Scott: Before Spotify, there was Newave

Published 10:56 pm Sunday, June 8, 2025

Some things from childhood just stick with you. For me, it was this chunky blue tape player with bright yellow buttons that would play my favorite Disney soundtracks on repeat.

I’d lie on my side with the speaker facing me, singing along to The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and The Lion King. I had no idea what I was doing at the time, but I would later learn that I was “harmonizing” — or at least trying to. Probably not well, but at the time it felt as if I belonged with the rest of the musically-inclined Disney princesses (and absolutely not like the squawking seagull).

As I grew older, my music tastes evolved. The cassette player transformed into boomboxes, stereos, and CDs featuring the likes of LeAnn Rimes, Celine Dion, 98 Degrees, the Backstreet Boys, and, of course, the Spice Girls. Whether I was tapping into my inner Sporty Spice during ‘Wannabe’ or clinging to every note of ‘All By Myself’ like I was going through a heartbreak I definitely didn’t understand at age 10, I was just as immersed in the music as I had been with that little blue tape player (wherever it was).

Over the years, I often wondered what happened to it. I have no idea if it was lost in a move or tucked away somewhere, but I could never shake the nostalgia for that simple blue recorder that carried so many of my childhood tunes.

One of my favorite corners of the internet is Pinterest, where I’ve curated an entire board dedicated to my childhood. I scroll through pins of toys, games, snacks — basically, all the wonderfully weird stuff that made the ‘90s so great. But I couldn’t find a pin for my beloved cassette player. I was sure I couldn’t be the only one who had one of those particular players, but when I searched online, I frequently came up empty.

Then, on a whim, a few months ago — during one of those late-night scrolls when my brain just wouldn’t quiet — I tried again. It took some time, but I found it. It wasn’t the Fisher-Price model I’d thought it was. It was called Newave Cassette Player/Recorder, but there it was — exactly as I remembered it, right down to the blue casing and yellow buttons. Of course, it was listed on eBay for way more than I’d pay to quench a nostalgic memory. But just seeing a picture of it brought back a flood of memories — and that was enough for me. It was an instant save to my Pinterest board.

I know it sounds silly. After all, it’s just a tape player. But sometimes, it’s the little things that hold the most significance. That blue cassette player represented a simpler time, a moment when music and imagination could transport me anywhere — even to a solo concert as I blasted my vocals into the speaker. Finding it again, even just in a photo, made me smile in a way I hadn’t expected.

I may not have my JTT posters and pinups splattered across my bedroom walls anymore, or homework assignments (neatly) stuffed in Lisa Frank folders, but those were the best times to be a kid — something I’m pretty sure my fellow millennials will agree on.

Of course, I’m older now — and don’t think for a moment that I’ve grown out of singing ‘Part of Your World’ like I did when I was 5, trying to match harmonies with Jodi Benson. I’ve just added a few new soundtracks to the mix: Hamilton, a little Skillet, some Earth, Wind & Fire, Carly Simon and so much more. I don’t discriminate; I love music. It’s usually an all-encompassing concert in my little Prius.

But if you catch me at a stoplight belting out ‘A Whole New World,’ mind your business — or better yet, join me.

— Jennifer Scott is a multimedia reporter for the Tyler Morning Telegraph. She can be reached at jennifer.scott@tylerpaper.com .