By: Dilpreet Tatla, SFU Student
As a cautious and anxious person, music has allowed me the confidence and adrenaline to take risks in different aspects of my life. If you’re like me and seek music to pump you up, here are a few tracks to replace your worried thoughts with an adrenaline high. Maybe one of these songs will finally get you to go bungee jumping or to text your crush.
This is the type of alternative rock song that is played in a movie during a montage scene when the protagonist is rising after being knocked down. Forceful lyrics like, “It’s time to stand up, stand up / Show me what you’re made of,” accompanied by loud drums, will cause you to feel invincible. Truly, this is a song to make you feel like the protagonist in a movie. So look at that bucket list of yours, pick something you’ve always wanted to do but feared, and play this song — before you know it, you will be able to say you went skydiving.
R&B singer H.E.R. is known for her soulful and soft, angelic voice. Accompanied by slow tempos, her voice can help soothe anxious thoughts that have you second-guessing yourself in romantic situations. The lyrics will convince you to take a risk in putting yourself out there and making the first move. H.E.R. sings, “I want you off my mind and on me” — a sentiment many of us have likely been able to relate to at some point in time. So why wait? Send that first text.
We sometimes think that betting on ourselves is a risk, so instead, we stay in our comfort zone. Contemporary R&B singer Mary J. Blige speaks to this by singing about how there may be losses, but there are also wins when you believe in yourself. These lyrics, along with her powerful voice, reassure listeners and give them a boost of confidence. The change from a slow to moderate tempo in the song allows for listeners to feel the build up of an adrenaline rush, causing nervous feelings to slip away. This is a song to be played prior to any situation you feel you need to take a risk, whether it be at school, work, or somewhere else.
If you liked those you should also check out:
- “Swim Good” by Frank Ocean
- “We are Young” by fun. (feat Janelle Monáe)
- “Not Afraid” by Eminem
- “It’s My Life” by Bon Jovi
- “Wrote My Way Out” by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Nas, Aloe Blacc, Dave East
- “Survivor” by Destiny’s Child
- “Dare You to Move” by Switchfoot
