By: Jesus De La Rosa
OwlFeed Journalist
High School is seen as a very formative time in someone’s life, a time where tastes are discovered and defined.
During this time, music can be a very prominent force, providing the soundtrack to the best, and the worst, memories. Whether these sounds come from the vast amount of projects released in the past 4 years or music that has been enjoyed for decades, these Agua Fria students explain their favorite music from their time as students.
Isaac Vera
What have been your favorite songs/ albums/ artist throughout your senior year?
“It’s a tie between Mac Miller’s Swimming and Playboi Carti’s Die Lit, it’s just a mixture of the two I would say, they’re both really nice.”
How does this differ from your taste Freshman year? What would Freshman you think of you now?
“Freshman year I was really into Drake. I thought Views was album of the year, I even bought the album. I really liked Kendrick Lamar as well, but now I’m more of a mellow type of guy. I like slower, chill music. I’ve been listening to a lot of lo-fi music and a lot of indie music now, if definitely expanded a lot in terms of music. My freshman self would think I’m a weirdo like I only listened to Drake. That and Kid Cudi.”
Do you have any guilty pleasure artist or songs, or any music you listen to that you’re embarrassed about?
“There hasn’t really been a weird phase during High School, maybe Drake, a little bit. And for a little bit, i was really into Lil Pump, like his early Soundcloud days when his music wasn’t that bad, but that’s really it.”
What’s your favorite artist that you’ve discovered during high school?
“When I first listened to Channel Orange (by Frank Ocean), I was like ‘this is kinda nice’ I wasn’t really into that type of music I guess he makes some type of genre you can’t really explain and that really brought m to listening to blond sophomore year and I say that changed my perspective on things, not just in music but in general. It broadened my mind, I don’t know if that makes sense.”
What songs or albums would you vividly associate with the past for 4 years and why?
“More recently any songs off Astroworld by Travis Scott because I went to go see him. Don’t Kill My Vibe by Kendrick Lamar, I saw him twice in the past few years and that was always my favorite song. Kid Cudi’s Pursuit Of Happiness, an iconic song. Arctic Monkeys, I used to listen to a lot of Arctic Monkeys, I would say “Do I Want To Know”, that was one of my favorites freshman years. And the Views album once again, I don’t know why I liked it.”
Sarah Niezgodski
What have been your favorite songs/ albums/ artist throughout senior year?
“I can never narrow down a favorite artist or song. I listen to a lot of Elton John and that kind of music. I listen to Elvis Presley a lot and also like Frank Ocean, Post Malone and sadly some Clairo. Everyone thinks she’s mainstream now but she slaps.”
How does this differ from your taste Freshman year? What would Freshman you think of you now?
“I would say it definitely differs because One Direction was still a band when I was a Freshman so I could still listen to them. So I listened to a lot of One Direction. But I also listened to Big Time Rush and the Jonas Brothers. So a lot of boy bands and a lot mainstream pop that you would hear on the radio because I didn’t have taste. Freshman me would probably be okay with it because I still bop to One Direction and Big Time Rush and Jonas Brothers but not as much”
What’s your favorite artist that you’ve discovered during high school?
“The first that comes to mind is Waterparks and recently I discovered Carlie Hanson because I went to a concert and she opened for the main artist and she was actually pretty good.”
What songs or albums would you vividly associate with the past for 4 years and why?
“Probably the whole Take Me Home album by One Direction because I feel it’s my safe spot because it was always my favorite when I was 12. It’s like those songs you still like from 2010 but if anybody knew that you still listened to them your life would be over. That’s how I feel about this album.”
Mia De La Torre
What have been your favorite songs/ albums/ artist throughout senior year?
“Well we started the year off with Astroworld and that whole album was really good along with Sweetener by Ariana Grande, that album is also super good. Moving out of the beginning of the year, Billie Eilish released When The Party’s Over and that’s one of my favorites for sure along with Dream catcher by Metro Boomin ft. Travis Scott and MALAMENTE by Rosalia! She’s awesome and has such a different style of music. Sundress by A$AP Rocky, Juice by iyla, Proud of U by EARTHGANG, the iconic break up with your girlfriend, i’m bored and ghosting by Ariana Grande. Guap by Rico Nasty, Remember Me by UMI, Saw You in A Dream by The Japanese House and Mutual Butterflies by Ryan Trey are just some of my favorites I have so many.”
