Weekly Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1YoC16YNm4Ce76WSHVlwb2?si=a487cbdff48a46f3 

Daija’s picks 

1. Hippo Campus – “Buttercup”
2. Lewis Watson – “outgrow”
3. Sigrid – “Plot Twist”

Hippo Campus is an indie-rock band from Minnesota. “Buttercup” is the final song from their 2017 album “Landmark.” ”Buttercup” is the perfect end to this album as it has all the rock elements you could think of, from an electrifying guitar sound to a hardcore drum beat, bringing so much power to the song – it’s bound to get anyone pumped. The song describes someone having a voice in their head that just won’t stop talking. The narrator has to keep telling herself, “I’ll be fine, it’s alright, it’s my body,” in order to take control over the voice. What’s cool about this song is that it takes the point of view of the voice inside of her head, something you don’t see very often.

“Outgrow” is a song from singer-songwriter Lewis Watson and was released in 2014 on the album “the morning.” “Outgrow” details Watson’s experiences with his divorced parents and growing apart from them and his older siblings. Watson describes playing outside and waking up at early hours, wishing he could have those childhood experiences back. The song has a simple guitar instrumental, but it fits the emotional meaning of the song.

Sigrid is a Norwegian singer-songwriter who is best known for her single “Don’t Kill My Vibe.” In the song “Plot Twist,” released in 2017, Sigrid describes the feeling of breaking up with someone and realizing they were never good enough anyway. It’s a very upbeat and electric song, showcasing Sigrid’s freedom now that she’s no longer in a toxic relationship.

Sarah’s picks

1. Steve Lacy – “Dark Red”
2. Taylor Swift – “cardigan”
3. Labrinth – “Still Don’t Know My Name”

“Dark Red” by Steve Lacy was released in 2017 as part of his first album, “Steve Lacy’s Demo.” “Dark Red” is an alternative R&B-styled song that deals with a relationship and the fear that you are going to get your heart broken. The lyrics, “something bad is ‘bout to happen to me / I don’t know it but I feel it coming,” are repeated throughout the song to emphasize the uncertainty Lacy has about the future. Steve Lacy’s soft vocals add to the song’s emotion, and “Dark Red” is a good song to jam out to in your room or in the car.

Taylor Swift’s song “cardigan” was released in 2020 as part of her eighth album, “folklore.” “Cardigan” is categorized as an indie/soft rock song and centers around a young love between James, Betty and August. These characters are mentioned throughout Swift’s “folklore” album, adding to the storytelling she loves to convey through her songwriting. In an Instagram post, Swift said she first had the idea of “cardigan” when she was imagining an old cardigan that still smelt like loss years later. The song was written during her boredom in quarantine and was released a few months later. 

Anyone who is a fan of “Euphoria” knows that the artist Labrinth writes and produces most of the songs for the hit drama TV series. In 2019, he released a song called “Still Don’t Know My Name” as part of the original score of “Euphoria’s” first season. The song is about a person who is in love with someone else, but that person doesn’t love them back. Labrinth writes about how powerful someone can feel inside, yet remain invisible to the outside world and especially to the people they feel are important.

Caleb’s picks

1. Greyson Chance – “Hemingway, 74 rue de Cardinal”
2. Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper – “Shallow” 
3. Bebe Rexha – “I’m Gonna Show You Crazy”

“Hemingway, 74 rue de Cardinal” was released in September by Greyson Chance as part of his new album “Palladium.” The title is an homage to American novelist Ernest Hemingway – 74 Rue du Cardinal was Hemingway’s address while he lived in Paris. Chance sings about finding himself and wondering if he will find success in life. In an interview with PRIDE, Chance discussed the trials and tribulations he faced and how he is grateful to live as an openly gay man. In the interview, he explained that “Hemingway, 74 rue de Cardinal” was about breaking free and being able to be who you are, free and triumphant. 

“Shallow” is a powerful experience and was first released in 2018 as the lead single for the movie “A Star is Born.” According to The Guardian, the song by Gaga and Cooper can be riveting; “Shallow” evokes the unfairness life can give some people and that sometimes people aren’t all good; people are messy and vulnerable. The song won numerous awards, including a Grammy, and is currently Gaga’s most listened to song on Spotify. 

“I’m Gonna Show You Crazy” debuted in 2014 as a part of Rexha’s first EP “I Don’t Want to Grow Up,” and it’s all about what it means to be “normal.” In the song, Rexha sings about trying to fit in and fix what some think of as being broken. This song features amazing vocals and an intense beat. In the end, the message is about accepting yourself as you are and not letting others define you.