Music thaws even the coldest hearts. So here are five songs to help you enjoy our wintry weather.
“0X1 Lovesong” from Tomorrow X Together – I’m back with my relentless K-pop agenda, folks, and I don’t think you can escape it. Tomorrow X Together, or more commonly known as TXT, releases plenty of winter-style tracks, especially on May’s album, “The Chaos Chapter: Freeze.” Honestly, I’d recommend the entire TXT discography, but if your K-pop tolerance is still only one song at a time, then “0X1 Lovesong” is a good start.
Taylor Swift’s “Getaway Car” — I’m terribly addicted to Taylor Swift’s music – yes, even her 2006 old time angst-centric country stuff. But if you’re radically opposed to that (first, who are you, and second: No, Susan, not all teenagers listen to rap these days) her 2017 album “Reputation” might be your best bet. My favorite on the album is “Getaway Car”. The slick, modern (but still musically satisfying) track is perfect for January, especially when you’re pretending to be in a car chase while driving at 70 mph on this stretch on the highway and the cold wind from the highway. winter whips your hair – and, OK, I’m getting a little ahead here.
“I Miss You” door The Vamps — No matter what haters say, I’m a big believer in boy bands being a really great concept. And when the music is as good as what the Vamps produce, I will absolutely have no complaints. “Missing You” is the title track from the band’s 2019 EP of the same name. The song itself is a regular-tempo synth-pop ballad that’s soulful, with lyrics that capture a sense of longing for something (or someone) that’s gone.
“All I Want” by Olivia Rodrigo – In honor of Olivia Rodrigo’s entire tour being sold out in just a few hours, I’ll recommend the song that really started it all and, no, I’m not talking about “Driver’s License.” “All I Want” was written by the pop star herself for the Disney+ original “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” and it really put her on the map as an artist. There’s almost a kind of freshness to the song that I think fits the mid-winter vibe well. I can’t really describe it any better than that, unfortunately. You will have to check it yourself.
“Levanter (English version)” by Stray Kids – Although there are many reasons why Stray Kids have become my favorite K-pop artist, one of the main ones is the variety of the band’s music. Sometimes Stray Kids will release intense, fast-paced rap songs, but within three months you’ll probably find a heartfelt ballad somewhere in there. Its members produce and write almost all the music themselves, which is unique in the K-pop industry. Two of the members are native English speakers and have translated several songs into English for non-Koreans. “Levant” is one of my favorites. It’s a little jerky lyrically, but it’s really cool to actually understand the words. The song is one of the band’s slowest tracks and definitely has a bit of an arctic vibe to it.
Indiana Hilmes is a sophomore at Selah High School.
