Ilayda
The question of belonging always lingers in the back of my mind. As a diaspora child, I carry the weight of leaving and the longing to find home in every place I go. So I like to write about what moves me. Music that lingers, films that haunt, words that stay long after the page is turned. I chase the moments that make me feel something.
Articles by Ilayda
Booked for Romance: Valentine's Day Picks for 2025
Get ready to be swept off your feet this Valentine's Day with our curated list of must-read romance novels for 2025. From the thrilling heartbeats of dark romances to the sweet serenades of small-town romances, we've handpicked books that promise to...
February 12th, 2025
I Am Every Age I Have Ever Been
Sometimes, we are childish. Sometimes, we do something our 16-year-old self would have done and cry like our 7-year-old self would have cried. Why is this so embarrassing? When you're 20, 30, or 40, are you not also every age you've ever been?
January 8th, 2025
From Resentment to Appreciation: How Being a Diaspora Child Shaped My Musical Identity
Many children of immigrants go through a similar journey, where the music of their heritage becomes more meaningful as they age. There’s something universally relatable about this experience, isn’t there? As children, we often push away the things th...
November 24th, 2024
Barbie for President
It’s the Monday before November 5th, the eve of the U.S. elections. This little video slides across my For You page: a Barbie. But not just any Barbie. A 2004 President Barbie, created as part of the White House Project, a campaign meant to inspire y...
November 7th, 2024
Behind the Barricades: Experiencing the Heroes Festival Freiburg Like a Fan, Not Like a Journalist.
01099, Trettmann, Shirin David and more... I was a little late for a review pass for the Heroes Festival this year, but anyone who knows me knows how obsessed I am with this small German indie band called 01099. So, when I heard that the Heroes Fest...
October 19th, 2024