Salutations dear bloggers! Happy Thursday evening to you all. How’s your writing and blogging going? Don’t hold anything back; I promise I’m a good listener and want to hear about your highs and lows!

I noticed that my “Sounds of Summer” keep revolving around a pretty tight cluster of themes and genres. Spoiler alert: my common themes are unrequited love, longing, personal loss, a sense of wandering through early adulthood, and overcoming self-doubt. Who would’ve figured! Haha.

As far as specific genres, I’ve gravitated mainly towards electronic music (both downbeat and dance), as well as softer and more pensive ambient tracks. I’m not sure why, but I think it may be because the lyrics and ambient soundscapes are a good match for my emotional barometer. Such is the case with my song selection for tonight. It’s called “Yours Truly (Summer was Fun Remix), by Mr. FijiWiji. Cool side note: I actually got to see him perform live in Austin in January of 2016!

 

Cause with you I feel amazing, 

Never felt before,

Why would I be so ashamed, found love worth fighting for

Standing right at the gates,

Walking your stairway to heaven

What strikes me the most about this song is the contrast between the lyrics and the melody itself. Sure, it’s a romantic song that is made all the more vibrant by Danyka Nadeau’s lush voice. But the actual instrumentation — the airy piano notes, the dreamy vocal distortions, and the modulated bass lines — evokes a sense of wonderous closure and acceptance for me. This is my last dance before I move on with my life, I think as I listen to this catchy tune, my heart somewhere between crestfallen and content.

Learning how to accept my own love before trying to love someone else has been hard. I didn’t exactly want to spend this summer learning how to live alone and adjusting to a new and largely unpredictable job, but the struggle is making me stronger. Sometimes I listen to this song as I’m working on my second draft of Stalder Press to Handstand, which is a story that is heavily influenced by my latest romantic struggles and uncertainties. This remix does a fantastic job of capturing the ache of a romantic attraction that just isn’t quite able to come to fruition. And yes, that is definitely a real-life experience of mine that I’m channeling into my first post-apocalyptic work. But that makes me all the more excited to finish this book and share it with the world!

More than anything, this song reminds me that there will always be another summer…another romantic interest…another passionate novel for me to write. Me believing in love at first sight doesn’t make me a silly person; on the contrary, it reminds me of how much of a fighter I truly am. I’m not sure what I’m hoping for with my next romantic partner, but I do know that I’ll be more prepared to meet them with an open heart and a patient spirit.

Summer’s not over yet, but I’m confident that when it draws to a close, I’ll be able to look back on these past few months with just the right amount of joy. After all…it’s been fun so far 🙂

What song(s) are you currently jamming out to this week? Have they been helpful in inspiring your creative muse? I’m always looking for new songs to check out, so I would love to hear about your own “Sounds of Summer.”