My Playlist

About the DJ: My name is Chloe. I live in Ballard, go to school in Everett (Don't ask, it's complicated.), and spend a lot of time downtown working at Pacific Science Center or playing violin for something or other. As a classical musician in training, I like to go to the symphony, opera, and ballet. I love Seattle and living in a big city.

1. Portlandia
Portlandia is a must watch for every proud Northwesterner. Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, the show's creators, do a wonderful job of lovingly making fun of the Northwestern lifestyle. The episodes don’t follow a storyline, so you can start watching at any point, which I enjoy. Once all your friends start watching Portlandia, the real fun begins with making references. With lots of memorable skits that resonate with my friends and I, we have frequent inside jokes based off the show. I can no longer walk into a store without suggesting to “Put a bird on it!” and I couldn’t be happier about it.

2. Pentatonix
The quality of musicianship in Pentatonix is impressively high for such a young group. I think that the reason they have been so successful for an a capella group is that they have amazing chemistry and an impressive range, both in terms of pitch and type of sound. They hit the sweet spot. The five members mesh with each other, each bringing a special sound or talent to the collective group. Their cover arrangements are fantastic and original, giving new life to old songs. I have had “Run to You” and “Natural Disaster,” two of their original songs on repeat lately.

3. Lindsey Stirling
In case you haven't heard of her, Lindsey Stirling is a violinist that plays while dancing. She gained her fan base through YouTube and now travels the world playing concerts. In addition to covers of video game music and pop songs, she writes her own music and makes cool videos to go along with it. I appreciate her bridging the gap between classical musicians and modern music.

4. Welcome to Night Vale
If you aren't listening to Welcome to Night Vale yet, you are missing out. This fantastically strange podcast is so weird that I doubt anyone relates to it. From pterodactyls in the PTA meetings to scientists with good hair, narrator Cecil Baldwin will either entertain you or put you to sleep with his soothing voice. It's a win-win situation. It can be an escape from real life as well. It sounds just enough like real news to trick yourself into thinkinking just for a moment it is reality.

5. "Symphonie Fantastique"
"Symphonie Fantastique" by Berlioz is one of my favorite symphonies. My love for the work stems from the unique storyline: In the first movement, a painter falls in love with a girl he’s never met with the help of opium. In the second movement, he attends a dance where the girl is present, but he stays on the side doing a lot of wishful thinking. In the third movement, he mopes on a hill with some more opium. The fourth and fifth movements are his opium-induced dreams, featuring the object of his affections as a witch in hell and some snazzy clarinet solos. The detailed story line that goes along with the fantastic music make it a great first symphony to listen to if you want to expand your musical horizons.