Breaking Down Every Spotify Playlist I Made (Part 3)
No history is repeated in terms of time, place, and scene. That verse sticks in my head from the first time I learned it in highschool’s history class. And just like the history, no places feel the same no matter how often we go. It hits me to the point where I always have a sort of attachment to every places I visit (physically and imaginary).
For the last part of this series, I present you the “Anything that Feels Like (this)”. How to notice it? Just look whether if they had a name of a city or country. Here we go.
Jakarta Bernyanyi
Jakarta is the place where I was born and raised. I called it my hometown too since all of my grandparents lived here and all of my family are here. With that being said, this particular city has always had its own place in my heart. I met a lot of wonderful people here that later I called them as friends, to best friends, to family-by-heart. I can’t mention their name one by one, but I treasure our friendship as a diamond.
This city witnesses me grow as a person. It also witnesses how I’ve always loved to sing just like my grandmas, although I wasn’t gifted unlike them. If you ask me where I mostly sing, it’s when I’m in a car. I always tune the radio to blast it off. But if you ask me where do I enjoy singing so much, the answer is anything-music-event where I can sing to the top of my lungs and jump. However, for this specific playlist, it comes only with the moderate “hyper-level”. It intends just to be sing and to be nostalgic, but definitely worth jumping.
3 things that represent this playlist: karaoke, growth, friendship.
Ticket to Japan
The reason why I started to create this playlist was because I failed a scholarship application to Japan. Even if Japan wasn’t my main dream-place-to-study and even if I wasn’t setting any expectations for it, failing another uni application just before this one was out really got me at my lowest. However — and somehow, Spotify made me listen to some good Japanese songs.
Anyway, I’ve been familiar with (only) some good Japanese songs since my dad made me listen to them the first time he came back from Japan, which was when I was two. He played it repetitively to the point where I could sing those unconsciously, unintendedly, and automatically. I was done with it, eventually. Until that time when I failed. Because of that hardship, listening to those good Japanese songs (in playlist) give me hope for the future. It taught me to cherish every moment, to not worry so much, and to believe in many good things ahead.
3 things that represent this playlist: good time, learning, chance.
Corner of Seoul
I started to really listen to Korean songs when I started watching K-drama. Honestly, I used to be that person who dislike K-drama. But for about two years ago, I began to love it (believe me, none of my friends or family believed it). Ever since that, no month without K-drama for me. I enjoy every single of it, including their soundtrack.
From listening to K-drama soundtrack, I found many other good artist with good music. To the songs I liked, I saved them to this playlist. Even though I can’t understand the lyrics, I can understand the emotion they tried to express (well, hopefully I’m right). And for the emotion itself, I thought this playlist in general radiating longingness. It’s very drama. If you don’t believe me, just try to hear it! I only listen to the good ones so don’t worry.
3 things that represent this playlist: joyful, tearful, sway-ful.
Pergi ke Jogja
Before I moved to Jogja to study, Jogja used to be my comfort place a.k.a. home. Even though I have no house to be called home (re: hometown) besides my grandparents’ graveyard, I found this city warm and safe — just like (a real) home (once again, that was before I moved there and knew the reality; pay the tenses, all in the past). Therefore, I’d always loved to go back there (I still do, though). And the journey to get there? Absolutely has always been one of the best things in my life.
My dad always tunes his old-school love songs. And for the old-Indonesian songs to be exact, I found them romantic and magical. We sing along the highway — and the overall scene looked like this: saying goodbye to house, singing along throughout the road, sleeping, getting down to grab something to eat, and repeat — until arriving at Jogja. Oh, I forget to mention Yogyakarta by Kla Project, totally the final touch to make the journey perfect. Now move to the exciting part, being in Jogja!
3 things that represent this playlist: Jogja, people, teh poci.
