If someone asked me what my favorite genre of music is, I would not be able to give a straight answer. I don’t care what type of music it is; if it’s a quality song, it’s worth listening to no matter what genre.  

My preferences shift from genre to genre in every playlist I make. One second I go from listening to a sad, melodramatic song, and the next to being pumped up by a rap song spitting out of my AirPods. 

I have multiple abandoned playlists that I used to listen to on repeat before adding a new list of songs to the vast group. I was obsessed with rap at one point; it was all I would listen to, but that phase is over. Lately, I have been listening to AJR, Shawn Mendes, and artists that lean into the pop genre. 

Once I find a new song I like, I will listen to that song and that song only. I can listen to the same song for a week straight. Every once in a while, I will listen to a playlist in full and not skip to my favorite song at that time, but most of the time, I would rather find one song that explains my feelings at that particular moment. 

Music, honestly, is one of my favorite things—it’s a way to express my feelings. Everything feels easier to accomplish when I’m listening to music; a tedious task is turned into a concert if I find the right song. A long car ride can be turned into a wonderland with an amazing soundtrack if listening to some upbeat music. I can turn my life into a movie just by listening to one song on replay. 

I listen to different amounts of each genre. I usually only listen to country while with my family as it’s something everyone can agree on. On the other hand, I listen to rap when I’m playing basketball or on a run; the beats make it more enjoyable and easier to control my breathing and keep a rhythm. I listen to pop with my friends, or if I’m bored in my room, I’ll sing all the lyrics I know and mouth the ones I don’t. 

Music is empowering and helps me feel like my own person. Music is my safe space where I can go dream up whomever I want to be, and my life can be whatever my imagination can come up with. Whether I’m listening to one song in excess or actually allowing my playlist to play through, I always have something to listen to.