Every time there’s a lull in the conversation, Maryam rushes to fill it. It doesn’t matter what we were talking about earlier or what we are currently doing, without fail, the same prompt comes up.

“Okay, guys. Top three artists.”

Cooper’s response is usually between a loud groan and a snarky laugh, if not both, just because of the frequency at which we all hear this question. Over time, it has become a bit of a joke.

But it shouldn’t be. However cheesy the icebreaker may seem, the question comes from a place of genuine interest and care.

Stop us if you have heard this before, but music is the universal language and the ultimate connector. Your tastes might differ from your peers, strangers or even friends and family, but almost everyone you know listens to music.

Maryam’s exercise is not just a peek into someone’s Spotify for the past week, but it is an exploration of who they are, what they care about and how they feel. It’s not just a surface-level question, but a true attempt to understand one another.

When it comes to music, people tend to underestimate Winston-Salem. We hear Wake Forest students complain about having to drive to Charlotte or Raleigh to see an artist they care about, how there is no music culture in the city or how campus homogenizes any creative outlets.

This couldn’t be further from the truth.

The artists who live here and the melodies they share with the community deserve to be heard and recognized. Whether it’s at a Trade Street brewery, at The Ramkat or in the bins of a used-record shop, Winston-Salem is full of people who want to keep the music playing.

As you read this edition of The Magnolia, you will realize the City of Arts & Innovation has earned its name fair and square. Music is deeply embedded in the city’s history and culture. We hope you will look past the surface level, and understand what music means to Wake Forest, what it means to Winston-Salem and what it means to all of us.