10 sensational songs I listened to on repeat this spring

Photo by Laura Chouette on Unsplash

This spring had a lot of hits, from Demi Lovato’s “Dancing with the Devil” to Taylor Swift’s Fearless (Taylor’s Version) album drop to a number of hit singles from Justin Bieber & Cardi B. But, if you know anything about me, you know the songs that make my playlist are rarely the ones charting on Billboard.

It’s not that I don’t like these songs or artists – a few of them did pop up on this season’s playlist – but my absolute favorites tend to have lyrics that touch my heart & instrumentation that embraces my soul. And this past spring, I found songs from all different genres that did just that.

If you’re ready for an eclectic music experience, read on for my top picks this past spring from all different genres. And if you’re more of a listening than a reading type, skip to the bottom for my full spring playlist – a 3 hour 34 minute playlist that includes all these songs, some top hits I couldn’t help myself from jamming to, & a few more finds from my Spotify Discover Weekly.

1. A cinematic choice: Flying by Cody Fry

This was the first song on my spring playlist this past season. Flying by Cody Fry takes you on a cinematic experience, with large instrumental swells & beautiful lyrics that describe a soul that has lost hope in a savior. It’s one I can’t help turning the volume up on my headphones for every time.

2. A romantic tune: 1953 by The National Parks

You can’t have a proper playlist without a love song. This past spring, I fell in love with the song 1953 by The National Parks. The song was written by lead singer Brady Parks about his grandparents. Their true love story brought me to tears with its beauty, especially at the bridge that features spoken interviews from the two lovebirds themselves. It is heartwarming & will renew your faith in true love.

3. The fun alt rock one: Follow You by Imagine Dragons

My high school favorite still holds strong. Imagine Dragons always has a feature on my playlists. Many of their tunes are rather dark, often inspired by lead singer Dan Reynold’s personal life struggles with depression, but this rare love song is a fun tune to dance & lightly head-bang to.

4. My worship highlight: Strong in You by Allison Clarke

Allison Clarke, an artist based out of Nashville, released Strong in You in 2017, but somehow I am just now hearing it. It’s jazzy, acoustic feel is one you can move to, while the lyrics help me to remember where to center myself when things in life get tough.

5. Back-road driving hit: Feels Like Home by Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors & Ellie Holcomb

This song took me back to my childhood, summer nights spent in my grandmother’s campground after a long day on the boat fishing, singing songs in harmony with my family. It’s lyrical imagery took me down country roads & back to my roots, while the sweet, soft acoustic sound brought tears to my eyes. It’s an easy listening song perfect for a long drive down a back road with the windows down.

6. The angsty rap song: TRUST by NF ft. Tech N9ne

The talent of these two rap artists is incredibly impressive as they spit bars faster than I can comprehend the words they are saying. Despite the title, this song talks more about a lack of trust in these artists’ lives, while the music, instead of being a repetitive beat in the background, moves with lyrics, placing emphasis where needed & pulling you in deeper.

7. A relaxed indie choice: The Future (Tell Me Love Remains) by Brooke Fraser ft. The Real Efforts of Real People

What does the future hold? Nothing good, if we don’t fill it with love ourselves. The Future (Tell Me Love Remains) talks about what the future may hold with a hopeful but concerned outlook. It’s slow instrumental build grows as the artists’ hope grows, taking you on a small, musical journey that helps you feel a little more optimistic by the end, too.

8. A thoughtful piece: Until It Happens to You by Sasha Sloan

A small warning: This song depresses me every single time I listen to it. It’s the hard truth of life – we don’t know how hard it is to lose someone until we lose someone close to us. This song tackles grief in its raw, pure form, & despite the gentle instrumentation, it’s gut-wrenching. It is truly a lyrical masterpiece.

9. A beautiful instrumental: Overture II by Sleeping At Last

The concert pianist version of me from another life just can’t help adding instrumental beauties like this to my playlist. Sleeping At Last composes songs based around a different theme for each album, & they are always incredibly creative & soulful. I first discovered this artist when listening to their album Atlas: Enneagram – each of the nine songs described the human experience of different enneagram number personalities, & every song featured musical artists who identify as that number. It is a musical masterpiece that I highly recommend to anyone. Overture II is a short piece that opens the album Atlas: Year Two. It is meant to represent the forming of life, which is captured perfectly by the musical swells of the violins & the rich sound of the cello. If you don’t normally listen to instrumental music, this short & sweet 1 1/2-minute piece is worth a listen.

