Hanna's Playlist Playground: For Small Moments
I have been working at the Regina Folk Festival for three years now and I'd volunteered for and attended the festival for many years before that. Music has been a constant in my life. No matter what I'm doing I've got a tune for it, even if that means that over time those songs become so situational that I can't listen to them in any other context (lookin' at you "I hate airplane takeoffs" playlist). I've always loved connecting with friends by creating playlists for them or sharing songs I think they'll enjoy, so getting the chance to connect with communities through music at the RFF has been a real treat!
This playlist is for taking a moment when the world feels too big. These are songs for taking smaller bites of a fresh strawberry to enjoy it just a little longer, for savouring a splash of cold hose water on a hot day, and for noticing an inch of growth on a plant you love.
"FOMO" by Peach Pyramid
Reason: This song gets my shoulders swaying and helps me to breeze past any fear of missing out. As I've had to make my world smaller for a while this song serves as a good reminder that standing still doesn't always mean missing out.
"Before the World Was Big" by Girlpool
Reason: This song comes along as I walk through my neighborhood more often than I have in many years. I pass my elementary school, the house of a childhood friend who has long since moved away, and remember the tiny things I used to love. Did said childhood friend and I have matching dresses in different color schemes that we wore together - it was the 90s, of course we did.
"Stay High" by Brittany Howard
Reason: Brittany Howard is a powerhouse vocalist that I can never get enough of and I highly recommend checking out all of her projects. This song feels like waking up from a long nap and slowly feeling into your waking body, like hugging someone you haven't seen in a long while, and like enjoying the last bits of sun as it melts into pinky-purple hues.
"I Never Liked Your Friends" by Alexandria Maillot
Reason: Alexandria Maillot is an artist that I was really looking forward to seeing this summer. Maillot's voice, blended with the strings that joined her on her latest album, creates a haunting introspective sound that's perfect for swimming through your thoughts.
"Wasted" by William Prince
Reason: I don't think I can listen to this song without feeling emotion welling in my throat. It makes me want to get up and dance while also making me want to curl up in a blanket in my favourite chair.
"Patience" by Adult Mom
Reason: Adult Mom has been one of my most listened to artists for quite a few years, and this song of theirs is my favourite love song. The tiny - sometimes unremarkable - things that we come to appreciate daily about the people around us often define who and how we love.