Nostalgic but New: How Recent Releases from The Weeknd and Beabadoobee Calmed My Current Anxieties

by Michelle Faler

There’s no denying 2020 sucked the big one. But within that tremendous trash heap of a year, there were a few tiny treasures.

Along with so many awful events, 2020 gave us some fantastic and memorable music. Two of my favorite albums from last year are The Weeknd’s After Hours and Fake It Flowers by Beabadoobee.

Listening to these albums calmed my anxiety, which was out of control this past year. There are two reasons for this:

1. Both albums have energetic, catchy melodies that make me happy.
2. While they are recent releases, these two albums remind me of music from my youth. They evoke a warm nostalgia that has comforted me and helped me cope with changes in the present.

The Therapeutic Benefits of Music and Nostalgia

The Positive Power of Music

It’s no surprise to any music lover that our favorite tunes improve our mood. Music has such powerful, positive qualities that it can even heal people in various ways.

According to Elizabeth Scott, MS of Verywell Mind, music may do everything from “help with pain management” to “help ward off depression.”

Scott also states that our favorite music can “take us right back to positive experiences in our past.” Not only can music make us feel better with its beat, but it can also make us nostalgic for better times.

Nostalgia Can Help Us Cope with Changing Times

Since 2020 was so unpleasant, it made many of us pine for our past.

Nostalgia can be therapeutic in certain productive ways. Research by Krystine Batcho shows that “nostalgic memories tend to focus on our relationships, which can comfort us during stressful or difficult times.”

I thought of my parents and sister to better deal with the scary uncertainty of the pandemic. Remembering sunny family vacations warmed my heart during the cold isolation of quarantine.

Batcho also argues that nostalgia can help us “harness the past internally to endure change – and create hope for the future.”

The primary way I coped during 2020 was listening to music that brought me back to better times. The two albums I played the most were The Weeknd’s After Hours and Beabadoobee’s Fake It Flowers.

Many songs on After Hours sound like the 80s pop of my early childhood. The 90s/early 2000s alt-rock coolness of Fake It Flowers reminds me of my teen years.

These albums also helped me conquer many of my 2020-fueled anxieties. They even made me hopeful for the future.

The Weeknd’s After Hours and the 80s Pop of My Early Childhood

The Weeknd has been creating music for about a decade. His sound is influenced by iconic R&B and pop artists like Michael Jackson and Prince.

I enjoy his music because it reminds me of songs I grew up with in the late 80s and early 90s. While his albums capture the essence of the past, The Weeknd still sounds fresh and modern.

Gaining Confidence from the Synth Pop Bliss of “Blinding Lights”

My anxiety was in pure overdrive throughout 2020. As the pandemic got worse, the more isolated and afraid I became.

By summer, I was too scared to drive. I thought I’d never feel normal again.

One day while scanning YouTube, I discovered The Weeknd’s retro, synth-pop hit “Blinding Lights.” The song transported me back to the days of Rubik’s Cubes and big hair. I was born in the 80s, and I’m fascinated with the decade.

The song’s vibrant synth line made the tiny hairs on my arms stand on end. I also felt this pleasant tingling in the nape of my neck.

Hearing this hit made my fear of driving disappear. I hopped into my Chevy Trax and blasted the song throughout my neighborhood.

“Blinding Lights” helped me gain the confidence to burst my fear bubble. It reminded me of a time I love and returned me to a sense of normalcy in the present.

Check out the song’s video below. It’s like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas combined with Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, which makes the song even cooler.

Gaining Comfort from the Smooth Sax of “In Your Eyes”

“Blinding Lights” isn’t the only rad, 80s-esque song from After Hours. The smooth, sax-heavy “In Your Eyes” would fit on the lite rock radio of my preschool days.

Many soft pop/rock hits of the late 80s had epic (or cheesy depending on who you ask) sax solos. The saxophone melody of “In Your Eyes” comforts me like a baby blanket. This song reminds me of being with my parents when I was little.

“In Your Eyes” sounds like songs I’d wiggle my little legs to in the backseat of my dad’s car. It’s also similar to tunes my mom would hum while cleaning the house. When I hear “In Your Eyes,” I feel like I’m coloring at my tiny wooden desk in 1988 with my mom nearby.

The soft rock sax of “In Your Eyes” evokes the soundtrack of my early childhood. Remembering happy times with my mom and dad has helped me tackle challenges in the present. I had their love and support back then, and I still have it now.

