I’m sitting in my room with the phone propped up on my bed. The screen is bright, but I don’t care; it’s too late at night for darkness. The music playing is a mix of songs I’ve been hearing about everywhere—some new pop stuff that sounds fresh and not like the usual stuff I listen to.

The last song ends with a bang of drums, and I tap my foot along to the beat, even though there’s no one here to see. It’s some guy from a band called Twenty One Pilots. His voice is deep but not too annoying, just right. The lyrics are about growing up and feeling lost, stuff that makes sense now, maybe because I feel exactly that way sometimes.

I scroll down the screen, my finger moving over the list of songs, and there’s one I haven’t heard yet. It’s by someone named Lorde. She talks about finding her own voice in a world full of noise, which is funny because it’s so true. Sometimes I wonder if people can hear me when I try to say something important.

There are also some new lyrics that caught my eye: “I don’t wanna fade into the background / And lose who I am.” That line feels like it was made for me. It’s hard not to get lost in everything happening, but I want to find myself first.

I tap on the song and let it start playing. The intro is just a single chord ringing out loud before her voice comes in soft and clear. She sings about finding her way, and I nod along, hoping she can hear me too. Maybe someday we’ll both find our own paths.

The lyrics are honest and raw; they feel like the kind of things someone my age should be thinking about. It’s not just pop anymore—I’m learning that music is more than just background noise. Sometimes it’s a mirror reflecting back who I am or could be if I let it.

As the song fades out, I save the playlist so I can come back to it later when I need another reminder to stay true to myself. I know there’s going to be more of this—more people making music that feels like it was written just for me. And that’s kind of scary and exciting all at once.

I lie down on my bed, the phone in hand, and close my eyes. The music is still playing softly in the background as I drift off, already dreaming about what new songs might be waiting for me tomorrow.