When I am listening to music, singing, or playing an instrument, I simply feel at peace. I always remember being immersed in some type of music or dance from a young age. Whether it was learning how to play the piano or guitar, singing/playing in the school chorus or band, or dancing with my friends on stage, music always seems to be a constant in each and every stage of my life. And I am extremely grateful that it is a constant.
I did not truly realize how big of a role music played in my life until reaching college. Everyone in my family is extremely musical. My dad has a passion for music and my brother and I were lucky enough to be able to share that passion with him. My brother plays the Phakawaj, which is a set of drums that often accompanies Gurbani Kirtan which are the religious hymns I grew up singing in the temple. I play the harmonium which is a “hand-pumped organ” that I play while singing religious hymns. Whenever I am home, we always practice with my mom, dad, or me playing the harmonium and my brother playing the drums. It is something I truly miss when I am at college and look forward to when I am at home.
Music is the one thing I find myself turning towards no matter what emotion I am feeling. It is something I find myself connecting to other people with. My family is from Punjab and I grew up listening to the music my parents grew up listening to. I grew up watching Bollywood movies filled with musical hits that play throughout the (most of the time) three-hour-long movie. I grew up watching classical musicals such as Wicked and TV shows such as Glee which pay tribute to iconic artists such as Brittany Spears and Madonna.
Recently, I hit a rough patch where I found myself losing my passion for music. I then took a step back and realized that music is what often drives my creativity. It is simply part of who I am. I rediscovered my passion for singing and playing the guitar over winter break. I went to a temple and sang the hymns that I grew up learning. My brother creates music so I listened to what he created and bonded with him through music. I started to make countless Spotify playlists again. And most importantly, I felt calm and at peace once again.
Everyone needs a passion in their life. I was lucky enough to find it at a young age. I don’t think I can walk anywhere on campus at this point or go to the gym without putting my headphones in. That moment when I hear a song and the nostalgia hits will never get old. Especially when I find people with the same passion for music. Music truly does heal and I have found artists who have tremendously helped my mental health through their music. While I may listen to Hip Hop/Rap music the most, I don’t think there is one single genre I don’t connect with. I have listened to artists from Jamaica, Spain, France, India, the UK, and of course America.
Music is universal. It forms a community like no other and brings together people who may have not connected otherwise.
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