I grew up in a home that celebrated everything. Every Christmas was a celebration, every Easter was an egg hunt, every Halloween was a full decked out (not scary at all) haunted house. My mom always made sure everyone had a fun time during the holidays. Birthdays were also a big deal growing up, and truly still are. My mom would make my sisters and I feel like absolute princesses on our birthdays every year. And since we’re all old enough, the tradition of celebrating holidays and birthdays has been passed down. I love it all. Valentine’s Day is no exception of course. My friends and I have recently been discussing relationships, as that is the topic of the season. One of my favorite parts about being in a relationship was getting to celebrate another person. I loved making birthdays special for someone else and I loved doing Valentine’s Day. But before and after the relationships I have been in, I still have proceeded to celebrate those I love around me, including holidays, birthdays, and Valentine’s Day! All of this to say, I love love and all the music that soundtracks special moments. Here is a small collection of song recommendations I think everyone should listen to during Valentine’s Day to celebrate the holiday of love.
The first song is called “I’ve Seen It” by the Best New Artist Grammy winner Olivia Dean. I’ve been blasting this song for a while now, as its message is beautifully simple. She sings about how there is so much love around her by way of her parents, her best friends, and her own dedication to loving herself. And she recognizes that while she might not have that romantic love in her life right now, she is not missing out on anything at all because of the love she has right in front of her. What a good reminder.
The next song is by Gracie Abrams, an artist I love so much. I listen to her all of the time, and it’s like she reads my journal. She has a song called “Packing It Up” that encapsulates what it feels like to finally fall in love after a while of being on your own. She talks about how she was so close to just closing the book on relationships and fully deciding to be on her own. Gracie sings about the quiet feeling of falling back in love and discovering that this new person might be the one. I just love this song, and I think it is the perfect song for falling in love.
The last song is one of the most beautiful love songs I’ve ever heard. “All I Need To Hear” by The 1975 is one of the most earnest songs I’ve ever heard. Matty Healy and the rest of this band pride themselves on their nihilism, sarcasm, and irony towards love. Healy explained during the press tour for his most recent album how this is the first song where he just says exactly how he feels about love. He talks about being in a simple relationship where he doesn’t need all the glitz and glamour. All he needs is his partner and the knowledge of their love.
While Valentine’s Day looks different for everyone, we are all capable of love. Whether it is romantic or platonic, love is all around if you really look for it. I’m excited to one day have a romantic Valentine who I can celebrate this holiday with, but until then, I have my best friends — my truest valentines. I’m looking forward to spending this Valentine’s Day with my girls, and trust me, these songs will be playing all day long!
