🌴293. Key Change
Hey friends — I’m still buzzing from this morning’s runner’s high! I set out for a three-hour walk around Brisbane to soak in the jacarandas — those gorgeous purple blooms that light up the city — and somehow ended up walk-running a half marathon. Pure joy, no pressure, just great music and sunshine.
Somewhere along the river, Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer came on, and it hit me: that key change near the end is everything. You know the one — it lifts, it unites the crowd, it makes you feel like you can do anything.
So today’s episode is all about key changes — in music and in life.
🎵 What’s a key change?
A key change (or modulation) is when a song shifts from one key to another.
It’s not a brand-new melody — just a lift, a subtle step up that changes how it feels.
That’s why it gives you goosebumps — it breaks the pattern and re-energizes the song.
🎤 Famous key changes I mention
- Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi
- I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston
- Man in the Mirror – Michael Jackson
(Shoutout to “Danny and the Duplicates” on YouTube for the breakdown I played — absolute gold.)
There’s even a Spotify playlist called “Key Changes That Key Changed My Life.” Iconic title, right?
đź’ˇ Why I love key changes
They wake you up. Just when you think you know the tune, it shifts.
They lift the emotional stakes.
They demand flexibility — you can’t keep singing the same note.
And they build momentum — that little twist keeps things from going flat.
In life, we can do the same.
We don’t need a total reinvention — just a modulation.
🌟 Everyday “Key Changes” for Real Life
Here are some simple ways to add a key change to your week:
- Work from a café instead of your home office.
- Walk or run somewhere new.
- Switch up your soundtrack — new genre, new vibe.
- Call someone instead of texting.
- Take a cold shower or do something completely random mid-day.
- Learn something small but unexpected (like a dance or hobby).
It’s not about quitting your job or moving countries. It’s just about shaking up your energy — finding that half-step lift that makes everything feel alive again.
🎧 Your turn
What song gets you with its key change every single time?
Send me your pick — I might even add it to my own playlist.
Until next time, remember:
You can’t stay in the same key forever.
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