There’s nothing I love more than a long bus ride with a window seat. I put on my headphones, and suddenly everything feels a bit quieter. Life rushes by all around me, but I get to be in my own bubble, drowning out the noise, and finally feeling at peace. My favorite artists fill my ears, from the banjos of Mumford and Sons to the saxophones of Ella Fitzgerald, all the way to the groove of 2Pac and Biggie if I’m feeling like taking it back to the ’90s.
Music is my escape. I’ve often thought about being a music supervisor, obsessing over which songs belong in which movie scenes. I would curate the perfect mix: the slightly sad, yet optimistic tune that follows Andrew Garfield in The Amazing Spider-Man after Uncle Ben dies. He learns to embrace his powers, or the upbeat Taylor Swift song, “Out of the Woods,” that follows Belly Conklin as she runs to confess her love to Conrad Fisher in The Summer I Turned Pretty.
Whichever the scene or situation in my life, I can usually associate it with a song. Some emotions are so big that they require a specific, curated playlist to help you get through. In my most anxious moments, I know exactly what to play to relieve the stress. Now, these songs take time to find. One wrong song, and the anxiety grows worse, the tears start flowing, and my musical bliss is gone. It has taken me years to find what I like to call my “Serenity Songs.”
Now, I didn’t coin this phrase, but I first discovered it after watching Anyone But You, starring Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney. These enemies-to-lovers embark on a trip to Australia to celebrate a wedding, where the fake dating trope eventually leads to genuine connection. My favorite part of the movie is when Bea realizes Ben’s fear of heights and starts singing his serenity song, “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield, as they are lifted out of the water by helicopter. In that moment of fear and stress, they find connection through music. The song helps calm him down, acting as his serenity song when he needs it most.
I think everyone needs a Serenity Song. That one artist whose voice overpowers the thoughts in your head and calms you down enough to take that long-awaited deep breath. A familiar, comfortable song can help center you, calm you down, or just make you feel happier. Music is a powerful coping tool, and it’s one I’ve used for years.
I’ve compiled a few tips from my own experiences for finding your own serenity song. To begin, I recommend turning to your favorite films. Write down a list of your favorite movies, and pick out the best songs from them. Look for the ones that instantly pull you back to the first time you watched the movie, remind you of the characters you grew to love, or bring back the feelings you had when you first listened to the song. Certain songs can transport you back to a specific time or phase in your life, and sometimes that is just what you need to feel calm.
People often tie serenity songs to nostalgic moments for good reason: reliving memories can bring happiness and joy and make the current situation feel less daunting. If you’re feeling up to it, go down the nostalgic path. Think about the songs your parents used to play in the car. The ones you hated back then might strike you as pretty good-sounding now. Growing up, my dad would always play ’80s music in the car. I used to hate it, but now it is one of my favorite genres. My go-to serenity song is “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears. I associate that song with family, comfort, and watching old movies like The Breakfast Club or Pretty in Pink on the weekends.
My next tip when finding your serenity song is not to judge your choice! Everyone’s Serenity Songs will be different, and it’s okay if your song isn’t necessarily “calming.” If a heavy rock song is what brings you peace, embrace it! If it’s an obnoxious 2000s song that everyone knows the words to, even better…you can have a sing-along! If you can’t find your Serenity Song at first, that’s okay, too. It takes time and effort, but eventually, a song will come on that you just want to put on repeat over and over, and that’s when you know you’ve found it.
No matter where you are in life, music has the power to ground you, and a good Serenity Song can make life’s hardest moments feel a little easier. So, I urge you to put your headphones on and find that song for yourself; you never know what impact a good song can have on your life.