I have written about music many times on this blog.
In Music Is a Map, I wrote about how I use the music I listened to over the past few years to lamppost the small shifts in my psyche as I went from teenager, to young woman.
I even wrote about my love of Lorde’s entire discography.
This year, I touched a bit on how music shapes my creativity too (like in this behind-the-scenes of the Short story I got published in A Coup of Owls)
Well, this will be the post where I discuss music even further.
I want to talk about
1. how music has been useful in showing the small but effective shifts in my mindset this year,
2. and how music has also informed some of my creative works.
This year has been a very amazing one for me musically. I really moved into a much calmer but texturally richer palate. (Ha-ha, so many fancy words!)
I promised that I would not put a cap on the kind of person that I allow myself to be.
So, I want that to include not putting a cap on the kind of music that I expect myself to enjoy.
Truly, I am someone who loves really conceptually rich music.
I don’t care what genre it is, I want it to feel like I am listening to something that has deep layers that I can dig through.
And I want those layers to appear in everything; the lyrics, the instrumentals, how each individual track fits into the larger narrative of the whole album.
That is what I prefer.
But, I found myself listening to mostly Singles this year ha-ha.
And I listened to those Singles largely because listening to them made me feel good.
No hidden meaning to sift through. I just liked it because it was simply, and undeniably beautiful. (And a bop, obviously)
In one of my last posts, I talked about learning to appreciate existing in a certain kind of simplicity. There is a gift that this provides us, and I learnt to appreciate this even more from music; we can learn how to accept the small gifts in life open-heartedly. Without trying to give them a deeper meaning, or trying to excavate something, something, under it.
We can just appreciate.
(Tie it around some deep intellectual concept about music and creativity. Let it be that post)
The Beginning
In January, I was listening to very quiet music.
This is because, there is always something very sacred and reflective about January.
The holidays are over, the festivities have quieted down and the world is rousing all over again to face an entirely new year ahead.
And also, it is so cold in early January where I live. I cannot help but take my time to enjoy the feel of the early morning’s harmattan cold, the afternoon and its blue haze and how the night wraps its cool hands around your body, singing you to sleep.
Generally, I like the harmattan season.
I suppose all of that cold is why I enjoyed listening to Michael Kiwanuka’s Cold Little Heart so much.
And also because of a certain kind of hopefulness that all of the cold, and that the song stirred in me.
From these lyrics especially
And I know,
In my heart, in this cold heart
I could live, or I could die
But I believe, if I just try
Do you believe, in you and I?
If you read my review of last year, you will know how important that last line is. The question in it.
Do you believe, (in yourself?)
Of course I did.
Of course I do. I really knew when the year started, that I could either live fully as I am, and go further, or I could choose to be afraid.
And I did not. I chose to be brave. And I am thankful for it.
Indescribably Important
Sometimes all I think about is you
Late night in the middle of Juuunee
Heat waves been faking me out
June is oddly when the rainy season begins to properly pick up here in Nigeria.
So I was wondering why I was relating to a song about heat waves in the middle of June.
The power of music, I suppose.
If you don’t know, those lyrics are from Heat Wave by the band Glass animals. And it is one of the most subtly ethereal things I have listened to this year.
It even showed up in this update post here.
That is how much I enjoyed the song.
One thing about creativity, is that if you do not protect its legitimacy in your life, you might begin to slip into thinking that the work you do doesn’t matter so much.
You might even begin to think it is all made up of fluff. Ha-ha.
But we have music to always remind us of that specific, divine, something that art points us to.
How it points us beyond the banality of our existence into something indescribably important. Into something that reminds us that living, doing the whole song and dance of being alive, is really important.
I cannot describe how important remembering this was for me. Especially when it is time to sit down and create. The feeling that song brings is such a gift. And I am grateful that I got rid of my slightly snobby attitude to ‘mainstream’ music, and just enjoyed a good thing.
This poem I have in this publication is partly inspired from how I felt listening to that song one deliciously quiet evening.
Running Up
Did you get round to watching Stranger Things.
If you did, then you know how everyone feels about a certain song. Ha-ha.
Of course, that song is Running up that hill (A deal with God) by Kate Bush.
I did not know who Kate Bush was before I watched Stranger Things. I want to say the reason is because she is not from my generation, but I listen to Phil Collins and Celine Dion so…
Well, let’s talk about that song.
I love how in the series, Max uses that song as a talisman to bring her back to reality.
Also, the nerd in me was beyond happy that they used the factual idea that music penetrates deeper parts of our consciousness, like beyond into our subconscious mind.
But as an artist, and as a person, I see what music’s role can be in the day-to-day, there really aren’t many things that can transport a person into a completely different feeling or mood like a song can.
In my own day to day, this song was such a gift. Doing really nice things in my own mind.
May we all Run Up That Hill. With no Problemmsss.
Not Over Yet
The year isn’t over yet. There is still over a month of music to enjoy.
And I wonder how much of it will be Christmas music. I love a good, classic carol. I love what it points to, and what it reminds me of.
I remember last year I was so happy to walk into a restaurant and hear Christmas music playing. That small thing felt like such a gift.
I wonder what the song of the season will be, what my favourite song will be.
Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You is beginning to creep on us.
Or as the folks on twitter will say; she is thawing Ha-ha.
With the time left, let us enjoy all of the good that music can bring. Will full open heartedness.
And be willing to embrace doing it again, and even better, in the New Year.
FYI - This post was brought to you by me listening to Nana Fofie’s cover of Runtown’s song Mad Over You. Give that a listen too. It is so well produced.