Stepping outside of your comfort zone is easier with the right music. Just as you might tune into Rihanna or Beyonce for an instant pick-me-up, your favorite artists also have their own go-to power songs.
In most cases, music is a no-fail motivation boost. Noelle Scaggs of Fitz & the Tantrums called her pick, Nina Simone's "Do I Move You," "Empowerment at it's finest," and Icona Pop said of their fave, Bjork's "Human Behavior" makes you "feel like you are ready for any struggle coming your way."
Some of the choices are powerful in their angsty sound or feel. Kristin Kontrol said she listens to Siouxsie and the Banshees if she's "in a let's-fuck-sh*t-up mood," and Transviolet's Sarah McTaggart finds strength in Courtney Barnett's instrumental choices—"grungy guitars really do it for me," she said.
A few artists even suggested that music can even be motivational through familiarity. For example, Soko chose Springsteen's "I'm on Fire," because it's been her "morning alarm for about a year," and Banks chose her own "Mother Earth" since the experience of writing it was daring in itself: "I write certain songs because I need to feel strong," she explained. Often, the tracks of choice incite more than one emotion. Led Zeppelin's "Black Dog" makes LP "feel badass and sexy at the same time," and Jess Glynne shared that Beyonce's "Get Me Bodied" makes her "feel invincible and happy all in one!" Who doesn't?
Scroll down to see all the artists' picks, and hear them all in the playlist below.
Regina Spektor: "Pirate Jenny from the Threepenny Opera" by Lotte Lenya
Banks: "Mother Earth" by Banks
Emeli Sandé: "To Zion" by Lauryn Hill
Mitski: "Lust for Life" by Iggy Pop
JoJo: "Big Momma Thang" by Lil Kim feat. Jay-Z
Georgia Nott of Broods: "Get Some" by Lykke Li
Soko: "I'm On Fire" by Bruce Springsteen
Noelle Scaggs of Fitz & the Tantrums: "Do I Move You?" by Nina Simone
Icona Pop: "Human Behaviour" by Björk
Jess Glynne: "Get Me Bodied" by Beyoncé
LP: "Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin
KT Tunstall: "WTF" by Missy Elliott
Hannah Hooper of Grouplove: "Sabotage" by The Beastie Boys
Grace Chatto of Clean Bandit: "The Sign" by Ace of Base
Kristin Kontrol: "The Killing Jar" and "Spellbound" by Siouxsie & the Banshees
Hinds: "Evil Disco" by Public Access TV
Rachael Yamagata: "Mother Mother" by Tracy Bonham
Stevie Scott from machineheart: "Flesh Without Blood" by Grimes
Sarah McTaggart of Transviolet: "Pedestrian at Best" by Courtney Barnett
Melanie Martinez: "Show It" by Tink
Sarahjane Gibson from Streets of Laredo: "Nobody Really Cares If You Don't Go To The Party" by Courtney Barnett
Allie X: "Dancing with Myself" by Billy Idol
Julia Cumming of Sunflower Bean: "I Know What Boys Like" by The Waitresses
Listen to them all below.