Like many who grew up in the 80s and 90s, I associate the saxophone with Kenny G. So I appreciate that Kenny G played the sax in a remix of “In Your Eyes.” Listen to this version of the song below.

The Weeknd’s After Hours conjured up comforting memories of the 1980s. He wasn’t the only artist who released nostalgic-but-new music in 2020.

Beabadoobee’s Fake It Flowers and the 90s/Early 2000s Alternative Rock of My Adolescence

Beabadoobee, or Bea for short, started making music a few years ago. She wrote and recorded her first songs in her bedroom as a teenager, which is super cool. All I did in my room as a teen was watch indie films on VHS. (That’s nowhere near as cool.)

Bea was born in 2000 when I was a freshman in high school. I’m impressed someone so young creates music that sounds like songs I rocked out to in the late 90s and early 2000s.

Remembering 90s Alt-Rock Goddesses and Learning to “Care” About Myself

“Care” is the first track on Beabadoobee’s debut album Fake It Flowers. The song’s crunchy, jangly guitar riff reminds me of the alternative rock I loved as a preteen in the late 90s.

I was shy and unsure of myself in my younger years. So I looked up to women who dared to amplify their voices. I idolized 90s alt-rock goddesses Liz Phair, PJ Harvey, and Juliana Hatfield.

In 7th and 8th grade, I suffered from bullying and self-doubt. My refuge from middle school was listening to my Hole and Garbage CDs on the ride home. I wished I was as confident and cool as these ladies who picked up instruments to express their truth.

Beabadoobee is as much of a beautiful badass as the women who rocked my Discman 20 years ago. The bold, assertive way Bea sings “Care” proves she doesn’t take shit from anyone and needs no one’s approval.

I love “Care” not only because it reminds me of my role models. It also boosted my mood in the present.

I experienced heartbreaking losses in 2020 that made me question my self-worth. By listening to “Care,” I remembered the woman I dreamed of being when I was a 90s kid. I can still make that sweet, shy girl proud by becoming the confident creator I’ve always wanted to be.

The “Care” video captures the look of many 90s music videos. It would’ve been at home on MTV’s 120 Minutes back in the day.

Remembering the Early 2000s and that Sisters are Always “Worth It”

“Care” reminds me of the 90s. But Bea’s “Worth It” takes me back to the early 2000s when I was in high school.

At the start of the new millennium, my sister and I listened to a lot of music. She also enjoyed certain fearless females of alternative rock. Her favorite was Avril Lavigne.

When I showed my sis the video for “Worth It,” she saw the pop-punk princess’s influence. The song has a strong early 2000s vibe. Also, Beabadoobee’s blonde hair and tomboyish style are quite Avril-like.

Hearing “Worth It” in 2020 made me feel safe instead of scared. The tune transported me to my sister’s bedroom circa 2002. I’m helping her with her 7th-grade language arts homework. Avril Lavigne’s Let Go is playing on the stereo while our kitty Nimo lays next to us.

These days, I have to drive for about two hours to visit my sister. “Worth It” reminded me of the good times we had when she was across the hall from me.

Though she lives far away, we’re still close. My sister’s encouragement helped me achieve goals and stay positive during the pandemic. While we had fun back then, I hope there are more marvelous things coming our way in the future.

If you’re nostalgic for the days of flip phones and AIM, watch the video for “Worth It.”

Facing the Future with Confidence

The Weeknd’s After Hours and Beabadoobee’s Fake It Flowers prove that 2020 wasn’t all bad.

These releases calmed me with their retro influences. They also helped me conquer current anxieties and face the future with confidence.

What’s Your Favorite Music?

What songs have helped you get through these crummy times? What were your favorite album releases of 2020? Is there a genre or era of music that comforts you? I’d love to know about your favorite music in the comments.

Information Sources

1. Batcho, Krystine. “The Psychological Benefits – And Trappings – of Nostalgia.” The Conversation, June 5, 2017.

2. “Beabadoobee.” Wikipedia.

3. Scott, Elizabeth. “How Music Can Be Therapeutic.” Verywell Mind, March 5, 2020.

4. “The Weeknd.” Wikipedia.

Image Sources

Photo of cassettes in featured image by mayte wisniewski.

Photo of smart phone with earbuds in featured image by Zarak Khan.

After Hours album cover image from Wikipedia. By Source, Fair use.

Fake It Flowers album cover image from Wikipedia. By source, Fair use.

Video Sources

“Blinding Lights” and “In Your Eyes” videos from the TheWeekndVEVO YouTube channel.

“Care” and “Worth It” videos from the Beabadoobee YouTube channel.