Every athlete has a go-to playlist that they listen to before they take the field, step on the court, or dive into the pool. In Pregame Playlist we bring Stanford student-athletes' playlists to you! Hear from Maya Harvey of beach volleyball, who shares her pregame playlist in advance of her team's trip to the NCAA Tournament in Gulf Shores, Alabama this week.
GoStanford.com: Who are your favorite artists these days and why?
Maya Harvey: "My favorite artists on this playlist are Flo Milli and Rihanna. I first heard Flo Milli at a festival with some teammates a couple years ago, and she was rapping about how she walks into any room with confidence, fully believing that she has no competition despite never having even topped a chart at the time. I loved that about her. Now she is on the up and has over a million followers on Instagram. She makes me feel like I am THAT girl (like Rihanna has been known to be good at) which is the vibe for any game day."
GS: What're your favorite songs on this playlist?
MH: "My favorite song on here is probably Venom by Little Simz. It's basically calling out misogynists and people who are intimidated by ambitious women and then wrecks them with a filthy beat drop. It gives feminine rage energy. Especially in a sport like beach volleyball that is currently only offered for women in the NCAA, it's easy to feel self-conscious about playing in short spandex and tight jerseys when all eyes are on you, while also laying everything on the line and staying gritty. This song reminds me of the power of my female body."
GS: How would you describe your music taste in general?
MH: "My normal music taste is all over the place. I grew up playing classical bassoon, so I listen to a lot of more technical stuff like jazz and neo-soul. I'm a big fan of Kamasi Washington and Erykah Badu. This got me into 90s indie jazz though like Fiona Apple and Belle and Sebastian, but obviously if I was going to listen to 90s music, I also got super into pop punk and soft metal. Also, the South Bay in California where I'm from is notorious for churning out DJs, so I listen to house and techno music when I want to think about home. But of course, I am from a beach town, so I am a fan of listening to a wide range of reggae indie/pop like Ocean Alley and Bobby Alu when I'm just hanging out. So yes, it's all over the place."
GS: Tell us about how this playlist plays a role for you on gameday.
MH: "On game days I need to do two things to get in the zone: dance, and strut. I have a lot of discothèque on my playlist because I personally think it is the best dancing music. Spanish beats just have a consistent rhythm that gets anyone's hips moving regardless of if they have ever even heard the genre. Think Pitbull. But yes, I need to dance to stay light and keep the fun. When I am playing to win, it can be difficult to remember how much fun I'm having because I am focused on other stressful things, but dancing before a match helps set the tone. Second, I need to be strutting into my match. I listen to lots of female rappers and DJs because they are always preaching confidence and owning your talent and body and the work you put in. My focal point when I am not focused is the phrase "chin up" which forces my posture up and my eyes forward. This is the perfect genre to listen to to get myself locked in and confident like that. When I've got my headphones on, I'm not here to play."
GS: Any unique stories behind what these songs mean to you or your team?
MH: "The best story I have is about the song 4K by El Alfa. When we were freshman, my teammate and I were making a 6 am Starbucks run before a long weekend of matches. We walked in the Starbucks, and at minimum volume we heard this song and were like what in the world is Starbucks doing playing this crazy song at the softest volume at 6 in the morning? So we Shazamed it, loved it, and blasted it in the car on the way to our courts. We were playing Cal that day and decided to play it for our team right before the match and we all went crazy. That was our first Big Game ever and we won it. The happy ending is that afterwards we played the song again in the locker room. The sad ending is that now we play it during conditioning."
GS: What's the music tase of your team like, collectively?
MH: "We listen to a lot of 2000s club music. On game days, we enter a new era. We have Rihanna, Flo Rida, J-Lo, Pitbull, Sean Paul on lock. Everyone on my team loves to dance. We have a collaborative playlist that I made with a bunch of these kinds of songs that we usually start with on aux. Somehow though "Squirrels in my Pants" and "it's Raining Tacos" also found their way on there…I'm not so sure about those."
GS: How would you say your relationship with music defines you?
MH: "You can tell a lot about me and my current state of life by what music I'm listening to. That is not really that original of me to say but if you follow me on Spotify you would understand. Like I said before, I grew up surrounded by music, so it really shapes how I see the world and maneuver my way through it. On game days though I'm always fired up!"
Check out Maya's full playlist below.