By Zara Grew

In the age of romanticizing the everyday, the soundtrack holds greater power than ever.  We become main characters by popping on headphones on aesthetic public transport (aka The Glasgow Subway) and become part of a bigger narrative.

As a generation who are longing for meaning, there is a certain reassurance that comes from dipping into a soundtrack. A playlist which reminds us that we are right in the middle of our story and right where we need to be. Becoming your best self can be achieved by living vicariously through the go-getting girls of the classic ‘chick -flick’. The most memorable plot points of our favourite female-focused films are underscored by carefully chosen tracks. Whether this is an upbeat power anthem or a despairing ballad we see the music drive the story. It is no wonder that when we are feeling stuck, we look for the same soundtracks to give us clarity.

To see the truth in this you only have to look to the Vienna TikTok trend which has seen young women unite over their love for Billy Joel’s melancholic Vienna. I myself have a core memory of re-watching 13 Going on 30 in my late teens and crying my eyes out at the line “you can get what you want or you can just get old”.  Clearly this is not a singular experience as we are now seeing the social media phenomenon of someone playing Vienna on the piano and packs of young women joining in, singing all of the words. Vienna underpinned a key moment in 13 going on 30 and we can see it’s authentic message about living life at your own pace continue to resonate with a generation of young women.

We can also see music permeate into the micro trends which continue to dominate our screens such as the Frazzled English Women or Nora Ephron Autumn. This is a modern revival of the soundtracks from classic love stories from the 90s and early 2000s. Nora Ephron is a well-known filmmaker, who wrote classics such as When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle. These film soundtracks feature big band and jazz music by artists such as Nat King Cole and Louis Armstrong; heartfelt and uplifting tracks which are reminiscent of old Hollywood Americana. These films, often set in New York, have a hopelessly romantic and sentimental tone. The music inspires idealism and there is a strong aesthetic to match such as the hustle and bustle of city life, autumnal colours and effortlessly decorated flats.

At the centre of these narratives is the optimistic female lead navigating life in this rich and complex world. We are forever inspired by the passionate, funny, independent characters who codified womanhood in our favourite films and all of these ‘girls on the go’ have their own soundtrack. We relive the stolen glances, emotional embraces and heart-breaking goodbyes through these soundtracks.  The rom-com genre is defined by music and through echoing the soundtracks of our most coveted heroines we are manifesting that same magic as we navigate our own lives.