Music has always been a significant part of my life. According to my mother, we would cruise around in her 2002 Chevy Tahoe as I ate Mexican food and she would play Rihanna’s “Diamonds” or Bob Marley’s “Is this love,” She says it would always seem to just make me happy. Since then, my parents made certain music remain part of everyday living in our house. 

When I was old enough to understand what was being said and develop some rhythm… My mom and dad played a huge part in influencing my versatile yet popular taste in music, always having played artists such as Bob Marley, Wu-Tang, Eminem, and 50 Cent. My mom is the most musically talented member of my family, always singing around the house and actively learning how to play instruments such as piano or guitar. So I developed the habit of listening when I do anything. When I’m cleaning I will play some music. When I’m doing homework I will play music. Even when I shower I play music. Since I was young I remember waking on a Sunday morning to the smell of cleaning products and my mom playing R&B and Christian Rock. I instantly despised that day because I knew right away we were either going to clean and/or go to church. Which I hated mainly because we would always do something I found boring after, like shopping for groceries and going to a party for someone I didn’t even know the name of. But all of that led to me developing the habit to play music as I was cleaning. Without something playing my mood seems to be lazier and I seem to procrastinate more. It just makes the cleaning much more enjoyable. 

I also use music not just for making me productive but also use it to just vent emotions. If I’m sad I will play sad music, if I'm happy I will play happy music, etc. Before I get shots because yes I am still very deathly afraid of needles and doctors. I just never want to look immature or stupid so I use to play something to hype myself up with the angriest music I could think of. This may include artists like XXXTENTACION, Xavier Wulf, or even Pierce The Veil. Very different artists but they get the same message across. 

The reason music captivates me is because of how it can set the mood of the room very quickly. For example, have you ever been anywhere with a DJ? Just imagine they play really good songs. Everyone is just enjoying the good music. Then the DJ plays a song not everyone is very fond of or familiar with. Maybe it’s a cringy outdated song like “Whip and Nae Nae” or just songs no one likes like “Kiss Me Thru The Phone”. Then the crowd sort of just stops jumping or singing along and instead just talks to the people there or looks at the DJ awkwardly. But Then the DJ redeems themselves with some heat and the mood is suddenly back up with everyone jumping and dancing. In movies it sets the mood, in war, it was used to pump up or motivate soldiers. Music has the power to make someone joyful or even fill them with sorrow in a matter of seconds.   

My music habits might never be changed but the artists and genres always did. In the end, music will remain meaningful in my life.