Magic of Music 🎵

You know, the feeling when your mind is going through a smooth storm of happy moments of your life 🥰; the moments that you remember very clearly; the moments that were made while doing the things that you love the most with the people you love the most. And ironically it makes you feel sad because you've not been able to relive those moments for quite some time. You haven't gone to concerts with your friends, you haven't watched a movie in a theater, you haven't gone for a good trip, but you can feel all those memories somehow with music!
Maybe it sounds a bit dramatic, but that's what music does to you, doesn't it? 🎵

If the song is powerful enough, it takes you to a little imaginary room with big windows. Some of the most beautiful memories stored in your brain's hippocampus are playing one by one on those big windows, like scenes of a beautiful movie that you've watched a hundred times. Your eyes are closed but you can see the moments; you can hear the audience singing along in a concert; you can feel the calmness or pain in your heart, and the song that you're actually listening to becomes the background music of your life's movie. It's just magical.

Some artists and songs have the power to do that to you again & again, no matter how many times you listen to them; here are some of my favorites [find the Spotify playlist at the end of the blog]:

I can't really write a piece about music without starting with the Queen of Music:

cardigan
by Taylor Swift 💖

She's not just a musician, she's a storyteller. Every piece of music she creates is a story in itself. Can you imagine a musician building a story of a love triangle, conveying the perspectives of all 3 of the characters via 3 songs? No, you can't, she can. Taylor did that with Cardigan, August, and Betty, three of her most beautiful songs from Folklore. All of her albums are her little babies and she nurtures them that way, churning out some of the best songs of all time.
She's the best singer in the world right now [Yea, this is coming from a Taylor fanboy, but it's the truth].

Now, it doesn't always require an extraordinary singer to make a song memorable. For example, I came across Kho Gaye Hum Kahaan (Live), loved it, and sent it to my friend; she sent me another one of Prateek Kuhad's songs which I'd never seen before, and loved it too:

cold/mess
by Prateek Kuhad

What a painfully soothing song. It's clear that Prateek is not a great singer, but his voice fits so well with this music, lyrics, and story that you don't think about anything else. You're invested completely with the characters and you can relate their situation with the lyrics! It takes art to convert a messed up cold heartbreak to a melody.

First loves are unforgettable, aren't they? I bet you and your first love shared a favorite song that you still listen to occasionally; just to go down the memory lane and relive those little moments. We have one too 😋:

Agar Tum Saath Ho
by Alka Yagnik & Arijit Singh

When this came out, we used to listen to it on a loop all day long.
The magic of A. R. Rahman's music leaves its footsteps so deep in the heart, that it's impossible to wash them off. It has the strength to make us travel through time in those beautiful memories when we first listened to the song; all the dopamine rush of first love comes back when all the memories flash in our minds. And when 2 of the most mesmerizing voices are singing the lyrics, it is bliss! 😊

Let's go back in time a little more, to the golden era of music.
The era of the greatest singers of all time:

Haal Kaisa Hai Janaab Ka
by Kishore Kumar & Asha Bhosle

There's a reason why singers and songs of that era are called Evergreen. You just can not listen to them only once. Even after decades of change, innovation, and evolution of music, Kishore Kumar's songs never get old. The diversity that he has; the creative approach towards singing and composing; the little nuances of voice; the yodeling, everything that he has done is perfect and unique.
There will never be another like him!

A. R. Rahman built his legacy through the 90s and 2000s with his unique and innovative style of music. Following his footsteps, came another breath of fresh air:

Dhak Dhuk
by Amit Trivedi

His compositions are as unique and emotive as his voice. Look at the range in his music; he has the ability to create a calm, soothing song like Dhak Dhuk as well as an upbeat party song like Udta Punjab. The guy has blended Indian instruments like Sarangi and Khartal perfectly with Guitars and Drums in Chaudhary, and it's a delight to listen to this piece of art! All his talent and diversity undoubtedly make him one of the best current musicians.

