When I am listening to music, singing, or playing an instrument, I simply feel at peace. I always remember being immersed in some type of music or dance from a young age. Whether it was learning how to play the piano or guitar, singing/playing in the school chorus or band, or dancing with my friends on stage, music always seems to be a constant in each and every stage of my life. And I am extremely grateful that it is a constant.Â
I did not truly realize how big of a role music played in my life until reaching college. Everyone in my family is extremely musical. My dad has a passion for music and my brother and I were lucky enough to be able to share that passion with him. My brother plays the Phakawaj, which is a set of drums that often accompanies Gurbani Kirtan which are the religious hymns I grew up singing in the temple. I play the harmonium which is a “hand-pumped organ” that I play while singing religious hymns. Whenever I am home, we always practice with my mom, dad, or me playing the harmonium and my brother playing the drums. It is something I truly miss when I am at college and look forward to when I am at home.Â
Music is the one thing I find myself turning towards no matter what emotion I am feeling. It is something I find myself connecting to other people with. My family is from Punjab and I grew up listening to the music my parents grew up listening to. I grew up watching Bollywood movies filled with musical hits that play throughout the (most of the time) three-hour-long movie. I grew up watching classical musicals such as Wicked and TV shows such as Glee which pay tribute to iconic artists such as Brittany Spears and Madonna.
Recently, I hit a rough patch where I found myself losing my passion for music. I then took a step back and realized that music is what often drives my creativity. It is simply part of who I am. I rediscovered my passion for singing and playing the guitar over winter break. I went to a temple and sang the hymns that I grew up learning. My brother creates music so I listened to what he created and bonded with him through music. I started to make countless Spotify playlists again. And most importantly, I felt calm and at peace once again.
Everyone needs a passion in their life. I was lucky enough to find it at a young age. I don’t think I can walk anywhere on campus at this point or go to the gym without putting my headphones in. That moment when I hear a song and the nostalgia hits will never get old. Especially when I find people with the same passion for music. Music truly does heal and I have found artists who have tremendously helped my mental health through their music. While I may listen to Hip Hop/Rap music the most, I don’t think there is one single genre I don’t connect with. I have listened to artists from Jamaica, Spain, France, India, the UK, and of course America.Â
Music is universal. It forms a community like no other and brings together people who may have not connected otherwise.Â
Can’t get enough of HC UMass Amherst? Be sure to follow us on Instagram, listen to us on Spotify, like us on Facebook, and read our latest Tweets! Â