humanity

Humanity topics include pieces on the real lives of music professionals, amateurs, inspiring students, celebrities, lifestyle influencers, and general feel good human stories in the music sphere.

Behind the beat: til it happens to you
So when you go through something hard or messy it's hard to figure out how to explain what you went through to other people. Imagine when people not only don't get what you went through but they say all the wrong things or they say all those cliches that well meaning people say but they don't really help.
By Lena Bailey6 years ago in Beat
How Self-Love Helped Me Win Big
‘Once upon a time, when I was in high school’ is a line from a song by The Gaslight Anthem. It’s also the opening line to my true story about a different song by Celine Dion. A song that helped me win big in a small town. It begins with a shy, introverted, skinny teenager walking down the school halls by herself. That was me. And yet I won a very competitive local pageant when I was just 17 years old thanks to some coaching by Celine Dion herself, who through some very cheesy tear-jerking lyrics taught me to find strength from within. It’s easy to read over the mantras like, “I love myself”, or “I am worthy of love and good things”. But it can be really hard to grasp what that really means and put it into practice. So here’s a story to help wrap your mind around the meaning of self-love. This is how self-love helped me win big.
By Marina6 years ago in Beat
Passkey to Splendor: How Stevie Wonder’s ‘As’ Revolutionized my Life
The needle on the vinyl crackles and fizzes. There’s a steady sound of clicks and beeps that precede the music. I’m just a fifteen-year-old from Newark, Delaware in 2003, listening to Dad’s rather extensive and thoroughly eclectic musical selections. Rose Royce. The Beatles. Elton John. Pink Floyd. The Stones. Sly and the Family Stone. They’re all here. But I pull one record out from a Mr. Stevie Wonder. I’ve grown up watching Stevie on numerous awards shows and heard some of his extensive catalogue over the years, but I have never received the pleasure of indulging in an entire album of his. I’ve heard the oft-said notion that this is the one album that you should take with you on a desert island if only given the choice to pick one. It is his magnum opus Songs in the Key of Life (1976). My ears become satellites, receiving the deep rhythms, funky breaks, slicing strings, clean keys, profound emotion, and soul-stirring lyricism. The entirety of the record is outstanding. “Sir Duke” and “Saturn” remain mainstays on my music playlists. But there is one song that stands out on the entire double album. Disc two, side four, track three or “As,” washes over me like warm and soapy bathwater. Before I drown in the audio, I then realize that I’m underwater from the sonic ecstasy and Stevie arouses me from being aquatically submerged to hear his voice turn from smooth and silky to coarse and forceful. He speaks of “life’s hates and troubles.” He acknowledges that there can be moments where the human form is tested. He brings to bear that accidents and calamities may happen at any time. But leaves the bar on a hopeful note and allows the floodgates of self-reflection to burst open.
By Skyler Saunders6 years ago in Beat
My Amazing Life
Don’t tell my husband but music is my first love. It’s my soul food. When it’s really good, a song can be like sexual and soul attraction rolled into one amazing, dirty weekend. The one where you stumble into a Vegas wedding, resided by Elvis, in a fit of erotic asphyxiation and end up ten years later, enduringly married to your twin flame. That familiar blanket, encasing you amongst the blues of winter, yet folded patiently on the foot of the bed in the swirling, fiery heat. It feels good to go through life’s adventures together. Songs heal. They whisper loving devotions across the rawness of your exposed neck. Amazing Life, from The Winter I Chose Happiness, by Clare Bowditch is that song for me.
By Sonny Mac6 years ago in Beat
moonchild
Overcrowded thoughts buzzing around in my head the whole day. Panic energy zooming around inside me as the day progresses. Just wishing the day would end but knowing tomorrow will be the same cycle of panic.
By Karen Luu6 years ago in Beat
In The End
“In the end, as we fade into the night Who will tell the story of your life?” October 2019 My mother was suddenly ripped away from this world. Taken by a blood clot to her heart, covered in the shadow of pneumonia. None of us saw it coming. She was sick from the pneumonia, but no close to death. Turned out Death had been lurking over her shoulder. We were all to blind to see it. None of us would believe you if you told us she was going to be in the hospital, fighting for her life, one normal Friday morning. With nurses and doctors struggling to save her life. Pushing deep into her chest to keep her blood flowing and get her heart to start beating again. We would have laughed at you.
By Shelby Schwartz6 years ago in Beat
I am Australian
My Favourite Song Choosing the song about which I am most passionate is not a problem. Without any doubt, it is “I am Australian”. The song was written in 1987 by Bruce Woodley of the Seekers and by Dobe Newton of The Bushwackers. The lyrics were set to music by Bruce Woodley.
By Ian McKenzie6 years ago in Beat
Love, Life and Mirages
Mirage Def. 1. an optical illusion caused by atmospheric conditions, especially the appearance of a sheet of water in a desert or on a hot road caused by the refraction of light from the sky by heated air. 2. an unrealistic hope or wish that cannot be achieved.
By Rebekah Crawley6 years ago in Beat
How Truth Hurts by Lizzo Redefines Success and Talent. Top Story - February 2020.
Truth Hurts is a humorous track that is carried by a beat that makes you want to dance and scream the lyrics with your girlfriends. I remember being excited that a song came out that empowered women and put an emphasis on knowing your self worth and accepting nothing less. There were a few other Lizzo songs in rotation at the time (around July 2019), so I just assumed her album had been recently released and these were her singles. I carried that line of thinking until recently when I was watching the music video and noticed that the song was released in 2017.
By RJ6 years ago in Beat
I Wanna Be Yours.
Mid- Summer I found myself sitting online, blogging on Tumblr unaware of what would unfold. The day that changed everything. This story is about how I met my partner; the long nights talking away, time flying - yes it really did fit all those cliches.
By Erin Shields6 years ago in Beat
Urban Stories
When you think of starting over, in terms of life-style choices or in general one may consider making peace with themselves. A trail of thoughts and ideas come to mind. Somehow, the unpleasant seems reasonable to face head on and everything that was avoided from the beginning is hard to ignore. At least in my opinion.. Maybe make amends with those you hurt or hurt you. Or moving on to another endeavor, be it a new hobby, job opportunity, or relationship. So much will come to mind in terms of truly stepping out of the norm and gradually making changes for the better.
By MarieMarie Urban 6 years ago in Beat
Youth in the melody
“I took this walk to ease my mind,” “I forgot about this one,” I mumble as David Bowie’s “Conversation Piece” beats to life on my expensive stereo. Memories of that night ten years ago flash to life behind my closed eyes. That night, back when I was an exuberant seventeen year old, back when I first heard the song playing softly in the background at a Starbucks. It was moments after I had bought the Heathen album at a nearby HMV.
By Samantha Stevens6 years ago in Beat