Shut your eyes and pay attention. Listen to the gentle hum of your air conditioning or the taps of your German shepherd’s nails on the kitchen tile. Overhear bits and pieces of strangers’ conversations on the bustling subway and then, the wheeze of the doors coming to a close. Now open your eyes and tune it all out. Imagine the situations you witness every day in front of you, but now, with background music. Picture a stroll in the park alone. How would that seem with a more joyful and upbeat tempo, putting a little pep in your step and causing a boogie to escape from your body? Maybe a melancholic and slower tune leading to a time of deep thought and reflection. These are very different perspectives for one scenario. 

Music is very diverse with tens of millions of songs across a variety of genres, each containing a tinge of uniqueness. Each song has a deeper meaning beneath their lyrics. Almost like it’s a flight, music can “fly” or transport you into a different state of mind and make you feel as if you are on a different planet. Kind of like you’re “in contact in an uncontactable place”, where the only connection you have with the real word is the lyrics or melody flowing through your head to your toes.

Songs can be an escape from reality with daily grinds and routines, saying “farewell the tranquil mind.” We’ve all or mostly survived our pregame jitters by soothing ourselves with a playlist that matches our energy. It can get us pumped, washing our nervousness away with excitement. It can offer a space for imagination, inspiration, and the endless exploration of the universe of music. A classical song could paint its own piece, with each lyric its own special brush stroke. While the boom and power of rap and rock verses can surge through your veins and randomly inspire you to become a drummer, even though you think you’re too old to start.

Music can reach the deepest parts of you, shaking hands with your soul and intertwining itself into your personality. Music is art, but it isn’t just art. It is a language that can be bent and shaped into whatever identity and form anyone makes it to be. It is a source of expression and wonder and it connects everyone everywhere. This time, open your eyes while blasting some tunes, and appreciate this beautiful art.