The first rule of the book club is to always talk about the book club and never stop discovering new books to read.
In an age where our attention spans are shaped by endless scrolling through social media posts, reels, and short-form videos, reading may feel like a lost art, but it’s never too late to start. And when your reading list starts piling up, it’s time to finally read those books you bought ages ago!
But hear us out — if you’re still unsure where to start or need a way out of your reading slump, why not take a cue from your favorite musicians? Billboard Philippines has compiled a list of books loved by artists such as Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo, and BINI Mikha. Consider this list as your backstage pass to the stories and words that inspire them— one page at a time.
Harry Styles: Notes on “Camp” by Susan Sontag
HARRY STYLES: Courtesy of @harrystyles
NOTES ON ‘CAMP’: Courtesy of Goodreads
When you’ve fallen in love with Harry Styles and his music, you know it has become a borderline obsession when you’re knee-deep into checking out what books he reads. From In Watermelon Sugar by Richard Brautigan to Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami — the former One Direction member has quite a deep pull when it comes to his taste in books.
In 2018, the “As It Was” singer was seen holding American writer Susan Sontag’s Against Interpretation and Other Essays, a collection of essays that includes Notes on ‘Camp.‘ The influential essay explores the concept of “camp” and finding beauty in “bad taste” or the unusual aspects of art and culture. The essay is significant material for learning to appreciate the exuberant and the intentionally over-the-top. It also served as the inspiration for the camp-themed Met Gala 2019, where Styles co-hosted with Lady Gaga and Serena Williams.
Dua Lipa: Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk
DUA LIPA: Courtesy of @dualipa
DRIVE YOUR PLOW OVER THE BONES OF THE DEAD: Courtesy of Goodreads
Training season’s over but your reading challenge isn’t. Aside from dancing the night away, Dua Lipa is also known to hit the books and spread the love for reading to his fans all over the world. The English-Albanian singer founded Service95 — a weekly lifestyle newsletter and website — described as a “global style, culture, and society concierge service created to help the reader make sense of the world.”
As part of her monthly read for January 2025, Lipa recommends Drive Your Plow Over The Bones Of The Dead, from Nobel Prize-winning Polish writer Olga Tokarczuk. It’s a crime whodunnit novel set in a secluded Polish village and follows Janina Duszejko who spends the dark winter days studying astrology, translating William Blake poems, and taking care of Warsaw residents’ summer homes. When a neighbor winds up dead, other bodies are soon discovered under strange circumstances. Janina then puts herself into the investigation to solve the murder mystery.
Olivia Rodrigo: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
OLIVIA RODRIGO: Courtesy of @oliviarodrigo
THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME: Courtesy of Goodreads
Before she got her driver’s license and racked up Grammy trophies, Olivia Rodrigo was just your bookworm who happens to love a good mystery novel. As we grow fond of the gut-wrenching and heartfelt lyrics she writes, we can thank her inspiration from the books she reads.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by British writer Mark Haddon centers on 15-year-old Christopher John Francis Boone, who unusually sees the world, and happens to know all the countries of the world and their capitals. He’s quite the math genius who can relate to animals but not to humans. Christopher decides to investigate the mysterious death of a neighborhood dog ala Sherlock Holmes. For those who want to get out of their reading slump and venture into a quick entertaining read, this novel may be up your alley.
Taylor Swift: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
TAYLOR SWIFT: Courtesy of Universal Music Publishing Group
EAT, PRAY, LOVE: Courtesy of Kobo
Taylor Swift is regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of her generation. It should come as no surprise reading books has become second nature to her. One of her book recommendations is Eat, Pray, Love — the seminal memoir by American journalist and author Elizabeth Gilbert which recounts her journey of self-discovery across Italy, Indonesia, and India after a heartbreaking divorce.
A comfort book for many, the memoir is divided into three sections that focus on different aspects of Gilbert’s journey of healing. Swift, on the other hand, admires the memoir’s themes of self-exploration, while showcasing Gilbert’s authenticity in finding happiness and healing after a painful life experience.
Mikha Lim of BINI: The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
MIKHA LIM: Courtesy of @bini_mikha
THE HOUSEMAID: Courtesy of Goodreads
When she’s not serving looks and slaying the stage with the rest of BINI, one of the ways Mikha Lim enjoys spending her downtime is by reading. She was seen reading the pages of The Housemaid by Freida McFadden, the pen name of an American author and a practicing physician specializing in brain injury.
