Story by Alyssa Crutcher
It is no secret Gen Z is the most tech-savvy generation. We grew up during the height of technology. Because of this, it has become one of the biggest parts of our lives. A side effect of this is Gen Z’s dependency on music.
Walking through campus, as I’m looking around, all I see are students with earbuds in or headphones on. Immediately after class is dismissed, the earbuds go in and the music comes on. I am one of these people.
In my life, music is the number one thing that calms and drives me. Without it, life would be obsolete. This is true for many members of Gen Z. It is used by many as an outlet and a way to quiet the noise around them, whether that noise be physical or mental.
Kyle Lemieux, a freshman psychology major, said music has played a vital role in his life ever since he was little. From singing in his elementary school choir to playing trumpet for almost eight years, it has permeated every facet of his life and became an integral part of how he defines himself, he said.
“I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if I couldn’t listen to music on my way to class, find a random new artist every month or fall in love with some album I’ve never heard of before,” Lemieux said. “These are all fundamental experiences to who I am and how I express myself, and if they were taken away I wouldn’t be the same person I am.”
With this generation’s emphasis on the importance of diversity and inclusion, music has become another way to express ourselves and find out who we are. Music has the power to allow us to be whoever we want to be, even if it’s just for the duration of one song.
Similar to other people, I have a playlist for every possible situation and mood. Turning on the most complementary playlist for the mood I am in is enough to turn my entire day around.
Jaden Evans, a senior mechanical engineering major, said music has been a constant source of comfort and inspiration and has also been a huge part of his identity since he was young. Music helps him process his emotions and find new ways to express himself, he said.
“I think music helps me, in a way, escape into a different world where I can take a break from all the negatives of being a human in this world,” Evans said.
Music contributes to Evans’ creativity, he said. From an early age, being involved in music was rewarding for him and gave him a passion he could explore.
Evans and Lemieux have both played the trumpet for many years. Because of this, they both find that jazz music is near the top of their lists of favorite genres.
Learning how music works on different instruments made Evans grow an affinity toward it, he said. His top genres are R&B, jazz, hip-hop, soul and funk.
He listens to music whenever he has free time, such as when he studies, does homework, lays in bed, eats and showers. Music also helps Evans zone in on one specific task, he said. His engineering homework is much easier to focus on when he is listening to music.
Lemieux listens to music when walking, driving and working out, he said. The music he listens to generally has a very laid-back feel to it, with many jazz influences in his current taste, and mostly depends on the activity he is doing. Currently, his favorite jazz musician is Sonny Stitt, a saxophone player. He puts on Lofi when he is studying because it helps him drown out the world around him. When he’s cleaning, he puts on his vinyl collaboration album between Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald.
“If music were to not exist, a fundamental part of me would be gone,” Lemieux said. “I would find it extremely hard to redefine myself as something other than a musician, not to mention my record collection being rendered obsolete.”
Without our musical outlets, the world would be monotonous.
“Getting rid of music would get rid of a way of expressing myself,” Evans said. “I’ve devoted most of my life to constantly pursuing music and finding new ways to improve. Music has also helped me manage rough parts of my life and stay in tune with my emotions. In all, my life would be much duller without music.”