Music and Me

  For this musical journey, I chose to focus on  Samoan music , which has fascinated me with the blend of storytelling, spirituality, and connection to nature. Samoan chants and contemporary songs often carry deep emotional and cultural meaning, interlacing themes of love, belonging, and heritage with the rhythms of island life. Samoan music is known for its rich  harmonies ,  steady rhythmic patterns , and the  use of natural imagery  such as the ocean, wind, and waves.  This connection between sound and place gives Samoan music a distinct identity among the broader Polynesian traditions of Oceania.  Lelava Vevesi x Lolani and Ane Pito Country of Origin-Samoa Date Unknown This song translates loosely to  “I’m swept away by these powerful feelings; my heart is restless because of you.”   It seems romantic on the surface but there are much deeper meanings in the lyrics. The references to waves, wind, and the ocean are metaphors for love a...

Dubstep is a music genre that some really enjoy and others don’t understand. Dubstep is noted with its basslines and rhythms that really allow it to stand out. Dubstep started out around the late 1990s to the early 2000s as a genre from South London. Dubstep is a mixture of UK Garage, reggae, and other elements. UK garage is a genre of music specific to the UK with deeper bass. Here is an example: undefined Flowers x Sweet Female Attitude x 03 April 2000 x Manchester, England I think this song is so fun and boppy if you will. This was just the start of dubstep though there were other elements that had to be mixed in with the vibes of the UK Garage such as the reggae roots and dub like this piece Park Lane by Augustus Pablo in 1975 with the Jamaican breeze blowing.   https://youtu.be/4-2zduEN-DQ?si=lDZ7jdHVBMUbljvf Now when we combine these two (and many other musical elements) along with the artists that first started putting their spin on the music such as Digital My...

  https://youtu.be/m4DVbm9zeR0?si=lp85DKy8nbeA-tCV Cliché – MGK, VVAVES, No Love For The Middle Child - 23 May 2025 - United States This week, I decided to choose a song that is played almost every single morning in my house. My children love it, I love it, my husband doesn’t care for it but still ends up singing it! Cliché by MGK. When people think about Machine Gun Kelly, they usually think about rap and pop and even a little bit of rock sometimes but never really show true emotion or vulnerability. With “ cliché ”, he gives us just that while also giving us 2000’s pop rock vibes and I am so here for it! Here’s a breakdown of five key elements I pick out of this piece. Melody - The melody in “ cliché” doesn’t have super drastic jumps at first. The beginning of the song starts off giving a conversational tone and then stretches with the first chorus and continues to get higher. I believe this allows a pull of interest and attention wanting to hear what he has to say. In...

Musical Analysis #1- Motherly Love String Cheese – Hannah Harper - 2026, USA. About a week ago I was watching the new season of American Idol when I heard this beautiful voice singing her original song, String Cheese . Hannah Harper didn’t just sing a song; she shared a story that so many would relate to. She used lyrics, rhythm, and melody to bring such moments to many viewers.   Melody The melody in String Cheese is simple with no big leaps or runs. Hannah doesn’t use a big, overly dramatic range that we usually hear in our mainstream music genres. This decision to keep the melody flatter helps this song be more emotional and allows listeners to really feel the lyrics. The grounded melody creates a sense of intimacy and authenticity that makes you feel like she’s telling a story rather than just performing a song.   Rhythm Similarly to the melody, the rhythm is steady and smooth in this piece. There are many different versions of this song available, and I b...

  Welcome to my blog! My name is Taylor. I am currently a college student attending the University of Alaska at Fairbanks but am taking classes completely online from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.      When it comes to music, I tend to listen to music almost constantly. There is always some sort of tune or song stuck in my head from the time my eyes open in the mornings until I fall asleep at night. Music fills my days and also helps me tune out my kids when I am overstimulated and stressed.  There is something about the feelings I get when I listen to music that can make the stresses of the day just melt away.       If I'm cooking dinner, I usually have headphones on playing all of my favorite jams. While I am riding in the car, I have music playing. Funnily, when I purchased my current car, the radio didn't work. The first thing I bought for it, was a new radio because there was no way I could drive around with no music!      Growi...