INTERSECTIONS: Writers’ Series – Rachel Klebanov

By RACHEL KLEBANOV
Staff Writer

What’s up Intersections?! My name is Rachel Klebanov and I hail from our very own Princeton, New Jersey, born and raised.  I am a prospective Psychology major, interested in examining visual arts and art history through a psychological/neuroscience lens. Current life status includes singing bass-line with the Princeton University Wildcats, dealing with books at Technical Services, learning Russian, and taking long walks with my iPod in tow. As for Intersections, I like to make playlists and do Terrace Previews. Hit the jump to learn more about my take on music and check out some personal playlists. 

My music taste today is pretty much all over the place, but I would say they span across three general genres: R&B/soul, Hiphop/Rap, and Rock (which is basically like, everything, I know). My music conquest began in elementary school, when I listened to 60s rock, 70s Motown, and even some 80s disco—basically anything I could find from my parents’ dusty collection. I also remember hearing music from the eating clubs, crazily enough. (Yes, I am that local.) It must have been 2003 when I first heard a muffled Usher’s “Yeah!” coming from Prospect Avenue.

Throughout middle school and the beginning of high school, I, like any other 12-15 year old, became immersed in the fascinating world of the radio and the Top 40 hits; to this day I still give them a listen. I found that I was always more drawn to the R&B or hip-hop hits, especially since I started taking hip-hop dance classes. (Holler at my boys Usher and Mario). I entered, and exited, a brief Latin-rhythm loving phase, during which I listened to a lot of Pitbull and Shakira. But I graduated from that and began to focus more on rap, really getting into R. Kelly, Jay-Z, etc. Somehow, I transferred from that to being curious about nearly opposite music: the eeriness of Radiohead, the baroque pop quality of Arcade Fire. By the end of high school, all of these tastes melded together into a cumulative appreciation for a vast majority of artists, bands, and DJs.

I know reading about how someone’s music taste developed is probably not the most interesting thing ever, so here are some playlists! A sampling of favorite songs from over the ages, and a couple of my favorite tracks right now.