Senior year of college is terrifying. For those who have no idea what to do after graduation, this year is full of what-ifs and questions from friends and relatives about what exactly you plan to do for the rest of your life. Applying for professional schools or figuring out which jobs to apply for can be very stressful, causing life to feel overwhelming and unstable. Even amidst all of my concerns about my last year of college, music has always been a way for me to focus on the present, while motivating me to work toward the future. So here are 5 albums to help you navigate your senior year and all that comes with it:
REAL B*TCHES DON’T DIE, Kari Faux
REAL B*TCHES DON’T DIE is Kari Faux’s most recent rap/hip-hop album released this year. Fans of Kari Faux are familiar with her bold declarations, and narrative-style lyrics that follow her journey from childhood to becoming a rapper. While each song has a distinctive feel, there is an underlying theme of sentimentality as Faux reflects on her past and encourages the listener to take a chance on the future.
Gold, Cleo Sol
Gold, released this year, is a neo-soul album full of Cleo Sol’s life advice and spiritual encouragement. Sol captivates the wandering mind by contrasting soft ballads with more upbeat tracks that leave you with a feeling of hopefulness as the album concludes with the title track. Gold is calming enough to be enjoyed at any time, but I prefer to listen during my commute to class to get my day off to the right start.
Juno, Remi Wolf
Juno, released in 2021, is Remi Wolf’s first full-length album. While the album sounds like pop, the lyrics are familiar to anyone who feels like they are moving through life without a clue. Juno feels like a coming-of-age story as Wolf cheerfully laments about the struggles of adulthood and expresses regret about not taking life seriously. Many of the songs follow Wolf’s thought process as someone who is wrestling between childhood nostalgia and the responsibilities that come with being an adult. With the contrast between the upbeat music and reflective lyrics, Wolf gives the listener the option to bop to the music without taking the lyrics seriously, but I recommend doing both.
Blonde, Frank Ocean
Blonde, released in 2016, is inherently nostalgic as it may go down in history as the last gift Frank Ocean ever gave us *crying*. Nonetheless, the album is a classic representation of Oceans’ stream-of-consciousness lyrical style. At exactly an hour long, Blonde seems to encapsulate Ocean’s every thought about his past and displacement after Hurricane Katrina, to his feelings about being perceived as famous. With recurring themes of desire and the feeling of time passing faster than you expect, the album is a lesson on introspection.
Apollo XXI, Steve Lacy
Apollo XXI, released in 2019, is Steve Lacy’s first album. While the album is perfect for those who are fans of alternative R&B, it feels like an extended love letter encapsulating wanting and love that is sometimes unrequited. Lacy’s album is a powerful tribute to those who tend to fall in love too fast and may help you process the ones you have to leave too soon.
All of these albums help me process my final year of undergrad in a way that allows me to reflect on the past while looking toward life after college and I hope they can do the same for you.