thought daughter

A playlist by norah lesperance, for the thought daughters that aren’t always sad.

A thought daughter isn’t always sad.

She may enjoy discussing philosophy. She might have been treated for anxiety at age seven. She probably also says she’s having a brat summer but actually works retail and hangs out with her little sibling. But she’s not sad, at least, not all the time. She’s just a thinker.

I went looking for a thought daughter playlist on Spotify to sonically affirm my own thought daughter status, and they were all slightly different combinations of REALLY sad (and often slow) music. Listen I, too, often indulge in Phoebe Bridgers, Mitski, and Adrienne Lenker, but I also enjoy music that doesn’t make me feel like Sisyphus pushing his boulder up a mountain forever. If I’m having a great day, “Waiting Room” by Phoebe Bridgers will turn my smile upside-down, so I’ve come to appreciate the fact that music can be sad AND upbeat sometimes.

Also, music for the thought daughter doesn’t have to be sad at all, it can just be music about thinking. Thinking a lot, and thinking hard. Some of it is sad and angry, sure, but it's also wistful and hopeful, and some even strays into pop territory. If you’re a fellow self-proclaimed thought daughter, I hope you enjoy this playlist of underrated thought daughter songs that won’t ruin your happy day. No “Waiting Room,” as much as I love it. And, listen in order! I spent an embarrassing amount of time handpicking (read: overthinking) the transitions with a level of expertise that only a thought daughter can possess.