What Makes Music Great? Part 2

Curated by Imani Wj Wright

Greatness in music isn’t always grandiose, it often lives in the details, the intimate, and the honest. This episode, we explore how feeling—not formula—continues to shape what makes music not just good, but memorable.

Amira Jazeera’s “Perfect 4 Me” is a prime example. With its glossy R&B-pop fusion, it captures that sweet, unguarded moment of new love. What makes this track shine isn’t just its production, it’s Jazeera’s emotional transparency. You can almost feel her inhale the thrill of something new, heart still bruised from the past but beating strong again. That emotional accessibility is a hallmark of great music.

Then there’s YUCHTET’s “CAPPUCCINO,” a bold, instrumental conversation led by an 8-piece jazz outfit. Here, greatness is in the composition itself. Recorded in Queens, the track pulses with movement, proof that tight arrangements and risk-taking can speak volumes, even without words.

Jaydi Zavala’s “Complicated” brings an entirely different energy. With Kaytranada-style production and playful lyrical ambiguity, Jaydi blurs the line between confession and mystique. Sometimes, greatness comes in letting the listener lean in, wonder, and interpret.

Reid Parsons’ “Back to Back” offers warmth wrapped in precision. Their orchestral-folk approach, steeped in architectural thought and emotional honesty, paints connection as both a feeling and a form. It's intimate and intelligent, a balance rarely struck so well.

And Wesstyles' “Usually” reminds us that greatness can come from simply speaking one's truth. With a grounded, self-aware flow, he shares his daily struggles and dreams with humility. There’s power in vulnerability and that, too, is greatness.