10. And, last but not least, a jazzy throwback: Many Ways to Say I Love You performed by Holly Yarbrough

Holly Yarbrough’s album Mister Rogers Swings! features multiple songs from Mr. Rogers’ show, reinterpreted in a new, jazzy style. They are fun to listen to, & they fill your heart with positivity as you walk out the door in the morning or get home from a long day at night.

Listen to my full spring playlist on Spotify! Along with these songs, it features hit artists like Taylor Swift & Demi Lovato, indie stars like The Lumineers, & lesser known but talented artists like Próxima Parada.

What were your favorite songs this past spring? Leave me a comment below!

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15 songs I listened to on repeat this summer

The summer is almost over, which means it’s nearly time for cozy sweaters and pumpkin spice lattes. It also means that the music scene is about to change from carefree beats to more sentimental tunes.

However, there are a few more warm days left. So, until the leaves start to change, I am going to keep listening to my summer vibe playlist, and I thought I would share it with you to enjoy, too. I have to warn you now: not all the songs are upbeat, but they make up the soundtrack of my summer of 2020.

I hope you enjoy it! Please feel free to share your favorite summer vibe songs in the comment below – I would love to add them to my listening queue.

Summer Vibes Playlist

1. Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles

I can’t go more than a few days of summer without listening to this classic goodie. Yes, finally, the summer is here, and the sun is out. It’s time to slow down and just enjoy life a little more. 

2. The 1 by Taylor Swift (E)

Aptly named as the first song in her surprise new album, The 1 by Taylor Swift is the perfect introduction to an album with a completely different vibe than the artist’s previous works. It’s a bittersweet, regretful, lost love song that I can’t stop listening to.

3. Sleep on the Floor by The Lumineers

Me and my team at the Fred and Pamela Buffet Cancer Center in Nebraska during 4K for Cancer 2019

Something that characterized this summer for me was travel and adventure. I have always wanted to travel, but have never had the means or the time. This summer, I finally had the chance to explore the world outside of my comfort zone, and it was even better than I had expected. This song by The Lumineers is my favorite song to listen to while traveling. It was introduced to me by one of my teammates on 4K for Cancer in summer of 2019, and I can’t help but have joyful tears come to my eyes when I listen to it and think back to that crazy adventure.

4. Be Kind by Halsey and Marshmello

Halsey has been one of my favorite artists since she started creating music. Her lyrics are always pure poetry. This collaboration with Marshmello is an upbeat song with a deeper meaning that touches on how we tend to hurt the ones who love us best.

5. Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen

It doesn’t matter the time of year or what I have planned for the day – this is always my favorite song to start my day with. It’s the song that always pumps me up and helps me feel ready for my day. 

6 Wishing Well by Juice WRLD (E)

Juice WRLD passed away in December of last year due to an accidental overdose. However, his music has still continued to be released since then, and some of the songs, like this one, reveal just how much the young rapper was struggling. It’s an eye-opening song about depression and addiction set to a deceptively cheery beat. 

7. Thunder by Imagine Dragons

In addition to “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen, this is the other tune I always turn to for a little motivation. It featured frequently on my summer queue this year as I struggled with unemployment and began to explore my passions more.

8. It’s Hard to be Human by Kina Grannis

This truly was the vibe of 2020, wasn’t it? It’s hard to be human, but luckily, it’s an experience we all can understand and empathize with. We’re all in this together.

9. I’m Alive (Life Sounds Like) by Michael Franti and Spearhead

The proposal 7/14/20 – Photo by Jon Mauler

I got engaged this summer! I can’t say too much about this song – stay tuned to the blog for more sneak peaks and details about Joseph’s and my 2021 wedding. This is just a little taste.

10. Reckless Love/Even If by Mass Anthem

“Even If” by MercyMe will always be the Christian song that touches my heart most. It was the song that changed my life. “Reckless Love” by Cory Asbury was the song I sang throughout my college years with my friends when we worshipped at Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU) club meetings. The combination of the two creates a song that never fails to bring tears to my eyes. During the hard moments this summer, this was the song I listened to for solace and comfort.

11. Colorado by CHAPPY

The highlight of my summer (besides, of course, getting engaged) was the road trip to Colorado with my new fiancé. This song was the soundtrack of our trip.

