My Mixtape Autobiography Songs

(2003-present) Niña Bonita – 2009

Evelyn Arambula Stronger – 2011
Bounce Back – 2016
Bonita – 2017
Otra Noche en Miami – 2019
Mystery of Love – 2019
 Niña Bonita - Chino y Nacho
Mi niña bonita brillante lucero
Te queda pequeña la frase te quiero
When I was little my dad used to sing me this song, he would
have it blasting in the car and I would sing along. At the time, I
was (technically) his first-born and his only daughter, so one
can assume I was slightly spoiled. Even when my little sister
was born, he still sang it to me. It made me feel special, even
though I was no longer the only daughter. It’s a sweet song and
it always makes me smile when I listen to it. I hope one day I
can sing it to my future daughter.
https://youtu.be/YaiT3jXVRK0
Stronger - Kanye West
That that don’t kill me
Can only make me stronger
From the age of two to the age of ten, I used to dance. In case
you didn’t do the math, I spent eight years of my life doing it.
Since I was very indecisive, I did every style my studio had to
offer. My favorite however was hip hop. Something about its
sharp and slightly questionable movements made my chubby
little heart happy. Much like all the other dance styles I tried I
sucked at it. But it was ok because I was having a blast. My hip
hop teacher used to blast this song during our warmups. The
warmup was awful, it was basically 20 straight minutes of
cardio, but Kanye West telling you to keep going serves as
great motivation to work through the pain. This song is still on
my workout playlist to this day.
https://youtu.be/PsO6ZnUZI0g
 Bounce Back – Big Sean
Last night took an L, but tonight I bounce back
In eighth grade, my two friends dragged me into joining
basketball with them. At first, I really didn’t want to, but I
grew to like the game. We used to practice everyday at Monte
Valle Park until we got kicked off and had to go to Salt Creek
Park. Every practice someone brought a mini speaker and
played a special playlist to motivate us. I remember it playing
in the background the practice after we lost first round of
league playoffs. We were all bummed about losing because it
was a close game, but we still had spring ball. Much like the
song says we bounced back and ended up winning the spring
league. I’m not going to lie there’s been many times where I’ve
wanted to quit basketball in high school. I haven’t been playing
for as long as most girls on the team, so it’s easy to get
frustrated and in my head. But I always think about this song
and I end up going back each year for the next season. I’ve
grown to really enjoy playing even if I’m not the best.
https://youtu.be/grRjVhk6fe8
Bonita – J Balvin, Jowell y Randy
Ella es tan bonita, por ahí tan solita
Con esa cinturita, bailándome cerquita
Every time I go to some sort of party, this song is guaranteed to
be played. I can promise you that I scream this song at the top
of my lungs every single time it comes on. It’s not appropriate
and my mom doesn’t approve of the lyrics, but she can’t say
anything seeing as she sings along too. It’s just such a fun song
to dance to and sing with all of your girlies, it doesn’t even
have to be at a party. Riding shotgun with a friend/mom? It
works. While you’re supposed to be doing homework? It works
I’ve done it too. Even by myself, I sing along and dance alone
in my room when I blast it from my speaker. I honestly have a
whole choreography created to it at this point. It just evokes a
feeling of drunken (not literally) happiness in me when I hear
it. It’s great, I love it, this song will be played at my funeral.
 https://youtu.be/qQhVC0EtCEg
Otra Noche en Miami – Bad Bunny
Todo es superficial, nada real
Nada raro que el dinero no pueda comprar
Penthouse con vista al mar
Es lo único que tengo pa’ poder pasar
Otra noche en Miami
random sushi place and overpriced smoothies from Whole
Foods. My friends and I were near the back of the group where
people were taking turns passing around the speaker. I don’t
know who was on the speaker at this point but whoever it was
started playing this song and it was perfect. I remember
someone thought the song was too sad to play at that moment,
but I disagree. I enjoyed the feeling of melancholy it evoked. I
always listen to this song around sunset, I don’t know it’s
always been a time of almost reverence for me. It’s a good
song.
https://youtu.be/hoQmSA6MRAk

I love this whole album by Bad Bunny, and this had been one
of my favorite songs off the album. Every time I listen to this
song it reminds me of the UCLA/USC field trip last year. This
is still the best field trip that I have ever been on.
Around sunset, we were walking through Westwood back to
the UCLA campus to watch a musical on the life of Albert
Einstein. We had just finished eating cheap sushi from a
 Mystery of Love – Sufjan Stevens
How much sorrow can I take?
Blackbird on my shoulder
And what difference does it make
When this love is over?
This is another one of my sunset favorites. It always leaves me
thinking. Not about anything in particular, just about life,
Where I am, where I have been, where I’m going. I could think
about that for hours, but I try to limit myself to sunset. I like
the way the sun streams in through my windows as I feel it’s
gentle warmth. It comforts my never-ending thoughts.
This song makes me think about love, which makes sense
considering the title. Love is still a weird concept to me. It’s
essentially just a paradox; it causes great joy and yet terrible
pain. I think that’s what scares people away, we’re just scared
of getting hurt so we build up these walls to defend ourselves
from it. But then again what do I know? I’m just a kid
watching the sun set.
https://youtu.be/N0CP9zpbmAQ