It’s a common phenomenon to be borderline traumatized by hearing your phone’s alarm sound while out and about. This is because your brain has associated that jarring noise with the disruption of peace, a jolting awake that is incredibly abrasive to your nervous system.
This is why more and more people are opting to instead wake up to music that feels good in the mind, body and soul. Music has already been proven to significantly impact ones mood, triggering the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. With that, why not start your day with music that induces a dose of pleasure and happiness? It’s a worthwhile experiment to curate a playlist of songs that feel good to not only wake you up, but accompany you throughout your morning routine. Full up your bedroom, bathroom, kitchen,or morning commute with songs by Black women that make you grateful to be alive.
Whether you’re brewing your morning coffee or brushing your teeth to this playlist, here are 10 songs by Black women to soundtrack your morning to.
“Fine” by Mary J. Blige
Life tastes much sweeter when you’re grateful for the fact that it’s yours. Sure, you can nitpick at all the ways your reality could use some reupholstering. But as R&B legend Mary J. Blige proclaims, “I wouldn’t change my life; my life is just fine.” Enjoy what you see when you walk past the mirror and know that getting to be you is the ultimate gift.
“Cozy by Beyoncé”
Alright, let’s face it— who wouldn’t want to wake up feeling like Beyoncé? But while there are countless songs from Queen Bey’s catalog that would be empowering to start your day with (think “**Flawless” and “My Power”), “Cozy” stands out as the most fitting. It’s a song all about confidence and being comfortable in your own skin, dazzling bright with the awareness that you are one of one.
“Hard” by Rihanna
If you’ve got a big day ahead, there’s no more potent confidence booster than Rihanna’s “Hard.” It will empower you not to walk into any room shrunken, but rather, claiming every inch of space you know rightfully belongs to you. If you’ve got a major work presentation, are gearing up to set a boundary, or anything else that calls for you to go boss mode, use “Hard” as a reminder that you were always that girl.
“I’m Every Woman” by Chaka Khana
You’re a mutli-layered goddess. Living as a one-dimensional expression of yourself would do the depth of your soul a grave disservice. Icon Chaka Khan gave the girls a cheat code when she released “I’m Every Woman,” a bold declaration of womanhood. It serves as a powerful anthem of female strength, celebrating the collective essence of women and the diverse qualities they embody.
“Golden” by Jill Scott
Even if bills are piling up, politics are getting crazier and everyone is seemingly getting on your last nerves, it can all turn around with a change in perspective. Decide to live your life like it’s golden and so it shall be. As soul songstress Jill Scott paints it, take your freedom and glide through life with it. You have oxygen in your lungs and blood in your veins; that’s enough to feel wealthy.
“NISSAN ALTIMA” by Doechii
The hottest female rapper in the game right now, Doechii’s “NISSAN ALTIMA” was her flag on the moon. The song is all about asserting your dominance and showing the world why you deserve a spot a the top. Setting a valient tone for the morning, iit’s only right that you walk into the rest of your day knowing that you’re the trap Grace Jones.
“Happy” by Ashanti
There’s no greater accessory on a woman than her pure joy. If you’ve done the work in cultivating a life that you love, bask in it by starting your day with “Happy” by Ashanti. While it’s the perfect song to honor a thriving romantic partnership, it can also a love letter to relationship you have with yourself. Who says you can’t be you the love you’ve been waiting your whole life for?
“I Want” by ENNY
No need to be shy about demanding your needs. In UK-sensation ENNY’s hit “I Want,” she lists all of her manifestations in clear detail, from a big bag to a “Nigerian honey who laughs at my jokes even when they’re not funny.” It’s important when calling goodness into your life that you’re as specific and detailed as your heart yearns to be.
“Ready For Love” by India Arie
If you identity as a lover girl who is ready to call in some divine partnership, India Arie’s vulnerable ballad “Ready For Love” is a powerful sonic spell. She’s clear and direct on her heart’s willingness to accept not just any love, but the person she’s meant to spend her life with. It’s the perfect song to soundtrack a day where you magnetize your boo right to you via aura.
My Love is Like Whoa by Mya
Mya doesn’t dilute her worth even for a second on “My Love is Like Whoa.” Everything about the way that she loves is top-tier. Instead of walking through your day trying to convince the world to see your worth, live loudly in knowing you’re top two and not two. It’s not about being chosen; it’s about choosing yourself.