“A Dream With a Baseball Player” cover by Faye Webster.
Spring break is coming up soon, and whether you’ll be traveling around the world or staying in Ames, it’s crucial that we all take the time to relax. What better way to do that than to listen to some new music? As the weather transitions back to the summer heat during this time of the year, you’ll need a playlist to get back into the 60 and 70 degree weather groove. Here are some music recommendations to help enhance your spring break relaxation to the fullest extent.
“Sugar Water Cyanide” – Rebecca Black
This track from Rebecca Black’s latest album “SALVATION” is, in my opinion, a great intro song for the upcoming summer. Black proves herself and reclaims her artistry in the sound of this album. It is a very different side of Black than seen before when compared to her 2011 song “Friday,” a viral song famous for its poor quality. “Sugar Water Cyanide” is a story about the attractive and dangerous sides of relationships, and being paired with club aesthetics, creates a fun anthem perfect for dancing. If interested, I recommend listening to the album as well.
“ExtraL” – JENNIE ft. Doechii
This single from BLACKPINK member JENNIE’s debut album is one you shouldn’t miss. Throughout her album “Ruby,” Jennie explores her experience as a K-Pop idol and female artist. She looks to find her own creative voice instead of being pigeon-holed by the creative direction of BLACKPINK. A big theme in the album is confidence in oneself, and that certainly is the message of “ExtraL,” standing for “extra large,” in reference to the feeling of being the most important person in any room. Doechii, a recent Grammy-winning artist and rapper, also features on this track and feeds off of the powerful energy of JENNIE to create an unstoppable duo.
“I’ll Be Here When You’re Back” – beaux
After discovering this song on my “Discover Weekly” playlist on Spotify, I’ve been addicted to the nostalgia I feel listening to this song. The song’s message is very comforting; Knowing that everything will be okay no matter what difficulty we face. More mellow than the previous song recommendations, the message of this song, paired with the gorgeous acoustic guitar intro and the subdued drum beat, feels like a warm hug. It is a perfect song to listen to while driving with the windows down on a sunny day. I was not familiar with beaux before I heard this song, but I highly recommend checking out some of his other music if you enjoy this one.
“Spring Into Summer” – Lizzy McAlpine
I have to admit that I have never been a big fan of Lizzy McAlpine’s music. However, once I heard this song on my TikTok “For You” page, I have not been able to stop listening. The idea behind this song is being stuck in a cycle of wanting to be in a relationship with an ex. This message is very present in the rest of her album “Older,” but this song really sticks out to me. Although being sort of depressing, it has the same comforting feeling and instrumentation as the previous song I recommended, and it’s hard to get tired of listening. This song’s mellow timbre is perfect for when you find yourself relaxing and laying out in the sun.
“A Dream With A Baseball Player” – Faye Webster
Faye Webster is an interesting artist I’ve been following for a few years now, and I never get tired of hearing her music. Her musical sound is a unique blend of indie, folk, R&B and country, with songs typically featuring smooth, hushed and repetitive vocal melodies with peaceful musical accompaniment, creating a hypnotic musical atmosphere. Although her lyrics can greatly juxtapose the calm of the instrumentation at times, she manages to capture a chill vibe throughout her entire discography that is unmatched by any other artist. I don’t know how else to describe this song other than that it feels like sitting outside under the sun on a breezy day. I highly recommend listening to this song, and her full discography as well.
“Aquamarine” – Addison Rae
When most people hear the name Addison Rae, they immediately think of her as the immature TikTok dancer or “Hype House” member. However, with the current track record of her single releases, I would say she is an innovative musical force to be reckoned with. Rae debuted with the release of her solid, pop EP “AR” back in 2023. In the time between the EP and the release of her single “Diet Pepsi,” she has taken a huge shift in creative direction in not only sound, but aesthetics as well. Pulling musical inspiration from pop standouts such as Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue, Charli XCX, Ariana Grande and Shania Twain, as well as experimental music production inspiration from artists like SOPHIE and Arca, Rae has cultivated a unique sound that I believe is unlike any other pop artist at the moment. She recently released another single called “High Fashion,” which is just as incredible and breathtaking as “Aquamarine” and “Diet Pepsi.” The song has also been recognized and greatly supported by Charli XCX and Rae was even featured on the “brat” remix album for “Von Dutch.” I am definitely looking forward to the release of Rae’s debut album, and I believe she will become a great pop star of this generation.
