This song got its comeback when some girl on Twitter recorded herself singing this song in the mirror. Thanks to her we have officially brought back our number one American Idol crush.
"Will you count me in?" Yes, Colbie, we will.
You know what wasn't left unwritten? The fact that this song was and always will bring forth the best jam sessions.
Let's be honest, this song was odd when we first hear it back in 2009 but after a few weeks streaming through our iPods it quickly became a fan fav and an all around good bop.
Was this every 8th grade girls' morning alarm? Just mine, okay.
That first "wake up in the morning" always hits us all out of nowhere.
Thank you for being one of the first guys to make middle school girls around the world feel like one of a kind.
Just a quick shoutout to the Lizzie McGuire Movie for really giving this song to us.
I first discovered Lights through listening to Owl City. She was featured on "The Yacht Club" and after hearing that beautiful voice, I had to figure out who it was. After some research, I was soon a big fan of Lights as well. Since then, I've seen her in concert twice just to confirm that she was actually a real person.
Her pure talent shines through in every avenue she decides to tackle. She currently has four full-length albums, one acoustic full-length album, three EPs, various singles and most recently even a cover album of Drake's "Scorpion." Her last full-length album acted as a companion to her comic book series "Skin and Earth."
Lights wrote and illustrated "Skin and Earth" all by herself. It's the post-apocalyptic story of Enaia Jin, a girl who looks a lot like Lights herself. Lights said that this story is just the beginning of many possibilities to come in the future.
In addition to all of this wonderful work, Lights is also a mom to her daughter. She and her husband Beau Bokan of Blessthefall are raising the cutest little kid, Rocket Wild (yes, that's her name. Rad, right?). She posts the occasional picture of Rocket doing cool things on her Instagram!
The amount of hours Lights puts in for all this wonderful content and her life has got to be astronomical. Somehow, she balances it all. I'm sure it's not easy. I'm also sure it takes a lot of motivation.
Sometimes I need a little motivation, and Lights' music reminds me to keep going and to work hard for my goals.
Here are a few lyrics that always hit home.
The first Lights song I ever heard.
From "Saviour"
From "River"
Owl City once tweeted...
From "Ice"
From "The Last Thing On Your Mind"
From "Face Up"
Fun fact: this song is about World of Warcraft.
From "Lions!"
I like the acoustic version better.
From "Heavy Rope"
Listen to this song when you're out in nature appreciating the world around us.
From "Frame and Focus"
From "Running With the Boys"
From "Up We Go"
Also, "Sleep is for the weary, I'm not slowing down."
From "Speeding"
This whole song, actually.
From "Meteorites"
From "How We Do It"
From "Lucky Ones"
From "Skydiving," the first full song on her "Skin and Earth" companion album.
From "We Were Here"
This song is so fun. Please dance to this one sometime.
From "Kicks"
This one. This is the one. The most motivational Lights song out there, in my opinion at least. I listen to this on repeat, no lie.
From "Giants"
I listen to Lights when I'm driving. I listen to Lights when I have to wake up before the sun rises. I listen to Lights when I have a deadline I've procrastinated way too long.
I listen to Lights when I feel down or anxious and the music lifts my mood for a minute. I listen to Lights when I'm excited or celebrating good things. I listen to Lights when I don't know how to feel.
I listen to Lights when I need motivation. And I hope you can find motivation or comfort or whatever you need in her music, too.
YouTube
When I was younger, I never really appreciated a cappella music. That all changed when my friend sat me down on her couch two summers ago and introduced me to the magical melodies of Pentatonix. From the first song I ever heard (their cover of Problem by Arianna Grande), I have been hooked ever since. I'm actually listening to their newest Christmas album as I'm writing this, and it's just . . . it's just . . . *insert fangirl squeals and screams*. This new album and all of their music just makes me happy! I am constantly spellbound by their amazing talent and their enchanting personalities. Let the AMAZING music of Scott, Mitch, Kirstie, Kevin, and Matt (and, of course, OG member, Avi) brigthen up your day!
Top Five Favorites:
1. What Christmas Means to Me
2. Say Something
3. Halelujah
4. New Rules x Are You That Somebody
5. Sing
And, in my opinion, every single one of their songs is fantastic, but if you're looking to start becoming an avid fan, I would have to suggest you start with these.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhinPd5RRJw
Okay, okay. I know this doesn't necessarily classify as an "artist," per se. I know, technically, I should have listed Lin-Manuel Miranda; while I love all of his work, none has impacted me like Hamilton has. Once, before I was pulled into the Hamilton craze, I wasn't very confident with singing in public. Sure, I'd sing loud and proud at home, but outside, I was definitely much more reserved. Then my friends introduced me to Hamilton, and because they knew the songs, I had to know the songs too! I slowly started learing each song one by one. If you have never heard a song from Hamilton, let me sumarize by saying that they have a very powerful energy to them; as I began to learn the songs and sing them with my friends, that same powerful energy seemed to transfer over and embody me. As I became able to rap or sing along with Lin's spectacular lyrics, it slowly didn't matter where I was! I had found music that I loved and I suddenly didn't care if I was by myself or surrounded by people, I was going to sing my heart out!
Top Five Favorites:
1. My Shot
2. Yorktown
3. Non-Stop
4. What'd I Miss
5. You'll Be Back
If you're into musicals, I highkey recommend Hamilton (even if you're not, I still suggest that you give this a try). Bit of a discloser, though: there are explitives woven throughout all the songs. If this is something you're sensitive towards, there are clean edits of the songs on YouTube!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jThYchneZvw
I love most all contemporary Christian artists, but these blokes from Down Under hold a special place in my heart. I remember listening to the radio one day and hearing a song that just sounded . . . Different. Ecclectic. Unique. If you've listened to contemporary Christian radio before, you may notice that, while the songs are wonderful, they can all start to sound similar after a while. No? Eh, maybe it's just me. My point being, to me, when I heard Not Over Yet, I knew I had found my favorite Christian artists! And they've only gotten better throughout the years; their newest album, Burn the Ships, is pure awesomeness!!!
Top Five Favorites:
1. Burn the Ships
2. Amen
3. Joy
4. Run Wild
5. To the Dreamers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psuRGfAaju4
Last, but not least, Owl City. Contrary to the popular belief amongst my friends, Owl City is not a band, but one talented individual, Adam Young. Long ago, I did not care for Owl City's music at all, not becasue of the music itself, but because of the hard memories attatched to one song in particular, Fireflies. For a year or so of my young childhood, there were some unfortunate events that I linked with Fireflies; from that time on, hearing that song or anything Owl City in general triggered some unpleasant flashbacks. Two years ago, my opinion changed. I was having lunch with a friend of mine and he asked if I had ever listened to Adam's music. I said yes, but went on to explain what I felt was my justified bias against Owl City. However, he persuaded me to give Owl City another chance and I'm so, so glad I did. The peaceful melodies and poetic lyrics have helped me through some recent challenging times. If you're wanting some great synth-pop in your life, I highly recommend Owl City.
Top Five Favorites:
1. Lucid Dreams
2. New York City
3. Beautiful Times
4. When Can I See You Again
5. Silhouette
So that's all, folks! If you've been looking for new music to listen to, I hope these suggestions may be of some value to you.
