Music has become one of the most important parts of student life, filling out our days while we study, walk, commute, or rest. Based on the culture, language or countries different, we all have different music preferences. To explore how those factors influence musical taste, this time, I interviewed four students from Taiwan, China, Korea, and Japan. Their answers reveal how culture influences the connection between young Asians and today’s globe music trends.
The purpose of the interview is to understand how culture, background and language shape the music preferences from different countries. I interviewed four students from different countries – Annie Lu from Taiwan, Vera Huang from China, Sue Lee from Korea, and Hijiri Nakamatsu from Japan. Their responses reflect how strongly background and language influence what they listen to.
Nakamatsu shared, “I listened to J-pop and rap mostly. My favorite artist is m-flo.” This shows that she enjoys music in her first language, which helps her understand and connect with the lyrics more easily. On the other hand, Lee has completely different preferences. She said “My favorite artists are The Weekend and Frank Ocean. I enjoy a mix of Pop, Hip-pop, R&B and country.” It seems she prefers a more international sound and English lyrics. Meanwhile, Lu is deeply engaged in K-pop. She mentioned” My favorite artist is Cortis. Even though Korean isn’t my first language, I can’t take my eyes off Cortis.” Lastly, Huang loves R&B, and her favorite artist is Yuqi Song.
Some people tend to listen to music in their first language the most. Nakamatsu explained,” Since I listen to Japanese music the most, I think my culture and language influence my music preference a lot. It’s easier for me to understand the lyrics, and I naturally feel more drawn to Japanese.” When I asked Huang whether culture influences the music she likes, she responded, “Of course!” This supports the idea that language familiarity and cultural exposure strongly shape music preferences.
Each country also has its own distinct music trends, although global influences remain strong. For example, Lu’s music taste is heavily influenced by K-pop culture, and she often listens to K-pop while studying. When I asked Nakamatsu why she thinks K-pop has become globally popular, she explained, ” I think K-pop became globally popular because large groups perform with perfectly synchronized dancing and singing.” Diversity and strong music scenes really affect the music trends for each person.
In conclusion, culture and language play a significant role in shaping music preferences. Music is both personal and cultural, and it connects people across different backgrounds. Even though everyone comes from different places, music becomes a shared language that brings us together.