As 2020 comes to an end, everyone is eager to welcome in 2021 after the hardships this year has brought us. For many people, including myself, music was a way for us to cope with our struggles and escape the harsh realities of the world we live in. Despite concerts being cancelled for the entirety of the year, many artists found ways to give unique experiences to their fans like live stream concerts and even virtual meet and greets. Everyone has a few artists that hold a special place in their heart for their music helping them through thick and thin; here are some artists that helped me get through 2020:
TWICE
According to my Spotify Wrapped, this Kpop girl group was my number one artist of the year which means I spent far too many hours listening to their discography. TWICE is a South Korean girl group with a total of nine members, all with their own unique vocals and talents. The reason why TWICE was so addictive for me this year is because of their cheerful and danceable songs. Even though there is a language barrier between the songs and myself, music is a universal language anyone can enjoy, regardless of whether you speak the language or not. TWICE has been in the public eye for quite some years but recently they are catching western perception after performing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. If you are looking to get into Kpop or need a mood lifter, TWICE is the group for you.
Harry Styles
It’s safe to say Harry Styles is the unofficial man of the year and if you haven’t heard of him, you’ve essentially been living under a rock. He’s challenged toxic masculinity by gracing the cover of Vogue wearing a dress and made waves for his acting career continuing with the movie Don’t Worry Darling which is set to release in 2021. Harry Styles is a man of many talents but his music is really what resonates with people. This year I had the Fine Line album essentially on repeat. It’s difficult for me to completely fall in love with an entire album and never skip any songs, but his album is the perfect mix of joyfulness and solemn that makes me want to listen from start to end.
Rina Sawayama
This budding pop artist is the definition of show-stopping. Her self-titled album, SAWAYAMA, is what attracted me to her initially. In the album, Rina shows she isn’t afraid to mix genres of music like rock and pop and the result is a unique sound that she truly embraces. Listening to her music via streaming platforms is great, but hearing her live vocals is an amazing experience. While I haven’t gotten the opportunity to see her in concert just yet, watching live performances of her is a great substitute which showcases Rina’s talent.
Joji
I’ve been a longtime fan of Joji and his music never ceases to disappoint me. While he typically sticks to producing slow ballads, Joji has demonstrated this year with his album, Nectar, that he has a wide range of musical capabilities. Nectar is one of my favorite albums that debuted this year because Joji gives his fans what he is known for, while also teasing new concepts like more pop-sounding tracks. What I adore about Joji is that he is also a genuine artist who loves to give back to his fans. This year he hosted a virtual concert since the pandemic changed everyone’s plans this year. Joji made sure to give his fans a performance worth watching with different sets and costume changes throughout which made for a truly captivating show.