new and newer playlists

music has always had a place in my life. I can remember getting my first CD player. It was a big chunky white one with pink flowers. I had EVERY Hannah Montana album, among others. I also had a portable CD player and that was NIRVANA. As I slowly went up in the world, that meant Disney MixStix (which, I just have to brag, I was one of two people in my WHOLE elementary school that had one. Its fine.) a little blue Coby mp3 player and eventually, an iPod nano 7. And that's just devices. Discovering Pandora was a blessed day and my joy when I first signed up for Spotify has yet to be matched to this day. Point is, I've never known a life without music. And my taste has definitely changed in the last 4 years more than anyone, especially me, could have ever guessed or expected.

My freshman playlists consisted of older Taylor Swift-type songs and One Direction (RIP) and Wicked. And you better believe I jammed out to every single song. Towards the end of my freshman year, I had a friend named Tanner who showed me a new path, the indie and alternative way. I started listening to Arctic Monkeys, Death Cab for Cutie and Vampire Weekend. That was my type of music all the way through up until the middle-ish end of my sophomore year, when on a ballroom trip, a close friend named Mason showed me what would become my all time favorite artists - Jon Bellion and Twenty One Pilots. And I fell in love so quick. All of a sudden that's all I listened to, 24/7. And that's been the only constant thing since sophomore year for me, my music. My junior year stayed like this, but also included show tunes, also thanks to my very own Mary Poppins, Maryn. And that included Hamilton (HEAVEN BLESS) amongst others. This year has been dedicated to learning every throwback song imaginable. Its going rather well to be honest, my only redeeming quality is that I can rap Fergilicious all the way through. I love every kind of music...except country. Never have, never will.

Quick shoutout to all the people who have ever sent me a song I should listen to, or sat with me and listened to music and switched headphones on and off. Or even mentioned in a conversation a song that they liked. Because I probably went and listened to it. I probably use my Shazam more often than I actually would ever admit to out loud. I have been using Shazam since before it was even remotely known. And I've used people as my Shazam, so yeah.

My taste is one that is so unique that NO ONE can have the same taste. I'm always in pursuit of new music though and I've considered have a collaborative playlist that random people can add to as they find good music. I love hearing stuff I've never heard before from bands I love. One of those is Panic! At the Disco and the song is Nicotine. SOOOOOOO GOOD. Jon Bellion is always 10 out of 10. I love Chance the Rapper and Frank Ocean. Blonde is my favorite song by him, and Chance does a cover of a Hamilton song that is out of this world. I love Ed Sheeran and I secretly love Justin Bieber. I didn't when I was younger though and that's my point. My taste has continually changed and evolved and I think that's important. Got a song that I have to hear before I graduate and move on to newer and better music? Lemme know, DM me, text me, anything. Send it to me on Spotify. I'll listen to it all.

Much Love,

Sara Jean