12. Own Alone by Bahamas

This was a song Joseph introduced me to, and I just can’t help continuing to listen to it. It has such a unique sound and fun beat; it always makes me smile.

13. How Many Times by Marcus Foster

This song is a bit more chill than some of the others on this list. It’s the perfect summer vibe song for a lazy afternoon in the sun.

14. In the Colors by Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals

Joseph and me on the top of Mount Royal in Frisco, Colorado

This was Joseph’s and my summer vibe song. We listened to it quite a few times while spending time together in all the colors of summer. 

15. Yellow Lines by Brendan James

Here’s one more of my favorite travel songs because I really did spend much of this summer traveling, specifically road-tripping. Driving along those yellow lines, this was the song I listened to most. This summer, I embarked on many adventures, not just in the places that I went, but in the new, life-changing steps I took in my relationship and career. It was a summer filled with long roads that lead to endless possibilities. 

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Colorado road trip: Day 10

Be courageous.

When I woke up this morning, the shirt I changed into was the one I earned last summer when I ran across the country with the Ulman Foundation. It’s a bright yellow shirt, with the words “Be Courageous” emblazoned on the front in dark blue letters. It’s one of my favorite shirts, one that always reminds me of the feat I accomplished last year and that serves as a helpful reminder for my life. 

Already feeling encouraged, I excitedly began my day, even though the difficulties of this trip were starting to get to both Joseph and me. Our biggest complaint today was how badly we needed to shower. The way we smelled was starting to offend even us, so I can only imagine what other people thought. My feet, the one part of me I had not been able to get clean even in our makeshift outdoor showers, were caked in dirt. 

Luckily, we reserved an Airbnb for tonight in Denver. For much of our day, instead of being excited about the adventures we were experiencing, we were most looking forward to showering. Every hour, Joseph gave me the countdown of how long it would be until we would be clean again. 

We started our day with an easy two-and-a-half-mile hike with a view of the mountains in the background. We then stopped at a local library so I could teach a yoga class via Zoom, and then we headed to Chautauqua Park for a more strenuous afternoon hike. 

Per a local’s suggestion, we did the Flatiron trail. It was another two-and-a-half-mile hike, but this one had an elevation of over 1,400 feet. The trail took us straight up the side of the mountain with no place to rest. Breathing heavily, we managed to keep conversation going as we scaled the rocky landscape. 

“Is it worth it,” Joseph jokingly asked some hikers on their way down the trail.

“Oh, yes,” one woman said. “The view is always worth it.”

She was not wrong. Joseph and I sat at the top, feeling accomplished and satisfied. The flatirons resembled rockslides caught at a single, picturesque moment and left that way for eternity. The rocks formations slanted against the mountainside, creating three, nearly identical plates. In the distance, we could see the mountain we hiked yesterday against the backdrop of taller, snowier peaks. 

The trip down was long and tiring. My legs were shaking from the amount of exertion I have placed on them over the last few days. I was definitely ready for a good night’s rest. 

We ate a quick picnic lunch in the park, and then we began the drive to Denver. On the way, we stopped at a Starbucks to purchase lattes and the souvenir I have been most excited about. Last year during 4K for Cancer, one of my teammates, Illona, told me about the mugs she buys at Starbucks everywhere she visits. Each mug is designed for the particular city, state or country the Starbucks is located at, with the name of the place and images reminiscent of different landmarks located there. As a world traveler, she had mugs from many different countries. She told me how, when she had guests, she coyly would ask them from where they would like to drink their coffee: Paris? California? And then she would serve them coffee in the corresponding mug.

I thought it was such a cute idea at the time. Then, as Joseph and I grew more serious in our relationship, I thought it was the perfect souvenir for us to get on all of our travels together. We are avid coffee drinkers, and Starbucks stores are everywhere. We were bound to dip into one on all of our future travels at some point, so why not get a corresponding mug from each place to make a collection? 

The Colorado mug is the first of our collection. I can’t wait to see how many other mugs we will add to the shelf in our future home.

Our Airbnb was tall, blue house in a nice neighborhood just twenty minutes outside of Denver. The first and most important thing on both of our agendas was taking a shower. Joseph went first, and he came back looking refreshed, his shin a couple shades lighter now that the dirt was scrubbed from it. 

“I feel like a new man,” he told me. “I feel like we are a different species now.” 

