2018: My Year in Music

As each year wraps, one of my favourite rituals, which at this point has sort of grown into a solid habit, is to do a music recap of all of my favourite songs. And every year, when I scroll through the infinite number of playlists I end up having on my Spotify page (that being the main place where I listen to my music), I always rediscover a fews songs which I always wish I had listened to earlier. So this past year, while I was contemplating my beloved tracks, I did find a good few considered to be quite unknown, at least to the general Italian public. Through the following list, I'm hoping to inspire more people to reach out to artists and genres they normally wouldn't go for. Do keep in mind that some of these might have been released before 2018, but I have consisently loved them in those twelve months and this is why they made their way onto this playlist. So, without further ado and in no particular order, here is a selection of 15 songs I have enjoyed throughout 2018!

1. Beyond, Leon Bridges. For the purpose of this post, I tried picking just one song of each artist but, when it came to the 2018 "Good Thing" album, it was really hard for me to choose only one. This artist's soulful and timeless sounds capture the listener for their simplicity, as well as for the magic atmosphere each of the songs' microworld manages to create.

2. Wait a Minute!, Willow. If you remember her debut single, "Whip My Hair", prepare to be amazed by the huge change she's undergone in the span of almost ten years. It makes me think of spring and we could all do with a little bit of sunshine and positivity every now and then, let's face it.

3. Blades, FARR. Catchy, elusive and a little bit bitter. How many more adjectives am I gonna have to use before you stop pretending you haven't already decided to listen to it?

4. Tadow, Masego, FKJ. This song is honestly such a gem, I really can't recommend it enough. And the fact that is was 100% improvised blows my mind every single time. Its charm goes ways beyond the beat however, and relies heavily on the beautiful combo of instruments oh-so-masterfully played on this track.

5. Cold Little Heart, Micheal Kiwanuka. This song was the theme to "Pretty Little Liars" seasons 1 & 2 and that is, I believe, how most people got to know this amazing artist. There is something about its timeless sound, reliable lyrics and Micheal's calm, soothing voice that makes you feel like you're listening to the audial version of velvet. That's how good it is.

6. Ugly, Jaira Burns. This is the perfect song to blast on the radio and/or sing to that person we can't completely rule out of our life, as much as we wished to. It is a lot more pop than the previous choices, but the uptempo reggae beat works well with the lyrics, telling the story of a long-lost (?) lover.

7. Boys Like You, Tanerélle. I have listened to this song so many times and still find myself unable to tell what it is that I like so much about it. What I can say, however, is that is the perfect mixture of sexiness and smooth sounds delivers greatly. Pick a rainy, lazy morning to first listen to it and you'll get the picture.

8. God Is a Woman, Ariana Grande. Ok, this might not be such an hidden gem, since it's been blasted on radios pretty much everywhere. But it made it to this list for a very good reason: female empowerment. I can't get enough of female singers delivering important and positive messages to their audiences and this is exactly what this track does.

9. Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea, Fall Out Boy. Look, Fall Out Boy need no introduction. So, the only thing I will say about it is that if you need an empowering anthem to get that thing you've been putting off for far-too-long done, well... here it is.

10. I Was Never There, The Weeknd, Gesaffelstein. I am a big, big fan of Abel, so keep in mind that I might be slightly biased on this one. I do think that there is something so weirdly haunting about this song which makes me want to go back to it. The themes it deals with range from addiction (of multiple kinds), depression and the inability of letting someone go. It really is as beautiful as it is evocative of something, something which you can never fully grasp.

11. 2, H.E.R. I gotta admit that I didn't know this artist before 2018, so I was pleasantly surprised when I listened to her (and, wait for it, H.E.R., as well) for the first time. Again, very catchy with a cool beat. It deals with revenge, mainly, and makes you feel like the spectator of a love story that faded away.

12. Then, Anne Marie. She is the beyond talented British singer who keeps on showing just how good she is in every song she puts out. This is a less-known track from her first and only album and, inspite of being quite forgotten by people who love her for her best-known successes, it describes the aftermath of a love that existed, maybe only for one person out of two. Not the greatest ratio, yeah, I know.

13. Higher, Higher, Justin Timberlake. Justin is such a well-known and loved singer that it is hard to find songs that most people don't know. Yet, this is a relatively hidden masterpiece of his, from his latest album. I loved the beat and there's something about its chilled and lay-back beat that makes me think of a rooftop at sunset, drinks, lovely people, music and all that comes with it.

14. If You Ever Want To Be In Love, James Bay. I love his voice. And the lyrics remind me a of a forgotten man under a thick winter rain. I might have read too much into it, but that's how it makes me feel. Like I'm listening to an old lover that you still kind of want to have around.

15. Sideline, Niia, Jazmine Sullivan. I have always loved a bit of girl power, but I will need to warn you: this is not the typical empowering female anthem. Quite the contrary, but the two women recognize themselves and the man they love in the common need to erase someone who's confined them to the sideline. They're tired of being the second choice, and they're making sure they're well heard because of it.

To discover more of my favourite tunes and keep in touch with new playlists, follow me on Spotify here.