Through the years, New York City has inspired countless numbers of artists, filmmakers and musicians. It’s inadvisable to watch a Woody Allen movie during class—unless it’s a Film Studies class—and you may be tempted to scroll through Tumblr looking at photographs of New York in the wintertime instead of tackling the massive pile of reading you’ve already accumulated. But you can certainly enjoy music guilt-free, whether it’s on your walk to class or while studying. Check out these musicians who you may or may not know got their start in the Big Apple.
Vampire Weekend
If you don’t know by now that Vampire Weekend formed at Columbia, feel free to leave campus and never return. Members Ezra Koenig, Rostam Batmanglij, Chris Baio and Christopher Tomson met as students here and played their first show at Lerner Hall. (Check out Ezra Koenig’s hilarious blog from his college days, Internet Vibes.) The band’s recent LP, Modern Vampires of the City, has earned praise from critics and fans alike for its thoughtful lyrics and sweeping melodies.
Regina Spektor
Singer-songwriter Spektor, though born in Moscow, will forever be tied to New York’s music scene. After graduating from the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College, Spektor began performing in New York City’s East Village. She self-released several records before eventually signing to a major label. The rest, as they say, is history. Spektor’s unique style ranges from upbeat songs to somber ballads. She blends genres—folk, pop, jazz—and mixes languages, often incorporating Russian and French into her songs. Spektor often includes highbrow allusions in her songs, be they literary or biblical. She has referenced everyone from Samson and Delilah to Edith Wharton and Ezra Pound. Her latest release, 2012’s “What We Saw from the Cheap Seats,” features piano-driven tunes that are perfect for relaxing.
Theophilus London
Trinidad-born rapper Theophilus London was raised in Brooklyn. His spirited songs are perfect for waking up or working out to. London’s musical style reflects the quirkiness of his home borough. London’s lyrics cover typical rap themes: love and romance, competition with other rappers, etc. Prepare for the release of his album, anticipated to drop this fall, by listening to his tracks from 2012’s “Timez Are Weird These Days.”