I jumped up eagerly, grabbed my toiletries, and went into the bathroom. I turned the water the temperature up as hot as I could stand, and then I let it cascade down me, watching dirt run off my skin and into the drain. I massaged my head with shampoo until my fingers were numb, and then I scrubbed my skin until it felt raw. Even after all that, I’m not sure I was entirely clean, but I finally felt human again. I can’t even express how revitalizing that shower was. After ten days without one, it felt like a luxury.

Joseph and I relaxed in the room in our sweats until it was time to get ready for dinner. I had searched for the best places to eat in Denver and then carefully scanned the menus of each place for something I could eat on my new, restrictive diet. I found two places, and yesterday, Joseph and I made reservations at Roxy on Broadway. 

We dressed up in fancy clothes, he in khakis and a button-down red and black plaid shirt, and I in my classic little black dress. Feeling as if we were first-class citizens, not two young adults who had just spent the last week camping and sleeping in their car, we exited the house and approached our car. It seemed odd that we no longer matched our ride; while we had transformed our appearance in the matter of two hours, this car was a stark reminder of where we had actually come from, with its cracked windshield, duct-taped rooftop carrier, and dirt streaks. But this car had carried us all the way from Maryland to the last stop of this adventure; no other mode of transportation would be fitting to carry us to our celebratory dinner.

Roxy on Broadway was hidden away from the bustle of downtown Denver. With its garage-style door and simple, brick appearance, it could easily be overlooked. But inside, it was a 1920s era dream. Candle-lit chandeliers hung from the ceiling in front of the bar stacked with local liquors. Tables and chairs had been set up for customers to sit theatre-style in front of a small stage, where two musicians played. The menu featured classic prohibition-era cocktails, while the food was modern and diverse. 

The staff was pleasant and accommodating. When we had made a reservation, Joseph had written in the notes that I was on a low-FODMAP diet, something most people don’t and probably will never have to know about. While the menu featured multiple gluten-free and vegan options, it was difficult to be absolutely sure which selections would not aggravate my stomach. The chef, however, had already taken this into consideration. I was assured by our hostess upon arrival that he was fully aware of my needs. I ordered a kale salad, and the chef whipped up a homemade oil and vinegar dressing so that I could enjoy it without any adverse side effects. Meanwhile, Joseph enjoyed a pulled pork sandwich with a side of the best french fries I have ever tasted. They were substantial, crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and seasoned to perfection.

Joseph and I toasted all that we have accomplished and experienced together over these last few months in quarantine – his graduation, his birthday, and our engagement. It was our first drink together in a restaurant, and I am so glad we waited. It felt good to toast to life in a city a mile high in the sky. 

The musical entertainment for the night featured Erik Fellenstein, a Colorado local. He started his show with a guitar accompaniment, but the second half he performed by himself. Joseph and I stayed longer than expected to catch his full performance. We thoroughly enjoyed his jazzy, folksy style, and many times we caught ourselves laughing at his jokes. His songs were entertaining, both lyrically and instrumentally, and I was struck constantly by the breadth of his talent. He sang with soul, and he played the violin with a richness that is often lacking by musicians.

At the end of his performance, Joseph and I clapped with the rest of the crowd, sipped the last of our drinks, and then left to visit Larimer Square. To our disappointment, the lights strung across the street were still lit, but the shops were closed. Vowing to return tomorrow, we returned to our AirBnb for a much-needed night’s rest in a luxuriously warm and soft bed. 

Be courageous. It was the message on the shirt given to me after I had completed the most courageous adventure I have ever been on, and it is the message I still try to remind myself of every day. While 4K is still probably the most amazing feat I have ever accomplished, I have the opportunity every day to do something courageous. It took courage to go on this road trip, especially when I had just started such a strict and limiting diet for my health, which has been declining steadily for the past year. It took courage to have the tough conversations I have had with Joseph during our long car rides, and to explore deeper into my own psyche during those trying moments. It took courage to place my trust in another person, to be vulnerable with him, and to promise to spend the rest of my life with him, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health. 

These moments that take courage can be daunting at their best and absolutely petrifying at their worst, but as Joseph and I were reminded by that Boulder local during our hike today, the mountain is always worth the climb. The courage it takes is always worth the adventure it takes me on. 

Follow your dreams. Explore life outside of your comfort zone. Be courageous. You never know what amazing adventures life will have waiting for you when you do. 

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