What has been your favorite song to listen to in 2025?

I would say “Baby Steps” on the Olivia Dean album was really good. But over the summer, I really liked “White Horse” by Chris Stapleton. The intro to “White Horse” is really good; it feels like summer, and just like country roads, it’s very nice. The Olivia Dean song “Baby Steps” is a pep up for a long day after school.

Who has been your favorite artist in 2025?

Probably Olivia Dean. The new album, Art of Loving, is really good.

How does music help you get through the day or make your day better? 

Driving. I cannot drive without music. Driving [without] music would be so sad. I actually look forward to going to school in the morning; the drive to school is always pleasant, and the drive home from school is like a detox.

How would not having music affect your day?

It would significantly decrease my joy of transition time. I love going from one thing to the next, and music is a good reset. Without it, I would still be thinking about things without actually fully resetting.

What has been your favorite song to listen to in 2025?

I’d say my most listened to song was “Hole” by Malibu.  [Also] maybe “No Name No. 5” by Elliot Smith. Those were probably my top two songs of the year. They’re both really opposite songs, but for Malibu, it’s just super fun. It was my song of the summer, so very lively and energetic, it felt like the embodiment of summer. For Elliot Smith, I love all his music, songwriting and voice. 

Who has been your favorite artist of 2025?

Alice Phoebe Lou is up there, Arctic Monkeys are always on there. I like Deftones, Blur and Blood Orange. I just like listening to a lot of different genres of music [and] branching out and trying new types of music.

What’s your favorite genre of music and why?

Shoegaze and indie rock, but older, ‘90s indie rock. I’ve been getting really into [the] 90s sound. It just feels more true to the artist’s nature or passions. I like shoegaze a lot; it’s a lot of noise, but it’s fun. I like the noise.

Have you discovered any new artists this year? 

I’m listening to Campdogzz a lot, a lot of Cornelia Murr and Crumb, which is older. [Also] Duster, Blur and Oasis. I love everyone. Joy Orbison has an album that came out this year. It was really good.

How does music help you get through the day or make your day better?

I think music can be super calming, [it] helps you distract from everything. It can also connect to your real life and your personal experiences, or what you’re going through. [It] helps process everything that goes on.