Songs I've "Liked" On Spotify During COVID-19 Era: A Journey
My Mixtape’s A Masterpiece is a weekly feature in which a guest compiles a 10-song playlist around some theme. This week, Erin Gaskill assembles selections that have been added to her Spotify repertoire in the time of the plague.
“Songs I’ve ‘Liked’ On Spotify During The COVID-19 Era” means that I have taken the time to pick up my phone while a playlist or mix is playing and save the song. Or heard the song on another platform and pinned it for a later listen. Have I ever gone back in and done anything with these tracks? Absolutely not…until now! Some are songs that struck an emotional chord in that moment. Others? Well, I'm not quite sure. But here we are.
1."Time Machine" by WILLOW
Y'all. This song is by Willow SMITH??? How did I not know this until now? This track is spacey, ethereal, and soulful. Perfect relaxed weekend vibes.
2. "Yi Jian Mei (xue hua piao piao bei feng xiao xiao)" by Fei Yu-ching
I definitely got this song from TikTok probably in May of 2020. It was presented as music that the creator's mother listened to and I absolutely dug it and vowed to train my Spotify to play me music by Taiwanese crooners (it didn’t). The music is slick, beautiful, and absolute perfection.
3. "paradise" by iZNiiK
I'm a sucker for the Hawaiian lap steel guitar intro, which is followed up by dreamy vocals, lofi beats, and layered samples galore. This producer is super enigmatic and always wears a bucket hat covering his face. So that's neat.
4. "Sour Candy" by Lady Gaga (with BLACKPINK)
Why I felt the need to "like" this track is beyond me, as I listened to Chromatica daily from its release until about a month ago (when I transitioned to Born This Way - it’s the 10th anniversary!). Nevertheless, def love this track, BLACKPINK rules, and I recommend a daily dose of Lady Gaga first thing in the morning to get your blood pumping.
5. "When It Comes To You" by Sean Paul and YG
Listen, we have all come up with our own coping mechanisms recently. Mine has been a complete rejection of anything highbrow. I watched Tom Cruise movies. I read Jessica Simpson's biography. And I listened to Sean Paul.
6. "Samba Sujo" by Born Dirty and Diplo
Bop featuring a sample/reworking of a song by Brazilian artist Alfredo del Penho. That is what Google says.
And I don't have much more to add to that.
7. "LSDXOXO_TRUTH OR DARE_123 BPM" by Kelela and LSDXOXO
A sexy track with vocals reminiscent of ‘90s RnB. Would be a great song to hear out at a club/party/bar with a live DJ. Sigh...
8. "Freak Like Me" by Adina Howard
THIS. This is my jam. I forgot about this song for 25 years and it has been having a resurgence in my household and RAV4. Was 1996 our cultural peak? I mean, this song AND Baz Luhrmann's ROMEO + JULIET. Am I right or am I right?
9. "WAP" by Cardi B feat. Megan the Stallion
Another superfluous pin as I had this on repeat last summer and would never ever forget about it. Most likely my devotion for this song upon its release was so deep that I needed to take it to a more serious level by hearting it on Spotify.
10. "I Am" by Yung Baby Tate (feat. Flo Milli)
GIRL BOSS TIME! Okay I'm kidding. But this track is basically a manifestation mantra and how could you not feel powerful listening to this?
I am healthy, I am wealthy, I am rich, I am that bitch (yeah)
Get it.
