My Spotify listens
How is it that another month passed by. Physically I enter this new month a little lighter than the last but not much. The mental clarity and lightness varies day per day. Trying to keep it as positive as I can. But there is still a factor of job insecurity. And while I invited myself in my parents and sisters “bubble”, the uncertainty of when we can travel to the other side of the country (or our neighboring countries) for some beach or nature walks is weighing hard on certain days. One of the ways I try to stay positive is by not listening to the radio, I didn’t encounter a station without any newscast every hour. I also haven’t watched any television journey either. So the only news I’m getting is from newspaper headlines and some snippets on social media.
Instead Spotify has been my best companion for these past 11 weeks.
The playlists getting the most air time are:
- Disney Hits: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX8C9xQcOrE6T?si=r-Pl0vNeRK2N2kj4wCfQdg
- Ultratop Singles Vlaanderen: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0dtfWpzj3tg2bA2a10USa0?si=H1QN43zWSOGpulUXFXWPpA
- Home Sweet Home: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX3P56PKzFc9f?si=Q1qZ30XJR3SCAcQDxgMIiA
- A Spoonful of Stiles & Drewe: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/75gb2mzjNiWcYDqALqWa8o?si=ZmpJLbsSS2OSPZzg0OG6Gg
- Stiles & Drewe’s Soho Cinders: https://open.spotify.com/album/2qLdsV34YkvOOiq3K4Ts9O?si=q73UnrbcQ-eqn-fcM_3k_A
As you may have noticed already, I like musicals. While in South Korea some major productions could keep playing for a large public it seems elsewhere actors and audiences aren’t that lucky. I’m all for safety, but the impact this has on venues, actors, front of house staff, technicians, etc. is huge. I also think that theatres and producers can come up with solutions to keep the show go on, if authorities would allow. However in the meantime I have following musicals in a mix:
- Rock of Ages: https://open.spotify.com/album/3XwyCq9WGuB4B5usBOD1Nc?si=8fD1G-8DQFi6lfr7qvLX6w
- Kinky Boots (this is the original Broadway recording, but the UK company is as good): https://open.spotify.com/album/0VfNZpKsykX5WPuyEdBilR?si=8I-NWhbTSEKyZI1UQVUe1A
- The book of Mormon: https://open.spotify.com/album/5yauUuXppqUj2ulor38hvI?si=76CJan9NTASaxy39HybaaA
And then there are some smaller musicals of which I rediscovered the soundtrack:
- Lift: https://open.spotify.com/album/0oDSfu3FsqV89e2E2h5u4m?si=41qWQ-MGSsm8b9MZ4GHtHg
- Murder Ballad: https://open.spotify.com/album/15VUlBxG6ovextVkRgcL7G?si=G5gF3U38SBa1SXGzD8sUUQ
- Lelies (an original Belgian (Flemish) production): https://open.spotify.com/album/3c6xkQy6HVHtpWd5SnAxGA?si=y9IInETsSamH0yGW7YOYdQ
Last, but certainly not least I highly recommend “Soldaat Van Oranje”: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6aFoyY5e4w8whKIS2l6Rej?si=vx1yBd4tR92GGX-w88iI5w It is not the musical I saw the most (that would be Jersey Boys), but this is the one that made the biggest impact on me. This is the Dutch and original cast recording. There were plans to transfer it to London with some adaptation. Hopefully COVID-19 will only delay these plans and not cancel them completely.
If you have other recommendations please share and let me know what you think of the ones I mentioned. Maybe they are not all available in your region as I know the music from the series “Smash” is not entirely available on my Spotify. But luckily I purchased the CD of both bombshell and the entire series, plus there was a livestream of the Smash concert that is still on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CzV1_HOf-E
