Mixtape

2005: Spaghetti Song by Sexbomb Girls

2009: Hey Soul Sister by Train
2012: Payphone by Maroon 5
2014: Rather Be by Clean Bandit
2015: Boom Clap by Charli XCX
2017: Show Me Love by Chance the Rapper
2018: Party Tattoos by Dodie

Mixtape Autobiography
(2004-2018)
Lara Vizon
 Spaghetti Song Hey Soul Sister
2005 2009
Hey, soul sister
It was my 3rd birthday and my parents planned a small party at Ain’t the Mr. Mister on the radio, stero
home inviting some family friends. As a three-year-old party, there The way you move ain’t fair, you know
weren’t many games to play. It was just cake, food, parents talking, Hey, soul sister
and kids playing with what they could find. With much I don’t want to miss a single thing you do
entertainment to the parents, they wanted their kids to have a Tonight
dance off; so, it was a Lara versus Ashley. Of course, wasn’t a dance
off without the Filipino classics playing. The music was calmly playing through the speakers as my dad and I
exit SeaWorld. We’ve been there all day and our tired feet were
Spaghetting pababa, pababa ng pababa ready to go home. I had my churro in one hand while my dad was
Spaghetting patass, pataas ng pataas holding our drinks. Although many songs played throughout the day
Spaghetting pababa, pababa ng pababa while we were there and a variety of songs played while we exited
Spaghetting patass, pataas ng pataas during previous days we visited, this one song seemed to stick to
me.
Just a couple of toddlers trying to follow along to the words of the
song, only understanding a few phrases, but our moms kept hyping I just remember walking out, tired as could be, explaining to my dad
us up. This went on with various songs and neither of us got tired. that I was still struggling how to spell Wednesday. He nodded along
Each mom tried to show off their child and their dance moves. Who saying it was an easy word to miss spell.
won? Who knew, but in the moms’ mind their own child won. Who
would’ve thought this song would’ve been buried in both Ashley “Hey, did you have fun today?” my dad asked me.
and I’s self-consciousness when we grew older. “Yes!” I replied with a big smile on my face.

I felt tired, but a sense of calmness and happiness rushed through

me as I heard the song play through the speakers.
 Payphone
2012 The visit went by quick. It felt like we were only there for a day. But
during the week we stayed, Payphone would constantly play.
It was a few days after my birthday, it was also the last time I would
be seeing my cousins for a long time. We were heading to Milpitas We said our final goodbyes and tears were shed. It was hard
for Christmas break and to help them pack before leaving for the because they were the only family that lived close and now we were
Philippines. going to be miles and miles away. We
were going to be farther apart, and
When we got there, it was like a normal greeting; we exchanged they were only going to get closer to
hugs, gifts, and they wanted us to get settled in. It didn’t hit yet to more family. The three of them were
neither of us that it was our going to be our final visit. As we drove the closest thing I had to brothers and
around the city one song would constantly play on the radio. now they were gone. During the long
7 hours back to San Diego, Payphone
I’m at a payphone trying to call home was the only thing ringing in my ears.
All of my change I spent on you
Where have the times gone, baby, it’s all wrong
Where are the plans we made for two

Not only was it repetitive on the radio, but it was my cousins’

favorite song, so it was constantly being played at home too.

“Isn’t this a good song Lara?” my cousin Neil asked me and then
warned me by saying, “Just don’t say any of the bad words, you’re
not old enough yet” He
said this, yet he was only
a few years older than
me.

Nuebert and Nuelle just

looked at him like he was
insane because he
wasn’t old enough to be
singing along with the
song either.
 Rather Be she was the closest thing I had to a sister. So, the song felt fitting;
2014 there was really no place I’d rather be than there, singing my heart
out, acting like a complete idiot, and not giving a damn about what
It was a hot summer night and my dad just left for work while I was would happen next.
waiting for my mom to come home. I was home alone with one of
my closest friends, Ashley. She was like my sister and my confidant. Then at about one in the morning my mom came home, walked into
This was the first summer in years we’ve spent together, and we my room, and said with a laugh, “I can hear you outside singing,
weren’t going to waste one bit of it. She was MIA for a few years you’re going to wake the whole neighborhood up.”
due to family problems, but when she finally came back, she didn’t
want let go. We were going to be home alone for the next hour or
two, so we wanted to take advantage of it. So, we sang from the top
of our lungs. We claimed this song to be our anthem.

We’re a thousand miles from comfort, we traveled land and sea

But as long as you are with me, there’s no place I’d rather be

We didn’t care if we woke up the neighbors, this was a first and

might be our last summer together, we didn’t know the future; all
we knew was that it was summer and it was time to have fun.

If you gave me a chance I would take it

It’s a shot in the dark but I’ll make it
Know with all of your heart, you can’t shame me

We sang this with all our will and power; we didn’t care if we were
out of tune or hitting the right notes. We got up on the bed and
started jumping and acting crazy. If someone walked in, it would
look like a scene from a movie; just two kids having fun.

