The Bedtime Series | Season 1, Ep 3: Music
Oh how I love good music. And oh, how everyone either hates or is bemused by the kind of music I listen to. From K-Pop to Kishore Kumar, Justin Bieber to Anu Malik; Ed Sheeran to Raftar. I have no idea what I like or what kind of genres to subscribe to on Spotify. All I know is that even if I create a playlist with just 10 songs I love, I can listen to it, on repeat, for a month. (On Repeat is also a song by my sister, Nushka. (Listen here — Spotify for Nushka)
I don’t know what’s ‘in’ or what’s ‘new’. I have no clue about the latest pop icon or who won the Grammys this year. I can’t even call myself a connoisseur of good music because anything can sound good if you add the right tempo, the right beats and the right tone. But what I do know is that the right kind of music can move my soul. Like I am listening to Lo-fi beats right now — They don’t invoke any extreme feelings in me, just keep me grooving and swaying in the present, allowing me to focus on writing this blog. Similarly, I know what I’d want to listen to if I were hitting the gym in the morning (or at night — different song for each time of the day). I have seen the car’s speedometer jump by over 30% when the song changes from light hearted jazz to the latest Mumbai rap. It just touches my soul. I remember a time in 2019 when I was truly sad, deeply hurt by something (not sure why or what it was but I remember the feeling) and the only thing that kept me going at work was this one song by Ritviz (check it out here — Chalo Chalein by Ritviz). I just heard it on repeat for over 5 hours that day.
I play too, and sing. I was always a quiet child and for a couple of years as a teen I had even stopped speaking to my family (completely mute at home). During this time, the only expression of my feelings at home was sitting in front of this old CASIO keyboard, and playing. I didn’t know back then but I was attaining different states of FLOW. I could not hear anything, feel anything or think of anything else. Just lost in the music that I was playing. (And I have never played really well — I can just figure out how to play popular songs without using too many keys on a piano). I like to believe those releases of music kept me sane (well, as sane as I could be in that mental state of being). I even tried the guitar for some time — took classes with a ten year old who ended up playing much better than me, in half the time it took me to figure out what the different chords meant. (I have since broken and thrown away my guitar but that’s a completely different story).
Every time I post a new song on my social media, I feel such a rush! Dopamine levels skyrocket with every Instagram post when it is related to music. Yes, I do love the comedy I do (Episode 4 could be comedy for all you know) but music has a special place in my heart (and social handles). I don’t think I can imagine any important event or happening in life without music being associated with it. I can literally imagine the heart, the child and the Vineet inside jump for joy when the right tune starts to play.
And much like hitting the right note when one sings, or plays or dances, life is all about hitting the right note in our experiences, doing the right thing as we progress, grow and walk further.
Well, time for another abrupt end. But it’s nice to be able to goad myself into writing day in and day out. Until next time then.