As a music buff, I was taken aback two years ago when I saw my male-dominated Spotify wrapped. I took a long, hard moment then to look for women-centric songs in my playlists, but turned up with not much of anything. This felt different from my music taste in my childhood – I was obsessed with women in pop, especially Lorde, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande. Listening to Bollywood music growing up had also always exposed me to confidence-driven music with women singers. A re-vamp was in order, no doubt.
Thus started my ongoing journey to find songs that make me feel ‘lavish’. Songs that give me confidence as I put together my questionably coordinated outfits every day. Here are four songs that hype me up, regardless of my morning mood. Here is ‘Lavish’!
HIP by MAMAMOO
Starting off with K-Pop, MAMAMOO’s ‘HIP’, driven by a brass and electronic fusion is a great confidence booster. While members Hwasa and Moonbyul have iconic verses (with Hwasa also doubling as a phenomenal singer), Solar and Wheein’s distinct voices inform an electric chorus.
The icing on the proverbial cake is the music video, with the ladies donning the exact outfits they were criticised for wearing by media outlets. More than featuring the outfits, the music video accentuates and highlights the outfits, sending a message that deeply resonates with me. Often, we are criticised for what we wear, and ‘HIP’ reminds us that it doesn’t matter as long as we love ourselves for how we look!
XS by Rina Sawayama
Word-play is excellent and, in her song ‘XS’, which doubles as ‘excess’, British Japanese singer Rina Sawayama shows her skills as a wonderfully unique artist and wordsmith. While the lyrics can be a little consumerist for a student budget, the song is all about wanting more. With modesty always being touted as a virtue, ‘XS’ actively challenges this notion, making it a refreshing listen.
Musically, the song presents an orchestra of pop-punk driven instrumentation, with the chorus delivering an iconic motif on the electric guitar. Sawayama’s voice forms a counterpoint against the bass-driven soundscape, rendering it a track with thoughtful juxtapositions and undeniably catchy hooks.
Phenomenal Woman by Laura Mvula
An upbeat drum and a deep, confident voice start us off, already spelling out a promisingly empowering song. Mvula was one of the first artists I discovered after deciding to listen to more female artists. ‘Phenomenal Woman’ is driven by gospel conventions, with an aurally pleasing harmony and praise.
More than that, it’s the lyrics, which focus on praising all women. The bridge with the lyric, ‘it don’t matter what people say/ ‘Cause they don’t know you/ Where you come from or where you’re going’ is particularly resonant. Not only is the song a certified bop, but it also tells us to own our journeys and asks its listeners to limit their judgements of women.
‘Girls Just Like to Swing’ by Sunidhi Chauhan
And for a quintessential Bollywood feature, I had to go to one of my favourite films, ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’ (Let the heart beat). Chauhan, a prolific playback singer in Bollywood films brings a voice that deliciously blends between soft and raspy. Taking from ‘swing’, the song draws on from ‘swing jazz’, so dancing is a must. The verses build up to an exciting chorus, all about being creative, authentic and lively – to just feel confident and swing around to the music.
While Bollywood has no dearth in such confidence boosters, this track speaks to me because of my personal affinity towards jazz, and because of the upbeat energy. The song consistently keeps up its momentum, playing out with the same gusto with which it started.
From Bollywood and K-Pop to alternative, genre-bending tracks, ‘Lavish’ is a mini playlist and an intrinsic part of my everyday morning rotation. Of course, all of us have different types of music that elevates us, but if you want a versatile, multi-cultural and nuanced confidence boost, check these songs out!