The Power of a Playlist: Songs That Chronicle Life, Love, and Everything In Between

Let’s start with a confession: my life has always felt like a movie montage. And if my world is a montage, Las Vegas is the sweeping, cinematic backdrop—a desert glimmering with possibilities by day, blazing with neon by night. I’ve always imagined the soundtrack playing as my narrative unfolds—the crescendos, the crescents, the instrumental breaks where tension builds or a character discovers something profound. Somewhere between Frank Sinatra crooning about flying to the moon and Lizzo reminding me I’m my own soulmate, I realized something vital: music is more than just background noise. It’s the closest thing life offers to a personal narrator, laying down the rhythm for everything from heartbreak to happiness.

Everyone has their soundtrack. Mine just happens to be stitched together with the glitz of Vegas, the grit of growing up here, and the emotional rollercoaster of being a romantic optimist in a city of illusion. Here’s how those songs shaped not just me, but the way I approach love, relationships, and the endless pursuit of “figuring it all out.”

Act One: The Opening Scene (aka The Awakening)

Picture this: A seven-year-old girl spinning in her parents’ living room while Frank Sinatra’s “Luck Be a Lady” echoed through the speakers. My dad had snagged an old show prop—a glittering dice set the size of a small dog—and taught me how to mimic throwing craps like a pro. Growing up on the edge of Vegas came with its quirky benefits. Vegas kids hear slot machines' jingle by bedtime, make friends with the flamingos at hotel gardens, and have a bittersweet notion of hope built into the way we dream.

But Sinatra? He was my first introduction to the idea of romance. The smoothness reminded me that love could glimmer, too. But let me tell you: no one warns you that sometimes the casino takes your heart.

Whenever I’m burned out by love or looking for a fresh start, “Luck Be a Lady” replays in my head like an anthem. It’s there to remind me to pick up my metaphorical dice, take a breath, and roll again.

My advice for you: Start your soundtrack with a song that reminds you of where you come from. It doesn’t matter if it’s jazz, disco, or a song you lowkey love but highkey wouldn’t admit in public. Honor whatever gets your heart thumping and keep it close.

Act Two: Desert Highs & Heartbreak Lows

Flash forward to high school, where feelings hit harder than the desert heat in August. My life’s entire soundtrack during those years could’ve been taken straight from a Franz Ferdinand playlist—hello angst!—or, on my sappier days, some Dashboard Confessional. Anyone remember those tear-streaked moments of staring soulfully out the window on the school bus? Bonus points if you paired it with lyrics about being “broken but not destroyed.”

That was teenage me, minus the eyeliner.

By the time I experienced my first breakup, the whole playlist shifted. Enter Adele’s “Someone Like You.” Did I cry-sing it? Yes. In what might be the most melodramatic thing I’ve ever done, I once played the song on repeat while journaling in Red Rock Canyon. You know—the backdrop of climbing trails and endless red sandstone? Because emotional pain feels bigger when you soundtrack it appropriately against natural splendor.

But here’s the thing: those melancholy ballads became something more than a soundtrack. They were emotional training wheels. Every heartbreak demanded a level-up, and music taught me how to feel things fully, but still let them pass. True healing didn’t come from skipping the sad songs. It came from belting them out until their power over me faded.

If love has ever got you down (and let’s face it, we’ve all been side-eyed by Cupid), embrace those breakup jams. Be the main character and cry in your car if you must. It’s cinematic. It’s cathartic. Just don’t park too long outside their house playing Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well”—that’s a violation of the breakup code. Trust me; real closure comes from riding the groove forward.

Act Three: The Vegas Glitter Phase

Let’s talk about those moments when your confidence hits peak levels. You’re in your sequined mini dress, or whatever makes you feel invincible, and the city practically vibrates with the promise of something magical. For me, that vibe has always been captured by Donna Summer’s “Last Dance.”

Nothing sums up the energy of my 20s quite like this song. Yes, there were real last dances: the end of incredible nights with friends, new love connections made over cheap cocktails, and the dizzying fun of walking the Strip under twinkly lights so bright they temporarily masked any life doubts. But “Last Dance” also sang to the deeper lesson: chasing joy is worthwhile, even knowing those moments are temporary.

Love, like Vegas, is a gamble—and sometimes you’re just there for the thrill of it.

I’ll say this: everyone deserves a “Last Dance.” Find your go-to confidence booster—the one song that encapsulates your highest, most unapologetic version of you. Play it often, as loud as needed, and whenever life asks you to swagger a little harder.

Act Four: Real Love, Real Playlists

Somewhere along the way (generally after Frank Sinatra and pre-Donna Summer), I learned that real love isn’t all fireworks and dramatic violins. It’s often quieter yet infinitely more profound—more Simon & Garfunkel, less Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream.”

When I met my current partner face-to-face, the entire date felt like it was set against Paul Simon’s “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes.” It’s not a traditionally “romantic” tune, but it’s playful, rhythmic, and wonderfully layered. Just like good love should be.

Building a playlist with someone has become a deeply bonding exercise for me. You learn so much from the songs someone loves–their heartbreaks, their hopes, their quirks. Just like my mom stitched together sequins with intention, I realized co-creating a playlist is about threading your lives together.

Want a love tip? Share a playlist with your partner. Start with a mix of songs that capture who you are individually and take turns adding tracks that represent “you” as a duo. It’s one-part soul mapping, one-part dance party, and a brilliant way to “read” someone romantically.

Coda: Your Soundtrack is Waiting

What I’ve learned through the years—through heartbreak soundtracks, confidence bops, and emotional crescendos—is that music is the greatest gift we give ourselves. It’s a mirror, a compass, and, occasionally, a confessional.

So build your soundtrack, song by song. Serenade your moments, flirt with fate, dive headfirst into joy. And if you’re not sure where to start? Here are a few of my own go-tos:

  • Breakup Ballad: “Don’t Speak” by No Doubt (bonus angsty points if you air-guitar the bridge).
  • Big Vegas Energy: “Viva Las Vegas” by Elvis, for when you need to feel iconic.
  • Essential Love Song: “Something” by The Beatles—because George Harrison just gets it.
  • Confidence Anthem: “Juice” by Lizzo. Guaranteed to make you unstoppable.
  • Self-Care Jam: “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley, for the moments reassuring yourself is harder than usual.

Your story, your journey, your loves—they’re worth the soundtrack.