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 senior Amanda Zeng of Women's Gymnastics, who shares her pregame playlist in advance of the Pac-12 Championships.
Go Stanford: Who are your favorite artists these days?
Amanda Zeng: "Drake will forever be my top artist. However, I also love listening to 21 Savage, Travis Scott, Metro Boomin, and various EDM artists like Fisher, David Guetta, and Tiesto."
GS: What about this playlist gets you ready for competition?
AZ: "This playlist provides the perfect balance between rap, melodic and stutter house, and EDM which can cater to however I am feeling that day. If I'm feeling pumped up, I'll pick songs that are more EDM and rap-centered. On days where I need to feel some euphoria, I'll rely on stutter-house and melodic-house music."
GS: How would you describe your music taste in general?
AZ: "I definitely have a wide music library and listen to a variety of genres ranging from Rap to RnB to alternative, but I typically listen to EDM and Rap on the daily."
GS: Does this playlist different from what you listen to normally? If so, how come?
AZ: "I think that this playlist is pretty representative of what I typically listen to. I like to surround myself with good energy, and I think that hype music like this never fails to put me in an energetic mood."
GS: Any unique stories behind what these songs meant to you or your team?
AZ: "There are a few songs on this playlist that my teammates and I were / are hyper fixated on. When 'Rich Baby Daddy' first came out, I would play it at practice every day for two weeks, until finally I was limited to twice a week. There are also songs that are also undoubtedly played during every circuit, conditioning set, or jump rope warm up that we have."
GS: How does your music taste compare to the rest of your team's?
AZ: "On my team, I'm definitely the most enthusiastic about rap, but there are quite a few girls that also share my love for EDM and House."
GS: Describe your relationship with music, and how/if that relates to your sport.
AZ: "Music is such an essential part of my life. I truly wouldn't be myself if I didn't have a pair of headphones on my head or around my neck. It plays a crucial role in not only connecting and deepening relationships with my friends, but also serves as a medium for creating new memories here at Stanford. As someone who take over the aux at practice, I love to be able to use music to generate positive vibes and a motivating training atmosphere."
Check out Amanda's full playlist below.