Music and Family

Hey, class! For this blog post, my mom had me send her the questions I wanted to ask because I procrastinated a little more than expected, and she was super busy with my little brother’s basketball tournament and work, so I recorded her responses and then responded to those responses!  

Childhood Questions 

How important was music to you and your family when you were younger? 

• “Music was a big part of my teenage years. That is when I really started paying attention.” - ❤

• I resonated with this response, as music was always around in my house during my childhood years, but I did not pay attention to it until I could choose my music in my late childhood and early teens.  

How did music shape your childhood? 

• “We listened to a lot of blues and zydeco, so I always felt that part of our culture.” - ❤

• I know this is a fact because whenever I go to Louisiana, all I listen to is zydeco music. 

Did you or anyone close to you play or make music during your childhood? 

• “Not that I remember.” - ❤

What is one of your earliest memories of music? 

• “Going to Mardi Gras celebrations and hearing zydeco played by live bands.” - ❤

• Going to Mardi Gras in New Orleans, zydeco was all over the place, so I could see this being a core music memory for my mom. 

Did you have any music at school? What was it like? 

• “Yes, we had band and music classes. It was a very basic ‘let's see who will like this and make it stick’ class.” - ❤

• I did not take any classes outside of the required music courses during elementary school, so I could not relate to this. 

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Teen Years Questions 

What was the most popular genre during this time? 

• “Lots of R&B and soft rock.” - ❤

• I also picked up on this music in my teen years, but I definitely have more hip-hop in my repertoire than she had. 

Who were your favorite artists in your teens? 

• “Whitney Houston and Exposé” - ❤

• I love Whitney Houston, likely due to my early exposure to her music, and I had no clue who Exposé was before talking to my mom about them. 

Exposé - Let Me Be The One

Did you take any music classes or lessons? Did you play an instrument or sing in a choir? 

• “Yes, I took band and played the clarinet and alto clarinet.” - ❤

• I honestly had no clue my mom played an instrument before this interview, so it was so nice to learn such a niche fact about her. 

Did you go to any concerts? 

• “My first concert was Boyz II Men” - ❤

• My mom took me to see my first concert, which was when I went to see Kendrick Lamar. 

Boyz II Men - Pass You By

What technology did you use to listen to music?  

• “Cassette tapes, Walkman's, and boomboxes” - ❤

• I think the changes in music-listening apparatus over time have always been fascinating, especially since I use my phone to listen to everything, whether it is through headphones or my car’s Bluetooth. 

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Present Day Questions 

What is the most recent song/album you have listened to?  

• “Used to Be Young by Miley Cyrus” - ❤

• I did not know that my mom was a Miley Cyrus fan, but upon hearing the song, she has good taste in Miley Cyrus Music. 

Used to Be Young - Miley Cyrus

Has your music taste progressed over time or is it mostly stuck in a certain era?  

• “It has become more fluid. I am now more interested in what a song says rather than what type of artist sings it.” - ❤

• I am also a very lyrics-focused listener, so I am happy to see my mom shares the same listening style. 

What do you think about today’s music/the music my generation listens to? 

• “It is not as original. Most songs I hear are heavily sampling songs from the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s. Like the artists today cannot produce anything new on your own.” - ❤

• I agree with my mom to a certain extent, but because she listens to music exclusively through radio and YouTube, I do not think she is exposed to the music of the more experimental, creative artists that I listen to. 

How well would you say you keep up with modern music? 

• “I have young adult and teenage children so that helps me know what is ‘in.’ I am introduced to someone ‘new’ on a regular basis.” - ❤

• I try my best to keep her up to date with the artists that I like, as they are more creative, and branch out more than other artists that my little brother exposes her to.  

What platform do you use to listen to music (Spotify/Apple Music/Pandora)? 

• “XM Radio and YouTube” - ❤

• The fact that my mom only uses the radio and her YouTube to listen to music is absurd to me, but it is a “different strokes for different folks” type of thing. 

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Additional Questions 

What is your favorite genre of music currently? 

• “R&B” - ❤

• I think this has always been my mom’s favorite genre, as it is the predominant genre that I grew up listening to in the house, so this response was not surprising. 

Who is your favorite music artist and why? 

• “Teddy Swims. I love his voice.” - ❤

• My mom put me on to an artist that I had not looked into before with this response, and I was pleasantly surprised. 

Teddy Swims - Lose Control (Live)

What devices do you use to listen to your music? 

• “Phone and car radio.” - ❤

What music do you usually listen to on road trips? 

• “A mix... it depends on the mood and the traffic.” - ❤

• I agree with her on this 100%. Driving 6+ hours back and forth from school has made me very cognizant of what music I am playing and when I am playing it. Sometimes people around me are driving too wildly and I need to put on something soothing.

Do you have any playlists? If so, how many do you have? 

• “1 playlist on Amazon for ‘relaxing’ vibes” - ❤

• It is absurd that my mom does not have a Spotify account or anything more modern than a single playlist on Amazon Music. My mind will not be changed.