Just Keep Singing

When Peter and I were first dating, holed up in his basement apartment, right beside his floor bed, was a grand set of drums, and he played for me. The set was the only piece of furniture in the whole apartment raised from the floor, and it was one of the only things he packed with him when he made the move from Maryland to New York a year before. He joined several bands during our seven years together, and left many bands too. He played for our children, and some of his first jobs as a freelance videographer were taping bands for John Varvatos, now located at the iconic CBGB club.

Personally, I grew up with music floating in and about my childhood. My brother has spent his whole life rapping, and that creative career has him rubbing elbows and befriending some of the best in the industry. My grandmother used her voice for church every single Sunday, and my mother’s serenading became comfort in my childhood. And though I could never carry a tune myself, I truly believe in the  power of music.

Every morning, while the apartment is still dark and the children are still asleep, I burn palo santo and turn on my morning playlist. During the day, we often bring the kids’ iPad for impromptu dance parties in the park or for listening on long train rides when we are headed all the way uptown to hang with friends. In the evening, we light a candle and sit around our table and listen to our evening playlist. And music is still there while my kids drift asleep, drowning out the city chaos that is ever present when the night grows dark.

So when Spotify reached out and asked to partner for their #KEEPSINGING campaign, I was truly honored.

Beyond my belief that music has the power to change the energy in any situation and anyone’s mood, there is real science behind it when it comes to our children and their ever-expanding minds. Talking, reading, playing, dancing, listening are all things that encourage language skills. And Spotify, allows parents to do this for FREE with our kids. With simple playlists, and funny little characters (River found it hilarious), hosted by familiar voices in media, like Sarah Michelle Geller and Busy Phillips, children and parents are encouraged to truly experience with their little ones with nothing more then them and the music floating around them.

My favorite “Dance Party” playlist.

Music is this beautiful thing that goes beyond space, time, and age. We all are moved by it and growing and learning along with it.

(This post is in partnership with Spotify. All thoughts and truths are my own. Photography by Julia Elizabeth for LaTonya Yvette)