Dear Music, I just want to thank you for being there every step of the way these past few weeks. It was a rough one and you accompanied through it all. Whether it was to lift my spirit, soothe my soul or simply build a vibe; you had me covered entirely!

It’s always a joy to have my headphones on, to lose myself in music and tune out the world. This week my #schmood was all over the place but these songs gave me courage, inspiration, and comfort. Here are my top five songs of the week:

1. “Overcome” by Tifa

I got wind of this song sung by Tifa called Overcome via her Instagram page and I’ve been hooked ever since. It uplifts the spirit and helps in building the momentum to overcome those Monday morning blues. Seriously though, a very deep and riveting song promoting positivity and perseverance. You can’t go wrong when you believe in a thing called overcome and that you’re blessed by the Most High.

2. “Family” by Popcorn

Now anyone that knows me, knows I am a Popcorn fanatic. I am a sucker for personality and anyone that can make me laugh. The unruly boss, as my grandmother would say, is a “blasted” comedian and I am here for it! Now this song embodies everything about me, my family is my life and somehow I feel entitled to not only to love them unconditionally but to protect them.

3. “Level Up” by Ciara

This is my daughter’s newfound favourite song. It constantly on repeat and you best believe in the car she’s “leveling up” aka bussing the dance in the video. But for me, this song is about progress. The line: “Them old mistakes are gone, I won’t do them no more. That’s old news, there’s new news, I done did that before. I turned them into something, my comeback on one hunnid’. Less talking, more action, you gon’ Cici coming” is everything. A reminder that our past mistakes are stepping stones to greater things. It’s not what you did, it’s how you learn and grow from it.

4. “They Don’t Know” by Masicka

I posted recently on Instagram my love for dancehall music and someone messaged me to say they didn’t know I listened to such songs. Seriously though, dancehall is life!

This song is a true reflection of the notion you see me but you really don’t know me or my life story. You don’t know what I’ve been through or had overcome; so don’t you ever question or undermine my growth and success. I earned it!

5. “Money Done” by Patrice Roberts

They say soca gives life and I don’t doubt it one bit. At that moment when you realise the week is coming to an end; this is the jam that gets you hyped and ready to enjoy your weekend. I love this one by Patrice because it makes you want to just go out, hang with your friends and have some fun. It was also fitting as here in Jamaica we had Take Style Out and of course, I went shopping; got a few reasonable discounted items as well. Why not, after all, you worked very hard. So reward yourself!

That’s my #girlpowerplaylist of the month. Which song(s) had you pumped during the month?