Theme of this Month:
🌒 Ending The Year in the Most Beautiful Way I Know How

For long-time listeners of my playlist, I’m sure many of you have wondered why I choose to end all of my playlists with a “classy” finale— the 25th and final song is always a classical or instrumental piece. The truth is, it was an attempt to bring more exposure to a genre that I feel has often been overlooked and misunderstood, or at the very least less widely appreciated by the average music listener today. Eventually, it became a ritual in the curation of my playlists; finding my way through 25 songs to a resolution that evokes as much of the beauty and optimism that is central to my vision as possible. 

You see, even as someone whose mom is a piano teacher and who’d go to a classical concert at least once a year, it still took me a long time before I fully appreciated the depth and complexities of the genre. Through patient and intentional listening, sounds that I had once considered dull, sad, or one-dimensional were now alight with poignant evocations and moments of deep beauty. Once I had learned to embrace the unhurried pace and subtle nuances of it all, a world of exquisite complexities, rife with emotion and narrative became available to me. It’s like looking out the same window you always have, and finally noticing how intricately beautiful the expansive blue sky is. 

I’ve dedicated this entire playlist to the concept of ending the year with as much beauty and optimism as possible. With the year that we’ve had and the great uncertainties that lay ahead of us, it feels more timely than ever that we exercise the skill of finding silver linings, feeling the joy amidst the sorrow, and still celebrating the wins and the love that have gotten us through it all. Since it’s Christmas, I’ve also prepared a special gift for you!

This month I’ve invited my friends to share a story from this year and featured them alongside some of my favorite tracks from this month’s playlist in a web experience. 

Hope you all enjoy it and have a lovely Christmas and happy holidays! 🎄