Well, this is an awful hard question to ask someone like me. I grew up (and still am growing up) in a two-parent, stable, happy household. I am incredibly grateful for how conventionally "normal" my life is. And for that reason, I don't have a particular circumstance of mine that separates me from the rest, besides trivial things like lactose intolerance.
I guess my unusual circumstance is that my dad has an awesome taste in music. (Yeah, I know, my dad is kinda cool. Who would've thought?) Thanks to him, I've gotten into artists like Courtney Barnett, Wilco, Uncle Tupelo, the Smashing Pumpkins, Gillian Welch, Joni Mitchell, Amy Winehouse, Radiohead, and Frank Ocean, as well as the entire jazz genre.
When I was younger and my family was on a long car trip (this happened frequently, with yearly visits to the beach, Minnesota, and Washington, DC.) my dad would get to turn off the Top 40 playlist that my sister and I requested once the day turned to night. He would put in his own CD of his music, including artists like those listed above. I would fall asleep to these musicians playing. I know that sounds like I was bored by them, since I would go to sleep once they came on, but no. Their voices would always be a comfort to me. Hearing Amy Winehouse sing about a failed relationship or Gillian Welch singing a folk tune would assure me that my parents were there, and I was safe.
Now that I'm older, I listen and enjoy these artists on my own accord, and silently thank my father for introducing me to them when he did. Thanks to him, I have a greater appreciation and love for music that goes deeper than whether a song sounds good or not. Music provides me comfort, thanks to him.
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