My 2020 Rewind Playlist
By
Stephanie Heisler
As 2020 comes to a close we all have our eyes watching the clock until we are free of one of the most challenging, weird, life-changing years ever. The year began as any other with hope, promise and resolutions. When things began to take a turn we found ourselves staying home, refocusing on our priorities and surviving the best way we could. As I was enduring this year in quarantine I turned to music for an escape.
My 2020 playlist begins with MOOD by 24Goldn because honestly this year was a whole mood in itself. I found new solace in quick trips to the grocery store for essentials and in riding my Peloton(our biggest quarantine purchase).During these times I got to escape the world’s reality and heaviness with my favorite tracks Rain on Me and Dynamite.Having powerful, inspiring women like Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande singing to me as I danced or rode my bike as fast as I could was invigorating.This by far was my most played song for 2020 once it came out I would skip to it each time !
Dancing in my car to BTS’s dynamite brought me back to my Boy-Band loving days and memories of dancing with my friends in clubs back in college. Being a Mom of three young children makes one feel less hip or cool at times. As my priorities and lifestyle has changed drastically, the minute I hear that one song that really speaks to me in the moment- I’m instantly transported back to the dance floors of my younger, cooler days. Savage by Megan Thee Stallion was that for me this year. Hearing her verses made me feel empowered in a new way. Listening to an unapologetic female made me recognize more than ever that our time for change is now. I finally had the confidence to start a blog and instagram account to spread positivity that I had been hemming and hawing about for years. I received an overwhelmingly positive response from friends and strangers for also being genuine about how seeing light during the dark times can be tough but essential to get through 2020. Demi Lovato’s song “OK Not to Be OK” resonated with me as I found myself keeping it together each day for my kids and falling apart once they went to sleep.Embracing all the emotions that came with this year really hit home in that song and I play it quite often. “Intentions” by Justin Bieber is next on my playlist for those feelings of wanting to give my kids everything while protecting them from the craziness of the world this year.
Then like many others in quarantine, I started cooking more and invited my kids into the kitchen to help me and enjoy preparing the food for our family.We will only cook and wash dishes with music blaring and breaks for dance parties. Blinding Lights by The Weeknd is a true favorite of ours for those dance breaks! It’s such a fun beat that even my toddler goes crazy dancing when he hears it! Moving to the beat and forgetting our troubles is the motto with my next three songs: Midnight Sky, Feel the Beat and Girl Like Me. Nostalgic vibes in all these songs with Miley’s sultry voice and the Black Eyed Peas partnering with Shakira. These jams were most enjoyable to rock out to in our living room wearing our jammies, no worries or judgements.
My 2020 Rewind Playlist is full of GIRL POWER and “let me reintroduce myself” by Gwen Stefani and Physical by Dua Lipa reaffirmed the girls rule vibe for the days in 2020 where I was missing the normal hustle bustle of life. Then the times I wanted to feel all the feels I was listening to Drake’s Laugh Now Cry Later, Are You Even Real by James Blake and Therefore I Am by Billie Eillish.
Wrapping up the final months of 2020 recognizing what matters most and feeling gratitude listening to Life is Good by Future, Rockstar by DaBaby and The Steps by HAIM got me through my days. With those feelings also came hope and looking forward to all the girl’s nights, date nights out, parties with friends and family gatherings with my final playlist song Do It by Chloe and Halle.
Music is the heartbeat that fuels our souls to be creative, reminisce and live in the moment fully. I felt every single emotion in 2020 and wondered how it would all turn out and now as it ends I feel grateful for the learning and growing I did this year and the songs I had to get me through it.
Enjoy my playlist for yourself https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/my-2020-hit-list/pl.u-r2yBDbXI22B03
About the Creator
Stephanie Heisler
Born and raised in the valley of sunny California ,Stephanie is a fun ,suburban mom of two rambunctious boys. She recently left her career as a preschool teacher after many years to pursue her dream of writing a book.
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