AVP New Year 2022 Playlist

AVP 2022 New Year Playlist

Amy – “Breathless” by Nick Cave

The New Year brings with it the two coldest months of the year in the Midwestern US. As the snow is whipping and I’m drinking hot cocoa in the winter dark, I listen to this song to remind me that spring is nearer than I think: the lambs will gambol, the red-breasted robin will beat its wings outside my windows, and the sun will shine warmly again soon.

Becca – “Good as Hell” by Lizzo

The past two years have been a challenge, to say the least, and music is one of the things that has gotten my household through. When things felt extra bleak, I cranked up the music, sang loudly, and danced in my kitchen. The start of the new year brings the opportunity to reset and start anew. “Good as Hell” is the self-affirming entrance music I choose to listen to as I march into the new year. 

Bert – “Easy Now” by Joan Shelley

Every day is a new beginning; and each minute, too. Moving into the future from the past in each instance, we’re not broken, just changed. I’ve always loved the courage that Joan puts into her words and her songs. Moving into 2022, aging, but watching the youth of two growing children, I’m reflecting on the importance of each moment and the way we bring ourselves into those moments. Who will lift their face to see how the stars shine brighter? 

Chris – “In Search of Balance” by Reginald Omas Mamode IV

Although seemingly paradoxical, our search for balance in life is often what leads us to make some of our most positive dramatic changes to head down new paths and start anew. Seeking balance is usually done with a focus on achieving peace, calm, and happiness, but it is also true that what lies in between the decision to act and the outcome is almost always difficult, scary, and frequently riddled with strife. It is an act of courage. This song was released in 2019, but when I first heard it in 2021 the beautifully somber soothing background vocals supporting the steady, calm, strong, affirming messages of the lead vocal felt like a gift delivered to serve as a salve for the wounds of the past. This song has delivered many moments of confidence about the future in a time when that has not been easy to come by. I hope everyone reading this will celebrate your talents in life, incite that strength from inside, learn on with intent, and just strive for balance in life in 2022.

David – “Shakin’ Off the Rust” by Blue Stones

I love the visual of shaking off the rust because we all go through stages where we push through the challenge of new beginnings, find our stride and comfort until the next time we face a new beginning. Each time it feels like shaking off the rust and relearning how to navigate the discomfort of facing something new. The lyrics echo the sentiment of pushing through and overcoming, and the energy and grittiness of the track make it a go-to for me during the bumpiness of new beginnings.

January – “Hopeful” by Curtis Harding

“Hopeful” is the anthem, the mantra, the chant I am sticking with for 2022. It is written with poetic and timeless language that acknowledges darkness but triumphs with an enlightening belief in oneself and the world. I think musically it is timeless too- blending genres while still sounding distinctly modern.

Jason – “Go Do” by Jonsi

This song reminds me to approach the day with the same curious exuberance a young child might have. Relentlessly positive and encouraging – an incitement to joy in uncertain times. “You and sunrise will never fall under.”

Jeremiah – “In Christ Alone” by Keith and Kristyn Getty

This song explains where my hope is centered: Jesus Christ. It reminds me that He is the reason for this season. And that when you place your trust in Him, He won’t ever let you down. Also, this is one of my favorite songs to play on the piano.

Judi – “Porgy and Bess: Summertime” by George Gershwin, performed by Kathleen Battle

I chose this song because it’s haunting and beautiful.  It goes deep and touches your soul. Perhaps in this past year, many of us got to visit those places within us, that we are generally too busy to connect to and to rediscover who we are!

Kara – “This Will Be Our Year” by The Zombies

I can’t help but feel optimistic whenever I hear this sweet song. It’s a gentle reminder that despite the tough times, we have all helped each other get through, and will continue to lift each other up when we are down. Here’s hoping this will be our year, and yours too.

Kerri – “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X & Billy Ray Cyrus

It feels like everything in our world defies genre right now. The experience of the past 2 years seemed to come out of nowhere and reshaped all of our expectations about…well, everything. Old Town Road feels like the perfect anthem for riding into whatever this new year will bring. #tractorpullto2022 #yeehaw

Kevin – “No Guilt” by The Waitresses

Maybe I have The Waitresses on my mind because I enjoy their “Christmas Wrapping” in December. Regardless, I picked this song because I like the particular type of New Wave sound that was coming out of Northeastern Ohio in the very early 1980s and because the lyrics make me think about all of us surviving through the pandemic and coming out a little bit stronger for it. While technically a break-up song, the focus on the singer empowering herself in a number of ways rings true to me for the pandemic. I had no trouble setting up my new desk for my new job. I figured out how to get everything delivered. It wasn’t the end of the world. 

Pamela – “Sube a Nacer Conmigo Hermano” by Los Jaivas

Los Jaivas is a Chilean band mixing rock and Andean sounds. This song, translated to “Rise Up In Birth With Me, My Brother” is based on a poem by Chilean writer Pablo Neruda inspired by the Ruins of Macchu Picchu in Peru. The poem is a reflection on the ancient culture, the impact of colonialism, and the strength to rebirth. Although published in 1981, the song and poem’s relevance is timely as social movements rise in the region, and it reminds us that together we can build new beginnings.

Rebecca – “Great Day” by Paul McCartney

Ages ago, my boyfriend had a morning mix he would listen to every day and this song would always play first. 15+ years later, the boyfriend is still around and this song still centers me and fills me with hope for a new day. The arrangement and lyrics are simple, telling us “it’s gonna be a great day” and “it won’t be long.” It won’t be long until what? Who knows?! I’m hoping for something wonderful for us all in the new year. 

Shawn – “Hard Drive” by Cassandra Jenkins

“You know the mind, the mind is just a hard drive. In this life, the mind is just a hard drive.” What will you put on the finite remainder of your disk space? Lots of us have spent the last year healing and retrieving parts of ourselves we thought we had lost, putting our hearts back together. Jenkins’ soothing vocals paired with a casually meandering saxophone remind us to just relax and open ourselves up to new conversations, experiences, and possibilities.

Vida – “Satellite” by Thundercat

This song is the only vibe I’d like to take into the new year. We’ve all faced battles whether it’s physical, mental, or spiritual over the past two years. Satellite is a melodic jam that melts away whatever nonsense I chose to carry that day. “Everything’s gonna be alright, alright, alright…”