How does this differ from your taste Freshman year? What would Freshman you think of you now?
“My taste in music from Freshman year I’d say is completely different but I can still bump all my old stuff now and I still even listen to those artists. My Freshman year playlist has a lot of Alt, Indie and electronic music. I was super into the good vibe feeling music. Freshman year me would probably ask me ‘how do you memorize all those rap verses?’ because I was not into rap at all Freshman until the end when Lil Uzi dropped Lil Uzi vs. The World and Drake and Future dropped their project.”
Do you have any guilty pleasure artist or songs, or any music you listen to that you’re embarrassed about?
“Honestly, I’m not embarrassed of any music but one particular artist that comes on in front of people that make them kinda giggle is Queen. I love them so much and I think their music is great but people tend to not listen to them on daily basis like I do.”
What’s your favorite artist that you’ve discovered during high school?
“My favorite artist I’ve discovered during High School would have to be Billie Eilish. I remember hearing Copycat when she first dropped it and I fell in love with her style and her voice! I just kept following her ever since then and I love anything she releases because she has such a different perspective on life and she executes that perfectly through her music.”
What songs or albums would you vividly associate with the past for 4 years and why?
“Songs that mean a lot to me or that I would say have ‘vividly’ impacted me would be This Is How We Do It, Held Me Down by Nav, Moonlight by Ariana Grande, Shoota by Playboi Carti, 2009 by Mac Miller, Waves by Kanye, Wait a Minute by Willow Smith and Crew by Goldlink. I’d say each of these songs have a significant memory from some point in high school and I have so much more but those are the main staples.”
Abby Estrada
What have been your favorite songs/ albums/ artist throughout senior year?
“ I think I really got into Channel Orange and Blonde this year. I got more into Frank Ocean than before this year. I also discovered a lot of new artists, like Yellow Days.”
How does this differ from your taste Freshman year? What would Freshman you think of you now?
“I don’t think it’s that different from Freshman year but Freshman year I did listen to a lot more rock music, and punk rock music. I still do but it’s not an everyday thing anymore. I think Freshman year me would appreciate that I’ve broadened my music taste and branched out a lot more.”
Do you have any guilty pleasure artist or songs, or any music you listen to that you’re embarrassed about?
“I think one artist I wasn’t ashamed of listening to first and then I did because a lot of people started talking down on her was Billie Eilish because when she blew up and became one of those artists that everyone was like ‘ugh that’s so annoying’ I got kinda weird about. I would hide my phone whenever I listened to her. I think The Weeknd too, I love him but I don’t know I feel a lot of my friends don’t listen to him and aren’t that interested in him because he’s seen as very mainstream so I just kinda keep that to myself.”
What songs or albums would you vividly associate with the past for 4 years and why?
“Starting with Senior something I vividly associate with the beginning of it is Bane’s World. Every time I listen to Bane’s World I get flashbacks to the beginning of the year. Now it’s more Frank Ocean or The Strokes and Muse. Junior was very EDEN and James Young, sad boy music. My Sophomore year it was a lot of Lana Del Rey and Poppy. Freshman year was lot of Halsey and Pierce The Veil and Bring Me The Horizon. Sophomore year I associate Lowlife by poppy. Junior year I think the song Drugs by EDEN and New You by Zolita. Senior year it’s You Say I’m In Love and Pyramids.”
Faith Westacott
What have been your favorite songs/ albums/ artist throughout senior year?
“My favorite artists this year have been Clairo, Cuco, Tame Impala, and Jack Stauber and some of my favorite songs have been 4EVR by Clairo, Eventually by Tame Impala and also their song The Less I Know The Better, And Cheeseburger Family by Jack Stauber as well as Buttercup. My favorite albums this year have been Currents by Tame Impala and Ctrl by SZA.”
How does this differ from your taste Freshman year? What would Freshman you think of you now?
