Circles or Something ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ - Original Song ft. Ling Wan

#Vocagathering2026 A silly song about running in circles featuring as many round things as I could fit in. For the melody, I wanted to pick something simple and playful. Like small bursts of notes that resemble splashes from stepping in muddy puddles. Pizzicatto strings, music boxes, and fun twinkly sounds. Piano improvs for whimsy and spontaneity. I even kept the harmony basic by following the circle of fifths, so cheers to another "round" concept for the books! The lyrics reflected a more bittersweet dialogue between me and... myself. When I wrote this a while back, I felt like I lost my footing on everything that stabilized my living situation. I wanted to hide under a blanket like a kid seeking refuge from a nightmare, never to face reality again. At the same time, there was always the counter dialogue. Sometimes it made me feel a little silly saying things like, "This candy is so sweet! I hope I can eat another one tomorrow." Or maybe, "This cracked marble reminds me of my favorite character. Maybe I'll play Wuwa tonight!" I had to constantly stick my hand into a collection of joy to pull out whatever I touched first just to get to the end of the day. That didn't stop the child from crying and wishing everything bad went away, though. No matter how many good things I could name, there were also things that made me want to give up and drown in that whirlpool of emotions. But that's how life works, doesn't it? Even in those dark moments, I found myself recalling how many times my friends and I laughed together because between the ten of us, we often struggled to find two or three pennies for the exact change on some stupid purchase we made. I remembered that I can still make bubbles out of hand soap. And in the same vein, I could inch towards a better future, even if it's just a little bit every day. Sure, it's a cycle of experiencing terrible things and then finding reasons to love, but no matter how big or small, any of those silly reasons became important if it meant I could see the sunlight the next day. I suppose my dream is to be able to share my thoughts and feelings freely without cringing. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ It's scary being this vulnerable, but maybe we can take the first step together. CREDITS: Vocals: Ling Wan, Feng Yi, Wei Shu (SynthV1) Lyrics/Composition/Instrumental/Tuning/Video/Mix: me :D LYRICS: Did you know that a circle's made of angles? A million or another, I can't recall Did you know that I've wandered far away? So lost and worried that we'll never find home I wish for little things: a penny and some bubbles, A dream I can't find Some simple truths and undeniable hope And yet I squeeze my eyes shut, like a child I don't know where else to go And so I will keep walking 'Round and 'round again Did you see that? A cycle not yet broken We spiral out of control, no way to reset Now I see that the whirlpool is drowning Just me, alone, within my head, My breath is stuck inside I wish for little things: a marble and some candy, A dream I can't reach A reason to live and just a bit of luck And yet I cry my eyes out, like a child I don't know where else to go And so I will keep running 'Round and 'round again 'Round and 'round again