Happier Than Ever - I had to end a four-year friendship on the last day of my sophomore year in high school. I felt a mix of emotions, knowing that my whole friend group would side with them rather than me. At the same time, I felt super relieved to escape the toxic arguments. I had never realized how harmful our group was to each other until high school. Most of the drama stemmed from Sam, my "best friend" since middle school. Life was carefree back then. We never got into actual arguments, just silly dumb fights that we could care less about. I don't know what changed. Purperty? The pandemic? Unlimited internet access? I know one thing for sure: I had grown, while Sam hadn't. Or maybe it was the other way around? Sam would always have an issue, a crisis, a problem. They would always come to me for help like a dependent dog, begging for a solution. No matter what I said it was wrong. They would never listen, they only wanted to be heard. I could feel our friendship sinking, Sam being the waves and me as the captain, just letting it happen while the rest of our crew watched. Eventually, I woke up and jumped into the lifeboat, permanently separating myself from my old friends. In the aftermath of this emotional upheaval, I discovered Billie Eilish's song "Happier Than Ever." Each lyric felt like a soothing balm for my soul, allowing me to articulate feelings I had longed to express during those years. Billie’s music became a refuge for me, helping to give voice to the experiences I wished I could have shared with Sam back then. TV - I don't remember when I fully listened to "TV," but I heard parts of it on the app TikTok, mostly in edits. This single perfectly describes the experience of falling back into depression or having a falling out with friends. I often find myself overthinking during depressive episodes, convinced that everything and everyone is terrible and that I'm all alone in this world, and then a minute later I start to believe it's all my fault and that I deserve to feel this way. "TV" has helped me realize these feelings are only temporary and that I'm not alone. As I navigated these challenging emotions, I found comfort in connecting with friends, leading to a memorable summer experience. What Was I Made For? - When I was dealing with a painful breakup, watching the Barbie Movie deeply affected me, especially the scene with Barbie and her creator, paired with Billie's amazing single "What Was I Made For?". Billie's song and the montage of the cast and crew's childhood memories of growing up, add such a personal connection to all women in the audience. After a week that felt like a never-ending emotional rollercoaster, I sobbed, along with my best friend who was just overwhelmed by the beauty of human experience and childhood. My other two friends only had eyes filled with concern and confusion as they stared at us. After the movie, I listened to "What Was I Made For?" severely times until I fell asleep. Billie played such a pivotal role in helping me articulate my emotions, guiding me to express feelings that I struggled to understand, within a single song. It gave me hope that I would find happiness again. I am extremely grateful for Billie expressing her personal struggles in this song, and for her musically talented brother Finneas skillfully shaping the musical elements to enhance "What Was I Made For?".

Chappell Roan is a unique, vibrant, funny, and beautiful human. Her music is unlike anything I've seen or heard before. She blends pop, disco, and rock influences from the 2000s, creating a theatrical and danceable sound that I fell in love with. This style perfectly complements her feminine aesthetic and bright drag makeup looks. While I wouldn’t consider myself a hardcore fan, her music has helped me through various experiences. Getting over a breakup, discovering my sexuality, and reconnecting with my emotions. We have a few things in common, me and Chappell. We both have long red hair. Both from the Midwest. Both are very bubbly and loud. And we both love women. It took me a while to figure out I liked girls, not in a friendly way. That day was back in the summer of 2020. Also took me a while that I don't like men romantically at all. That day was today. All because of a skit from TikTok that referenced "Good Luck, Babe!". Therefore Chappell gets the credit, thanks babe. I wholeheartedly support Chappell's music career. She has amazing vocals and a captivating performance style. I want her to feel empowered and release more music as soon as I finish listening to her first album. I just recently became a fan okay? Give me a break. In all seriousness, I love everything about Chappell Roan, and I hope to meet her someday.