A lot of people would say I have a weird taste in music. I like to consider my musical preferences unique. I’ve never been a huge fan of the United States top hits, and I probably don’t know any of the current hit songs playing on the radio. But if you’re looking for some fire beats from Europe, I’m your gal. I can’t remember when exactly I started listening to international artists, although I believe I discovered K-Pop back in middle school. Today, I’m obsessed with Dutch and German music – my musical interests have certainly evolved in the past decade. But let’s take a look at where it all began, and the different genres I’ve explored over the years… and just maybe you’ll find a new musical obsession.
1. K-Pop (Korean)
My diverse music journey began with the likes of Super Junior and EXO. My cousin introduced me to K-Pop, as she was obsessed with East-Asian culture including Manga and Anime by then. “Sorry, Sorry” and “Lightsaber” were my personal unofficial middle school anthems. The K-Pop years were cute, but better left back in middle school for me.
2. Grime (U.K.)
For those of you who have no idea what Grime music is, I would describe it simply as U.K. hip-hop. I’m basically addicted to YouTube, and I was a religious subscriber to the Sidemen back in high school. As British YouTubers themselves, I heard a lot of grime in their intros, outros, and as background music. Lethal Bizzle, Skepta, and Wiley were my all-time favorites and, really, who doesn’t love a British accent?
3. Hardbass (Russian)
Hardbass is essentially intense techno. I was also really into gaming during high school – especially CS:GO. I used to love watching Eastern European and Russian CS:GO gameplay, and thus exposed to Hardbass. This stuff is not for the faint of heart: I occasionally still listen to Russian Village Boys, DJ Blyatman, and XS Project, but usually end up with a migraine after an hour. If you do anything after reading this article, go watch the music video for XS Project’s “Meanwhile in Russia (Take Me to Russia)”… I still laugh every time.
4. Dutch
I started listening to Dutch music a couple of years ago, and some of my current favorite artists are Dutch. I’m absolutely in love with anything by Snelle, Frenna, and Bizzey. I had no idea Dutch could ever sound so sexy, but you’ve been missing out if you haven’t given these artists a try!
5. German
My love for German artists is relatively novel. In fact, I discovered German music via Dutch music. In my opinion, German music is slightly harsher or more intense than my Dutch preferences, but I’m just as obsessed with Capital Bra, Azet, and Zuna as the Dutch artists. These artists primarily write German lyrics, but also throw in some Albanian, French, and Russian. I would say it’s quite a cultured experience.
So, now you know that I rarely listen to anything in English. Strange? Perhaps. I’m not fluent in any language other than English, but I’ve picked up various foreign words and phrases just by listening to international music. As someone who has always been interested in other cultures and languages, it’s no surprise that I prefer these artists over Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber. I even hope to start learning Dutch and German over the summer, and then French and Russian. As much as I love America, I want to be a true global citizen. If your curious or just looking to try something new, check out these artists… there is surely something for everyone.