For all of my life, music has been very important to me. Not only did I grow up listening to my dad’s favorite artists, but I participated in musical theatre, dance and choir. I liked going to places depending on if they had good music and blasted my personal collection whenever possible. My childhood best friend, Macy Lang, was the same way. Having grown up listening to her mom, dad, and brother play, as well as also participating in musical theatre and dance, she understood that music was an essential part of life. Together, we discovered artists, obsessed over music videos, and left albums on repeat. In a way, not a lot has changed. We still love the Call Me Maybe music video and we still think Lorde’s Pure Heroine is a masterpiece. As people, however, we are growing up. This is our last year of school and soon we’ll go our separate ways to the great beyond (I mean really, it’s just college, but let me be dramatic). So in honor of growing up, I decided to sit down with her and talk about our shared love of music.
Me: Ok, so we grew up with a lot of the same music, like U2 and the Beatles. Would you say that’s part of our bond?
Macy: Yeah, because our dads played us the same stuff and that’s kind of how our families are so close. Because we watch the same movies and listen to the same music.
Me: Yeah! I’d say that it’s not a part of our bond specifically, but we definitely got closer because our families did. Like my dad is always reading books your dad gave to him.
Macy: It’s a lot of trading back and forth. Also the same puzzles.
Me: (Laughs) Yes! Lots of puzzles. Okay...what else. What music was ruined for you by middle school? Like either because you outgrew it or because it just reminds you too much of that time.
Macy: Hmm, well I actually had pretty good taste in middle school (laughs). But let’s see. I mean I basically listened to what everyone else did. Oh! Off topic, but I remember at one point you loved Closer by the Chainsmokers.
Me: (horrified) Oh my gosh…
Macy: And at your birthday party you made us watch the music video.
Me: I don’t think I did…I don’t remember that.
Macy: No, you did, but it was a forgettable music video so I don’t remember too much of it either. But lots of Lana del Rey. And Hamilton was everywhere, but it wasn’t that big of a thing for me.
Me: Even though I wouldn’t say they’re bad, I definitely ruined Fallout Boy and Panic at the Disco for myself.
Macy: I’m so glad I never had that phase.
Me: I’m kind of neutral towards most of what I listened to, but I’m so glad I listened to all the Tumblr girls like Lana del Rey and Melanie Martinez because their style was just so incredible. Like even if I didn’t use that inspiration for good outfits or anything it was still… present.
Macy: I think that, and this is before middle school,when I was really young I listened to Madison Beer. Like that one song Melodies?
Me: I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Macy: It’s old. I think I also went through a phase when I’d find weird random pop songs.
Me: I remember Rather Be and Riptide.
Macy: But that’s good music!
Me: I know it is! I’m not even embarrassed about that. I mean on one hand, I’m so embarrassed that I was so into Brendon Urie at that age. On the other hand though, he’s not super terrible, but I can’t take him seriously anymore because I was so into him then.
Macy: All of that emo boy music! I mean now we like emo girl music.
Me: Exactly! So what songs do you think were the most important in elementary school? Like what we thought was so good. I mean Call Me Maybe.
Macy: Call Me Maybe, oh and anything by Owl City! Good time by Owl City, especially the music video. I remember wanting those slushies they ate in it. I can’t take that song seriously anymore, but at the time we just watched the music video over and over.
Me: Oh there was that and I Believe in Love by Lily Collins from Mirror Mirror. Ugh that movie was so good.
Macy: I came up with a dance for that with you, but also I feel like I did with my other friend.
Me: I feel like you just had a fixation that you forced on everyone.
Macy: (laughs) Yeah.
Me: I was totally fine with it though, I loved that movie.
Macy: Other than that though, I just listened to what my parents listened to.
Me: That’s true. I mean when that U2 album, Songs of Innocence, came out and my dad showed it to me, I was obsessed with it. Ok, last question. What’s a song that changed everything for you?
Macy: Everything?
Me: Like, you heard and you were like “This is music!”
Macy: Hmm, well there were multiple stages. Like for middle school, A World Alone by Lorde. Oh also Breathe by Pink Floyd, because my friend showed it to me and it was super dark in her room. And then she showed me the music video for Shine On You Crazy Diamond, which is incredible. Have you seen it?
Me: I have not.
Macy:You HAVE to see it. I’d also say, Supermodel by SZA.
Me: I think for me, listening to Lorde with you as a child was really cool because it was like for us, in a way. But then, I remember listening to it as a teenager and being blown away because I was living those moments. Also, side note, I remember listening to Jack Johnson’s cover of We’re gonna be Friends by the White Stripes when I was like 5 and being so happy because that song was literally what my days looked like. So basically now that song has like double nostalgia for me.
Macy: I wanna change my answer. Buzzcut Season, for me. Also anything off of our family I-Pod 1. So, Chasing pirates by Norah Jones because my mom liked her. She also gave me Enya and Sarah Macclauglan-
Me: I can definitely see that for your mom.
Macy: My dad gave me all the classic rock, but also Lauryn Hill and a lot of RnB.
Me: I remember listening to Volcano by U2 and loving it-
Macy: That album kind of had no effect on me.
Me: I get that. I mean, at the end of the day, music is subjective. Well, except for Lorde. Lorde is an absolute genius.
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