101 Creative Project – Playlist
“Where do we go from here?” – Health Narrative Playlist
The following playlist was created to represent the individuals experience of depression and an attempt to help with the healing process for young adults who are going through a low point in their mental health journey. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, rates of chronic depression in the U.S. have increased, with the greatest increase in younger individuals. (CDC, 2023) These songs have personally resonated with my experience with depression and have helped me know I am not alone in this experience. Using music has helped me to understand my emotions and has empowered myself to find hope in choosing to see the good; knowing there is a path out of depression. While lyrics are important to the meaning of songs, the instrumental choices are just as important. These songs have various types of instrumentals that emanate the emotions that come with depression. The playlist is a story of someone who suffers from depression which additionally causes emotional strain in their close relationships. Through the process of breaking up, looking inward and choosing themselves, they find peace within themselves and learn how to cope with their emotions. While many of these songs describe a literal break up, I believe that the listener can resonate with the representation of breaking up with depression.
Listen Here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7dybsyQ7UdkN99PrhClnO6?si=94d8371e24b64da7
- Cobra – Meg the Stallion
- This brand-new song, dropped on November 3rd, 2023, was the perfect opening song for this playlist. Megan openly describes her raw experience with depression. In the lyrics she describes her feelings of loneliness, addiction to alcohol as a coping mechanism, and suicidal thoughts. She describes how her depression creates a toxic relationship with her partner and his infidelity causes her even more emotional pain.
- PRIDE. – Kendrick Lamar
- In this song, Kendrick artistically describes how his mental illness has negatively affected his relationship. He describes how in a perfect world, he would be there for his partner, but his emotional numbness doesn’t allow him to care enough to show up. The song does not have a happy ending, but Kendrick emphasizes the choices he would make in a perfect world.
- Cranes in the Sky – Solange
- Solange describes the many attempts she has made to heal her depression through distractions. She describes her attempt to run away from her sadness through these distractions, but in the end, it never worked and only made her even more sad.
- Bag Lady – Erykah Badu
- The lyrics of this song describe a woman who carries so many bags that weigh her down and crowd another man’s space. The singer is a narrator that suggests the woman packs lighter to make her experiences better but also sympathizes with the “Bag Lady” that letting go of “baggage” is difficult. This song illustrates the feeling of the weight of depression that impacts the lives of those who are experiencing it and individuals around them. This song represents the turning point in this playlist, allowing the listener to hear an outside perspective of their experience and empowering them to make the choice to let go of their depression label.
- Gotta Get Up – Kali Uchis
- The song begins by saying “I’m getting tired of sleeping in” insinuating that this has been a common theme in her recent past. Kali describes the feeling of depression and how if she was given the choice, she would lay in bed all day. Ultimately, she knows that getting up is better for her in the end. This song brings the listener back into their perspective and allows them to “wake up” to a new perspective.
- Chamber of Reflection – Mac DeMarco
- Chamber of Reflection describes someone who breaks up with someone so they can spend time alone to become find themselves and better partners. The lyrics particularly emphasize being alone again. I think the breakup in this song can represent the feeling of breaking up with depression and spending time with yourself in healthier ways to find a path to healing.
- Yes I’m Changing – Tame Impala
- This song is also about a breakup. The writer describes the moment of finally seeing things differently and how he was able to become a better version of himself. The writer is confident in this new path he has chosen and invites his ex to not be sad but forgiving of him and empowered to walk into a better life as well.
- After the Storm – Kali Uchis (feat. Tyler the Creator, Bootsy Collins)
- The chorus of this song is the most important emphasis for the reason I chose this song, but there are moments throughout that resonate with the healing process of coping with depression. The beginning of the song asks the listener to think about what another significant person in their life might also be going through. The lyrics say that everyone is going through their own hardships, and you must be your own hero and never give up on your healing journey.
- Happy Now – Kali Uchis
- This song describes someone who wants to be happy after a breakup and free her mind of the previous pain she went through. She describes only wanting the best for her ex and to remember the good this about their relationship. The lyrics “don’t speed through the rainbow” echo the perspective of an individual who is on the healing side of their mental health journey.
- Golden – Jill Scott
- This song is the perfect ending to this playlist. The lyrics describe someone who is taking their emotional freedom back and making the choice to live a positive life. The chorus repeats “livin’ my life like it’s golden” representing sunshine after a storm.