Global Music Autobiography

Though my music taste centers around different parts of the American industry, I began a journey many years ago into exploring music from around the world. One of my favorite genres includes traditional Celtic music which has been an immense part of my life ever since I was a child. I began listening to it through a few video games by the name of Endless Ocean and Endless Ocean, Blue World. I know this might sound a bit dorky, but it played this Celtic music in the background of the game and I fell in love with it and have not quit listening to it ever since.

I have also enjoyed listening to newer artists that blend their language and culture with Californian aesthetics such as Kali Uchis. Kali is a singer from Colombia who has made an effort to keep in touch with her roots and bring it into her music as well. I found her on YouTube when I was in High School and quickly became obsessed with all of her music. Another artist who incorporates Spanish into his music is Cuco, who is from America, but grew up still very much in touch with his culture just as Kali is.

My best friend is constantly exposing me to new music and lately with artists such as Rema, who is from Nigeria, and Jidenna, who may have been born in Wisconsin, yet his music is heavily influenced by Nigerian music most likely due to his father being originally from Nigeria.

A large majority of my music taste in high school did come from the United Kingdom. For the longest time, I would only listen to the Beatles, until I finally broke out of it towards the beginning of my senior year. Pink Floyd is another band that I enjoyed listening to, yet I cannot remember how exactly I started listening to them. Of course, I could not have listened to British music without listening to Queen which, to this day, is still one of my favorite bands.

Being in choirs for practically my entire life has also introduced me to cultures from Germany, France, Zambia, Mexico, Japan, and much more. One of my favorite pieces that I have ever performed is a piece called Adieu, Sweet Amaryllis which is a song by English composer John Wilbye. When I got to college, I was exposed to much more music through the three music history classes that I have taken such as the Greek tragedy, Euripides.

I have greatly enjoyed getting to explore many countries outside of my own throughout the last ten years of my life and I am ecstatic to see what else I will be introduced to throughout this class.