This World Music Day, also known as Make Music Day or Fête de la Musique, begs the question: what significance does World Music Day have?
Some Seattle musicians share their thoughts:
“World Music Day means a lot to me—music is truly my life. It lifts my mood, makes me feel good, and connects people across cultures. It’s a universal language, and the fact that it’s so intuitive and personal to everyone makes it incredibly beautiful.” – Marley Torres
“It’s a celebration of creativity across borders. I like the idea that one day, people all over the world are unified by sound. It reminds me that even if our styles or languages differ, music is still a shared pulse.” – Archie Motion
“For me, every day is music day; Music to me is deeper than just enjoyment or vibes. It’s my lifestyle. It’s my work. It’s my definition of fun. I can’t really imagine life without it. In a way I’m celebrating this day every day.” – AJ
“Music is at the forefront of all aspects of our lives. Show me something you do; I will show you the melody binding it together.” – Adrian Silva
World Music Day is celebrated every June 21st. It encourages people of all ages and skill levels to play music in public spaces–fostering a communal sense of artistic expression. On this beautiful day, let’s deep dive into the musicians among us.
Introducing Marley Torres, who is pursuing her associate’s degree in art. Torres said, “I’m passionate about learning, creating, and traveling!” She grew up in Washington, and has always had a knack for self-expression—whether through fashion, drawing, or music.
She started making music at age of 13, because she loved expressing her emotions through the art. From the beginning, music embodied a feeling for her—whether that’s calmness, contentment, excitement, sadness, or fear. Torres said, “I love songs that reflect who I am, but making music allows me to look inward instead of relying on something external.” She loves the creative energy artists like Alice Phoebe Lou, Stevie Wonder, Kings of Convenience, and PinkPantheress have, as well as their effect on her life. “That’s something I hope to give to others through my music,” said Torres.
Her songwriting process varies between 3 a.m. sessions from her bed to jamming with her band on a random weekday. She said that playing helps her decompress, so she makes time for it no matter how busy things get. She said, “Inspiration comes and goes, but I try to write even when I’m not feeling it. I often return to unfinished songs later, and there’s something so satisfying about reshaping and improving them.”
Knowing that her music has the chance to resonate with even just a few people makes her love performing. Sharing her voice used to be a struggle. But since starting to perform, she feels motivated to inspire others. “Life’s too short not to ask someone to start a band with you—it’s really not that serious!” she concluded.
Moving on to Archie MacKenzie, stage name Archie Motion. Archie is originally from Oxfordshire U.K. He is a singer-songwriter whose style blends acoustic, indie, and folk, with a focus on introspective lyrics. He is currently working on a full-length album, with smaller releases already available on Spotify and other streaming platforms.
Archie started making music to express things he couldn’t say out loud. He’d sit in his bedroom, playing around with ideas, not really thinking anyone would ever hear them. “Over time, it became something I needed to do—not just a hobby, but part of how I process life.” Archie said.
His favorite part about performing live is connecting with people in real time. “When the room goes quiet and you feel like everyone’s tuned in to the same emotional frequency—that’s powerful. I’m really looking forward to doing more of that!” said Archie.
His sonic inspiration comes from personal experience including the different places he has lived. “Oxford and Seattle bring out different parts of me, and I think you can hear that in the songs: Oxford feels rooted and nostalgic, Seattle feels spacious and questioning. Writing in both places has helped me grow into someone more introspective and self-aware,” said Archie.
“River Mole” was his debut single and still holds a special place in his heart. “But honestly,” He said, “the new material I’ve been working on feels like a deeper reflection of who I am now. Some of those upcoming singles already feel like favorites.”
Archie concluded by saying, “I’m really grateful for anyone who listens. People have told me they think I’ve already found my voice in music, while that is a huge compliment I also know I’m still growing—and that’s what excites me most.”
Let’s change the pace up and move to an artist who dabbles in rap, hip-hop and Bollywood music. Introducing AJ, a senior studying computer science at Seattle University, who has been making music for seven plus years.
Some influences that got him into rap were Honey Singh, Eminem, NF, and J Cole. Beyond what his first influences do, new sounds and new stories inspire him every day, and the list keeps on growing. He uses his own experiences to inspire his music. He said, “sometimes it’s a random idea that strikes you. Sometimes you keep writing a song for months and then the idea gets some clarity.”
His process mostly involves him playing a beat or an instrumental and freestyling over it. Every session is different–there are times when he’ll sit down in the studio, but nothing comes out. Other days, he’s in a flow-state and ideas come easily.
AJ is in part of a duo with his friend Kshitij who goes by the name ‘Khuli Kitaab,’ which translates to “Open Book.” They’ve been releasing singles since 2024 and are working on releasing some full-length projects soon.
AJ said that he enjoys performing because he feels like it’s a place where he can enjoy his own music the most. He said, “If you enjoy your own music while performing, the crowd can usually feel that energy too and it’s just a magical moment.”
Juggling college life and music production is a grind, with countless all-nighters in the studio. He spends almost every single Friday and Saturday night in the studio and has done so since the school year began. “It’s difficult, but if you have a dream, you got to go out and chase it. No excuses!” said AJ.
“For anyone who is chasing a similar dream as me: If you want to make it, you have to be borderline delusional. You’ve got to be your own biggest fan and be shameless about it. The rest will follow.”
These students truly inspire musicians everywhere as they not only produce music but juggle that with their school work.
Speaking of inspiration, Adrian Silva has a passion which speaks louder than words. As a kid, his mother introduced him to ‘80s and ’90s rock, R&B, country, pop, and salsa, while his brother introduced him to metal, grunge, punk, rap, music videos. These all became types of music currently reflected in his work.
His inspiration for his music comes from the idea of inner peace. Most of his ideas begin as a voice memo on his phone, recording his humming, a melody, or playing a guitar riff. He was also working on the college play – The Illusion. If we were to start writing down Adrian’s achievements, we’d take up an entire article if not more.
“Creating an art, you get one chance to execute, and it is one of my favorite pastimes. Doing it before your artist peers is humbling and the ultimate joy,” Adrian said.
The music produced by these student-musicians reflects their true nature as artists. Even though these artists’ genres differ, their passion for music brings their voices together–in harmony.
Music is a part of life—from hearing songs on YouTube or Spotify to typing away on a keyboard–everything has a sound, a beat, and a rhythm to it—it’s just a matter of finding it. This World Music Day, open your ears, hearts, and minds to the music that is all around us.
Author
Vrindha, an international student from India, is fueled by her fervent love for diverse art forms such as dance, drama, music and theatre. Eager to immerse herself in new experiences and broaden her horizons, she sees her involvement with the Collegian as a gateway to both sharing her passions and delving into new realms of knowledge.
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