The Three Songs that Changed My Life

As a former band kid and high school violinist, I believe that music is a part of my identity. Music has the power to heal, to break, to bring joy, and to bring sadness. Most importantly, I believe the right song can change your life in big and small ways. I love hearing stories about its transformative powers, so here are three of my own. 

“Ribs” – Lorde

Favourite lyrics: And I’ve never felt more alone / It feels so scary, getting old

Middle school was a very… interesting time for me. Everyone knows this is the stage where you first start to carve out your identity. For me, that need manifested in my music taste. I cycled through Blue Neighbourhood by Troye Sivan, Blurryface by Twenty One Pilots, and Cry Baby by Melanie Martinez. That’s it. But one day, for whatever reason, I decided to listen to Pure Heroine by Lorde. I liked the album from the first track, but “Ribs” is the song that solidified this album as a forever favourite of mine. 

The haunting harmonies in the introduction build into a bass-heavy, synthy beat. Lorde’s simple lyrics work so well for the overall theme of the album. “Ribs” is about growing up as a teenager in suburbia. As you grow older, you want to desperately leave the monotony of your hometown. At the same time, you’re also scared of what the future holds. What if the world isn’t how you imagined from your sheltered life? What if you fail to amount to societal expectations?

As a 13-year-old girl living in Brampton, I resonated with the song deeply. It was the first time I had ever heard someone put into words the source of all my convoluted teen angst. I think this is the moment that sparked my obsession with coming-of-age media, from books like J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye to TV shows like HBO’s Euphoria. Songs like “Ribs” make me feel good because I know I’m not alone in my long, confusing journey of self-discovery. I absolutely love this song, and it will always hold a special place in my heart. 

“Rollin” – Calvin Harris (feat. Future & Khalid)

Favourite lyrics: And you didn’t fit the picture / So I guess you weren’t the vibe

I can’t remember much about the summer of 2017, but one feeling comes to mind: uncertainty. I had just graduated grade 8 and was anxiously awaiting the start of high school in September. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my friends to make the transition easier; I was accepted into two great regional programs in a school far away from where I lived. Although I was grateful for the opportunity, I was fearful of starting from scratch.

That summer was a weird transition period in my life. I simultaneously craved the excitement of a new environment and the comfortability of my current one. Despite this confusion, “Rollin” was a song that was on repeat for me. I think it represents everything I love about summer; the song and lyrics are groovy, carefree, and make you want to dance. Even though this song wasn’t typical of my music taste at the time, I couldn’t resist listening to it. I loved how I could forget all my worries and focus on good vibes, even if for only 4 minutes.

“Rollin” reminds me of a time when I was incredibly scared of what the future held. I wish I could tell my younger self that everything was going to turn out fine. 

“Good Days” – SZA 

Favourite lyrics: Still wanna try, still believe in / Good days

SZA is one of my all-time favourite singers. I first listened to her debut album Ctrl in the fall of 2017, and it single-handedly changed my music taste. Slowly, I transitioned from Melanie Martinez and Twenty One Pilots to Summer Walker and Jorja Smith. I remember being so excited when “Hit Different” dropped in September 2020; up to that point, it was her first new song in over two years. At the end of the “Hit Different” music video, she teased a snippet of an unreleased song. The background instrumental paired with SZA’s angelic vocals left me obsessed and wanting more. 

This song ended up being called “Good Days,” and the full version was released on Christmas Day of 2020. I can’t stress enough how good of a song this is. Whenever I listen to it, I feel like I’m transported into another dimension. No joke. But, I think the best part about this song is the lyrics. SZA writes about moving on from negativity and looking towards a positive future. When this song dropped, I was in a bad place mentally. I was in the middle of my grade 12 year, stressing about online school, university applications, and a pandemic that had no end in sight. This song reminded me that I’m working towards something great. No matter what my situation is now, good days are coming.

To me, “Good Days” represents where I hope to be in life one day. I want to let go of my past burdens and insecurities. I want to focus on becoming my best self. I want to be truly happy with who I am. 

Until that happens, I’ll keep this song on repeat. 

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To find these stories, I had to go on a wonderfully deep journey into my Spotify catalogue. I came across new songs, old favourites, and songs I completely forgot existed. If you do anything today, please take some time to relax, listen to your favourite songs, and reminisce. It’s soothing for the soul in all the right ways.