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Some of my clients are very familiar with my term, "Adele-ing". I usually use this term for when clients are going through breakups and are doing whatever they can to distract themselves from the pain that comes with losing a relationship. I encourage them to find some quiet time, put on some Adele and just feeeeel. Now, it doesn't just have to be Adele. Indulge in a little Sam Smith or John Legend, whoever it takes to just get into your feelings and unleash the emotional pain you've been carrying. It feels good at the end, trust me.
I got curious and wanted to learn about why music is so powerful when it comes to carving out our emotions. I came across a talk with Jason Dodson, the singer and songwriter for the band The Maldives, who explained the writing process for their album Mad Lives shortly after a heart wrenching breakup. Dodson explains his emotional state while creating this album and how it was a therapeutic act for him. This reminds me of Beyonce's "Lemonade" released in 2016 where you can see and hear the journey from suspecting an affair, confirming it, becoming angry with her reality, accepting, forgiving, and reconciling her relationship with Jay Z. When discussing the creation of the album, which was meant to be a duel album, Jay Z explains how he decided to take a back seat in the creative process because he saw how much emotion Beyonce put into creating each and every song. Artists, through their chosen craft, are able to take what they feel internally and showcase it externally into neat, organized art. Whether it is through songwriting, musical arrangements, painting, or sculpting, artists are able to externalize what they are feeling internally in order to make sense of it all.
How does that help us, the consumers of art? This is where empathy comes into play. We are all capable of being empathic. We have the ability to put ourselves in the shoes of others and feel what they feel. When listening to music, we are able to feel what the artist is feeling. We can feel and hear Sam Smith's sadness in "I'm Not the Only One". We can feel Adele's heartbreak in "Someone Like You". The tenderness in John Legend's voice helps us feel undying romantic love in "All of Me" while you can feel raw anger in Beyonce's "Don't Hurt Yourself". Our empathy allows us to get into those moods with these artists to truly enjoy and appreciate their craft. At the same time, it's therapeutic for us as well.
Lyrics, melody, rhythm, it all connects us to how we are feeling internally. Music allow us to externalize something that we are feeling internally. It helps us make sense of the world. It also shows us that we are not alone in our feelings. There are others out there who feel the same as you do. They can relate and they are expressing what you're feeling. It's an outlet for your own feelings.
My partner and I have a habit of creating playlists consisting of music that we enjoy throughout the year. He likes to create monthly playlists while I create seasonal ones. I can't speak for him, but in looking through my own, I can see the overall mood I was in within each season. Summer playlists are filled with upbeat, energetic songs that get you in the mood for a road trip to the beach. My winter playlists, however, are slow and moody- which to me makes sense. I hate winter but love summer. The choice of music truly is a reflection of your internal state. In that same line of thinking, if you're striving for a happy state of mind, take to a happy playlist - something that would get that dopamine pumping and your energy levels to sky rocket.
Do you have a "go-to" playlist that helps your mood? What's in it?