Central High School is home to a diverse student body, including students from various cultures, backgrounds, and languages. Music preferences can be strong reflections of a student’s emotions and unite people through feelings and shared situations. Over the week, I explored what Central students listened to by asking people their favorite song, reviewing it, and then giving my opinion.
Rileyy Lanez is an R&B singer and songwriter from the Bronx, New York. Her music explores themes of self-discovery, love, and heartbreak. One of her popular songs is “I’m Leaving”, which expresses Lanez’s decision to break free from a toxic relationship and decide to prioritize her own happiness and self-worth.
“This song hit my heart,” Senior, Neiya Lewis said, “ In the song it says ‘All I want to be is happy’, and, you know, back then I used to be down but now all I wanna do is be happy.”
I like how honest Riley Lanez is about her feelings in “I’m Leaving” which is why I gave the song 5 stars. Her lyrics convey a message about walking away from things that aren’t good for you, even when that’s a difficult decision to make. This is an important theme that many people can understand or relate to.
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Goldie Sohel, a rising star in Indian pop music, had a childhood dream of becoming a musician. He started his career with his band “Sukoon” and a debut single in 2013. Since then, he has released numerous songs and collaborated with many artists. Goldie Sohel’s music fuses traditional Indian folk elements and modern pop. One of his most popular songs is “Aaj Sajeya”, a song created to evoke feelings of love and celebration.
“This song reminds me of someone,” Senior, Diya Patel said. She shared how the song was able to capture her feelings and express them in a way she couldn’t put into words.
“Aaj Sajeya” is a beautifully composed song with very emotional lyrics. I gave this song 4 out of 5 stars because of how heartfelt this song is and the story behind the lyrics.
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Lorde, a singer and songwriter born in New Zealand, started her music career in 2009 after winning a school talent show and being invited to sing on a local radio show. In 2011, she was signed to Universal Music Group and started performing her own songs. Lorde has won multiple awards for her influential music by acknowledging complex world themes through her lyrics. “David”, one of Lorde’s popular songs from her fourth album, is an emotional and nostalgic song, reflecting youth and growing older.
“I like how the vocals tie to the rhythm and beat,” Senior, Zoey Lala said. “It makes me feel whimsical”.
I give Lorde’s song “David” a 2 out of 5 stars because I’m not a fan of Lorde’s voice, but I can understand the whimsical feeling. Lorde’s lyrics tell a complex story, and she uses very descriptive and emotion-provoking words.
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Ariana Grande started her career after landing a role in the Broadway musical 13. She then made her big break in shows such as “Victorious” and “Sam and Cat”. Her debut album “Yours Truly” came out in 2013, launching a successful music career including seven albums and two Grammys. R&B-inspired song “West Side” from her 6th album “Positions” is about patience, fitting the overall album theme of love, trust, and confidence.
“I think the song is catchy,” London Mayer said, “I also really like how the beat sounds.”
“West Side” has a soft and romantic feeling, which is why I gave it three out of five stars. While I think the song is good, it feels short, like there could have been more depth and could be slightly less repetitive.
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Brent Faiyaz, an R&B singer, songwriter, and producer, started gaining fame in 2015 after releasing music on SoundCloud. He then formed the group ‘Sonder’, and his big break came in the same year when he was featured on the song ‘Crew’. Brent Faiyaz started releasing more music, including the song “Dead Man Walking” from his hit album “Wasteland.” “Dead Man Walking” is about celebrating your achievements and being a confident and ambitious person.
“It’s a chill song,” Senior, Bryce Clark said, “I also like the beat and the vibe type s***”.
I gave “Dead Man Walking” 5 stars because of how well his voice matches the confident tone of the song. The lyrics highlight the determination you have to achieve what you want.
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Vocalist, songwriter, dancer, and comedian Arlene MC has shown great interest in music since a young age. At only 10 years old, she began music classes in New York City, and on December 3rd, 2017, she released her first professional-level single, “Ya Me Canse”. Arlene MC is a rising star in pop and Latin pop music genres, one of her most popular songs is “MamaZota.”
“ It’s a Bad B**** song,” senior, Bethsy Tapia commented, “that’s all that needs to be said.”
I gave “MamaZota” five stars because of the confidence Arlene MC sings with and how she celebrates being bold and empowering yourself.
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The Offspring is a punk rock band that formed in California in 1994. The band’s current members are Dexter Holland, Kevin Wasserman, Todd Morse, Jonah Nimoy, and Brandon Pertzborn. The Offspring is known for their clever lyrics and energetic sound. Their 2021 album ‘Let the Bad Times Roll’ basically describes what the album is about, which is personal struggles and frustration with society.
“It was published in a time where everything felt like it was going to s***, so I really connected with it.” Lucky Hennigan said, “Something about ‘Let the Bad Times Roll’, I really like the energy of it and the way it contrasts the message of stuff is gonna go wrong, but we’re gonna be here, so you might as well have some fun with it.”
I’m not a huge fan of punk or rock music, but I give it a 3 out of 5 because I can appreciate the message and lyrics of the song.
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My favorite song is ‘Moon River’, originally composed by Henry Mancini and lyrics written by Johnny Mercer. ‘Moon River’ was written in 1961 for the film ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’; it was first sung by Audrey Hepburn. The theme of Moon River is nostalgia and is meant to reflect dreams and longing for a place to escape life’s troubles. Many people have covered Moon River, including Aretha Franklin, Louis Armstrong, Eartha Kitt, and many more. My personal favorite is Frank Ocean’s cover of Moon River.
I would give this song 5/5 stars because it’s my favorite song.
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