Both books and music have helped keep my mental space calm, and have improved on my journey. Books have always been a form of escapism and therapy for me. Ranging from characters, setting, plot, character development, funny moments, romantic moments and more, books and reading have showcased that for me. Listening to my favorite artists’ new and old music puts me in a bubble where [almost] nothing goes wrong. Music is universal; no matter what language the artists are singing in, if it’s beautiful, then I’ll cosign to it. 

With everything going on in the world, I came up with a list of books and music that have helped with my mental health this year, in no particular order. 

17. Sam Tsui’s “Back to School” Release

 Sam Tsui is a cover artist on Youtube, known for his cover of Nelly’s “Just a Dream” with Kurt Hugo Schnieder and Christina Grimmie (may she Rest in Peace). I’ve still been following his other music for quite some time now. However, when I’d first heard this song, I didn’t know it was from Sam! I thought it was a new artist. This song made me think of the anxiety of thinking about going back to school for my Masters in Library and Information Science to become a librarian/library director someday. I’m still toying with the idea, but this song makes me feel some type of way, like I can do anything.

16. Cassadee Pope’s Stages and Rise and Shine albums

I don’t listen to much country music aside from Taylor Swift’s earlier music, Carrie Underwood, and a few other female artists. I’ve always been a fan of Cassadee Pope ever since her days in Hey Monday, and when she won The Voice season 3. I remember buying her first album Frame By Frame back in 2013, and it changed my life. Her voice is so sweet and tender, but also powerful. Her songwriting was simple, but relatable. Now that she’s independent and can release music whenever she wants, she’s since released 2 albums, Stages and Rise and Shine. I felt like I needed Stages in my life because I was going through some personal changes I didn’t know how to address, and her music did that for me that I couldn’t do myself. Same with Rise and Shine; Cassadee released this in the middle of the pandemic, as a way to spread hope and uplift everyone in times of uncertainty. What was super sweet was hearing “Hangover”, which is a Hey Monday cover!

Favorite songs from Stages: Take You Home, How I Feel Right Now, FYI, Don’t Ask Me, I’ve Been Good 

Favorite songs from Rise and Shine: Let Me Go, Counting on the Weather, Hangover, Rise and Shine (title track)

15. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

 I wrote a full review of this back in May, and I am still in love with how this book turned out. It was my first Taylor Jenkins Reid book, and I’d read it during my state’s lockdown period. I didn’t know exactly what I was getting myself into, but I’m glad I read it because it gave me more insight into another’s perspective.

14. American Panda by Gloria Chao

 This one didn’t really do much for my mental health, but it was cute enough to escape from the real world for a bit.

13. Billie Eilish

 I think ever since Billie Eilish’s Grammys 2019 performance, I’ve been dipping more into her music, produced by her brother Finneas. I only know a few songs by her by heart, and before I thought she was just another one-hit wonder that we’d forget about a year from now. But since the Black Lives Matter movement erupted this year, Billie made sure to use her white privilege to spread awareness and force people to wake up to their own internalised racism. That was when I started taking her music seriously. 

Favorite tracks: when the party’s over, everything i wanted, bad guy, you should see me in a crown

12. Tori Kelly’s Solitude EP

 I’ve been a hardcore fan of Tori Kelly ever since her Foreword EP back in 2012, and it’s so astounding to watch her growth and trajectory as an artist. Now with her latest Solitude EP, she went back to her cover roots with the simplistic, acoustic, stripped-down production and easy lyrics. It was another project that was released during quarantine, and it just puts me in a relaxed state, and lets me forget my worries and stress for a half hour. 

Favorite tracks: Time Flies, Value, Don’t Take Me Home

11. Midnight Sun’s Release

I still haven’t finished Midnight Sun but from what I have read, it was definitely worth the 12-year wait! Edward Cullen’s point of view takes time to go through, especially the emotions and anxiety and stress of falling for a human girl. I know there is a lot of discourse on this series, but for me, I’ve always had an affection and understanding for it. It’s not as cut-and-dry as everyone seems to think. Edward’s anxiety and uncertainty about love, being open and letting people in after being single forever is so relatable to me and how I’m feeling right now. (I’m still single btw!) but still, opening up is hard for someone who never felt like they had to do it so often.

10. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

At first, I didn’t really get into this book, but now it’s getting really good. It doesn’t really do anything for my mental health, but it’s a fun read so far.

9. Miley Cyrus Midnight Sky Release

Miley Cyrus is one of those artists who has no problem changing and evolving herself. Every era or moment in her career is for a reason, and that’s why I was so excited to hear her latest single, “Midnight Sky”. Not only does her style change, but her raspy, edgy vocals that showcase a sort of ’80s rock genre that’s so interesting. She’s been through a lot recently, what with her breakups with her longtime partner Liam Hemsworth and boyfriend Cody Simpson, as well as some public disdain for many years. I just love how she never lets anyone or anything get in her way of her dreams; it’s very inspiring to me.

8. Hayley Williams’ Petals For Armor Solo Debut Album

Paramore has been apart of my life for the past 13 years now. Even though they’ve been a band for 15, I have all of their albums, and stream their music all of the time. So when I heard that lead singer Hayley Williams was coming out with her debut solo album, Petals for Armor, I was so excited and curious to hear how it would sound. Hayley had always strayed away from doing solo work without her best friends/bandmates Taylor York and Zac Farro, so what wasn’t surprising was that she didn’t do this project without them! They were just as much as part of this project as Hayley was. 

