It’s Consequence‘s 15th anniversary, and all September long we’ll be sharing artist-curated playlists that reflect the evolution of their music taste throughout the last 15 years. For today’s My15 playlist, The Beth’s Elizabeth Stokes puts forth a mix of upbeat indie, golden oldies, and melodic hip-hop.
Elizabeth Stokes might have still been in a classroom 15 years ago, but she was already in the midst of establishing her taste in music — the same taste that would go on to inform her work with The Beths.
“Up ‘til then, my diet was a mix of indie, emo and folk, as well as a healthy dose of ‘easy listening’ radio (thanks mum),” Stokes tells Consequence.
Such a foundation can be heard in the energized indie rock tunes of The Beths. The New Zealand quartet consistently puts forward earworm melodies, airtight hooks, and clever, heart-on-the-sleeve lyrics. Yet, as her curated playlist exhibits, keen ears can find more than the rock-centric mindset of Stokes’ high school days in her songs.
Featuring jazz cuts, golden oldies, and hip-hop tracks next to indie touchstones, Stokes’ picks showcase an omnivorous pallet. “When I was studying at university, I listened to a lot of jazz,” she says of John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman’s “Lush Life.” “[It] might be one of my favourite songs, it’s such a masterpiece lyrically, melodically, harmonically.”
Other picks, like Steely Dan’s “Peg” or Toro y Moi’s “Ordinary Pleasure,” showcase Stoke’s pension for infectious, upbeat jams. It’s 15 songs summing up 15 years of Stokes’ musical journey, from the earliest of influences to recent favorites.
Listen through The Beths’ Elizabeth Stokes’ complete My15 playlist below.
