10 Albums That Shaped Who I Am

Music has always been more than background noise for me. It’s been a teacher, a comfort, a time machine. These ten albums didn’t just soundtrack moments in my life—they helped shape who I was becoming. Each one holds a memory, a shift, a feeling I still carry.

10. Body Talk – Robyn

Pop music redefined.

I listened to Robyn as a kid, but Body Talk was when I really saw her. That album was everything—vulnerable, synthy, emotional, futuristic. It reintroduced her in a way that felt true and raw. She showed me that pop music could be both heartbreaking and danceable. Robyn’s reinvention opened up a whole new world of sound for me, and I never looked back.

9. The Marshall Mathers LP – Eminem

Angry, brilliant, messy—and unforgettable.

This was the first album that made me go, “Wait… can he say that?” It was intense, unfiltered, and wildly creative. I didn’t agree with everything in it, but I felt the power in every line. Eminem showed me that music could challenge you, make you uncomfortable, and still be undeniably good. It wasn’t just rap—it was a full-on emotional release.

8. Another Level – Blackstreet

Pure vibes—and a direct link to my mom.

This album is a whole vibe. It's long, but you don’t even notice because every track keeps you in the groove. Another Level is smooth, soulful, and endlessly fun—and it reminds me of my mom. That connection makes it even more special. Sometimes an album just feels like home, and this one does.

7. Butterfly – Mariah Carey

Freedom, growth, and the sound of one unforgettable summer.

Butterfly was Mariah stepping into a new element of herself. She sounded freer—like she had nothing to prove and everything to express. You could feel that confidence in the music. I played that album all summer, on repeat. The melodies, the vocals, the emotion—it became the backdrop of a time that still lives in my memory. That’s why it’s one of my favorites.

6. Songs in the Key of Life – Stevie Wonder

The album that changed how I listened to music.

It’s not even my favorite Stevie album—but it’s the one that opened me up the most. Songs in the Key of Life is huge in every way: sonically, emotionally, spiritually. It has every feeling imaginable packed into it. Listening to it made me realize how expansive an album could be. It taught me how to really hear music.

5. Erotica – Madonna

Evocative, unapologetic, unforgettable.

Erotica felt like Madonna was speaking to a part of me I hadn’t figured out yet. It was bold, sensual, and totally unfiltered. It told me it was okay to explore—to question, to feel, to want. That album created space for things I didn’t have language for at the time. It was more than music—it was a message.

4. A Seat at the Table – Solange

A wake-up call, a mirror, and a moment.

This album hit at a time when I was going through a lot, and it met me exactly where I was. It helped me make sense of what I was feeling—and what was happening around me. It was soft and strong, honest and layered. A Seat at the Table pulled me in and made me pay attention. To the world. To myself. To everything I had been trying to tune out.

3. janet. – Janet Jackson

Joy, rhythm, and early lessons I didn’t even know I was learning.

janet. was the first Janet Jackson album I experienced in real time, and it was a revelation. She made music feel effortless, cool, and deeply human. Even as a kid, I knew I was listening to someone who was in complete control of her sound and image. I learned so much from that album—about love, about rhythm, about expression—before I even realized I was learning.

2. Christina Aguilera – Christina Aguilera

The voice that got me through junior high.

This album dropped right as I was heading into junior high—nervous, uncertain, full of angst—and Christina’s voice became a kind of armor. She was bold, emotional, and completely in control of her talent. Songs like “Genie in a Bottle” and “What a Girl Wants” helped me navigate that weird, in-between phase. That album made me feel understood at a time when I really needed it.

1. Dangerous – Michael Jackson

My favorite MJ album.

Dangerous was the first Michael Jackson album I got to experience in real time, and that made all the difference. It felt fresh, edgy, and alive. The production was next level, and the world around the music felt big and cinematic. This album pulled me into MJ’s universe and never let go. It wasn’t just about the hits—it was about the full experience. Dangerous is where my connection with MJ really locked in.

These albums weren’t just soundtracks. They were emotional landmarks. They caught me at different stages of becoming—and left a mark that’s still there.

of course there are always more I could, add but these are just the ones that stuck the hardest!

💬 What albums shaped you the most—and why? Let me know in the comments.