For many of us, this is a scary time filled with a sense of uncertainty and dread. We’re forced to seek shelter in place and do the complete opposite of what most humans are designed to do: be social. On March 6th, right before the pandemic reached this level of severity, singer-songwriter Lauv released his debut album ~how i’m feeling~. You might know Lauv for his song, I Like Me Better, which was featured in the hit movie To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. (Another little fun fact about Lauv is that he’s actually from the Main Line, and performed in Bryn Mawr in 2015.)
Before the release of the album, Lauv released an online video series called the “One Man Boyband”, which outlines the basis of his album. “We created these six different characters that represent different aspects of my personality,” Lauv explains to Apple Music. “I wanted to find a way to visually represent that in a way that was simple, but also somewhat funny.” ~how i’m feeling~ represents the artist born Ari Staprans Leff across 21 tracks, feeling Purple (“existential”), Blue (“hopeless romantic”), Red (“spicy”), Yellow (“positive”), Green (“goofy”), and sometimes Orange (“f**kboy”).
Here’s a list of songs from Lauv’s debut album for every emotion you feel during quarantine.
- Lonely
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Even during quarantine, we’re able to connect with our friends and family through FaceTime, messaging, and social media. Yet, why do we all feel so alone? In the final song of Lauv’s album, Modern Loneliness, Lauv describes how in the technological age we still feel lonely despite our ability to connect with our friends and family remotely and instantaneously. “Modern loneliness, we’re never alone. But always depressed”, Lauv sings in the chorus of this sentimental song.
- Sad
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Let’s face it. We’re all sad about something right now. Many of us are stranded in our dorm rooms away from our friends and family. Some of us are devastated that graduation, prom, and many other senior traditions have been taken away. In Sad Forever, Lauv explores an aspect of sadness that many of us feel but don’t vocalize. “I don’t wanna be sad forever…I just wanna wake up and realize everything is gonna be okay”, Lauv croons in his beautiful falsetto.
- Overwhelmed
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Change can be overwhelming. Everyone’s daily life and routine has been altered. We’re working from home. We’re trying to get adjusted to virtual learning and working. It’s been tough. In the song Changes, Lauv shares a beautiful message about going through changes. Throughout this song, Lauv describes how changes “might drive you half insane” but “it’s all gonna work out someday.” This is exactly the hopeful message we need in this time of change and uncertainty.
- Lethargic
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Being home all the time often makes us just want to lie in bed and never get up. But sometimes it gets tiring being lazy. El Tejano (ft. Sofia Reyes) is the perfect song to shake off the quarantine lethargy. The bilingual beauty’s catchy Latin piano riffs in El Tejano is the best way to get you up and dancing in the middle of a quarantine rut.
- Distant
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With all this time on our hands, some of us might be rethinking our relationship with certain people. We may feel distant from some of the people we care about. Who? (ft. BTS) is a song filled with beautiful harmonies and stacked vocals. It’s a song that explores a relationship by questioning if their lover was ever the person they thought they were. This is also the perfect song to belt in the shower!
Do any of these songs sound like your vibe? Then check out Lauv’s debut album, ~how i’m feeling~ for any mood you’re experiencing. It’s currently available on Apple Music, Spotify, and a multitude of streaming platforms.