For some, shuffling the same old songs is not enough. Here are more song recommendations and tips from Wildcats for music lovers.
Cassandra Cazares, a University of Arizona student majoring in Spanish and minoring in business administration, is constantly listening to music, logging up to 100,000 minutes on Spotify yearly.
“I have ADHD, so there is so much going on in my brain at all times. If I am doing homework, I have to listen to music. If I am studying, music has to be on. If I am reading, music has to be playing. It is very integrated into my life and what I do,” Cazares said.
When feeling overstimulated, Cazares relies on relaxing genres, such as instrumental covers of popular songs and low-fi beats. She attributed her taste in house music and electronic music to her father, who she grew up listening to trance music with.
For Cazares, the lyrics are just as important as the beats that deliver them to her ears. She switches between a wide range of genres, including jazz, pop, indie-alternative, rock, corridos tumbados, Latino urbano and rancheras. Her vast musical preferences are reflected in her list of favorite artists.
“I just resonate with their music the most,” Cazares said.
Cazares’ top artists:
- Peso Pluma
- Joji
- Laufey
- Reneé Rapp
Cazares’ top songs:
- “Read your Mind” by Sabrina Carpenter
- “Goddess” by Laufey
- “New Perspective” by Noah Kahan
- “Another life” by PinkPantheress
- “4Me 4Me” by Malcolm Todd
Cazares finds new music through TikTok and Spotify, using features like the AI DJ or auto-generated playlists that are curated to her tastes. However, if given the option, Cazares prefers to listen to music on vinyl.
“If I am home, it’s 1000 percent my record player. It was a birthday gift from my dad. I have Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, Adele, Khalid and Olivia Rodrigo. Music is such a huge part of my life. It’s like I need it to breathe,” Cazares said.
Check out some of Cazares’ self-curated Spotify playlists: ctrl- alternative delete, viva méxico , a little life </3 and 2024❤️.
Venetzia Parra is a sophomore at the UA on a pre-med track. Parra enjoys traveling, exploring new cultures and learning new languages.
Parra listens to music on a daily basis, usually while on campus or when studying. While she listens to slower, calming music, Parra is no stranger to pop, reggaetón and indie genres.
Parra recommends looking at Spotify’s Discover Weekly playlist in order to venture out and find new artists.
Parra’s top artists:
- Bad Bunny
- Benee
- Ariana Grande
Parra’s top songs:
- “supernatural” by Ariana Grande
- “Run Away” by Leighton Meester
- “Maravilha” by Tuyo
Parra makes playlists that reflect how she is feeling or what she is experiencing. The music helps her relive memories.
“I made one called ‘Puro Internacional’ because I went to Europe. I put songs in French, Spanish and Portuguese,” Parra said.
Parra recommends the Spotify playlist Indie Brasil.
Jonathan Leon, a physiology and medical sciences student, grew up listening to 80s music with his father. This exposure to music at a young age has made it a routine part of his life.
Leon describes his music taste as being all over the place, listening to Queen and ABBA one minute and classical music the next. He found his musical interests by exploring and building off of his “musical foundation,” which up until then had been formed through his father and mainstream media.
Leon’s top artists:
- Melanie Martinez
- Laufey
- Mother Mother
“I’ve been a huge fan of [Martinez] since 2015. I really like her music because she is not stuck on one ideology. She covers taboo themes that many artists don’t talk about. She does so in a storytelling type of way so that you can almost imagine it,” Leon said.
Leon’s top songs:
- “VOID” by Melanie Martinez
- “Goddess” by Laufey
Leon typically discovers new music through the people he surrounds himself with.
“I really like talking about music with other people. It’s a great way to get to know them better. My mom and especially my sister are a major reason I discovered many artists,” Leon said.
A Spotify playlist that Leon suggests is Studying Time ☕️I.
Feel free to give these playlists a listen if you are in a musical rut or just looking for some new catchy tunes!
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