This is a homage to my favourite writer, a brilliant Sunday Times columnist Caitlin Moran, and her column, “I Can’t Stop Listening to ‘Get Lucky.'”

If you haven’t read her books or columns yet, google her name right away. You are welcome.

Secondly, I want to share a secret.

Yes, publicly, because I’m almost certain you have one as well. In fact, I know you do.

So let’s be friends and share our secrets. Friend to friend. No judgement.

I stole this “guilty pleasure game” from my ex-boyfriend (together with his CD collection) almost ten years ago. It was at a time when admitting something a bit embarrassing was the worst thing I could imagine.

I’ve asked this question in various different occasions and friend groups, and realized it works as a great ice breaker. Turns out that everyone has a guilty pleasure that they consider as their dirty little secret—all the time.

We all have songs that are our guilty pleasures, songs that make us feel like we run the world. They make you feel like you are the queen of the Brazilian carnival. (Or, that’s at least how I imagine myself.)

These are songs that keep us in grocery stores, after you’ve finished your shopping, trying to look interested in the magazine selection, because they are playing that song. Or keep you inside the car in the parking lot, because the hit is coming on the radio. And when you finally hear the tune on the dance floor, the world explodes. You are the song.

It’s the same song that you erase from your computer’s browsing history and make sure it’s not seen on your public Spotify list. The one that makes you dance your best moves and find your inner Mariah Carey in the shower.

I’ve had plenty of them.

A couple of summers back, I fell in love with Rihanna. She was the perfect summer fling; flirtatious, sexy, and oh-so-simple. Good Girl Gone Bad was bouncing off my stereos for two and half months on a repeat. It was an unusually warm summer, so I kept my balcony door wide open while pouring myself a fizzy drink and singing along with RiRi (obviously I started to learn the lyrics pretty well). Poor neighbours…

Eventually, the summer ended and my love with Rihanna faded as well. Not long after, I found another crush.

It was a beautiful, early morning, when I heard Beyoncé’s Halo on the radio.

Boom.

Without even realizing, I found myself performing a five-minute long contemporary choreography, singing along like a wannabe queen Bey. I was making pirouettes and pulling dramatic faces. I became Beyoncé.

That song still works wonders for me every single time, when I need a bit of boost for the day.

The thing is, when you have a song crush, it just won’t leave you for weeks, maybe even months. You got to listen to it, it’s like an addiction. You are not yourself without the song.

And of course, I have one at the moment. This is nothing like Adele, Rihanna or Beyoncé.

No, this is competing in its own league. But you promised not to laugh and not to judge, right?

Okay, here it comes: it’s Justin Bieber’s Sorry.

The song works like a shot of caffeine. It gives me the kick—the “yes, I’m young and having fun and life is full of possibilites” feeling. It works every time.

So here I am, sharing my most intimate playlist. These are the songs that I just can’t listen to without dancing like a carnival queen or feeling like a badas* woman.

Whether you are heading to a job interview, going for a run or just having a blast on your own.

These are just perfect to make you feel awesome.

Sorry – Justin Bieber

Sinnerman – Nina Simone

Halo – Beyonce

Man Down – Rihanna

Rolling in the Deep – Adele

Horses – Patti Smith

Sober – Pink

Trick Me – Kelis

Paper Planes – M.I.A

Get Free – Major Lazer

~

Author: Sara Kärpänen

Editor: Caitlin Oriel

Photo: Andre Hunter / Unsplash