The things that made me
Popular culture is around us all day every day. Growing up surrounded by new forms of media, seeing the development of modern technology, it’s no wonder I’ve personally been heavily influenced by what I’ve seen.
MUSIC
Music has always had a special place in my heart. I remember when I was a preteen, listening to ‘Bright Lights Bigger City’ by Celo Green and ‘Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm’ by the Crash Test Dummies with my dad travelling back from school, full volume, windows down. Even now when there’s a moment me and my dad are travelling alone, and I put those songs on the aux, it takes me back to the simplicity of being young and completely unaware of the greater struggles id soon face. If I was feeling down when I was younger, those songs would be first up on my playlist (most likely followed by One Direction depending on how young I was) and those feelings of worry and sadness would be immediately lifted. Celo Green and the Crash Test Dummies are immensely significant within pop culture, as they’re both enjoyed by millions. The edgy and funky melody and vibe of Bright Lights Bigger City immediately makes me feel like I’m within a music video, cruising the streets of Las Vegas in a vintage open roof car with the radio full volume. The fact this one song can make me transcend to another world, into a dreamlike state, is so insanely powerful and shows how influential it was and will remain.
Now at the age I am, almost 20, my music taste has significantly changed. Going to live shows and witnessing music raw and unedited will forever be one of my favourite experiences. One of the greatest performances I’ve ever seen live is Yungblud. If there’s one musician whose most definitely popular in today’s society, today’s culture, its Yungblud. Everything he stands for is so eye opening and appealing; I not only look up to him as a musician but a person too. He reminds me of the punk rebellion movement, as what he sings about and talks about on his social media is most definitely anti-corporate, and a massive ‘up yours’ to society for making us young people feel like we don’t have a voice. His music resonates deeply with me, focusing on expression of oneself and not caring what others think; openly singing about antidepressants and our generation being anxious and depressed, his energy and vibe is unmatched.
One of his tracks that chokes me up every time I hear it is ‘Polygraph Eyes’, where he openly sings about a woman being sexual assaulted. An artist giving a voice to sexual assault victims is insanely powerful and monumental — giving a voice to those who feel silenced. I have never known an artist to be so influential to me personally. I now don’t care how others view me, I only focus on how I view myself and looking after myself. His entire aim of his music is purely about acceptance, and being a part of his fan base is incredibly special and influential as it allows me to express myself and be open with who I am, what I stand for and what I support. Even my beliefs have changed because of the influence this music has over me; I am strong, emotionally in tune and powerful, even though if I feel worthless I know deep down I’m not. His lyrics entwine with my emotions and entire being, and there’s nothing more special than that.
Here are some visual examples of how his music makes me feel:
My favourite track of his, if I had to choose, would be ‘Acting like that’ accompanied by Machine Gun Kelly (another personal favourite) or perhaps ‘Weird’. The insanely addictive and funky vibe of these songs just makes me feel so elevated, and free. This song is a fairly new find, and I am so grateful I listened to it. It makes me feel so happy during this incredibly depressing time of our lives. Being stuck in lockdown, not having anyone to see except my parents, it gets very lonely and ‘Acting like that’ helps me overcome those overwhelming feelings, and just take a deep breath and calm down. This song is like an audio therapy session, it makes my emotions feel valid. The influence this has had on me is quite scary - I never realised how powerful music can be, and this song will always make me feel happy whenever I’m feeling down, especially during this very isolating time.
‘Weird’ is written in parallel to what’s happening to us young people right now with the pandemic, and the influence this track has had was an intense wake up call. I was dwelling on the negative, only looking at the darkness around me, but this track made me see the bigger picture; the light at the end of the tunnel. My entire self beliefs have changed drastically because of this track. Instead of only looking at the bad, seeing myself as worthless and useless, this track alongside his other music makes me feel united and understood; my feelings are valid, they’re projected through music which then helps me control them.
Below are some of my favourite Yungblud tracks. These tracks make me feel loved, accepted, and apart of an amazing community where there’s zero judgement.
