Music, like all arts, can evoke so many dozens, even thousands of unique emotions in the listener, from excitement to sorrow to something more complex like melancholic nostalgia. I think music is amazing – just listening to a song from your childhood transports you to the first time you ever heard it, like a mini time capsule embedded into a streaming service.
Along that vein, I imagine many of us have some type of art – be it music or otherwise – that we rely on when we are drained from the goings-on of living in the world. It can be a lot. So, when I’m overwhelmed, I invariably find myself turning to music.
These are four of my favorite stress-relieving albums from four different artists.
- “Songs of a Wallflower” by Enny Owl
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I came across this album earlier this year and fell in love immediately. Released in 2019, the entire folk album exudes peaceful fairytale vibes. It’s the kind of music that suggests imagery of fairyland woods and tittering creeks and gently twisting clouds across a blue sky. Simultaneously soothing and full of magic, this album is easily one of my favorites…ever.
The singer and songwriter of this album, Enny Owl, is a self-described “queer pi” (because she isn’t sure if she prefers bi or pan) who currently does shows in and around Los Angeles.
If you’d like to give her album a listen, I recommend starting with my favorite song from it, “Sandbox.”
- “Aims” by Vienna Teng
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If you need music to pull you out of your own head, this is the album to do it. Gently optimistic and comfortably energetic, Teng’s work manages to be a fit for all moods. I find it is especially perfect for when I’ve been doing homework for a thousand years and need something to remind myself that the world exists. Embedded with subtle social commentary and interesting stories, this 2013 album is definitely worth a listen.
Vienna Teng is an American singer-songwriter who has released five albums, all of which are wonderful. Seriously, I love her stuff so much. Her music is primarily in English, but she does have some in Mandarin Chinese.
I’d recommend starting with her song “Close to Home.”
- “Wary + Strange” by Amethyst Kiah
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Released just last year in 2021, this album is probably the most indescribable on the list, simply because trying to distill into words how it feels to listen to it is a futile effort for the most skilled of writers. Defined as R&B/Soul, this album stands out for its extremely distinctive musical tones and inventive lyrics – and, above all, the powerful voice of Kiah, whose vocal performance is stellar on every count. It touches on topics such as Black power, gay pride, and embracing self-identity. I cannot recommend this album more highly if you need something new, modern, and poignant to listen to.
Amethyst Kiah is an American singer-songwriter who describes herself as a “funny-talking, sci-fi-loving queer Black” from Tennessee.
I absolutely refuse to pick just one favorite song from this album, so go try out “Wild Turkey” and “Tender Organs.”
- “Love Letter” by MALINDA
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Despite being the shortest album on this list with only seven songs, this debut album is special to me as one of the few for which I eagerly awaited its initial release date, which was in 2018. Each song is a unique storytelling experience spanning a variety of topics and moods in delicate and raw ways that always strike me, no matter how many times I’ve listened.
MALINDA, or Malinda Kathleen Reese, is an American singer-songwriter and stage actress known best for her YouTube series where she sings Google Translate versions of songs.
My favorite from this album, and MALINDA in general, is her song “Safely.”
I’ve now had my say, so how about you? What’re your favorite stress-relieving albums, artists, or songs? I lean toward softer music myself, but maybe you like something more intense! Whatever works.
Thank you for reading, and I do hope you found something to suit your tastes.