Believe it or not, one of the challenges for many Christians lies in their playlist. So many Christians struggle with finding music they like or music that fits their mood or their personality. Music is universal and connects with millions of people in many ways. Music also has different expressions, and the track’s words amplify those expressions. As humans, we all express ourselves differently and through different mediums. We express ourselves through words, body language, make-up, fashion, art, creativity, and so much more. But, one of the main mediums of expression we all use and love is music.
There is a song created for every feeling. There’s a song for happiness, sadness, madness, frustration, celebrations, love, fun, etc. Your song selection expresses your mood or what you want your mood to be. It’s the same for believers. Sometimes we want to express our love for God through a slow ballad or an 808. Sometimes we need music that relates to our current situation or helps us get through those situations. Sometimes, we need music that we can just ride out to.
These many expressions were not always allowed in Christian music. If it wasn’t gospel, it was worldly. If it had an 808, it was worldly. If it included rap or anything that looked like the genres of the world, it was worldly. Music being confined in this kind of box caused many Christians, especially young Christians, to gravitate toward other genres or different expressions of music. Today, many Christian artists have broken outside of the box and found their expressions and ways to convey their love for God, that are authentic to them.
Jasmine Griffin recently gave her life to Christ and it was important for every part of her life to align with her faith, including her music. Jasmine wanted to find music that could express her love for Christ through sounds that she knows and loves. We had an opportunity to chat with Jasmine about music and how she was able to swap out her current playlist and replace it with Christian artists that still have all the sounds she loves.
Interview
As a new convert, how important was curating a Christian playlist for you?
“For me music is therapeutic, so this was a vital part in maintaining my path to Christ and the journey to live in a way that’s pleasing to God. I realized that worldly music would trigger old traumas in a negative way that would have me sit in grief, anger, or whatever emotion was centered in that trauma. Or it would ignite my ego and arrogance in a way that conflicted with the teachings I’ve learned about the spirit of Jesus.”
How did you categorize your playlist?
“I categorized my playlist based on my core vibes and mood. If I need emotionally uplifting music I go to R&B. If I need feel-good, living-in-the-moment vibes, I found light-hearted music that still had substance. And if I wanted to have a good time and listen to rap, I listen to my Christian Trap playlist. I have a few songs set aside that I turn on to calm me down if I find myself getting angry or frustrated. It’s a tool belt and based on what I need at that moment is what each playlist is for.”
What are the common misconceptions people have about Christian music or gospel artist?
“In full transparency, I thought it would be like old-school gospel, kirk franklin, or Mary Mary type vibes. I love their music but I think most people think it’s boring. Most of the gospel music we heard had no real beats or just instruments in the background, real old-school vibes. I mean don’t get me wrong, every now and then it’s ok, and some classics I still listen to. But when you’re coming from Sza or Future type music, a lot of times the beat captivates you way before the lyrics, so you fall in love with the beat and that’s what you want to hear. So to find Christian music with amazing beats and uplifting lyrics and the artist still speaks on where they came from, how they were delivered, and the struggles of their journey is inspiring! It’s an absolute YES for me!”
Are there any changes you’ve noticed since changing your music selection?
“I don’t listen to worldly music at ALL. Not because I’m forcing myself but because I have no need to. Why would I listen to music that even if it’s subconscious, has me festering in negative thoughts? Or lyrics destroying the lives of our people and glorifying all the things that have broken us. My mood and mindset have changed. Honestly, I find I have way more good days than bad. I’m not easily triggered by little mishaps throughout the day and when I am, I turn on one of my favorite songs, and the first thing I hear is, ” I HAD SOME BEEF WITH THE DEVIL SO I HAD TO HOP IN THE STU…. “ who can stay frustrated or angry? Like yessssss get behind me satan! Then I move around, thank God for giving me the power and wisdom to differentiate the thoughts provoked by the enemy, my flesh, and I thank him for replacing my thoughts with his thoughts.”
What are the main differences between your old playlist and your new one?
“The only real difference is my new playlist speaks life into my life and my journey on a fire beat. My old playlist gave life to all the things that highlighted the ego, grief, pride, and just all of the flesh that I’m in the process of killing.”
Playlist Links
We had an amazing time chatting with Jasmine! As you can see she’s authentic, raw, and on fire for Christ! Do you need to swap out your playlist? Well, we’ve linked her playlists below.
**Please do your due diligence and sift through the songs. Posting these links does NOT mean APOM supports or agrees with the artist’s lyrical content, the artist’s personal beliefs, or their biblical beliefs.**
1 comment
I absolutely LOVE the transparency! This was an incredible interview that speaks volumes about the climate music today. A beautiful reminder to watch what we consume and we can be creative in our approach!❤️