𝙲𝚢𝚍𝚗𝚒’𝚜 𝙴𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝙶𝚘 𝙶𝚕𝚘𝚋𝚊𝚕♫

1. For my first song I chose Kawaipunahele by Keali'i Rachel. This is a modern Native Hawaiian song that is deeply rooted in traditional mele and hula traditions. I enjoy listening to Hawaiian music and it's something that I've been drawn too for some time. Growing up, I loved Lilo & Stitch, and even though it's just a animated Disney movie, at a young age it introduced me to the sound and feeling of Hawaiian music in a way that stuck to me. This song feels so calm and deeply connected to Hawaiian culture though its use of the Hawaiian language and its connection to hula and storytelling. It uses vocal styling and instruments commonly associated with hula like the ukulele and pahu-style rhythms, even though it's recorded with modern production. I just love the culture of the music and how preserved/ shared through contemporary music. 2. My second song is "Magalenha" by Sérgio Mendes which is associated with Rio Carnival which is one of Brazil's mos...

♡ MUSIC AND MY MOM ♡ For this blog, I interviewed my mother about how music has been a significant part of her life. Below are the questions I asked and the answers she shared during our dialogue.   Interview January 28 Me: What kind of music were you into at my age? Mom: I listened..to modern classical. And I liked classical Jazz. Your daddy will tell you, I only listened to hip-hop when he was around. Or, I like R&B ballets. Me: Wait so what is that again? Mom: Like Luther Vandross, Anita Baker- Me: OH okay. Okay, Gotcha. What were your favorite artists or bands growing up? Mom: Luther, Luther Vandross, Anita Baker (then starts laughing) Anita Baker was a rhythmic jazz singer. Did you know that? Me: No, I didn't. Mom: Yeah, her background was jazz. So her type of vibe I really vibed with. Me: Do you remember a song or an album that really stuck to you as a teenager and why? Mom: Mmm... Me: Wait but you're always singing old school hip-hop and R&B, and you're actin...

       Most of my music memory revolves around my childhood--songs tied to moments that pull me back through years of nostalgia. But music hasn't only been about remembering the past; it's also been an escape during difficult moments in my my life, shaping who I am both as a person and as a singer. There were times when music felt like it found me, helping me understand myself in ways words couldn't. It became my therapy.     With music, songs from my past each are tied to a moment, an emotion, or a chapter of my life. Whether it helped me escape reality or face it head on, music has always been there, preserving my memories. Here are some examples. ♡♡♡ 1.  When I was a little girl, I was completely obsessed with the Disney movie Enchanted . I can't even remember the first time I watched it--all I can remember is it being played over and over and over again. It got to a point where I memorized most of the script and would act out the scenes myself in ...

 ₊˚♬ ﾟ.  MUSIC AND ME ₊˚♬ ﾟ. Hi guys!! I am Cydni McCleod. I am a 2nd year Communications and Media Studies/Music Major student at Converse. I've lived in Clover, South Carolina my whole life. Growing up, I always had to be involved on something such as dance, gymnastics, and cheerleading. As I got older though, I found myself gravitating more toward music and arts. I loved sketching and would often create my own little comic books and drawings to share with my elementary school classmates. Being able to express myself creatively--whether through art or music--became something I truly enjoyed and felt connected to. It became a source of comfort for me, and that's when I really began to discover my abilities as a singer. This growing love for singing and performing eventually led me to join choirs in middle school, which carried on into high school where I was able to develop my voice through voice lessons, learn new styles, and perform with others that shared the same pa...