Summertime - My Favorite Season and What I'm Listening To
Summer is my absolute favorite season!
It’s a time for us to get together outside with all of our friends and family for good food, good beverages and conversations that can last hours and hours. Too, the symphonic sounds of the cicadas in the air, the longer-than-normal days, and the warm nights, and the music . . . summer “anthems” specifically are usually my favorite tie to core memories being created to only be relived in the future.
I’m sure we can all think back to one of our favorite summertime memories, and the song that served as the theme for that time! It seems like those songs, or albums even, have a way of transporting us to the very place and time of day of our favorite memory!
Photography by: Juan Muñoz Photography
Too, summer is when I feel my most expressive creatively! And since we know that music is a big part of my creative process, I want to share with you my top three favorite albums that are inspiring my creativity, as well as, serving as the soundtrack to fun memories to be made this season.
What I’m Listening To this Season
The Age of Pleasure: Janelle Monae
This album, by far, has been on replay since it’s release a few weeks ago. From Afrobeats to classic Reggae, to futuristic, ethereal R&B vibes, The Age of Pleasure covers every single genre of music that makes my soul feel alive. Its smooth sounds feel like an afternoon while on the beach in a hammock, sipping a Blue Lagoon cocktail topped with champagne, while the sweet-scented island breeze passes you by. In fact, I’m playing it again today!
Red Moon in Venus: Kali Uchis
Although this album has been out for a while now, it has repositioned itself as the foundation for what my summer will look and feel like! If you’ve not yet noticed, I love an ethereal tone to anything! I like to think that creatively, I like to get lost in my imagination that lies somewhere between the universe and the depths of the ocean: two places of unknown and infinitely beautiful possibilities! Red Moon in Venus, from start to finish, is just that for me and is one of the albums I listen and allow myself to drift off to when creating interiors and jewelry!
Breathwork: Austin Millz
Hands down, this is THE VIBIEST album, IMO, that this summer will see! With some of the most solid musical collabs from Alina Baraz, to the iconic Estelle, each song will have you dancing for as many hours as you let this album play on repeat! Too, for my long bike rides - the times childhood core memories are unlocked that inspire most of my joy-filled content - this collection of songs serves as the tempo I need to pump through the trails as the sun heats my day and guides me along.
Summertime Nostalgia: A Playlist I Curated
Originally curated and sent to a few friends who helped my create a summertime collaboration reel for Target, this playlist encapsulates what summer kickbacks felt like in the early 90’s - a magical decade of music if you ask me! From the smooth sounds of SWV, *cue “Right Here” to “Trailor Load” by Shabba Ranks, I wanted this playlist to make you smile as the beautiful memories of our youth - as Millennials - resurface! This playlist should feel like what would be our personal themesongs as we live out our 90’s main-character moments throughout the day. Too, this playlist is very safe-for-work, just in case you need a pick me up when the days at the office seem endless. Now, if you get up and dance in the office, that’s on you - but this is something I definitely celebrate and encourage!
As you can tell, music is one of my favorite things on this planet. And the beautiful thing about it all is that we’ve not yet heard our last favorite song! Too, sharing music is a love language of mine, and in another post to come, I’ll go into deeper detail as to why music influences how I create.
Until then, in the comments below, let me know if you’ll give these albums and playlists a try! Or better yet, what are you listening to this summer?
