If you happen to pull up next to me, you might hear show tunes, worship songs, pop songs or jazz. This is what I consider to be my dream rotation of genres on a daily basis. My Multiple genres of music speak to me and help me through seasons of my life. Show tunes fill my heart with joy and remind me of my passion for theater. Worship music keeps me grounded and reminds me of my faith. Pop music makes me feel empowered and understood. Jazz music makes me feel like I have gone back in time, and everything around me feels unreal in the best way possible.

I started listening to jazz a couple of years ago when artists such as Mitski and Laufey gained popularity. I listened to a song of Laufey’s, “Like the Movies,” and I did not dive into the rest of her discography then. In 2021, I did not branch out with my song choices a lot and mainly added songs to my playlists that I heard from social media. Throughout high school, I have found my way back to listening to Laufey again, and modern jazz makes me feel at peace. I listen to Laufey, among other artists, at home a lot. I tend to listen to music at home.

Multiple genres of music impact my mood, and listening to various kinds of music has gotten me outside of my comfort zone. According to Statista, jazz and blues were the least listened to genres compared to hip hop and R&B, which were the most popular. If I had never put the time into listening to jazz and blues, I would not have been able to find connections with songs from these genres. Sometimes, the least listened to genres can be what you connect to the most.

If you do not listen to multiple genres every day, I challenge you to step outside of your comfort zone. You never know what you end up liking. If I had not expanded my playlist, I would not have given modern jazz music a chance. Give a new genre a try!