Tuning in, the radio hums a popular song. Each grainy interruption from the radio host acts as a transition from pop to rock to country. My groggy eyes blinked open from sheer will and shutting from exhaustion. The heat blowing into my arms warms my body to the subtle sounds of the radio. Every melody and word combines into a beautiful hug, coating my ears and putting my worries to ease.
Every morning before school was the exact same for thirteen years. Maybe, this was where my love for music came from. More accurately, it is the rhythm that soothes my soul, the calm eeriness from the silence cut by beats, or the lyrics that made me feel that I was less alone.
When moving to college, this same activity took a new form. Walking the streets of New York City without music is physically impossible. Discovering new artists or albums to fill every single situation became a way to cope, but more than anything, it allowed me to meet new people and connect with them.
Running errands with Kylie officiated a ritual of listening to the same song. We shared airpods or synced our songs if I was wearing headphones. The rain fell so violently as we ran around to the most loud hiphop. When frolicking through central park, we listened to a gentle indie pop. Each event had its own distinct song choices.
Eventually, we found common ground. Knocking on my dorm room door, she burst into my room and took over the aux. My Alexa became a victim to the torturous clutches of Billie Eilish as we took turns interpretive dancing. Flinging around my arms and legs to the world’s saddest music ever will never not amuse my memories. I made hand movements to mimic the song’s lyrics; thus, each song became uniquely ours. Kylie dropped to her knees, spun in a circle, and window-wipered her arms to create the illusion of heartbreak. Every movement meant something.
Once our stomachs were tight from our hysterical laughing, we took a rest to discuss what type of genres we enjoyed. From that I learned so much about Kylie that I probably would have never known. That she had spent her childhood in England and that she was from LA. Her range of listening highlights how entirely open-minded she is, never discriminating between the most unexpected combination of artists like Playboi Carti and Mitski.
Usually when people mention that they listen to a bit of everything, they lie because they always gravitate to one genre and listen to one song from each genre. However, for Kylie, she truly listens to the good, terrible, and mediocre music all at once without discrimination.
Her music taste enabled a connection over indie and alternative music artists like The Marias, Clairo, Steve Lacy, and many more. It also taught me that she is truly a curious person in nature from some of her more unpopular favorites.
Kylie is only one of many that I have connected and learned about from music.
Music can be a form of expression too: when people take care of their appearances, they often reflect the type of music in their style choices. On my campus, it is clear who listens to things like Deftones or conversely Sabrina Carpenter. Not all appearances show music taste, however, it can be an easy basis to contemplate their likes or dislikes.
Since knowing that Kylie loves music and goes to concerts, we’ve planned and executed multiple concerts or festivals together. For one, taking the F-train towards Forest Hill Stadium. Geared in our concert attire and handheld fans, we made it to the All Things Go music festival to see the acts (primarily, The Marias and Clairo). All night dancing, singing, and just enjoying the music together made me realize how music is everything.
It connects all of us, relates to all of us. From genre to song to lyric, even the slightest detail can allow friendships to be made and strengthened. You can learn so much from what artists or genres the people around you listen to. Music reveals the soul; it is everything.
By Alyssa Hong
Alyssa Hong is a rising Junior at Barnard College, studying Political Science with a minor in English. As a first-generation, low-income student, she writes about moving across the country for college and its adjustments. She utilizes entertainment, wellness/health/food, and fashion/beauty as methods to making new connections with others whilst always learning.
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