Tsehay Hawkins, Daryl Braithwaite, Julia Stone and Barkaa kick off your summer right with new playlists

If you’ve ever wanted to know (and judge) your favourite singer’s secret musical obsessions, check out these Aussie summer playlists.

If a playlist is a mirror to your musical soul, the summer selections of teen Wiggles recruit Tsehay Hawkins reveal she is more Gen X than Gen Z.

The 16-year-old Yellow Wiggle has curated a wild retro ride for her Summer Dance playlist launched on Apple this week, from Jackie Wilson’s soul classic Reet Petite to Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston hits.

Her earliest musical memory growing up in Sydney after being adopted from Ethiopia by her parents Robyn and Reg Hawkins is “her” song, that enduring one-hit wonder Walking On Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves.

Yellow Wiggle Tsehay Hawkins has an old musical soul Picture: Richard Dobson

“My parents had special songs for us because of our adoption and as my name means the sun, it was my song when I was little,” Hawkins said.

The Latin dance world champion may be cheekily messing with us by opening her playlist with Walking On Sunshine, a song universally accepted as being impossible to dance to without looking like an out-of-breath beginner in a cardio fitness class.

“I did choose it for more of the vibe; dancing to it doesn’t look lovely but feels great,” she said.

Her playlist also introduces popular African songs to Wiggles fans including the irresistibly danceable Vuli Ndlela by South African pop icon Brenda Fassie who was known as the Madonna of the Townships.

First Nations rapper Barkaa, aka Chloe Quayle, shines a spotlight on powerful Indigenous women with her Blak Girl Summer playlist. Picture: Luke Currie-Richardson

Rising Australian rap artist Barkaa shares a similar ambition to spotlight the powerful voices of First Nations female artists, “who have lifted me up and made me feel beautiful and strong as a Blak woman in this country” with her Blak Girl Summer playlist.

From revered music pioneers including 90s trio Tiddas to current artists including Jessica Mauboy, Thelma Plum, Alice Skye, Emily Wurramura and Sycco, Barkaa’s selection serves as a potent discovery tool for music fans to delve deeper into the rich vein of contemporary Indigenous music.

Thelma Plum’a Better in Blak features on Barkaa’s summer playlist. Picture: Supplied.

“Tiddas’ song My Sister automatically comes to mind when I think of summer, driving across the countryside with my mum with the window rolled down, country air in my face, watching the scenery change while she’s just cruising down the highways,” Barkaa said.

“As a kid listening to the lyrics ‘with my sisters behind me, I am strong, I am free’ had me feeling like I was everything, that I was free, that I was strong and I guess it felt like soundtrack to my life.”

Daryl Braithwaite laughed when asked if he made his Beachside-themed playlist for his own listening pleasure – or to impress his mates.

He shares an old musical soul with Yellow Wiggle Hawkins, opening with the Cliff Richard classic Summer Holiday, but shows he keeps up with today’s playlists by selecting the Harry Styles hit Watermelon Sugar and If You’re Too Shy by British alternative pop stars The 1975.

“Ha ha … It is most definitely for me as I am sure some of my friends would be horrified,” he said.

Daryl Braithwaite is waiting for his friends to sledge his playlist. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Among the dozens of artists offering us the voyeuristic pleasure of judging their musical taste with the Apple summer playlists is Julia Stone. She curated the soundtrack to Summer Nights, peppering tracks from her aptly titled solo record Sixty Summers alongside Lana Del Rey, Billie Eilish and Tame Impala.

Stone said Del Rey’s Summertime Sadness is the song which conjures the most heady memories of the season for her.

Julia Stone cites Lana Del Rey’s Summertime Sadness as a classic for the season. Picture: Brooke Ashley Barone

“Every shopping centre, every cafe, every portable boom box on the beach, every car you drove past in late 2013, the song was popping off. I was living in LA at the time,” Stone said.

“It’s always sunny in LA so felt like summer never ended. Living down at Venice Beach with my best friend Jessie. Life was wonderful and confusing. Uncertain and exciting. Walks along the promenade watching the strangeness of Venice Beach life play out in front of us. Our little beach cottage full of flowers and friendship.”

London-based Gang of Youths had to remember what Sydney summer sounds like. Picture: Supplied.

As for London-based rockers Gang Of Youths, they had to summon their memories of Australian summer and long road trips in the tour van to get in the mood.

“Most of it is kind of ‘summery’ but some of it is just f … ing good so we wanted to include it. We hope you enjoy while commuting, cooking, drinking, running or under iron. Wherever,” the band’s bassist Max Dunn said.

The Summer According To … artists playlists are now streaming on Apple Music via https://music.apple.com/au/curator/apple-music-summertime-sounds/1558257235