We asked the authors of opens in a new windowMagic X Mayhem to pick theme songs for their main characters. And the resulting playlist is definitely full of mayhem. We advise listening to it on shuffle to maximize the chaos.
Pick a Theme Song for Your Main Character
JY Yang, author of opens in a new windowThe Ascent to Godhood
YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO ASK ME THIS because in the process of writing the first two Tensorate novellas I definitely came up with theme songs for the Sanao twins. They’re classic Mandopop songs from my childhood and now I have a chance to inflict them upon the world:
Akeha’s theme song is “潇洒走一回” (loosely meaning like “to live without care/restraint”): opens in a new windowhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ8Hxm2W5Ts It’s hard to explain the meaning of the song, just enjoy the music.)
Mokoya’s theme song is “橄榄树” (The Olive Tree): opens in a new windowhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u3MRVXGU9M (“Don’t ask me where I’m from/Home is far away/Why do I wander?/Wander these lost places”)
Brian Naslund, author of opens in a new windowBlood of an Exile:
“When the Levee Breaks”, Led Zeppelin
Tamsyn Muir, author of opens in a new windowGideon the Ninth
This already got picked for me, so Gideon’s theme song is Cobra Starship’s “Good Girls Go Bad”, sorry.
S.L. Huang, author of opens in a new windowNull Set
“Eye of the Tiger”.
Saad Z. Hossain, author of The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday
“I’m too Sexy” by Right Said Fred
Duncan Hamilton, author of opens in a new windowDragonslayer
I picked my villain for this – Amaury, the Prince Bishop – “Wannabe”, by the Spice Girls.
Cate Glass, author of opens in a new windowAn Illusion of Thieves
For Romy? “Black Magic Woman” from Santana. “I’ve got a black magic woman; got me so blind I can’t see…”
Max Gladstone, author of opens in a new windowEmpress of Forever
For Vivian Liao, tech billionaire turned far-future survivor: “Power,” by Kanye West (from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy).
“Living in the 21st Century / doing something mean to it”
For Zanj, imprisoned pirate queen: “What’s Up Danger”, by Blackway & Black Caviar (from the Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse Soundtrack).
Sarah Gailey author of opens in a new windowMagic for Liars
“Don’t Ask Me” by OK GO
Andrew Bannister, author of Iron Gods
Goodness, that’s difficult. But I think “Isobel” by Bjork comes close. It captures her sense of separation, of the unbreakable self-contained core of her.
Stay tuned for more #magicXmayhem all summer long!
