What music played a special role in the other Wes Moore’s life? What role does music play in your life?

For Wes Moore, hip-hop played a special role in his life because it made him feel understood; as he said, “It was a validator. He could relate to the people in his neighborhood as they still saw him as part of the group, and his Riverdale friends could understand him a little better. Wes Moore felt like he could relate to hip-hop, and it helped him feel less alone.

Music means a lot to me. I do not think I could survive without it. Personally, I listen to music every day and depending on my mood, the style changes. One day, it can start with R&B and finish with a sad ballad, or it can go from pop to Latin. Music helps me go through life.

Also, my entire career relies on music and how I can connect with it to create art. For example, classical music from Tchaikovsky or Prokofiev tells stories about swans and Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Classical music plays a vital role in my life because I do not think ballet would exist the way we know it without it. 

I listen to different types of music: pop, R&B, classical, Latin, etc., and each has a different meaning for me. Latin music brings me back to my roots, my home. Classical music is part of my dream career. Pop and R&B music are what I listen to music mostly. This past year, my favorite artist has been Michael Jackson. I love his songs and play them daily. Their lyrics, rhythm, and meaning have made a strong connection with me. His music has been by my side every time I have needed it.

Music helps us feel. It makes us human. We can relate music to what is going on in our lives. Music can accompany us to celebrate the highs in our lives and help us go through the lows. Personally, I use music and dance to get through life. When I am sad or going through a tough time, I will put my headphones on, play a song that goes with what I am feeling at that moment, and I will dance. I have always found an escape from reality through music. 

Music can connect people. My parents and I have songs that we call “our songs.” With my mom, it is a song by Gloria Estefan called “Hoy,” and with my dad it is Rod Stewart’s “I’ll Stand By You” and I hold these two songs dearly in my heart. I genuinely believe that music can bring people from all around the world together. 

I have been introduced to different types of music throughout my life. Some I enjoyed, and others I did not, but it always moves something in me. I think music is a magical thing that should be appreciated by everyone. I do not believe I have met someone who does not listen to music at least once a week because it is something the grand majority of the world’s population enjoys. 

Just like Wes Moore found his love for hip-hop music because of the meaning he finds behind every song, I have found a love for the feeling that music gives me whenever I listen to it.