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Introducing: The People’s Soundtracks
Vol. 50 | Happy Golden Week from Music Musings! 🌟🌟🌟
Valerie S.
September 17, 2025
What’s vibin’, everybody!
We’ve officially reached our 50th newsletter — that’s right, the big 5-0! As with every milestone issue, it’s become a little tradition of mine to feature songs from fellow music musers far and wide. It’s my way of bringing this community closer together and thanking you for staying tuned in to this space.
This time round, I’ll be sharing inputs not just from regular submitters, readers, and both new and familiar community members, but also from unexpected corners and spaces you won’t normally get music insights from at first glance.
Basically, my goal for this milestone volume is that sharing music really comes from every social collective, and beyond music scenes and creative minds. It feels like I’m really pushing the boundaries of my fieldwork journalism, and it’s been quite an exciting time!
I’ve been promoting this newsletter and keeping readership up mostly through word-of-mouth, and now seeing more readers join us just as we approach our one-year mark has been incredibly heartwarming. It really goes to show that when you create something of genuine value, it will find its way to the right people in time.
So, thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making space for Music Musings in your inbox and your daily Beehiiv reads. Being a solo writer in such a niche corner of music writing isn’t always easy, but knowing that this newsletter now reaches even more wonderful people makes it all worth it. 🥹🫶
And here’s a quick heads-up: With Music Musings turning 1 soon, that means the next few weeks will be jam-packed with great songs and maybe some stories and narratives. Expect some truly heckin’ good discoveries coming your way 🙌
Here’s to more amazing songs we’ll discover, together ❤️
Your fellow music muser,
Val ♫
(P.S If you are reading this in your email, please click “Read Online” at the top-right corner next to the date for a better reading experience!)
In this week's setlist:
🟡 Music Musings’ Golden Honmoon
You’ve seen my pins the past few weeks asking everyone to submit your recommendations, and your songs were heard! This is our mega collection of songs from the avid listeners behind the Beehiiv readers, social media listeners, friends from all circles and beyond. This is THE playlist that will drive out the music demons away.
Let’s get right into it! 🎧
💭 Musings Off the Record
For the first time in Music Musings, we’re peeling back the layers of these new tracks and featuring the B-sides from the community — the unfiltered thoughts, raw reflections, and personal narratives. This is where the music speaks louder through the people behind it.
Here’s how our most eloquent listeners put music into day-in-the-life prose:
Then There’s You by RENE and lewloh
“I view this song as a love letter to someone that brings you so much comfort even when the world is falling on you, and after all that, you have a special space in your heart just for them. Just as the title suggests, the song is just super beautifully written and feels like a warm hug on a grass field.”
– Kelly, Singapore
Okay Okay by Pino D’Angio
“This is THE classic Italo disco by the legend himself. It’s channelling hot summer nights in Italy, where the air smells like hot sand, grilled seafood and cheap tobacco. Listening to this song makes me feel like getting down on the the floor with a belly full of pasta and an Aperol Spritz in hand. Overall, it's an all around feel-good track for when I'm feeling pretty shitty.”
– Jason, Singapore
You’ll Find Lovers Like You and Me by Reality Club
“It’s a soft, warm hug that reassures me I’lll always find love, and it’s the same for the other party. It reminds me that for every door that closes, another one will open that's far much suited for you. And maybe they won't ever find someone better than me – heck they'll probably see parts of me in others. But eventually, they'll find someone better for them.”
– Izzy, Singapore
A8 by Marian Carmel
“This was my crashout song for an entire month. I once dated this guy that ended things out of nowhere even though I thought we were doing so well. He met with me because he thought I deserved the closure talk, and he sent me home as his last apparent act of generosity. It was the final wave of goodbye at my front gate and I took one last look at a stranger that once felt so familiar. And I remember thinking: I'll never see this person again, and this is how it ends.”
– Anonymous, Singapore
“It’s giving intimate, like you smelling your loved one’s hair. It almost feels like quiet, fleeting observations coming to life.”
Rom-Com Gone Wrong by Matt Maltese
“There’s something quite playful and funny about this song as the song title suggests. There’s an awareness that you feel throughout the song, but I found the ending to be quite optimistic. It’s as though you’ve come to terms with whatever that situation was.”
– Marcus, Singapore
laced up by tsubi club
“I imagine it as some hyperpop track layered with pop-punk vocals. It’s just really catchy and feel good, so I play it a lot on repeat.”
– Reuben, Singapore
Hear You Me by Jimmy Eat World
“Landed on this old song ‘cause it keeps coming back to my mind. The real meaning behind the song is quite sad, and it’s about the things we often regret not saying.”
– Ariel, Singapore
Left Behind by The Plot In You
“This is the song I would recommend! It's in the style of metal rock, and I find that listening to it brings a lot of excitement in me, and the lyrics are inspirational too.”
– Yudi, Singapore
This week’s playlist isn’t just about faves and picks from the community, but also the collectives and communities that create incredible social harmonies that connect people together.
Let’s hear it from the people behind the vibiest social spaces around!
Podium Society
“Podium is the modern woman's connection platform in Singapore. 200+ women navigating their ambition, identity and change at member-only gatherings, retreats and more.”
Every month, Podium Society hosts a variety of events designed to connect women at different life and career stages. If you’re looking for a wholesome, supportive community of women from all walks of life where you can learn something new, grow together, and find companionship on your journey, this is the place to be.
Here are Alka and Mai’s picks:
Dinner With Strangers / Fishbowl
Never Strangers
From human bingo to AI-powered matching, these quirky social mixers hosted by Unfiltered puts the tech in modern connections. In just a short time, the collective has expanded abroad, bringing its signature socializing formula to 20-somethings across Malaysia, Philippines and Hong Kong. If you’re looking for a fresh social vibe paired with nostalgic DJ parties from your teenage/uni heydays, your homies got you.
“I believe one of the songs that resonates with me and Never Strangers is Team by Lorde (though this might be considered mainstream) - I think it heavily resonates with our generation finding happiness with the people around us. For the 20s to 30s, we were the generation that grew up predominantly online but we never gave up on physical connections and living life offline. This is what Never Strangers will always stand for, connecting strangers together in more meaningful ways.” – Angelo
Asian Wander Women
“Asian Wander Women (AWW) is a global community for women of the Asian diaspora who love business and travel. With 2,500+ members globally, we strive to cultivate meaningful relationships for women across all fields and ages.”
What began as a digital nomad group has now grown into a global travel community consisting of unique girlies around the world. As the name suggests, AWW welcomes global-minded Asians and cosmopolitans alike who share a passion for all things wander-ful.
Check out Emily and Justine’s go-to listens:
🎶 New Music This Week
It’ll Be Alright by Suncream and Oli Rivers: What’s a community-themed newsletter without a few words from yours truly? I’m closing this jam-packed issue with a groovy, finger-snapping beat and an uplifting message to carry you through the week.
Inspired by this week’s music picks?
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Interested to know more about music musings and what this newsletter’s all about? | Fellow music lover and explorer? Let’s connect! |
Have a song or artist recommendation that I should spotlight in my next newsletter? | Got a song and a message you’d like to dedicate to your special someone? Anonymous responses are welcome! |
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