Music and Us

Music is a universal language that connects cultures, histories, and borders. As someone who enjoys traveling the world, I've had the opportunity to spend time in both modern and traditional musical styles. For this blog, I've collected a mix of music from four different cultures, countries, and time periods. Each of them represents something unique about the culture it is from, and I find it very interesting.

Having been to Jamaica twice, I became fascinated by the music of the island, especially reggae, which is central to its culture. Reggae first appeared in the 1960s, combining rocksteady and traditional ska with strong rhythms and lyrics that addressed social issues. Bob Marley is the icon of reggae music and I got the chance to see where he was from and the famous rock he was sitting on. My favorite song by him is "One Love". But I like a lot of his songs which include harmony, fortitude, and peace. What is important about his music is the lyrics. He was the voice for a lot of people in Jamaica during his time. My experiences in Jamaica are amazing, it´s a beautiful island, and listening to reggae is a nice vibe. 

"One Love" by Bob Marley

Moving on to a continent and to the vibrant sounds of Africa, Nigeria is a country that has produced a lot of Afrobeat music, which has become famous all over the world. Afrobeat blends some traditional African rhythms, which we explored in class, with some modern music to create one of my favorite genres. Burna Boy is a very popular artist who leads the modern Afrobeat. His song "Ye" is a perfect example of combining a dancing beat with slower-paced singing. The energy of Afrobeat, as I have talked about in my first blog post, is unbeatable in my opinion. Listening to Burna Boy and other Afrobeats songs I think is a way for people to be happy regardless of their cultures and just be connected through music.

"Ye" by Burna Boy

When I began looking into Brazilian music, I realized how little I understood about it. Samba de Roda, a classic type of samba, shocked me. It originated in Bahia, an area famed for its Afro-Brazilian roots, and combines music, dance, and storytelling. The rhythms are lively and upbeat, with instruments like the atabaque drum, pandeiro, and berimbau producing unique music. Listening to Maria Bethânia's song "Reconvexo" made me realize samba's rich cultural roots and its significance in expressing resilience and joy. Samba de Roda is a celebration of community and identity, not just music. 

"Reconvexo" by Maria Bethânia

Taiko drumming from Japan was another discovery for me. I had no prior experience with this powerful and really traditional art form, and it was very cool to learn about it. Taiko drumming mixes precise beats with theatrical performances to create a fascinating energy. Groups like Kodo perform with such discipline and passion that the drums seem to reflect the spirit of Japan's history and environment. Watching their performance of "O-daiko" was amazing. The way they coordinate their movements and generate such rumbling sounds is amazing. Taiko is both ancient and modern, perfectly combining centuries-old traditions with a modern twist. It serves as a reminder of how music, even when heard for the first time, may bring out emotion and unite people.

"O-daiko" by Kodo

After learning about these different cultures from North America, South America, Africa, and Asia there's one big thing I take away from it. Music is everywhere and can be created in so many different and unique ways. But in the end, it usually has a bigger purpose than just creating sounds, and that is to bring people together. Which I think is beautiful!

Music and Rituals

The tip-off is in three hours. It's time to get ready for the game and do my pre-game ritual. Music plays a big role in my pre-game ritual. At first, long before a game, I want something relaxing, something I can listen to that takes away all the bad thoughts and lets me breathe and focus on all the good and fun in life. Something that will let my positive thoughts flow and that will make me perform better. Because at the end of the day, it's a game and this is something I have worked for every day to play. I have and I'm still working a lot on being able to control my mind and thoughts. I think I speak for a lot of athletes, but also non-athletes when I say negative thoughts can really be hard to control and change the way you play or perform. But it can also boost your performance if you can control those thoughts and in some way, I believe music helps me with that. Some artists I listen to for this kind of relaxing music are Steve Lacy, Billie Eilish, and Lana Del Rey. Steve Lacy is an artist who makes such good music, and music that is easy to listen to. With his music, I can imagine myself in the game how I will have fun, and how the ball swishes through the net. One of my favorite songs, since he released his newest album, is "Static". Unfortunately, it has been trending as a TikTok trend and therefore has been quite overplayed, but I still listen to it a lot.

 

Static by Steve Lacy

Closer to game-time when I start warming up on the floor I need something more upbeat. Music that really gets me into focus and gets me hyped. It's definitely rap I listen to when I'm warming up. It's just the flow of the rap and the basketball bouncing that goes together well, and the lyrics are often about "making it" and that's what gets me into that zone. 

A song from my warmup playlist - Headlines by Drake

Okay, away from the court and back to Sweden where I'm from and where I spend all of my summers. One day of the summer that I always look forward to is Midsummer. Midsummer is a traditional Swedish holiday celebrated around the summer solstice, when the sun doesn't go down, typically involving family and friends gathering outdoors to enjoy food, drinks, dancing, and games. It's something all Swedes celebrate and it's almost like Thanksgiving here in the US if I would compare it to how big of a tradition it is. A central part of the celebration is dancing around a decorated "midsommarstång" while singing traditional Swedish folk songs. The dancing might look very stupid and funny, so be prepared;) The music is really what sets the tone for Midsummer and while you eat you have a little sheet with "nubbesvisor" which is basically a fun little song before you take a nubbe (shot of liquor). So with all the dancing, eating, and drinking us Swedes tend to have lots of fun and sometimes even too much fun... I actually found a lovely video describing Midsummer and hopefully, someday you'll be lucky enough to get the chance to experience a Swedish Midsummer.