“Music can raze out the written troubles of the brain.”
For as far back in history as one can document and keep track of, music has played an important part of our lives. It has allowed communities to express themselves, to connect together and to release the troubles and woes from their heads. Elton John says music has healing powers, and he isn’t wrong. Simply googling ‘The power of music’ will throw up article after article of all the research and evidence that connects music to some impressively strong healing abilities. It reduces anxiety, blood pressure, and pain. It can improve your sleep and over all mood. Pretty much all because of those lovely little hormones dopamine and serotonin which I spoke about in a blog post recently. Here they are popping up again!
A whole new light
Have you ever had one of those moments when you hear a song, sometimes it’s your first time, sometimes it’s on your 102nd time of listening to it, and something special happens…it hits you? The lyrics mysteriously make a profound impact, it washes over you like a wave and you can never hear that song the same way again. When that happens whilst you’re reading words in the Bible it’s called a Rhema word, I’m not sure what the musical equivalent is, but it is a very similar experience.
After this wave you see the song in a new light and how it can apply to your life personally. It ripples through you and has an instant impact on how you choose to act and view the world.
Music is powerful stuff.
“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”
Music and this challenge
Why am I talking about music? Because music, some very specific songs in particular, have had that profound effect on my life, and I wanted to honour them in this next part of my body image challenge. These are songs that have stuck with me in different ways, each have a story, each made an impact, each sent ripples which continue to move through me today. I hope you enjoy reading about them, and do let me know if any songs have made an impact on you.
Part Four
Born this Way – Lady Gaga
Have you read the lyrics to this song? It’s a flipping anthem. My mama told me when I was young, “We are all born superstars”…She said ‘Cause he made you perfect babe.'” It’s fearfully and wonderfully made in one incredible and powerful song. It’s celebrating who you are, who you are made to be.
I was once walking through Manchester during Pride and no matter where we went, we kept coming across this one particular float which had this song on repeat. I don’t know how many times I heard it that day, but that day I HEARD it.
Unpretty – TLC
Apparently when Lady Gage first met T-Boz she cried and told her the profound impact this song had on her life. And to be honest I can completely get it.
Set the scene: It’s the late 90s and the newspapers, the magazines, music videos, everywhere is plastered with people getting super sized big boobs, nose jobs, fake hair, everything was about improving yourself. Red rings of shame circled all wonky and flabby parts. Then comes along TLC, ripping through the music videos with Unpretty, my jaw dropped and I cried. It was the first time I heard someone speak up about this and for the first time felt empowered over who I was as a developing woman.
Beautiful – Christina Aguilera
Little insight into my teenage life, I could only get to sleep with music on. I’d slip my portable CD player under my pillow, pop the in ear headphones in and drift off. Stripped, the album this was on, was one of my bedtime albums. I’d press play and drift off to the wonderful sounds of Christina.
Another song of empowerment, arriving at a time when I was gawky and awkward in my development, these words slipped into my subconsciousness and even to this day I find myself regularly singing them to myself.
Special – Lizzo
I mean, most of her songs could fit into the category of “Great for body positivity”. The reason this one made it into my artwork is because it is a message we all need to hear, and because it came out just as I was starting this journey making this extra special for me.
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