Grace VanderWaal has come out with a peppy new tune that’s as bubbly as she is, “City Song.”

The video follows on the heels of a very stylish VanderWaal as she moves through New York City taking in all of the fresh possibility ahead of her.

She uses the urban sounds of the city to craft her lyrics. The sounds of the city become the soundtrack to her day, her literal city song

Illustrations of light give visuals to the sounds around us that we may not otherwise see. Everything has a sound from the trees in Central Park to the traffic lights in the street. Even a joyful gesture in the air creates a beat.

VanderWaal belts out those lyrics with quite a force beyond her years for a girl of only 14. Her voice carries a strength and maturity reminiscent of Sia.

The video ends on a very poignant note. A miserly man pushes past her on the street and grumpily chides her, “Watch it.”

The overall message is that we can choose to find joy around us. Everything gives off energy, which VanderWaal illustrates with vibrations of light.

Just as we can permeate joy into the space around us, we can also emulate negativity. I’m not very big on the “vibes” language that seems to have been popular since the ’60s, but, by this, the video makes a very good visual

I used to live in the city and I can tell you I certainly was not looking at the city like it was a song. Instead of going with the flow and allowing the “music” of the city to carry me, I looked at everything as a hassle. (Hey, what can I say? It’s a New Yorker thing.) The crowds were a hassle, the pace was exhausting, and the noise…actually, is something you get used to over time.

But it certainly did not sound like music to me in those moments. I let the stress of the city life lull me into complacency. Which anyone who has ever lived there for a length of time will tell you is so easy to fall into.

So, here is your challenge. No matter what part of the world you live in, no matter what city surrounds you, pavement or grass, urban or suburban, listen to the sounds around you. Allow them to make up the beat of your day. Makes gestures that strengthen and not tear down. Choose words that ignite hope.

Because let’s face it – – life is not always a joyride. We will have seasons that are far crueler than we could have imagined. We don’t have to move through life with a plastic smile on our faces. But we can choose to find the joy in the world around us, which is something much deeper.

Joy gives life and it gives hope, no matter what the circumstances.