Discovering Music

The joy of listening to what we listen to.

Samyak Singh
Nov 4 · 4 min read
Mom and dad, and Sade playing in the background

It’s the experience associated with listening to new music. Maybe it’s the people involved. The joy in sharing a moment listening to a song with someone, or remembering someone. I’ve found incredible artists through others — people with whom I’ve shared a special fabric of time.

I discovered Sade through my dad. He would play Your Love Is King in our silver Samsung surround system back in Kathmandu. I’d be home from boarding school for the holidays. He would drink his Scotch, and I’d sit next to him and draw mountains in my sketch pad. I’ve always been a mountain guy. Discovering a romantic style of music from my dad has given me another reason to look up to him. In a world where men are expected to be inexpressive and stern, my dad showed me that it’s okay to romanticize.

I found Rufus Du Sol because they were in the Top Charts last year. There’s nothing wrong with listening to the Billboard, for those of you who are shy to admit it. With Rufus, it’s all about seeing them live with my friend, Sam. Three years ago when we were roommates, he told me he hated live music. A few years of self exploration (and getting drunk) later, we pregame with Glenfiddich and watch the glorious Australian trio. We first saw them at Bill Graham, although Sam doesn’t remember how it ended. The last one was at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley. It was magical — we were with friends, and got a glimpse of the fog rolling across the Bay Bridge behind the stage. I had goosebumps.

Rufus at the Greek Theater, Berkeley

FKJ and I were introduced by my buddy, Matt. One day he showed me the music video of Tadow, a collab between FKJ and Masego. Not only did I watch that video 10 more times, we also bought tickets to his show at The Warfield. It stings me to say that I never made it to that show — ask me in person and I’ll explain with tears. Whenever I listen to Learn To Fly, I think of smoking cigars and celebrating the small wins in life with Matt. Oh, and if you haven’t watched it yet, check out FKJ performing live at the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia.

John Mayer. Now that’s a heavy one. Listening to Mayer is all about the journey. Your life kind of follows his transformation as an artist. I started listening to Slow Dancing In A Burning Room in my early college days. It reminds me of my ex-girlfriend from college because the song always played in the background while getting ready to go out for the night. So young, so naive. Then he released songs like Rosie, Emoji Of A Wave, and XO. By that time, I had moved to California, gotten a glimpse of real responsibilities, and fallen in love again. I even saw him at the Shoreline with some friends, edibles, and Chick-fil-A nuggets. Love On The Weekend reminds me of my ex here in the west coast, because that’s what we did. I’d wait for her to get off on the weekends, and drive her away to places we’d never been.

Recently, I’ve found Leon Bridges. A girl that I met introduced me to him. Initially, I wasn’t keen on checking him out. But one day while making dinner, she was playing Rufus because I had introduced them to her. That got me to open my mind a little and try Bridges, and my life got a little better. I’ve always enjoyed Soul, but never found something as mellow (yet crisp) like the style that Bridges has. Now, I come home tired as hell and listen to him while drinking some cheap wine from Trader Joe’s. Just like that, I forget about the horrible commute, my sore hamstrings from cycling, or the lunch that I inhaled at my desk at work. It’s probably the wine, but Bridges too. It’s liberating.

My point is — talk to people you meet about music. Be open to the artists they listen to, and the shows they go to. I think, in a way, we become the kind of music we listen to. So it’s worth taking the time to explore something new, and cherish the time we spend listening to music with others.

Samyak Singh

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Writing to think well. To be less wrong.

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