Finding His Way Back to Music, From Hilary Duff to Ariana Grande
From the artists who shaped his teenage years to the albums filling his days now, Jose’s picks reflect a listener whose return to music has opened the door to old favorites and new obsessions alike.
Jose (@josevinylstash) approaches music with the kind of enthusiasm that comes from falling back in love with something you thought you had lost. His relationship with pop is deeply personal, shaped by the artists who were there during his teenage years and by the excitement of discovering music all over again. There’s nostalgia in the way he talks about his favorites, but also a sense of renewed curiosity that keeps pulling him toward whatever he wants to hear next.
Across the September 10 to 12 prompts, Jose explores music through the idea of the unexpected, the changing seasons, and the albums that have recently taken over his listening. One prompt leads him to think about what makes a song feel strange in the best possible way, opening a reflection on honesty and vulnerability in pop. Another turns album artwork into a way of thinking about autumn, transition, and learning to feel comfortable in your own skin. The final prompt shifts toward a recent release that has become part of his everyday routine, bringing his return to pop full circle through the simple joy of having music you can’t stop playing.
What’s your favorite artist’s strangest song?
Honestly, I spent days overthinking this response. I was torn between a few options from Hilary Duff’s catalog, like the dark, Middle Eastern-inspired “Stranger” or the moodiness of “The Last Song.” But in the end, the track that kept coming back to me was “The Optimist” from her new album, luck... or something.
And I mean “strangest” in the absolute best way possible. In pop music, artists usually hide behind metaphors or a polished production. But hearing her drop a line like, “I wish I could sleep on planes and that my father would really love me,” is a total gut punch. It feels strange because you just don’t expect a pop song to hit you with that level of brutal honesty.
That raw vulnerability is exactly why the song hits so hard. Hilary has always meant the world to me, her music literally shaped my teenage years and brought me back to pop after a long period where life got too heavy. But with luck... or something, and especially on this track, it feels like she’s operating on an entirely different level of maturity.
Listening to “The Optimist” feels like sitting in a quiet room with someone who is sharing their deepest thoughts without any filter. It shows an artist who is completely unafraid to be vulnerable, proving that sometimes the simplest, most honest track can be the most powerful one on an album.
Which album cover feels like the perfect autumn scene?
If I wanted to be literal, I could easily pick Taylor Swift’s evermore with its iconic plaid coat, golden forest light, and classic fall aesthetic. But to me, autumn isn’t just falling orange leaves or cozy knits, it’s an internal season of transition, quiet introspection, crisp air, and fresh starts. That’s why the record cover I keep coming back to is Ashlee Simpson’s 2005 release, I Am Me.
In this cover, she perfectly captures the true spirit of autumn. Instead of the traditional warm and golden tones, the visual direction relies on a dark background shot through with warm light, contrasting with Ashlee’s blonde hair, her melancholic style, and her understated makeup. It’s like stepping out on a cold autumn morning, feeling the biting wind on your face, and beginning a new phase of life with serene confidence.
That mindset went far beyond the visuals for me. When I think about songs that hit this vibe, “Beautifully Broken” is the first one that comes to mind. It's all about owning your fragility and imperfections, finding this genuine strength in being broken while you're in the middle of healing. Then “Catch Me When I Fall” (my favorite from this album) hits me with total vulnerability as well “who will be the one to save me from myself?” is a complete gut punch. It’s that exact feeling that autumn brings, taking you down to your lowest point before winter sets in. The title track’s core line, “‘Cause I am me, and I won’t change for anyone,” became a true anthem back when I was gradually coming out. During a time when I was learning to accept and love myself for who I was, those words gave me so much strength to stand grounded in my own truth.
As a vinyl collector who views album covers as a physical, tactile experience, this photograph captures my attention in a world of fleeting digital miniatures. I Am Me remains right at the top of my vinyl wishlist, since it hasn’t been pressed yet, and I can’t wait for the day I can finally hold that moodboard in my hands. Let’s hope they bring us this joy on its upcoming anniversary in October.
Which recently released album have you been blasting?
Right now, I’m blasting Ariana Grande’s petal on repeat, honestly, even more than luck... or something. It’s pretty much taking over my days. Whether I’m out walking my dogs or loudly singing along in the shower (even if I sound terrible), this album gives me that instant boost I need. I’m the kind of person who always needs music to stay in motion, and this record just works.
My thing with Ariana goes back to 2014. But like I mentioned, I had a long stretch where I was completely disconnected from music because life got heavy. It wasn’t until this year, when I reconnected with my love for pop, that I finally sat down and listened to everything she released after Dangerous Woman. Doing that full catch-up made me fall in love with her work all over again. It also made me realize how much she reminds me of Hilary: both started out on TV, then made this huge, confident leap into music and built incredible pop careers.
We waited a while for petal, but it was totally worth it. Some people might label it as just a “soft” or gentle record, but to anyone thinking that, I’d just tell them to go play “like i do”… there’s nothing soft about hitting you with a line like “‘Cause no one f*cks you like I do.”
To me, it even has a little experimental je ne sais quoi (though my husband @aquajummo, who actually makes experimental music, would probably laugh and disagree with me on that!). Either way, it turns a simple dog walk or a quick shower into my own private concert, and I just can’t turn it off.
For Jose, music became a way back to himself. After a period when life got heavy and he felt completely disconnected, he found that music could reconnect him with a part of himself that had been missing. “Today, it’s my daily boost and my safe space, a constant reminder that no matter what changes, pop will always keep me moving forward,” he shares. He likes having music alongside whatever he is doing, whether that means cleaning the house, running to the grocery store, or driving around. Even the shower becomes part of the ritual, his favorite place to listen because “it’s a completely private space where it’s just me and the music.” It’s where he can sing along without worrying about being “a terrible singer,” as he describes it.
He also describes himself as “a nostalgic seeker of my own generation,” someone who grew up with 2000s pop and remains fiercely attached to the feelings that music created. His taste reflects a particular moment in time, when the analog and digital worlds were beginning to overlap without completely losing that authentic analog feeling. It’s a period he remembers as when “everything felt happier and we truly believed dreams could come true,” he shares.
No artist is more closely connected to that story than Hilary Duff. She was the person who made Jose fall in love with music in his early teens, and when years of major life changes eventually left him disconnected from it, her return gave him an unexpected way back. When she announced her return with “Mature” and launched her Small Rooms Big Nerves tour, watching videos of her live performances late one night in bed unlocked something dormant inside him. What followed was more than a renewed interest in an old favorite. “It brought me back to that beautiful time in my life, restored my love for pop, and sparked my current obsession with collecting physical records,” he shares. In that sense, Jose’s collection holds more than the music he loves. It holds pieces of the life, memories, and optimism that brought him back to listening in the first place.
A pop lover, vinyl collector, and dog father whose music taste is rooted in 2000s nostalgia, with a soft spot for the artists and albums that bring those feelings back.
