Songs for the 21st Century Single

By Taylor Dashiell on February 13, 2016

thehdpic.com

Valentine’s Day can be the bane of your existence if you’re single. The whole world’s conspired to remind you that you’ll be alone on arguably the most romantic day of the year.  If you have friends who are in relationships, there’s little chance you’ll see them at all this coming weekend. Stuffed animals that are holding anatomically incorrect hearts are mocking you, and you’ve never wanted to pop a pink or red balloon more than you do right now. Even your music choice is torturing you, because no matter how hard you try to convince yourself, every song is a love song if your brain’s in that space.

But, If you’re anything like me, meaning you can’t bear to keep music out of your life for even an hour, this time of year may be tough. Since I’ve been single since birth, I’ve had time to find music that makes me feel a little less alone despite being what the masses would call ‘love songs’. I’ve narrowed the list down to four, one for each type of single person on Valentine’s Day. Of course this list is not exhaustive; think of it as more of a starting point for your 21st Century Single’s Playlist.

Courtesy: allmusic.com

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  1. Dear No One by Tori Kelly

Tori Kelly is pretty new to the pop music scene. After appearing on a few talent shows and even getting as far as a record deal (before it fell through), Kelly started posting videos of herself on YouTube covering popular songs. One of her most viewed covers was of Frank Ocean’s “Thinkin’ ‘Bout You”, which was seen over 17 million times! She was soon releasing music under Capitol Records and her third EP Foreword is home to my first pick, “Dear No One”. The song is extremely laid back, the two main sounds being Kelly’s voice and a guitar. It’s an anthem for the independant introvert who’s looking for love, and yes you can want your space and want someone to fill it at the same time: believe me. But Kelly’s singing about more than just wanting someone, she’s confessing that she’s “done lookin’ for her future someone”. I think a lot of us get caught up searching, or think that the universe keeps all prospective people away in order to maintain its balance. So if you’re actively looking, maybe stop and and shift your attention. Your special someone may find you when you least expect it.

Courtesy: lemonademagazine.net

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  1. I’m Yours by Alessia Cara

Another industry newbie! Alessia Cara is a Canadian singer-songwriter who was also discovered on Youtube and she was signed pretty quickly. Her debut single “Here” climbed the charts for most of 2015 and she dropped her album Know-It-All in November. Honestly, Cara’s music is a breath of fresh air; she’s the voice of every kid who feels out of place at drunken house parties and doesn’t know what to say when someone they could like suddenly asks them out. Her song “I’m Yours” is all about the unexpected love interest who comes out of the blue and says “Hey, I like you.” Cara’s response: “How dare you march into my heart, of how rude of you / to ruin my miserable and tell me I’m beautiful / I wasn’t lookin’ for love, no.” It’s a cute, upbeat tune that hits home for the shy or emotionally closed off singles: love might come around when you’re least expecting it, so let it in when it does.

Courtesy: abitofpopmusic.com

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  1. We Don’t Have to Take Our Clothes Off by Ella Eyre

Now if this song sounds familiar despite its long title, you’re not crazy. It was featured in a Downy commercial which premiered during the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show back in 2014. Personally, I have never seen a cuter commercial about laundry detergent, and the song is a big part of it.  Ella Eyre, a UK based and bred artist, calls into question the fast pacing of relationships that seems to be popular. This isn’t to say that people who participate in this lifestyle aren’t respectable, but she does wish the person had at least asked if she wanted to skinny dip. The song’s title pulls double duty as the hook, and Eyre croons alternatives to sex so early in the relationship, like dancing and drinking cherry wine. So if you’re the Single who thinks they won’t find anyone because everyone just wants a hook-up, this is your song. Someone out there feels the same way, promise.

Courtesy: genius.com

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  1. You Should Know Where I’m Coming From by Banks

Last, but certainly not least, is the song for the relationship veterans. Through all the messy arguments and breakups, the baggage and emotional bruising you’re just fed up with romantic love. But then someone comes along, and the last thing you want to do is hurt them so you list off all the reasons you can’t be with them: “What if I said I would break your heart? What if I said I had problems that made me mean? What if I knew I would just rip your mind apart, would you let me out?” Tarzana, CA native, Banks, tackles this mindset in her melancholy tune “You Should Know Where I’m Coming From”. Her music is considered alternative pop, with a hint of contemporary R&B and you can definitely hear both as the song is just her voice and the lower register of a piano. But the title eludes to something more; maybe the person who is drawn to you has been through tough relationships too. I first heard the song on an episode of The CW’s “The Originals”. The scene was between two of the most broken people on the show, but they ended up making each other a little bit better. With this in mind, maybe you can help each other heal; learn what past partners did and aspire to not tread over old wounds and they can do the same for you.

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