Watch out for the blond wave

Instead of spending her afternoons binging Netflix or procrastinating her work, Susan Slavonia (’22) has been going home, writing songs and working on music nearly every day since 6th grade. Her album “Blonde Wave,” released on Oct. 5, has nine songs on it, takes roughly 30 minutes to finish all the way through and has been at the forefront of Slavonia’s mind since middle school. Even though she began the actual process of creating her album in middle school, Slavonia has always been interested in songwriting. She began playing piano in first grade and though she only took lessons for a few years, piano has remained as the foundation of her music. Growing up, music and songwriting were intuitive to her.“When I would play games as a kid, the characters never talked to each other. They were always in a musical,” said Slavonia. As she grew older, the focus of her music leaned away from the toys she would play with and more towards the experience of middle school. Slavonia’s music remains deeply personal while talking about things that highschoolers can relate to firsthand. With references spanning from the Beach Boys to Brockhampton, and Timothee Chalamet to David Dobrik, her lyrics are relatable for this generation. She knew that by putting out her music, she was creating something that people would see parts of themselves in while also putting herself in a vulnerable position.  “I was scared to put it out there because there is so much of me on it. I’m the kind of person that sets my hopes too high and I didn’t want that to happen this time. When I finally released it, I was so grateful to see the outpouring of support and love,” Slavonia said. With over 5,000 Spotify monthly listens charted, her music has clearly been able to reach people. From talking about the struggle of summer school in “Bummer Summer,” to more intimate things like the fear of growing up in “Fourteen,” Slavonia speaks to our generation in a way that rings unique. Using vivid harmonies and smooth crescendos, Slavonia is able to paint a picture of what life looks for high schoolers at this moment in southern California. Her song “Blonde Wave,” the album’s namesake, sets up this idea from the beginning, opening with the lines, “I’m wondering if I’ve been the happiest kid alive.” She goes on to describe the ocean and her childhood, and even more, the sense of elation that we all strive for- and in the case of “Blonde Wave”- achieve. The idea of “Blonde Wave” that shows up a number of times throughout the album is important to Slavonia because she sees herself as the Blonde Wave. “Blonde wave is a metaphor for me going through the world and the feeling that is growing up. It’s about looking for happiness in the little things and moments that make up our lives,” Slavonia said. To check out Blonde Wave, look up Susie Blonde Wave on all streaming platforms.