return of saturn // playlist

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return of saturn is a playlist I curated in honor of my 27th birthday today, which marks the beginning of what astrologically is known as my Saturn return, or the moment Saturn reaches its first full cycle and returns to the exact position it was in when you were born. This transition is said to happen between the ages of 27 and 30.

I don't know about all of the specifics or the science behind it, but it's a very interesting phenomenon to read about. Also just to feel this shift happening in life, that innate sense of change and reflection that occurs at this stage is especially pertinent lately. These songs I chose are meant to embrace that change and the evolution that comes with entering a new chapter of life. It's a very personal collection of tracks I've connected with and feel represent that theme, but I also hope anyone who listens can find something meaningful within these songs too.

Many of these songs also touch upon this phenomenon, and I wanted to highlight it with tracks like "Artificial Sweetener" by No Doubt, "Saturn" by SZA, and "seven" by Taylor Swift, as well as "Lioness" by Maya Hawke as a little nod to Leo season.

But the entire theming was really influenced by "Deeper Well" by Kacey Musgraves, specifically the opening lyric: "My Saturn has returned, when I turned twenty-seven, everything started to change". Later in the song, the line "No regrets, baby, I just think that maybe, it's natural when things lose their shine so other things can glow, I've gotten older, now I know" also feels like such a perfect encapsulation of this chapter of life.

Aside from the astrological theming, there are also many songs that simply mean a lot to me and feel aligned with this sense of growth. A song like "Yes I'm Changing" by Tame Impala has become especially important to me. It truly feels like it came to me at such a specific moment in my life, and I've been writing about it and thinking about it a lot lately. Hearing it live for the first time a few weeks ago was truly life changing too. "There's a world out there and it's calling my name, and girl, it's calling yours too" is such a powerful sentiment.

Many of these same feelings have felt attached to "Lucy" by Holly Humberstone as well. Lyrically, it's such a gorgeous encapsulation of what it means to be a young woman trying to find your place in the world. It's a beautiful and deeply special song that has stayed on my mind ever since I first heard it a couple of months ago.

"Sexy to Someone" by Clairo and "girl i've always been" by Olivia Rodrigo carry that same emotional wavelength as "Lucy" and are central to this playlist. They've been so thought‑provoking for me through the past few years. Of course, "Green Light" by Lorde is forever an anthem in my life and will always find its way into a playlist like this.

I tried to symbolically narrow it down to just 27 songs, but the absolute lowest I could get it to was 35 tracks. I've been posting birthday playlists for the past couple of years, and it's become such a meaningful marker of being able to look back on the specific artists and songs that are influencing me at that particular point in my life, and also the ones that remain the same throughout the years. I wanted to largely include a different range of songs this time, ones that mean a lot to me but haven't often appeared in past playlists. A big part of the mission behind the music I write about is rooted in the enduring connection I have with it, and the interpretations and personal memories it attaches to in my own life.


Thanks for reading and for your continued support year after year. I started this blog when I was 17, just about to turn 18, and it's truly been one of the most important creative journeys I have been on thus far and I am looking forward to all that is to come next! 🪐

Be sure to follow me on Spotify to keep up to date with upcoming playlists and check out return of saturn here or linked above. If you would like to check out more of my playlists click here or the links below. 

-Melissa ♡


Photo Credit: Study in a Wood by Daniel Huntington - 1861



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