So, you bought a guitar. Big dreams, right? Maybe you thought you’d become the next indie sensation, or maybe you just liked the sound of the E string.
But now it’s been almost a year. And your guitar? It’s basically an aesthetic prop. A slightly dusty monument to a dream that got soft-launched and never fully rolled out.
Yeah, same.
Turns out, loving music and playing it are two very different things.
Every once in a while, you’d look at it and feel the tiniest whiff of guilt. And then you’d scroll through Instagram for two hours instead.
But here’s the twist.
Something unexpected happened to me!
No, it wasn’t a YouTube tutorial or a random motivational speech.
It was a movie.
Sometimes you watch a movie and everything clicks. You feel like the movie was made just for you. That’s what happened when I experienced John Carney’s Sing Street.
If that name sounds familiar, it’s because he’s made a bunch of amazing music-based films (Once, Begin Again—yeah, he’s good). But Sing Street? This one hit different. Why did it click with me?
Maybe it’s because I adore music in movies, especially when it’s performed on stage. There’s something about seeing it unfold live, raw, and unpolished. And, the real kicker, it’s set in Dublin, Ireland. The story revolves around a group of kids who start a band and dream big. How could I not relate?
This teenager, Conor, decides to start a band to impress a girl [Classic move]. But what starts as a small idea turns into something real. The band writes original songs, films super DIY music videos, and somehow, without being perfect, they end up sounding kind of amazing.
Every song in Sing Street tells a piece of Conor’s story—his highs, his lows, and everything in between. “The Riddle of the Model” is a fun, punchy track that captures his awkward attempts to impress Raphina, the mysterious wannabe model. Then there’s “Brown Shoes”, a cheeky dig at the uptight priest running his school.
But the real standouts? “Drive It Like You Stole It” and “Girls.” These two tracks just hit different. They’re catchy, emotional, and honestly, might bring a tear or two…maybe more if you’re really in tune with your feelings. They’re the kind of songs that stick with you long after the credits roll.
And I was like: “Wait… this is the kind of music I wanted to play.”
That movie gave me the push I needed. Not a tutorial, not a practice routine, just a feeling. Watching those boys jam in their school uniforms, writing songs, messing up, and still trying? It reminded me that music doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be yours.
So, I picked up my guitar again. Not to play the perfect solo, but just to play, something.
And maybe, just maybe, that’s enough to start.