New seasons bring new music.
As autumn settles in for Taylor’s freshman students, the question remains: what are they listening to as they welcome fall weather and the end of their first semester?
For freshman Melea Luttrell, it’s the channeled feelings of coziness, chill and hope. Her favorite artists from this month are Chris Stapelton, Cody Johnson and Noah Kahan.
The music we listen to affects our mood, our thoughts and our outlook on life. Luttrell described this as a “mood match.”
“Music can express what you don’t know how to express,” she said.
Luttrell brought depth to why we as humans should enjoy listening to music.
Songs such as Joy of my Life (Stapelton), Starting Over (Stapelton) and Stick Season (Kahan) allow her to focus on the slow instruments and simplicity of music.
“We tend to overcomplicate things,” Luttrell said. “Simplicity keeps me from being distracted and reminds me of the ‘why’ behind things.”
It’s one of the many reasons why we listen to music.
Another, shared between both Luttrell and freshman Jack Hotmire, is that music can create a sense of unity.
As Hotmire reflected on his first months at Taylor, he expressed his deep gratitude for new friendships and genuine community.
Frequent fall sounds for Hotmire are country and worship music, yet his most frequently played artists say otherwise.
2000s Pop, specifically Katy Perry and Shakira have been on replay for Hotmire. Songs such as “Hot N Cold,” “Last Friday Night” and “California Gurls” are on repeat.
These artists are nostalgic and are fun to listen, dance and sing along to, Hotmire shared.
“There’s a communal aspect to it, I listen to it with friends on my floor. We like to have a good time with it,” Hotmire said.
As freshman students seek to make new friends, sharing music interests has been a way for them to express themselves and relate to others.
Hotmire and his friends are often found with a speaker in hand.
“We blare music in the car, walking around campus and in study rooms.”
Freshman Lauren Holcomb often plays music on a speaker in her room for her roommates and her to hangout, study and sing along to.
Holcomb shared that she doesn't like listening to music when she is walking outside or on her way to class.
“I feel disconnected to people and unengaged to the world around me,” Holcomb said.
Holcomb became a Taylor Swift fan in mid-elementary school and has not stopped listening to Swift since.
Being a Taylor Swift fan gives Holcomb a variety of albums to choose from depending on the season or her mood.
“I enjoy the beats, rhythms and sounds of Folklore and Evermore.”
The Taylor Swift songs August, Cardigan, Betty and Willow remind Holcomb of the transition from summer to fall.
From the calming sounds of country and indie-folk to the upbeat nostalgic sounds of 2000s pop, fall sounds fill Taylor’s campus, bringing us once again into a deeper community through even the simplest of interests.
