Nena: Creating Genre-Blending and Innovative Music

Abstract

Popular (Pop) music in a modern-day context does not sound the same way it did when the term was first introduced in the mid to late 19th century, or even the way it sounded 5 or 10 years ago. This is because Pop music as a genre is ever evolving and growing depending on what most people consume during a specific period. Pop in 2024 flaunts a variety of genres, languages, cultures, and messages. This is because United States is and has been the dominant force in the music industry and the various influences in the industry come from the fact that the U.S. is a melting pot of all kinds of people. With this in mind, I created an Extended Play (EP) of 6 songs that reflect this idea of Pop music being a hybrid music genre. I used a variety of genres in my songs such as Jazz, Bossa Nova, Spanish, Pop, and Alternative and showed how various aspects of each genre have influenced my work. My EP focuses on key elements of the songwriting process to create a product influenced by various styles as represented in the pop music industry–a homogenous blend of genres.