Everyone that knows me knows that I simply couldn’t exist without music to accompany me everywhere I go. I discovered a few new artists this summer and relied on some of my old favorites to get me through long sunny days. Whether it was washing the dishes at work or laying on the beach, I found that I was able to rely on these artists no matter the day. I had them to match my moods or change them if I wasn’t feeling the best, and I think that is the best part about music.
Yungblud
I discovered Yungblud when he began dating Halsey back in 2018. I immediately found myself loving his determination and bravery in the topics and content of his songs. He is clearly unafraid to speak his mind in any form, and this sets him apart from so many other artists. His first album came on my playlist, and I would listen to it while doing the dishes at my summer job. The angst in his voice kept me going, making the days go by faster. However, I quickly tired of listening to his first album, and naturally, moved on to his second, titled Weird! So, I guess this was a mixture of rediscovery and discovery, which made it all the more interesting. If you’re interested in his music, here are some of my favorites:
jxdn
I found this next artist in connection to Yungblud actually, and it makes sense because they are both similar in genre and tone. Spotify creates a playlist based on artists you listen to and Jxdn’s newest album Tell Me About Tomorrow was on it. I quickly added this to my “dishes” playlist and found myself having much more fun scraping pizza sauce off of pans. Here are some of my faves by him:
“Tell Me About Tomorrow” – jxdn
Olivia Rodrigo
You can add me to the millions of teenage girls that are obsessed with the newest pop singer. Rodrigo’s debut album Sour had me from the first song and since then I have been hooked. The number of times I have annoyed my sister (and roommates) with her song “Deja Vu” can’t be counted, and it will forever be one of my favorites. I mean, come on, any song that mentions Billy Joel has to be amazing, right?! Here are some bops:
“traitor” – Olivia Rodrigo
“1 step forward, 3 steps back” – Olivia Rodrigo
Luke Hemmings
For those of you 5SOS fans out there this name will definitely sound familiar. While working on his debut solo album he is also helping write and record music with his band, which is incredible. What I love the most about When Facing The Things We Turn Away From is its soft and gentle tone which differs so much from his group work in 5SOS. It is clear that he experimented and played around with sounds and tones on his own and I love what he created in the process. I also respect that he worked on a solo project and still returned to work with his band on their next album. The sounds of his solo album differ from the band’s group work so I am curious if these sounds will be present in the band’s newest album as well. This album accompanied me on many car rides to and from Winona and the Dells, and I will continue to hit repeat. Take a listen to some of my faves:
Music has the power to summarize pieces of our lives and these songs represent my summer. When any of these songs drift through my radio I can’t help but think of summer ‘21. I think it can be so reflective to look back on songs and their patterns, so take a look at yours and see what you find!