Another product of A. R. Rahman's influence, an addictive song, a visual masterpiece, and an important tale:

Enjoy Enjaami
by Dhee & Arivu

A lot of us are very skeptical of listening to music or watching movies made in a language that we don't speak. But art really has no language. Of course, words are important but understanding them via captions is enough to appreciate the piece. A big reason for Enjoy Enjaami to be appreciated worldwide is the people who don't let a language barrier stop them from accepting good art. The story of Tamil migration in the colonial era and the connection between nature and civilization is portrayed perfectly here. What an amazing composition and a visual treat this is!

It'd be a sin if I didn't talk about the most melodic and cold band of our time:

Hymn For The Weekend
by Coldplay

For a lot of us, I'm sure Coldplay was one of the first-ever bands that we listened to and still listen to. Most of their songs are like a Hymn. They're so soulful; it's as if you're listening to raindrops pouring down from trees in a silent atmosphere. Hymn For The Weekend is no different in that sense.

The following wonder of the world of music needs no introduction at all. If you have not listened to this, DO IT:

Afreen Afreen (Coke Studio)
by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan & Momina Mustehsan

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was one of the finest musicians of Pakistan and this reformed version of one of his greatest hits is a perfect tribute to him.
Words fall short to explain the serendipity of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's hypnotic voice; the way he devotes himself to the Sargam is just mesmerizing. And the lyrics! Afreen probably has the best set of words ever used in a song. You can never get tired of listening to this! ❤

A few singers have a very serene flow in their voices, which makes your mind a peaceful place for a while even after you finish listening to the song:

Phir Le Aya Dil
by Rekha Bhardwaj

She's probably one of the most naturally talented singers in the Hindi music industry. Though she doesn't sing a lot of songs, whenever she does, it turns out to be a very heart-warming experience. There's a rawness in her voice that you can feel via songs like Phir Le Aya Dil, Genda Phool, Kabira, and it makes you relate to the depth of the lyrics even more. It's like Rekha's songs are chosen to add calmness to your hectic life and to give you peace of mind.

Another singer who holds an equally raw and amazing voice:

Udi
by Sunidhi Chauhan

When the credits read "sung by Sunidhi Chauhan" and "composed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali", you know you're going to witness an artistic beauty. What a voice, what catchy music, and the adorable Aishwarya Rai dancing on the melody. This song was probably one of the best moments of the entire movie [Guzaarish] for many different reasons; it's just pure art!

If you've watched Game of Thrones, you're gonna love this. If you haven't, you're gonna love this all the same:

Game of Thrones [Live at Sydney Opera House]
by 2CELLOS

An amalgamation of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the mind-blowing Croatian Cellist duo [2CELLOS] - Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser created a harmonious Medley of the world-famous Game of Thrones theme. The chemistry between the duo is so good to watch, and they gave the original theme a bit of their own touch which made it even more captivating.

To end this list of my favorite, beautifully talented music artists on a high note, I have to include him:

Gori Radha Ne Kalo Kaan
by Kirtidan Gadhvi

Being a Gujarati, Garba [Gujarati folk dance] is a big part of my life. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that I live for Garba 🙃. If singing Garbo [Gujarati folk song] is an art, there's no better artist of it than Kirtidan Gadhvi. His heavy vocal range works wonders for any of the folk songs that he sings. Be it Gori Radha Ne Kalo Kaan or Laadki, his distinct style and Sachin-Jigar's creative music always results in a gorgeous piece.

These were some [not all] of the musicians that are close to my heart; musicians who play a big role in helping me calm my mind in any tough situation.

If you wish to listen to all these and more soothing songs, try this Spotify playlist:

Music is a very broad field and includes a gazillion types of different styles and methods of composition. Hence, no one ever is really a complete musician nor every listener understands every style of music; what makes them celebrated is their process of learning and adapting. It's like Quantum Science, you can not understand it completely; it requires rigorous practice to reach a state of near-perfection. And when it does, that piece of music helps us in many unimaginable ways; it makes a strong bond of our mind and soul to help us know ourselves better; it sometimes disconnects us from the noise of the outer world only to create our own little peaceful mind palace. It's the greatest healing elixir that there is in the world today.

Ugh, I write too much, don't I? 😅
Thanks for bearing with me, I appreciate your time. Cheers! 🥂
Let me know your favorite musicians. I'd love to listen to them.

If you learned anything new or felt happy via this piece, I would consider softbored to be a success. 😊

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