EXANDRIA UNLIMITED PLAYLIST: OPAL

The good vibes continue with another character playlist inspired by Exandria Unlimited! ExU playlists drop on Wednesdays so check back here each week for some sweet sweet tunes!

These playlists are curated carefully by each of the Exandria Unlimited cast members. All of our playlists can be found on Spotify via the official Critical Role account or you can listen to the playlist directly embedded below.

This week, we’re getting to know Opal a little better with the curated tunes and inside scoop from none other than Aimee Carrero!

If Opal kept a diary and buried it in a time-capsule for Someone From The Future to find, this would be it. Well, the audio-version. For maximum enjoyment, please consider listening in-order. My intention while curating this playlist was to take you on several journeys: past, present, and future. You can enjoy it now—and then, again, on a random Tuesday, long after this campaign is over and discover some new context. Opal’s story is full of “firsts”—it is a coming-of-age; a meditation on early adulthood. This particular time in a person’s life is of great interest to me because it disrupts everything. It is only when we first step into the world, alone and unprotected, that the narratives we believe in so firmly (about life, love, self) begin to unravel… and fast. We meet Opal in this crucial, tender moment. Just as there is an arc to her story, there is an arc to this playlist. I’ve shared some blurbs about each selection. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed putting it together.

Intro by Chika

A preface, of sorts. It is admittedly rare to preface your own diary but *of course* Opal would. She’d want you to know that she’s leaving this account behind for public consumption and education. She’s is lofty like that. “Word to my feet, word to my heart, word to my past…”

These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ by Nancy Sinatra

We’re back at the top, the very first entry. I love the descending, slightly-off bass intro to this song. It evokes a delightfully unhinged feeling while also delivering a very self-assured anthem. Opal’s just bought her new boots and is getting out of dodge.

Give Me One Reason by Tracy Chapman

Opal didn’t take a car to the big city, but if she had, she’d have blasted this song on repeat. It feels like a road trip song to me—wind in your hair, dead flies on the windshield, etc.

Suffragette City by David Bowie

I remember going to New York City for the first time and thinking “I can be anybody I want to be here!” That anything-can-happen feeling is overwhelming, electric, and freeing. Opal is faced with a frenzy of people, places, and things when she gets to Emon and she LOVES it, even if she’s out of her depth. This song is all about not being tied-down, keeping your options open, and doing whatever you want with whomever you want. It’s especially fitting because Opal arrives in Emon just in time for a big festival.

La Mamá de La Mamá by El Alfa

For the pissing contest flashback and all the other shit they don’t remember!

9 to 5 by Dolly Parton

Opal is #bookedandbusy! Having never been a part of an adventuring squad, Opal is delighted to have something to do and somewhere to be. I particularly love Dolly Parton—her enthusiasm, optimism, and irreverence were big character inspirations for Opal. She’ll let you think she’s a dumb blonde, until you fuck around and find out.

Brutal by Olivia Rodrigo

Ahhh, when things turn out to be way harder than you’d imagined! Opal thinks she’s trying her best with her sister and doesn’t understand why Ted isn’t praising her every move. Opal is working her ass off and making no progress with her.

Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood by Nina Simone

Opal truly feels misunderstood and villainized by Ted. This may be a function of her own emotional-immaturity or a classic case of siblings having polar-opposite view points. Either way, communication is a struggle and Opal thinks it’s only Ted’s problem.

Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright by Bob Dylan

A break-up song of the most painful order. It doesn’t lash-out or scream…it calmly spells out resigned indifference. Or maybe it’s disassociation? The minds way of shutting down an overload of stressors. Either way, we’ve all been there.

How Long Have I Been Gone by Bass Race

My friends wrote this song and I thought it was a perfect take on self-reflection. In every journey, we periodically stop to take stock of what we’ve gained…and lost. Does Opal even recognize herself?

One Way or Another by Blondie

This song marks one of the many pivots in Opal’s understanding of herself and what she wants. It has a nice energy of renewed commitment and focus that may have been difficult for her at the beginning of her journey.

Criminal by Fiona Apple

From the start, I knew we’d be dealing in themes of power and shifting ideals. This song is so great in so many ways—not just for this playlist and Opal’s arc—but it makes an awesome karaoke song (its my top pick)!

Kozmic Blues by Janis Joplin

Opal has many ups and downs in this campaign but her lowest is… L O W. A turning point? Yes.

you should see me in a crown by Billie Eilish

This ones speaks for itself.

This Time Tomorrow by The Kinks

The old adage, “the only thing I know for sure is that I know nothing.” I’m paraphrasing Socrates very poorly here. Opal started this journey with all the answers, now she knows less than when she began. There’s a peace in that though.

I Say A Little Prayer by Aretha Franklin

Sometimes, only a prayer will suffice.

Official character art by Hannah Friederichs (@agarthanguide)