Track & Trace: Jessica Turangan
“I have worked in the corporate world for a while, where everything was very formal. At Amp.Amsterdam things are a lot less formal, people are free to be themselves. You notice that music is a lifestyle here. We talk a lot about music and this made me listen to it differently. Some colleagues listen to classical music, for example. This made me interested in going to an opera, something I’d never thought about before.”
“My love for R&B and HipHop started because of the streetdance lessons I took as a kid. UK-garage and 2-step defined my teenage years. I had older friends and went to a lot of parties with them and have always loved dancing. The Maassilo, Speedfreax, Now & Wow .. those were the good old days. I still listen to a lot of the same music, especially while working out. It gives me energy. Music influences my mood, through melody but also through lyrics. I always listen to lyrics. When I’m feeling down, Jennifer Lopez can always cheer me up with ‘Feelin’ So Good’. You don’t need anyone to talk to in order to feel better when you have music. You can have a conversation with yourself through the music. I remember doing this as a kid with Britney Spears’ music. My bedroom walls were covered with pictures of her, and when I got to go to her concert at the Gelredome I was over the moon. When she finally came out on stage, I burst into tears of joy. It was a moment I will never forget. Nowadays I really enjoy Beyonce and her feminist lyrics. One of my favorite music memories is from when I was working at Deutsche Bank. I looked out of the window and saw hundreds of people standing outside, as it turned out Beyonce was performing at the Arena that night and fans were already lining up for the concert. I managed to get a ticket and went to the concert after work. At first I was kind of nervous to go alone, but eventually I loved it.”
“In my Indonesian household, some things weren’t talked about. We expressed these things with music. Music is the rhythm to my soul. In the morning, I was often woken up by gamelan, the traditional music of Indonesia. And, as a religious family, our alarm on Sunday’s was gospel music. Worship music still gives me strength. So does traveling. Since my father worked for KLM, I was able to fly at a reduced fare. And I took advantage of that until I was twenty-three. I visited family in Norway and Indonesia, but also visited new countries. Can’t Hold Us by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis is a song that represents arriving in a new country for me. I love experiencing different cultures, it gives me energy and I always return home completely recharged. Bali is my second home. I’m a very busy person and am always doing something. In Bali I don’t feel like I have to do anything. I realize that I have a lot to be thankful for, something I sometimes forget due to my fast paced life.”
Listen to Jessica’s favorite tracks: