have this song play over the speakers and it was like someone shook my brain up, and spit out elementary school. Music is so cool! Someone told me so long ago that the girl this song is about filed a restraining order on the songwriter/frontman....I hope she's doing ok. A miss when acoustic songs were so lyrically rich, like rap music. Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran make word-y acoustic music, but I need to find more. If my partner ever decides to go long distance, I honestly think I could get through it with this song. (2005) 

January 30th // "Hot Blooded" - New Constellations 

    A head banger if I have ever heard one. I can't believe this group has about five songs total. I really hope I can hear this song live one day. A girl I went to college with randomly showed my roommates and I this song in the car, and it's been on repeat ever since. (2021)

January 31st // "Norman f****** Rockwell" - Lana Del Rey 

   I had to give myself a pep talk before I started listening to the record, because I always spiral into a fragile state of mind listening to this. I know everyone quotes the opening line, "Goddamn, man child. You fucked me so good that I almost said 'I love you'", but my favorite lyric of this masterpiece is "Why wait for the best, when I could have you". Lyrically, this is in her top 5 of all time. I cannot even talk about this album without tearing up. "You make me blue", as her voice fades into the music; the french horn (I think?). There has, and will be nothing like the art that is this record. Lana was always mine, but someone I thought loved me, also felt the same way about her. It took a long time to listen to her again without thinking of the moments we listened together, but I guess time really does heal all wounds. I will admit, if someone told me that in times of turmoil I wouldn't be as quick to argue; when someone says, "everything happens for a reason", I blackout. Music is so sacred to me, and I have always been a little worried I would ruin my favorite music by sharing it with someone else. This experience showed me it will all be ok. I bought a ticket to see Lana at Hinterland Music Festival , and I just know it will be healing.  (2019)

Runner Ups

“The A Team” - Ed Sheeran

    My favorite debut album of all time. 

"East of Eden" - Zella Day 

    I have a mental playlist of songs that have an incredible bridge, and her's made the cut. 

"Praise The Lord (Da Shine)" - A$AP Rocky

    This will never fail to get me moving. 

"Good Luck Babe" - Chappell Roan

    Please, whoever is in charge, give my girl the Grammy. 

"Sticky" - Tyler The Creator

    ITS GETTIN STICKYYYYYYYYYY