When I am with you, there’s no place I’d rather be

n-n-n-no, no, no place I’d rather be

As my 11-year-old self was singing this, I realized there was no place

I’d rather be at that moment. I haven’t seen my friend in years, and
 Boom Clap “You guys did amazing!” Coach Amber said with much excitement.
2015
They announced the results and although we didn’t get first place,
It was competition day. It was our first competition as a cheer we got second. To us that was good enough considering it was our
squad, and we were all squirming with anticipation and first competition and we worked tirelessly on end for months. We
nervousness. We were all covered in bright red lipstick, obnoxiously were proud of our accomplishment, and I was proud for being on
gold glittered eyeshadow, eyepopping pink blush, and a high team that put so
ponytail. We’ve been practicing for months and the day finally much determination
came. into their work and
We put our hands together and chanted “1, 2, 3 Our Lady of to have coach who
Victory!” then we were ready to go. devoted so much of
her time to our team
Boom boom boom clap and to all the
practice. Honestly, I
The sound of the remix of the song blared through the speakers was just surprised
while we try to hit every move. We see our coach smiling brightly at that I was playing a
us reminding us that our facial expressions and smiles are being sport and won
judged as well as our dance moves. second place in a
competition. Who
Boom clap knew I could do such
The sound of my heart a thing.
The beat goes on and on and on and
Boom clap
You make me feel good
Come onto me, come on to me now

“1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ,8. Smile Lara, smile” I kept counting and

reminding myself whiling dancing. While I focused on the audience
and trying to keep count, I saw within my peripheral vision that
everyone was focused and filled with determination.

The final verse was sung, and we all ended with our little pose. We
ran off the mat and our coach came towards us.
 Show Me Love ‘bout
2017
Our teacher looked us with such proudness and surprise that we
It was a few weeks before 8th grade graduation and my teacher didn’t mess the part up. The music started slowing down.
finished setting up our last showcase for us and our parents. Not
only did each of us have prepare something to present, but our …Though I know I can hate
teacher made us learn a whole dance to perform at the event. Not And don’t let me show evil
all of us were dancers, most of us hardly danced, but we did it and Though it might be all I take
he made us work hard for it. Show me love
Show me love
It was the night of the showcase and most us weren’t nervous for Show me love
our individual acts, but for group dance. We worked hard and
tirelessly on perfecting the choreography, and finally the night had That was the end. Didn’t matter if none of us knew how to dance,
come. we danced, and we looked good surprisingly. During those last
moments I thought about what would happen next for all of us.
The music started out slowly, it was time. High school was next and who knew if we were just going to go in
and pretend we didn’t know each other, pass each other in the hall
Don’t let me show cruelty without any acknowledgement, or kept this close knit so called
Though I make mistakes… “family” we were. The one thing I did know was that my teacher
Show me love was right. This was our last time working together as a whole and
Show me love last time we were considered as one after the 8 years, more or less,
Show me love we’ve known each other. It was like the final way our teacher was
saying goodbye to us and our way of saying goodbye to him and
With the look on everyone’s faces we were doing great. Every each other.
parent had a mix of nostalgia and amusement on their faces. I think
they realized we were growing up and high school was next.

During rehearsal we kept messing up at one specific part and it was

coming up quick. By the look on my teacher and the chorographer’s
face, they were worried we would screw up.

Show me love when I pop out,

When I pop out
City I always talk ‘bout, what I rap
 Party Tattoos To everyone else, it was just a game, a simple Uno game. To us
2018 though, it was a party, a celebration, and time where we felt like we
were one and time hasn’t skipped a single beat. That’s when I
All you will need for a rocking good time realized I would fly 7,431 miles again to the Philippines just to
Is a bunch of people who don’t give a damn experience that single game and moment again.
There’s a yes, in your head, gotta find where it’s at
You’ll lose it in the morning but ignore that

It was the first time all of us were together at once, all my cousins
from my mom’s side. Some lived minutes away, others haven’t seen
each other in 12 years, but it was the first time we were all finally
together without any complaints. All of us just sitting on the hotel
room bed. None of us had to be somewhere or be someone, we
were all just ourselves enjoying each other’s company. Parents’
fights and disagreements were out of the picture, it was just us
cousins enjoying our short time we had together.

One of my cousins, Glen, took out a deck of Uno cards and we just
sat there in anticipation of how this is going to turn out. He began to
deal the cards and Camille decides to put the first card down. We
each have our turn; all of us were still playing it safe. Then Neil puts
down a skip card and that’s when we knew this wasn’t going to be a
friendly game anymore. All hell broke loose when Vince put down a
draw 4 card; the tension rose.

“Ang daya mo naman!” which translates to you’re cheating, you’re

not playing fair; Glen said this as he started smacking his brother
with the pillow and we all died of laughter.

We weren’t family anymore; we all became enemies and the

competition was on. Throughout the whole game the room was full
of laughter, screams, and yelling. None of us noticed the time until
my mom mentioned it was already three in the morning. The game
had to end eventually with Nuelle winning at the end.