If there is one thing all of us can agree on, music is what unites and divides us. We all have our tastes, but we still respect those who are different. I grew up in a household that loved rock and metal, so I've got some songs I like, but I'm more of an orchestral pop/alternative rock person now. It's crazy when you look back at the music you liked, and you go, "I listened to that?!". I had that recently and hope this inspires you to do the same.
When I was a toddler, I was one of those kids who asked for Let It Go every day in the car, but unlike those kids, I wouldn't kick and scream if that wasn't playing. I loved Disney and would watch the movies every day. Something about it gives nostalgia and it feels like wrapping yourself in a warm blanket. As I got older, I still listened to Disney but paid closer attention to the radio to find new songs. I found bands like Foo Fighters, Imagine Dragons, Coldplay, and Blink 182, but more on that later. I also tried to mature in school by saying my favorite band was some random one and I made some "friends". I thought it was cool then, but it just made me feel worse as I got to middle school. I started to listen to more Disney but still kept one foot there and one foot somewhere else. That somewhere else was unknown to me until 8th grade.
During my spring break, I went to Disney California Adventure with my parents and we had a lot of fun! We ended the day with World of Color One, getting some great spots near the water and a foot away from a flame machine. The show was amazing and the song was everything. It was at the very end with just the male voice that had been singing since the beginning that I realized, "Wait, do I know this guy? I know the song, but the guy is unfamiliar to me." I sang along, but I wondered who this dude was. I think God heard me because, on April 9th, I got a YouTube Short titled "I've heard of Disney...", which intrigued me. It was "actual footage" of a guy being called by Disney to write a song alongside Loren Allred from The Greatest Showman for a fountain show. I was entertained, but then it showed clips from the show itself. My mind started to go 100 miles a minute, then 1,000, then 10,000 before suddenly, it clicked. "IT'S THIS ONE RIGHT HERE," I yelled in my mind. "Great! I found this guy. Now, who is this, and what kind of instrument are we playing wi-". Lo and behold everyone, it was at this moment when I, a 13-year-old who only heard Disney music for the past 5 years, finally said, "I Hear A Symphony*" and was brought into the world of orchestral pop and French Horns. I have heard and loved songs like "Flying", "Eleanor Rigby*", "Waltz for Sweatpants in Eb Major", "What If", and recently "The End" all thanks to a silly but wonderful Disney show and a prayer that God on high** somehow heard. I didn't stop there however, it only grew.
I got into musicals slowly but surely, so far having Hamilton, SIX, Hairspray, and Les Misérables under my belt. I listened to a small artist from Maryland by the name of ComposerCleo and paid attention to an alternative music station. It was thanks to Cleo I got into Alt Music as I listened to The Erik Song so many times, eventually Blink came back to say hello. It was odd at first, but if you never try you'll never know*** right?
I'm proud of my music journey as I never thought I'd end up here. What started as a little girl who wanted Let It Go 24/7 went to a teen belting I Miss You when it came on the radio. It's crazy to think of what happened between those times and I think we all should think about how drastic the change between our toddler music to our teen music is. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to listen to The End for the millionth time since Thursday night.
*Any TikTokers recognize those titles? That's Cody.
** Les Mis reference for you theater kids.
***Line from Fix You