🎧 Rediscovering My Musical Time Capsule

This post explores the personal experience of rediscovering a long-lost playlist spanning the 1980s to the 2020s, encompassing genres like Malay Nasyid, Kpop, Mandopop, Cantopop, classical, Kenny G and Dave Koz. The author reflects on their preference for dancing tunes with immediate hooks and a fondness for live performances. Despite efforts to find similar music on platforms like YouTube, nothing resonated as deeply as this eclectic mix. The post emphasizes the unique and personal nature of the playlist, highlighting how music can serve as a powerful emotional anchor and a source of energy.

Disclaimer While the sentiment of rediscovering a cherished playlist and experiencing a surge of energy is a common theme, the specific narrative presented here and a distinct aversion to much of today's Billboard music — is an original and personal account. 

🎧 When the Pause Button Finally Releases 🎶

Funny how music works. I recently stumbled across a forgotten playlist of mine — a personal collection that’s been lost for over 5 years ever since iTunes went AWOL from my laptop. Today, I finally found those same tunes again on Spotify.

Before hitting play, I felt “meh,” sluggish, like life was in slow motion. I tried YouTube and other streaming services, but nothing seemed to gel quite like this. The moment the first track started, it was like a long-held pause button finally released. I was fully lost in the music, earphones in, oblivious to everything around me — just like I used to do in Perth. 😆

This isn’t a typical playlist. It’s a unique mix spanning the 1980s to the 2020s — Malay pop, Kpop, Mandopop, Cantopop, classical, Nasyid, Kenny G, Dave Koz… a little bit of everything that has moved me over the years. I’ve realised I naturally gravitate toward dancing tunes with hooks right from the start and I especially love live performances — the energy, spontaneity and feeling of the music in real time.

At the same time, much of today’s Billboard music doesn’t appeal to me. I don’t need the latest hits to feel alive — just songs that connect deeply, that carry emotion, memory and energy.

It’s amazing how music isn’t just background noise. It carries pieces of us, waiting quietly to remind us who we were, what we felt, and what still moves us. Rediscovering this playlist didn’t just lift my mood — it recharged me, reminded me of little joys I’d forgotten and gave me a burst of energy I didn’t know I needed. ⚡🎶

Moral of the story: never underestimate the power of your own eclectic, weirdly wonderful playlist. Sometimes, it’s the perfect antidote to feeling “meh.”