It’s officially not only the pumpkin spice latte and sweater season, but also the season filled with nostalgic, longing vibes. There is not doubt that Waseda students might be overloaded with assignments and exam preparations, while some students might be striving to maintain healthy body conditions. If you are searching for songs to either boost your mood or comfort your soul, you have come to the right place. Below are my personal 5 song recommendations that are perfectly suitable to listen to this fall (or any time).
Song 1: ‘Waste It On Me’ (BTS x Steve Aoki)
By far, I would consider myself a legit Army since I listen to BTS songs every day and watch their videos several times a week. This is the 3rd time that BTS collaborated with the famous US DJ, Steve Aoki, and you will never be let down when both names appear in a music creation. As a full English song, the youngest member Jungkook (leader RM), and vocalist, Jimin, fully display their beautiful voices through this EDM pop track.
Song 2: ‘Secret’ (JJ Lin’s live performance)
Once again, JJ Lin does it all with his live performance on Sound of My Dream Chinese music show. Renowned with the nickname “walking CD”, every single live performance by JJ equally wows not just fans but also people listening to his performance for the first time. This time on Sound of My Dream, JJ incorporates classic elements with the cello and violin opening, and does a perfect mashup of Jay Chou’s 2 classic hits–‘Secret’ and ‘Starry Mood’.
Song 3: ‘Head Above Water’ (Avril Lavigne)
All hail the return of the music queen, Avril Lavigne! After 5 years, Avril finally released her new single called ‘Head Above Water’. I would call it a serene yet powerful ballad. The lyrics describe how she had been fighting with her disease over the past few years and aims to convey positivity as we live on. The official music video is extremely beautiful, but I particularly enjoyed Avril’s live performance on Jimmy Kimmel’s show, which is also her first public performance of this song.
Song 4: ‘Hikari’ (Androp)
To add a musical genre twist, I decided to recommend a Japanese hit called ‘Hikari’ – which means light, or shine – performed by the Japanese music group, Androp. This song quickly reached the first spot on Japan’s music charts as it is also the theme song of the recent Japanese drama, Good Doctor. This song tries to express looking on the bright side when you are facing adversities in life. In order to understand the song even more, it is a good idea to also watch the drama.
Song 5: ‘Taki Taki’ (DJ Snake ft. Selena Gomez, Ozuna, Cardi B)
Last but not least, this new hit is dominating the number 1 spot on various music charts across the world. DJ Snake has already produced multiple hits, such as ‘Lean On’ and ‘Let Me Love You’ these recent years, but this time he introduces a Latin vibe hit that is viral and catchy. I mean, when you have Selena and Cardi to collaborate with you, this song will undoubtedly become a global hit. Some people are claiming that ‘Taki Taki’ will become the 2nd ‘Despacito’, and I totally agree.