7 Songs for Youth Day

Forever Young

Youth Day is celebrated in South Africa on 16 June so that we, as a country, can reflect on the past but also contemplate our future which lies in the hands of the youth. Here are my favourite songs that capture the optimism, passion, confusion and heartache of youth.

Youth – Troye Sivan

A massive hit for the South African born Troye Sivan that conveys the freedom and idealism of youth, with the collective voice of youth imagining "what if we’re speeding through red lights into paradise".

Watch:  Youth

Young Hearts Run Free – Candi Stanton

A fabulous disco anthem for the youth, famously reimagined by Kym Mazelle for Mercutio’s drag queen performance in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet. Candi offers sage advice to young hearts, to be true to themselves and to ensure their minds are free to learn all they can about themselves rather than being defined by someone else.

Watch:  Young Hearts

We Are Young – fun.

References to drug and alcohol use aside, this song is a passionate call for the youth to seize the day (or the night) and "set the world on fire" and "burn brighter than the sun".

Watch:  We Are Young

Forever Young – The Pretenders

Originally penned by Bob Dylan, this song is kind of prayer for the youth:
"May God bless you and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder
To the stars
And climb on every rung
And may you stay
Forever young"

Watch:  Forever Young

We Will Be Forever Young – The Parlotones

A song that echoes the sentiments of Forever Young, The Parlotones stress the importance of holding on to the spirit of youth, "the dance we danced and the songs we sang", as we get older – and more jaded and cynical and "afraid to fly".

Born This Way – Lady Gaga

Another fabulous anthem for a generation, and one that speaks directly to LGBT youth. Gaga puts it quite simply: "Don’t hide yourself in regret, just love yourself and you’re set". You can’t help but put your paws up when you hear this…there ain’t no other way.

Watch:  Born This Way

Fuckin’ Perfect – P!nk

This is a song that offers hope and encouragement for any young person who has ever been made to feel "less than". She implores those who have been "mistreated", "misplaced" or "misunderstood" to believe that they are nothing less than "fucking perfect".

Watch:  Fuckin' Perfect