The Preuss School UC San Diego is full of diverse students with varied musical interests. Our scholars’ playlists are nothing short of unique, whether it be artists such as Kali Uchis or music coming from students’ cultural backgrounds such as Los Angeles Azules, Michael Adonai, Hom Nguyen and various other incredible artists.
Yusuf Adan (‘26)
What genre(s) of music do you listen to the most?
“I listen to a lot of rap, hip hop and R & B.”
What music are you listening to right now?
“HG4” “by Rod Wave.”
What cultural music do you listen to? Who in your family influenced you to listen to it on your own?
“The cultural music I listen to is Burna Boy music and I was put on by my sister. I’ve been listening to it every single time I’m in the car with my sister.”
What is your favorite album of all time and why?
“My favorite album of all time is Hood Gospel by Rod Wave, it’s like the way he takes traditional rap, you know how traditional rap is kind of ugly a bit. It’s like the gang’s, violence, drugs but he puts more of a like soulful take on it, it’s a lot more of singing and r & b. A lot of people say his music is kind of sad or something but honestly it’s just a window to his heart.”
What music helps you wind down? How does it make you feel? When do you play it?
“I listen to Brent Faiyaz to wind down, I listen to him because most of the time his songs are fast paced and get me going but his songs are actually understandable to hear the lyrics to…it’s kind of soulful. It makes me feel more mellow, like I can sit down and finish my work…I honestly play it around 7-9pm, the time I set myself to wind down and sleep after 9pm.”
Sebastian Gomez (‘30)
What genre(s) of music do you listen to the most?
“I listen to country, rock, jazz, and a little bit of classical music.”
What music are you listening to right now?
“Mr. Blue Sky “”By Electric Orchestra.”
What cultural music do you listen to and who in your family influenced you to listen to it on your own?
“Some cultural music I’ve been influenced to listen to is cumbias and I was influenced by my Grandpa. A song that reminds me of my Grandpa’s cumbias is “Cumbia Gabacha.”
What is your favorite album of all time and why?
“It would probably be Wovoka by RedBone because it transcends a blend of rock, funk, Native American musical influences. Its groovy rhythms always sooth the mood of the day for me. I would also credit my dad who is a big influence on my music taste and who I idolize. ”
What music helps you wind down? How does it make you feel? When do you play it?
“It sounds weird but rock music helps wind down especially when I wake up. It’s almost like coffee for me. I always play rock music all the time but to be specific I listen to it mostly after school.”
Betiana Mercier (‘29)
What genre(s) of music do you listen to the most?
“I listen to Kpop and musica latina..”
What music are you listening to right now?
“I’m listening to “Chili” by Hwasa”
What cultural music do you listen to and who in your family influenced you to listen to it on your own?
“I listen to reggaeton and my sister influenced me to listen to it.”
What is your favorite album of all time and why?
“My favorite album is My World by Aespa and I like it because of the songs and the visuals that the music videos in the album have.”
What music helps you wind down? How does it make you feel? When do you play it?
“It really depends on the mood but my go to music genre is Kpop and it makes me want to dance. I tend to listen to this music when I’m on the trolley or when I’m bored.”
Younase Mekonnen (‘24)
What genre(s) of music do you listen to the most?
“I listen to rap and R&B music”
What music are you listening to right now?
“The last song I listened to is “Dior” By Pop Smoke.”
What cultural music do you listen to and who in your family influenced you to listen to it on your own?
“I listen to Ethiopian music that sometimes has the known genre Ethio-jazz. My mom was the one who influenced me to listen to Ethiopian music. I think the same goes for most cultures as children are usually influenced by a family member to listen to cultural music of the child’s descent.”
What is your favorite album of all time and why?
“My favorite album is Take Care By Drake because I think his older stuff sounds better and the vibe of the album is chill.”
What music helps you wind down? How does it make you feel? When do you play it?
“The music that helps me wind down is minecraft. I somehow always feel relaxed because it reminds me of the time when I was younger and when I used to play minecraft with my neighbors kids. I usually tend to play the music after I leave school, when I finish a test, or during a stressful time”
After interviewing these four students, it’s clear that their families have an influence on their musical tastes. Although aside from their interests in music, have you considered listening to any of the songs suggested above, expanding on your own music taste, and further indulging your own cultural musical preferences?