Favorite Tracks:  Simmer, Cinnamon, Creepin’, Over Yet, Why We Ever

7.  Children of Blood & Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

 I wrote a full review on the blog, and I still loved this reading experience. It made me feel so appreciative of reading a Black/African high fantasy story, with its own fleshed out characters, setting, development, storylines, romances and more. Like Black Panther, it felt good to see myself on the page where we weren’t the sidekick, the ‘quirky best friend’, or killed within the first few minutes. Children of Blood and Bone wasn’t 100% perfect, but it definitely helped reassure my frustrations with YA fantasy.

6. An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

Even though I’m not married and not in a relationship, but this book put me into the perspective of what it marriage and family means in the Black community. There is this notion that Black women have to be ride-or-dies for our men, to stand by them through thick and thin, even if they don’t for us. But both Celestial and Roy discover what it means to want a life that doesn’t exist, all because of systemic oppression and injustice in America. And it still is relevant today. This book has also opened my eyes to how fragile marriage is if you’re not prepared for it. 

5. Taylor Swift’s folklore Album

I have been blasting Taylor Swift’s eighth studio album since it first dropped, and it was a surprise album! I didn’t even expect her to drop an album so soon, a year after Lover, back in 2019. But I was impressed with the indie-folk pop route she took with this new album. The stripped down, acoustic production of every song accentuated Taylor’s incredible songwriting. I already knew she was a great writer, but this album showed how much she has grown since her previous works. The marketing and promotion was different this time too; since most music artists can’t tour this year due to COVID-19, artists like Taylor have to be more creative with their marketing. She only released “cardigan” as the first single, where she filmed the MV in a closed set, and according to her, she did her own hair, makeup and styling. She last performed the country-esque song “Betty” on the 2020 ACM Awards at the Grand Ole Opry on Sunday, and she did so good! (even though that’s not my favorite song on the album). Now that this album is out, and the rollout is continuing, it’ll be interesting to see what material she comes out with next. She’s spent the past 14—almost 15!—years in the industry surprising me. 

Favorite Tracks:  cardigan, the last great american dynasty, my tears ricochet, this is me trying, invisible string, mad woman, epiphany

4. BTS “Dynamite” MV/ BangBangCon/ Map of the Soul: 7

 BTS have been killing the game since before quarantine, but even more so because of it. I was a little upset when the band postponed their Map of the Soul: 7 worldwide tour to next year due to COVID, but I felt tons better when they released the BangBangCon virtual concert series. It was an amazing 2-day weekend reliving old concert footage from their rookie days back in 2014, to the epic Wings Tour 2015, to the incredible 2018 Love Yourself World Tour. There were a lot of songs I didn’t know (surprisingly!) that they performed, which they got me hooked on. It came on at 3 am my time, but it was worth every minute of no sleep the next day! Then, they released their first all-English single called “Dynamite”, which has transcended records around the world. Their music has touched me so deeply, and I’m so grateful to the ARMY and my ARMY best friends on Twitter who have been so sweet and welcoming and amazing towards me for the past 3 years since becoming a fan. 

Favorite Tracks from Map of the Soul: 7 –  Intro: Persona, Black Swan, Louder Than Bombs, ON, Inner Child, We Are Bulletproof: The Eternal

3. Verzuz: Brandy vs. Monica

 I didn’t know what to expect from this version of Verzuz featuring R&B/pop singers Brandy and Monica, but I was glad for it. For those who don’t know what this event is, it’s essentially a way for two respective artists to showcase their catalogue the hit songs of their careers for an hour or two of fun, music, and camraderie. Started by producers Swizz Beatz and Timbaland for Instagram Live, they also share stories of their music and how their hits came to be. It was a way for artists to still express their love for music during the pandemic. Since I was a fan of both Brandy and Monica growing up, I thought this would be perfect to come back to some R&B classics. A lot of it was shade from both parts because they haven’t seen each other since 1998, and they have history of not really liking each other too much, so it was so funny! But I still had fun listening to their hits and sit back and relax and forget the world’s immense problems. Also, it was the perfect time because it gave the Black community a chance to break from mourning actor Chadwick Boseman’s devastating death, who died from cancer on August 28. May he Rest Well. 

2. Chloe and Halle’s Ungodly Hour Album

 Beyonce did the right thing by taking Chloe and Halle under her wing and management. I just finished listening to Chloe x Halle’s second album, Ungodly Hour, and I’m just sorry it took so long to get me to sit and listen, because it’s so good! Every song is cohesive and blends well with the one before it. Chloe x Halle’s voices provide both melody and harmony in each song, and they make each song their own. They are singing about life, love, infidelity, enjoying being alone, valuing your worth, and being a free young person. Such a difference and growth from their 2018 debut project, The Kids Are Alright. They make me feel like the best, baddest bitch in the world, and I can’t see what else is in store for them.

Favorite tracks: Forgive Me, Do It, Ungodly Hour, Busy Boy, Lonely, Wonder What She Thinks of Me

1. Beyonce’s Black Is King Visual Event

 I need to watch this again, because this made me so proud to be a Black woman. Beyonce has always blown me away with her career choices, her music, what she stands for as an artist, everything, and this event was no different. I’ve only seen The Lion King (2019) once, and heard the soundtrack a few times, but at certain times, the Black is King special event, I forgotten it was even for The Lion King! It was its own entity of African culture, spirituality, motherhood, family, the power of growth, and more.

What books and music has helped with your mental health during this pivotal moment in time? 

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