As someone who works in both industries, music and vaping, I believe it would be interesting to delve deeper into how these two very different worlds connect. Having made music for fourteen years and worked in the vaping industry for another five years, there have been many times when I’ve acknowledged the connection between the pair.
Music, whether listening to or creating it, is often about self expression, individuality, innovation and relaxation. Vaping holds many of the same qualities. Whether that be choosing a device that mirrors your style, experimenting with D-I-Y e-liquids or using vaping to unwind after a long day, the values remain the same. It is very important to me in this blog to acknowledge the connection between the both with understanding the importance of not glamorising vaping.
Music is a powerful medium that holds a lot of power in the influence of lifestyle trends from social behaviours and consumer habits to stress management, exercise, mood and all-round wellbeing. Lets delve into how vaping has weaved its way into the music industry.
How Vaping Has Influenced Music Festivals?
Vaping has influenced the festival scene in numerous ways, reflecting the trends and lifestyle choices of today’s modern era. By incorporating vaping into the festival scene, it showcases the importance of health-conscious choices, individuality and inclusivity.
Festivals are often places people attend seeking self expression and connection with others. Vaping ties in with these attributes, as it is all about people having the right to choose. I can’t tell you the amount of times someone has come up to me asking what flavour it was I was vaping or the name of my device. This often leads to conversation and sometimes even the exchange of socials.
Prioritising Inclusivity & Harm Reduction At Music Festivals
Many festivals prioritise their spaces on being inclusive of all, a place where we can all feel liberated. With the UK becoming more and more smoke-free, the popularisation of vaping at festivals begins to make a lot more sense. The discrete vapour from pod kits and single-use bars makes vaping a lot more tolerable for non-smokers.
Vaping doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals in its exhaled vapour, which is particularly ideal when you are squeezed into a tight spot with several other festival goers. As much as it may be slightly annoying, a strawberry-ice cream cloud floating into the wind, I’d much prefer it to a whoof of second-hand smoke from a Benson & Hedges cigarette.
The Visual Interlink Of Clouds & Crowds
I remember being at Jazz Cafe Festival last summer in the Plant Room, a section that was essentially a green house. As I listened to an artist called Qendresa, who sang about her vices and escapism habits, for the areas of the room that the smoke machine didn’t fill, the vapour clouds made up for it. The ambience of the heavy bass and thick clouds added to the overall atmosphere. I felt at one with the music.
As the night came upon us, the green room filled with dimmed red lighting as we waited for the headline act of the day, Earl Sweatshirt. Once again, vapour clouds blended seamlessly into the atmospheric scene. As this was a hip-hop/rnb event it made sense as to why it worked so well. Hip-hop has typically been a genre that celebrates self expression, individuality and authenticity. Vaping embodies these same qualities.
The Sustainability Element
When attending music festivals I have noticed a wide array of vaping brands with their own stalls and sponsorship deals. It’s no surprise that vaping has woven its way into some of the biggest music festivals. Brands like Blu, JUUL, nzoVape, Vype and Logic, to name a few. Logic has embraced the festival scene with marketing strategies that resonate with audiences.
Logic had what they call a “Logic Vape Zone” at Boomtown, Reading Festival, Wireless, Lovebox, Citadel and the Secret Garden Party. These zones provide areas where festival-goers can charge their vaping devices, with staff on hand to assist. This is great as it pushes more and more vapers to bring along reusable devices as opposed to single-use bars which can be detrimental to the environment if not discarded correctly.
Festivals highlight the importance of a greener environment, which refillable vapes provide and are still many vapers' first choice. Disposable bars do have their challenges, however, many vaping brands are now drawing attention to recycling programs and eco-friendly alternatives like large-puff bars.
Music Videos and the Subtle Presence of Vaping
Music videos offer visual formats in which an artist can further tell their stories. As vaping has gained more popularity, it is slowly replacing the use of cigarettes in some videos. Music videos are reflections of the times we currently live in. With music and vaping sharing the same values like individuality, and style, it’s not a coincidence vaping appears more frequently.
Vape users often choose their device based on a reflection of their personality, For example, a builder might opt for a robust, dark-coloured mod over a delicate pink pod kit to better express their identity. In comparison, an artist vaping in a music video often does so as a personal statement as opposed to a promotional gesture.
Cultural Reflection
Some may argue vaping in music videos is to target younger audiences, this is unlikely unless the artists lifestyle aligns with vaping. If an artist doesn't smoke or vape in their regular life or if it isn't attached to their brands identity, it’s unlikely that vaping will be shown in say Taylor Swifts music videos. The use of smoke in hip-hop videos however has always been a constant, it's now just being replaced with vapour.
How Vaping is Represented In Music Videos
Visual Atmosphere
There is no denying that the use of smoke or smoke machines has always helped create a certain atmosphere in a music video. Vape clouds can also be used to create a similar effect which works well depending on the type of mood the music in question creates.
Supporting Storytelling
Vaping can be shown in music videos to further add to the storytelling. Lily Allen’s ‘Hard Out Here’ music video (2013) shows the use of e-lites, which were an early innovation of e-cigarettes. The use of early e-cigarettes accentuates themes of independence and rebellion, aligning with her message of empowerment.
As a musician myself, I have used vaping in one of my own music videos. My reasoning for this was I wanted to create a music video that was filled with thick clouds to match the sounds in the song. It was also a personal choice as I had just made the switch over to vaping and didn’t want to fork out for an expensive smoke machine. For me it is also important to share each and every part of me as an artist and to not hide away from my own vices. Sharing me vaping and others was used to create a certain atmosphere as an extension of the music instead of glamorising vaping.
How Music Shapes Vaping Choices
Music’s influence over our mood is prominent whether we acknowledge it or not. When feeling sad we often scan Spotify for the saddest playlist we can find, hoping to find solace. Some of the choices we also make in everyday life are also influenced by our taste in music. For example, I wouldn’t opt to shop in a tailored suit shop, whilst someone who listens to classical music might. Knowing this, it makes sense as to why the music we listen to or make could tie in to our vaping choices–the devices we choose, the flavours we vape and even the style of vaping, like mouth-to-lung or sub-ohm.
The genre of music of which we choose to listen too often has a direct reflection on how us vapers tailor our individual vaping experiences, whether we know it or not. As someone who makes hip-hop music and knows others in the same genre, bold fruity flavours are often the go-to, which makes sense seeing as hiphop is all about vibrancy and self-expression.
Whilst bold, fruity flavours may work for hip-hop heads, another individual that’s into more jazzy, chilled sounds may opt for a cooling menthol or spearmint, representing calmness, stillness and reflection. Listeners of electronic music may prefer dessert flavours that have adder layers and more complexity in their flavour profiles. Obviously these are broad opinions, ultimately it’s down to an adult's individual choice.
The connection between music and vaping is honestly undeniable, as both embody innovation, creativity and individuality. This blog isn't about glamorising vaping but more an exploration of the link between music and vaping. Vaping is in short a nicotine replacement therapy intended for adults of legal age as a healthier alternative.
Summary
As someone immersed in both these worlds, I can only give my most authentic opinion on the overlap. Music has always been a powerful medium for me in the way I express myself, vaping has become an extension of that. Whether through flavour choices or kit design, each decision reflects the same care I put into songwriting.
Whether you're a current vaper or considering the switch, your choices reflect your identity. Ultimately, it’s about finding what feels right for you and staying true to yourself.
Ready to explore vaping options that reflect your unique style? At Vape Superstore, we offer a wide range of devices, flavours, and kits tailored to every kind of vaper. Browse our collection here and find the perfect fit for your journey.
