spotify wrapped 2022

Happy last month of 2022 friends! As the air is getting chiller, days are getting darker and candy canes are being sprinkled atop various forms of coffee, you know what that means: ‘tis the spotify wrapped season.

My top five songs of the year according to the app by replayability are:

1) Summer Fling by Nina Nesbitt

2) Kissin’ When We’re Mad by We Three & A Howes

3) altar by Kehlani

4) People Watching by Conan Gray

5) Josslyn by Olivia O’Brien

Summer Fling by Nina Nesbitt

The tune is so addictive, I don’t even know where to start. The beginning is so groovy and melodic, drawing your ears in to a light beat and chimes. The whole vibe of the track is about escaping into a summertime serendipity. The lyrics are descriptive and set the scene like strokes on a canvas.

My absolute favorite lyrics are part of the chorus: “Salt waves on an ocean drive / Left hand in between my thighs / Sunsets on a rosé sky / We're drinking that southern wine”. I always can imagine myself running barefoot across a grassy field into fields and fields of blooming flowers, where the clouds are disco balls and my dress blossoms with every twirl with this song. Nina’s voice is entrancing, soulful and daydreamy simultaneously. The scene she effortlessly paints in my mind with her voice and descriptions are nothing short of ethereal. There are also little nods to the 70s, like the mention of dancing queen and listening to songs from ‘76 to help set the scene of a time before cell phones and constant, instant communication. To me, this really enhances the idea of an intense, in-the-moment kind of passion.

The tune is so multi-purposed for me. When I wanted to yell out my windows, this song worked. When I shut my eyes in the backseat of a late-night car ride, this song was there. In between bursts of feeling overwhelmed or inadequate, this song was usually next in the queue. This was also my most replayed song of the year. I take this to mean that I really wanted to escape my uncomfy feelings through music this year. Maybe it’s a curse of being a creative but escapism and fantasizing are definitely tools I use to disassociate from the tougher parts of reality. And this song just that, a reliable safe-space for me to leave the real world for a few minutes at a time.

altar by Kehlani

This gem of a song by Kehlani in two words are: calming and grounding. Listening to this song is such an individual experience I encourage you to try if you haven’t already. It urges you to look at life in slow-mo for a few seconds. The slow pace and stunning vocals adds to this feeling, almost a yearning, for a just a few more minutes to be added to a beautiful moment. It’s like the equivalent of chewing your food 20 times before swallowing but in an auditory sense.

The lyrics that I enjoyed the most are the ones that opened the song: “Fresh white flowers and a new tea light / Nine cups of water, still water / Soon I'll see your face / Don't know why I ever thought you were far away / I shoulda known better”. I feel like these lyrics alone encapsulate the peaceful longing sentiment of the entire track.

At the end of the song, there are almost 40 seconds of straight music with no vocals. No doubt, a very intentional choice that matches the vibe and ethos of the song. I will admit that when I’m in an impatient mood, I will skip to the next song in the playlist once I stop hearing Kehlani’s voice but I’m always ultra aware that I want time to move faster in that moment when I do so. It’s an indirect and humbling reminder to not be in such a rush, even when I’m trying to move on to the next song.

Josslyn by Olivia O’Brien

I once made a UPS driver laugh at a stoplight during my rendition of this absolute banger by Olivia O’Brien. To paint a picture, my arms were dancing out the window at my red light and I was yelling like the road was a vast ocean in front of me. It was a perfect vibe after a long day.

Unlike the other songs I’ve been scribbling about, this is the opposite of a slow, calm, melodic song you wanna sway to. This is the one you stomp, shout and scream to. It’s a build up of energy and angst with a touch of melodrama. The way I would simply lose my voice singing along if I was ever in the same space as Olivia singing this bop live. The chorus is simple, catchy and contagious. It’s the ideal combination for a boot-stomping good time. Grab your gals and yell your hearts out over the trash that tried to tell you they love you over sweet nothings.

My favorite ironic lyrics are: “You had to go and ruin it / So you could get a quick f*ck / I'm sure you had fun doing it / And I won't make a big fuss”. Dear exes, this song is our big fuss. These lyrics are almost genius in how straight forward they are to set the scene. Although something totally uncool happened, this is not the mopey response, this is the baddie response.

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I already shared my thoughts on the other two songs from my top five list in previous posts, so be sure to give those a read too if you’re interested <3.