“I don’t think that my music taste has really changed much, if anything it’s just become more ‘alternative’ and experimental than what it used to be. Freshman me would probably still think I’m pretty cool.”
Do you have any guilty pleasure artist or songs, or any music you listen to that you’re embarrassed about?
“One of my musical guilty pleasures is listening to the old songs from the later 2000’s like Crazy Frog and the Gummy Bear song, and I also really like Cotton Eyed Joe. Another guilty pleasure I have is collecting different versions/covers of Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy, but I’m not embarrassed by it at all.”
What’s your favorite artist that you’ve discovered during high school?
“My favorite artists I discovered during high school has got to be between Tame Impala and Jack Stauber because they’re both so different but I connect so well to both of their music.”
What songs or albums would you vividly associate with the past for 4 years and why?
“Yes I’m Changing by Tame Impala is a good representation of the past four years of my life.”
Yessenia Gonzalez
What have been your favorite songs/ albums/ artist throughout senior year?
“Some of my favorites throughout Senior year have definitely been A$AP Rocky and his new album TESTING. I really listened to a lot of Beyonce and Frank Ocean and Kanye West this year even though they haven’t really dropped anything recently, they’re the ones I listened to more often than not this year.”
How does this differ from your taste Freshman year? What would Freshman you think of you now?
“Freshman year I listened to a lot more J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar so I think Freshman me would be proud of the fact that I’ve opened up my choices and have changed it up a little bit. However, I’ve been listening to a lot of Kanye and Beyonce for as long as I can remember so I think freshman me would still be really happy about that.”
Do you have any guilty pleasure artist or songs, or any music you listen to that you’re embarrassed about?
“Some of my musical guilty pleasures would probably be older music like classic rock. I love classic rock and bands and artist from the 70’s and back then. It’s just such great music and it’s really iconic but nobody really listens to it or appreciates it anymore these days so that’s why I’m like ‘oh my god is this weird, am I weird for listening to this?’ but I love it so much and I listen to it quite often when I’m alone.”
What songs or albums would you vividly associate with the past for 4 years and why?
“There are so many songs that I associate with the past 4 years with because so much has come out and there are many memories I have that are tied to many songs but I would say Good Life by Kanye West, Nights by Frank Ocean, This is How We Do it, Waves by Kanye West, and Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus. Those are all so random but they’re songs that remind me of football or freshman year which was my favorite and like just school in general so whenever those songs come on I immediately remember where I was or the memories that are tied to it.”
Jaeden Andrade
What have been your favorite songs/ albums/ artist throughout senior year?
“My favorite artists this year have definitely been Mac Miller, Anderson.Paak, George Harrison, Nirvana and probably The Beastie Boys. My favorite albums probably were Abbey Road by The Beatles, Some Rap Songs by Earl Sweatshirt, Another One by Mac Demarco and Both Sides Of The Sky by Jimi Hendrix. My favorite song would hands down be Small World by Mac Miller.”
How does this differ from your taste Freshman year? What would Freshman you think of you now?
“I’ve listened to a lot of rock, alternative, pop even a little avantgarde music this year which would have definitely intimidated my Freshman self. He seemed to be very close-minded and mostly listened to rap music, mainly Childish Gambino.”
Do you have any guilty pleasure artist or songs, or any music you listen to that you’re embarrassed about?
“I listen to The Beach Boys sometimes, they aren’t super embarrassing but I feel that, even though they’re a good band, they’re a joke. I also used to listen to a ton of gangster rap. A guilty pleasure song will always be “Neighborhood Music” by Lil Rob.”
What’s your favorite artist that you’ve discovered during high school?
“My favorite artist that I’ve discovered during High School is probably Mac Miller. I really appreciate all of the music that he has come out with and how much he reached into other genres with his rap music. It will always sting a little to listen to Swimming but it’s a great album, one of the best albums of 2018 in my opinion.”
What songs or albums would you vividly associate with the past for 4 years and why?
“I feel like Freshman year it was 3005 by Childish Gambino, Sophomore year it was Chill Bill Remix by Rob Stone, Junior year was Ghost! By Kid Cudi. Senior year was Perfecto by Mac Miller or A Heart Like Hers by Mac Demarco.”