Music in Life

Sophie Cucco

    At times, music gives Wes a way to process his feelings, especially during tough moments like when he’s dealing with his father’s death or struggling with his identity. Music is part of how Wes and his friends connect and express themselves. It shapes their worldview and is often linked to the themes of masculinity, power, and survival. In the early chapters, Wes mentions being surrounded by the rise of hip-hop culture in the Bronx. Songs by artists like Run-D.M.C. and Big Daddy Kane were playing in the background of his daily life. This music didn’t just entertain—it captured the realities of the streets, the struggles of young Black men, and themes like power, poverty, and resistance. Wes recalls how these lyrics shaped how boys saw manhood—often equating it with toughness and dominance, which influenced some of his early behavior.

I am a very avid music listener. More so than the average person I would say. I listen to music while I get ready, on public transport, in the shower, while I sleep, etc. As a dancer especially, I spend the majority of my day listening and absorbing different music. It is a consistent part of my life, and something that is very important to me.

Similarly to Wes, I find myself using music as an outlet to connect. I love listening to new music with my friends, being able to connect over similar artists that we love. Sharing songs that remind me of people or my relationships. Some of my favorite memories are of me and my friends driving around my small hometown blasting our favorite songs and singing out of the window. No matter what was happening in our lives, a breakup, big final exams, family issues, we could forget about them for a moment and just feel. We even have a joint playlist where we all got to add in our favorite songs. Music will always be a source of community and correspondence for me.

Music can evoke something so much larger than just our thoughts or words—it taps into a deeper part of us that language alone often can’t reach. A single melody has the power to stir up emotions we didn’t even realize we were carrying, or to articulate a feeling we’ve struggled to express. That ability to produce a genuine, visceral reaction is what I find most beautiful about it. There’s something magical about how a song can make you feel understood. Music can be a powerful form of escapism. Whether you're sinking deeper into your emotions, allowing yourself to fully feel them, or using the rhythm and energy of a song to shift your mindset and reroute your mood, it gives you that space to process life in your own way. It’s like being momentarily transported—taken out of your current reality and dropped into a world shaped by sound. That act of emotional release, or even emotional refuge, can be incredibly cathartic and healing.