Recently, I saw “Cinderella” by Mac Miller and Ty Dolla $ign live at the Red Rocks Amphitheater. It’s been one of my favorite songs since I was in middle school, and I had a visceral reaction to hearing those first notes from the guitar. The album The Divine Feminine has carried me through the many phases of my life, and in honor of the Tenth Anniversary edition being released on Oct. 2, I wanted to reflect on how much Mac Miller’s music has shaped me as I’ve grown up. Even after his passing in 2018, his words have become more important to me as I’ve gotten older, taking on even more meaning.
My first memory of hearing Mac Miller was his feature on “The Way,” by Ariana Grande. As a young girl, I mainly listened to pop music (which I still love), and Mac Miller was one of my first introductions to rap. Now, rap is my favorite, and I’m grateful that I was exposed to the genre through his music. Through “My Favorite Part” featuring Ariana Grande, I was able to discover what is now my favorite album ever.
I was in 8th grade when Mac’s first posthumous album, Circles was released. I resonated strongly with this album, as I struggled with my own mental health. The slower songs and exploration of depression echoed exactly what I was feeling at the time. This album was a great comfort to me — then and now. As I entered high school, I became obsessed with the albums Swimming and GO:OD AM. Both of these albums are deeply reflective, with many of the lyrics accepting his flaws. One of my favorite songs off of GO:OD AM, “Weekend,” recognizes his messy ways of coping without introducing a solution. I think this was an important theme for me to be exposed to at the age of 14, because not every experience will be resolved neatly, and as you go through them, you’re not going to be a perfect person either. Realizing that you are human and inherently flawed is a hard conclusion to come to, and I cherish these albums as I was able to reconcile with my own flaws during teenagehood. One of Mac’s many alter egos, Larry Lovestein and the Velvet Revivals, introduced me to the jazz genre in high school. I loved these songs, and the ability to write music across genres so well is a skill that not many can achieve — Mac accomplished just that.
Those are just some of the many phases that I’ve been through with Mac’s music, but the one album that has and will always be my favorite is The Divine Feminine. Three of the songs on this album made my top streamed songs of all time (I’ve had my Spotify account for 10 years!). This album is so special to me. The admiration of feminine energy throughout it is phenomenal, and I love the exploration of it through love and intimacy. The album starts off with “Congratulations,” with Ariana Grande’s laugh echoing in the background. He compares his significant other to a divine being, which he does throughout the album. He expresses his thoughts with an unblocked voice, allowing himself to explore the vulnerable aspects of love. The song “Stay” explores it in a different way, begging his significant other to stay in the relationship. Love isn’t perfect, which is what makes it so special, and it makes the comparison of women to the divine even stronger, as sacred doesn’t necessarily mean flawless. This album dives into themes of sex and infatuation unapologetically, intertwining them with the intensity of love and how strongly these feelings envelop the human experience. Love is an indescribable feeling when limited to the confines of the human language, but Mac gets incredibly close through his lyrics. The song ends with an anecdote from Mac’s grandmother where she tells the love story of her and her husband, ending on a message of love, just how the album began.
As I stood in the crowd of people brought together through the music, I felt the love. As I teared up with Ty Dolla $ign on the stage, I felt in that moment how much my relationship to the song has changed — and simultaneously, my relationship with myself. Thirteen-year-old me was listening to the song as 20-year-old me sang along. On the 10th anniversary of The Divine Feminine, I’ve been able to reflect on the many versions of myself that have appreciated Mac Miller’s art. The Divine Feminine (10th Anniversary) will continue his reputation as being one of the greatest musicians of our time.