Music and Us: Our New Playlist

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 most important cultural celebrations. The rhythm and the beat reflects the spirit of the music, dance and community. The reason why I picked this song was of course, it makes you get up and wanna shake something BUT, I also love how it blends Brazilian samba rhythms and Afro-Brazilian percussion with more sound. Even though it's a contemporary song, you can tell that it has that long lasting Brazilian musical tradition. The call and response vocals and strong percussion make the song feel alive in a way. It's more of a song to experience rather than to just listen to.

3. My third song Sakura "Cherry Blossoms" traditional music of Japan classical koto music. I found this song very, very peaceful and soothing. I find a lot of traditional Japanese to calming and beautiful. Going to Japanese restaurants and hearing their music makes the food taste 10x better. With this piece I found it interesting how simple and gentle it sounds. The slow tempo and delicate melodies. Unlike modern music meant for entertainment, Sakura feels more meditative and ceremonial, showing how traditional Japanese music is often tied to nature and deeper cultural values

4. My fourth song is I chose Kakatsitsi -- "Sweet" because of its strong rhythmic energy and connection to traditional West African music and dance. Their a Ghanaian percussion group, and this performance shows their connection to their culture through singing, drumming, and movement. The song is very interactive, with layered rhytms that build on each other and encourges audience participation. The performance shows that collectively rather than listened to passively. I just love the drumming patterns and call-and-response elements that come with African tradition especially Ghanaian musical practices. (According to my ancestory.com, my ancestors are Ghanian😝.)