6. “Unwritten,” Natasha Bedingfield, (Unwritten, 2004)
On the same vein as “I’m Coming Out,” Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten” is a celebration of loving yourself. She passionately sings, “Feel the rain on your skin / No one else can feel it for you / Only you can let it in / No one else, no one else can speak the words on your lips / Drench yourself in words unspoken / Live your life with arms wide open.” This year, instead of loving someone else, you should love yourself first. After all, “Today is where your book begins and the rest is still unwritten.”
7. “Firework,” Katy Perry (Teenage Dream, 2010)
Katy Perry also advocates for self-love in the anthemic hit “Firework.” Here, Perry believes that we all have a spark inside and that all we need to do is ignite the light. Cheesy as it may sound, it is a feel-good song about celebrating one’s uniqueness. Even Perry said that the song is one of the important ones on her Teenage Dream album.
8. “My Prerogative,” Bobby Brown (Don’t Be Cruel, 1988)
We all know the Britney version but the Bobby Brown original has a more empowering and uplifting spirit that we like. He perfectly captures the song’s lyrics: “Everybody’s talking all this stuff about me / Why don’t they just let me live / I don’t need permission / Make my own decisions / That’s my prerogative.” Life’s about making yourself happy, and you can do it alone, too.
9. “Who Says,” Selena Gomez & The Scene (When the Sun Goes Down, 2011)
Those celebrating Valentine’s alone may wonder why they’re single. Even the most confident will sometimes doubt themselves but Selena Gomez said it best: “I’m no beauty queen, I’m just beautiful me” and “Who says you’re not perfect / Who says you’re not worth it.” Gomez said the song is about cyberbullying, but sometimes, our biggest bully is ourselves. Listen to this in your moment of weakness.
10. “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” Cyndi Lauper (She’s So Unusual, 1983)
Who needs a date today when you can spend the night with your friends? After all, girls (and boys) just want to have fun! A Valentine’s doesn’t have to be with a special someone. It can be friends, family, and even yourself. Parks and Recreation‘s Tom and Donna said the very wise words: “Treat yo self!”
Check out the rest of the songs on the next page!
