It is time to slow down and get your groove on! Harry Styles’ fourth studio album, “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally,” was released on March 6. I knew from the name that this album would appeal to me. I love a funky beat, and who better to deliver it than Harry Styles?
I have been in a bit of a music drought. I cannot find any music I am in the mood to listen to. Even my favorite artists have not been able to lift my spirits and get me moving. As a senior in college, I find myself rushing through my day-to-day life as my college career is quickly coming to an end. While it is only March, I feel time moving at an alarming rate and find myself scrambling to complete even the simplest of tasks. My busy schedule induces the need to rush through my day and I struggle to find the time to slow down. As graduation nears, I found a new way to manage the feeling of rushing through life and the stress of a busy day thanks to Styles.
The album has 12 tracks, all unskippable, if you ask me. I would rank them, but my indecisive nature will not allow me to make such impactful decisions. However, the ones that skyrocketed to my “On Repeat” playlist on Spotify are “American Girls,” “Coming Up Roses,” “Pop” and “Ready, Steady, Go!” The number one spot is claimed by “Dance No More,” indicative of my love for a cheesy dance move.
As I have gotten consumed by the sheer amount of work I must do, I have stopped dancing constantly. I am a very musical person with little skill; I love to sing and dance, but I look ridiculous doing it. It did not matter where I was or what I was doing; I was either singing or doing a little jig. Over time, I took on more responsibilities and my free time was suddenly nonexistent. I was rushing to get things done and did not have time for myself anymore. I got so caught up in how stressful life was that I stopped incorporating music into it. Why was I dancing when I had other things to do?
“Dance No More” is the tenth track on the album and encapsulates releasing your inhibitions and dancing for yourself rather than others. It is easy to be swept up in what is expected of you, but Styles invites us to dance in spite of expectations and just be ourselves. The song makes me want to dance, not because I need to play a part, but because I want that freedom.
I get so consumed with life that I forget to do the things that I love. I forget that I can just sing and dance whenever I want. Even if I do not perceive it, I have the time to incorporate myself into my booked and busy days by centering activities I love. Instead of rushing through my tasks, I can bring a little whimsy to them.
My days are filled to the brim with homework assignments and going to work at a daycare as an infant teacher. I have a baby in my class who loves music, especially disco. She immediately starts to sway when I play music for her, even when she is not in a great mood. I played her “Dance No More” and she promptly started waving her hands and bouncing to the beat. She reminded me how important it is to dance even when life gets a little crazy. We all have bad days. Sometimes the best way to get through it is to loosen up and dance. I love to put music on and bust a move while I do the simplest things like folding laundry or cooking. Every day is a party if you make it one.
Tuning into Styles’ fourth studio album, I realized this is exactly what I needed. It is hard to slow down and enjoy the moment. I do not have the time to slow completely down, but I can change it up. Maybe adding a bit of disco can help: something fresh, upbeat and eccentric to jazz up my day. Rather than rushing through life, I can disco through it.