vibing with music

By Tommy N

Music has always been there in my life, ever since I came into this world. I started listening to music at the age of 5 during 2011, right when I was still a toddler. The first song I listened to was "Linkin Park - In The End."

It was pretty popular during the time when YouTube was still growing as a platform. When I first heard of the song, I didn’t understand the lyrics or the meaning behind it. But the sound, instruments, and the lyrics is what drew me in and I started paying more attention to the lyrics and the meaning, So later down in my life, I began listening to other music genres like rap, beatboxing, rock, heavy metal, hip-hop, jazz, or anything that suited my interests.

The best thing about music is the different creators or artists you can find. Each one of them has their own unique technique to their own music and the kind of genre they make, and that’s what makes music so engaging and entertaining to listen to, because you never know what kind of song or artist you get.

As I grew older and got out of middle school, I started growing a connection with the kind of music I listened to; songs like "911 / Mr. Lonely," "PartyIsntOver/Campfire/Bimmer," and "Foreword" by Tyler, The Creator, I could relate to. Around quarantine, my love for music only grew even more because I didn’t like staying alone in my home all the time, so I would have music to keep me company whenever I do my homework or when I’m doing any of my favorite activities.

Music also has impacted me and my emotions over the years. Like, whenever I listen to heavy metal or rock in general, I get a second wind feeling in my head and I get a sense of enjoyment coming from that song, which has a really good feeling for me. Or whenever I listen to jazz or anything that sounds calm, my mind would relax and I’d be slouching over my chair, being calm and tranquil.

One good example was the time I listened to a song called "Reign" from Yakuza 0. The song itself was so good and I just couldn’t stop repeating the song because the tempo, rhythm, and the beat is something out of this world. Something I also loved about it is the lyrics, specifically the part where it said, “No time to lose… So I’ll find my path… Before anyone else…” This part is so memorable because I want to carve out my own future instead of having to follow people’s suggestions for success.

I cannot live without music in my life; it’s impossible to give away something that I really enjoy. That’s like trading your soul away to the devil, except he makes your life more stale and nothing good happens from that outcome.

Of course, I can’t forget about music in video games. Music is especially important when you’re trying to create a setting for a game and that’s what I like about it. You can find a couple of bangers you’ve never heard before from games like Dead Rising, Yakuza, Payday 2, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Max Payne, Devil May Cry 5, and etc.

Now let me ask you a question: what is a passion or hobby you wouldn’t give up on?

For The Warrior Times, this is Tommy Nguyen.