As we have entered the month of February, it’s only fitting to compile a music playlist around love. Our Senior Account Executive, Caitlyn Pobee, has always been a hopeless romantic. And she says she’s been obsessed with love for as long as she can remember. That’s why our newest Spire on Spotify playlist is Vol. 20: Cait’s Cuddles Curated—just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Caitlyn believes one of the purest and simplest ways to show someone you love them is through a hug or a cuddle. No matter your mood or how you’re feeling, the place where you feel safest and the most loved is in the arms of a loved one. In Caitlyn’s case, it’s her mom’s arms. When she’s sad, Caitlyn says there’s something soothing about hearing her mom’s heartbeat. Or when she’s excited, hugging her mom in joy.
So, let’s listen to the songs Caitlyn loves, and hear the romantic riffs that make up her heartfelt playlist.
Caitlyn, what is the name of your album?
I’ve named this newest playlist Cait’s Cuddles Curated. Music is a great way to get to know someone, and so I’ve gathered some of my all-time favorite love songs from around the world.
How would you describe this mix?
For me, the beautiful thing about music is that it’s universal, yet all over the world music sounds so different. I love learning about other cultures, listening to their music, and exploring how they show love and sing about it. Finding where the similarities lie within my own cultures and seeing how my cultures differ as well. Often, I find that there are more similarities than differences. This mix is a culmination of love songs from all over the world that bring me pleasure yet evoke different feelings from me.
What was the inspiration behind it?
As we kick off the new year, I like to reflect on the previous year, and 2021 was tough for a lot of different reasons. So much has happened in the world that continues to divide us, from the pandemic to racial discrimination.
As a Ghanaian American woman, I consider myself very fortunate and blessed that I get to experience different cultures daily. I’m proud to be Ghanaian and I’m proud to be an American. And I thrive off learning and experiencing others’ cultures. It has taught me that there is so much beauty in the world, and that we should all just love each other … and our differences. There is so much beauty in our differences. We shouldn’t ignore those differences, judge them, or be afraid of them. But rather, we should embrace them.
Love is a universal language, and every genre and every country has love songs. Love is constant. And so, my inspiration was to celebrate and embrace all different types of love songs from all over the world.
What is your favorite song, and why?
“River Flows In You” by Yiruma, which is purely an instrumental track. The first time I heard this song, I was in middle school, and it brought me to tears. I probably didn’t even know what love was at the time, but it evoked such an intense feeling in me that I couldn’t explain or express it any other way than by crying. But it was the best kind of cry, because they were tears of joy.
If your playlist was a brand, what would it be and why?
It would probably be the skin, hair, and body cleansing brand Dove. First introduced in 1957, the brand is authentic, unique, real, and simple. Dove’s mission is to bring to light the beauty in our differences, and to love our realest selves. It’s pure and it makes me feel safe, seen, and loved.
Any specific memory that comes to mind when you listen?
There’s something so magical about listening to a love song for the first time. I enjoy getting lost in a song and trying to uncover what emotion the song will bring out in me. The more I listen to a song, the more I understand it (or can relate to it) as I grow and have different experiences. A lot of these songs I fell in love with when I was much younger and when my “life is a Disney movie” bubble had not burst yet. In a way, I miss living in that innocence.
What makes your playlist unique?
My playlist is a representation of my most authentic self. Songs that I discovered in different states and countries all over the world—songs that I love.
Thanks, Caitlyn. There’s a lot to love about your new playlist. Stay tuned to the Spire Blog and Spotify Channel for the release of our next album.