Once a month, Cecemuwe’s team and friends gather around in a quiet room to discuss things and events that have impacted our lives our so far. This very rainy week, our Community Manager, Ivan, shares the songs that kept him dry in the rain.
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“When it rains, it pours, but you didn’t even notice it ain’t rainin’ anymore.” – Rainbow, Kacey Musgraves (2018)
The year was 2019, it was a stormy day in February, and the Grammy Awards was on TV. Kacey Musgraves’ Golden Hour just won Album of the Year. That year, she was also on the stage performing her beautiful piece from the album, Rainbow.
Listening to Rainbow has always been an emotional gut-punch for me, but little did i know 2019 would make this song hit differently and changed the way I see my entire surroundings. Watching Kacey on TV back then, I didn’t realize that my 2019 was about to turn into a thunderstorm.
My ego made me break the bank, lose my relationship and bruised my mental health. All in the same year, bit by bit, the rain officially turned into a storm and I almost lost myself in the process.
Though I was physically dry with a comfortable roof over my head, I was soaked. Soaked in my own anxiety and emotions. “When it rains, it pours, but you didn’t even notice it ain’t rainin’ anymore.” As those lines mirrored my feelings back then, I was struggling to let the sunshine in and I had let the storm stay instead.
During those rainy days, music calmed me down and my playlists became my best friends. From the dreamy Monita Tahalea, the poise of India.Arie. to the elegance of Norah Jones, these soothing voices helped clear my headspace in those rainy days. It was also then, when 2019 played a fairly cruel joke on me and the rain was pouring literally (and metaphorically) over me that Kacey Musgraves’ Rainbow pulled me back on my feet again.
She said, “tie up the bow, take off your coat, and take a look around, everything’s all right now.”
That line hit me. It punched me in the face. I looked around to find that the rain had indeed stopped, and even if I felt like it was still pouring hard, it was only pouring in my head. It was time for me to focus, get up, and dry off my emotions. I realized then that things happened to create bigger things, ones beyond my own recognition.
I finished 2019 barely breathing, hanging on to the thought that “there’s always been a rainbow hangin’ over [my] head”, even if I couldn’t see it at times. It helped me find my way back to a more positive start in 2020.
And now, with how 2020 is going thus far, the rain is still pouring for a lot of us. So, here I am sharing the playlist that gave me some peace in my darkest times, with the hopes that it would bring the same positive light to your days.
Songs for the Rain is a playlist close to my heart. It is inspired by those who keep their hope, dreams and faith alive at all times. Starting with “Daydreamer", we will face loss (“You’re Gonna Live Forever in Me”), feel loved (“Beautiful Surprise”, “The Luckiest”), and be hopeful (“A Love that Will Last”) along the way.
We will also learn to play in the rain (“Bermain Hujan”) because the rain, however hard it may pour, is still a blessing. When we realize that, we are finally able to feel those glorious feelings and be happy again, we'll find ourselves “Singin’ in the Rain”.
It’s the beginning of November now, a time when raindrops are familiar sounds to the ear. It often drowns out other noises, and in its overwhelming noise, it draws out emotions we’d rather not acknowledge.
It could be frustration, from not being able to go home on time or arriving to work with damp shoes. But sometimes, the rain also triggers memories of love, loss and lost loves.
As the rain keeps falling outside your window and inside your head, I hope this playlist helps you clear the skies within you. The most important thing is to remember that no matter how tough the struggles get, at the end of the day, the last line of “Rainbow” – the last song in this playlist – sums it up best : “It’ll all be alright”.
Lots of love,
Ivan Joshua
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This blog is written for Cecemuwe Café & Space,
Don’t forget to follow Cecemuwe on Spotify for more of our playlists, specially curated by our team for your daily dose of wholesome vibes.
Tell us your favorite songs for rainy days in the comments below!
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