The Housemaid is a psychological thriller that follows Millie Calloway, a young woman with a dark past who lands a job as a live-in housekeeper for Nina Winchester and her wealthy family. At first, it seems like the perfect opportunity, especially for someone with a criminal record. However, things go south when Nina’s erratic behavior comes to light, along with shocking revelations about their twisted lives.
RM of BTS: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
RM: Courtesy of @rkive
THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY: Courtesy of Goodreads
Other than being part of a history-making South Korean boy band that helped make K-pop into a global phenomenon, RM of BTS also happens to be an avid reader. In a V Live from 2017, the South Korean rapper-singer mentioned English author Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, as part of his to-be-read (TBR) pile at the time.
The science-fiction novel follows Arthur Dent, the last surviving man, seconds before the demolition of Earth to be turned into a galactic freeway. Dent is transported off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, an alien writer and researcher for the electronic travel guide The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy‘s revised edition. Together, they go on a journey through space, assisted by quotes from the guide and fellow travelers.
Matty Healy of The 1975: Queer by William S. Burroughs
MATTY HEALY: Courtesy of @the1975
QUEER: Courtesy of Goodreads
Matty Healy is known to be a wordsmith, a writing genius, and a sycophantic, prophetic, Socratic junkie wannabe — but he can also be controversial. Nonetheless, you can’t deny his undeniable knack for writing bangers. One of The 1975 frontman’s favorite tattoos inked on his skin is the name “Allerton” written inside a heart, which is a reference to one of the characters from his favorite book, Queer, written by American author William S. Burrough.
Set in the early 1950s in Mexico City, Queer follows American drifter William Lee and his yearning for love and acceptance, while dealing with addiction and social isolation. He falls in love with a young man named Allerton, a discharged American Navy serviceman. As they navigate the Ecuadorian jungle, Lee soon discovers the feeling of an intimate and deeply affectionate love. There’s also a 2024 film adaptation by director Luca Guadagnino, starring Daniel Craig as Lee and Drew Starkey as Allerton, with an amazing soundtrack by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
Lorde: What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver
LORDE: Courtesy of Lorde
WHAT WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LOVE: Courtesy of Goodreads
When she’s not in the recording studio or performing in music festivals, Lorde is living her best life with nature, consuming art, and reading books. In a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone, the “Ribs” singer shared her love for American short story writer and poet Raymond Carver, citing him as one of her most influential authors. While we’re
What We Talk About When We Talk About Love is a 1981 collection of slice-of-life short stories that are ambiguous and meditate on love, loss, and companionship. It follows four characters, Mel and Terri, who are married, and Nick and Laura, who have been together for over a year, as they spend their afternoon drinking gin and talking about the meaning of love. We’re constantly waiting for a new album, new music… or anything. But for now, this book recommendation will have to do.
Maloi Ricalde of BINI: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
MALOI RICALDE: Courtesy of @bini_maloi
THE SILENT PATIENT: Courtesy of Goodreads
The “B” in BINI stands for bookworm, it seems. When you’re constantly on the road and performing non-stop like The Nation’s Girl Group, a book is one of the best ways to stay comforted and occupied. Maloi Ricalde shared on X that she finished reading The Silent Patient and was freaking out over its plot twist.
The Silent Patient centers on Alicia Berenson, a famous painter married to a renowned fashion photographer. One night, her husband, Gabriel, comes home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face. She refuses to speak about it, making the tragedy even more mysterious. Theo Faber, a criminal psychotherapist, is determined to get her to talk and becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth behind her silence.
Moira Dela Torre: The Delight of Being Ordinary by Roland Merullo
MOIRA DELA TORRE: Courtesy of Moira Dela Torre
THE DELIGHT OF BEING ORDINARY: Courtesy of Goodreads
Moira Dela Torre may be known for writing hit songs about heartbreak and pain, but she also finds comfort in heartwarming feel-good stories. In a Facebook post, the “Paubaya” hitmaker shared a quote from The Delight of Being Ordinary, a novel by American author Roland Merullo: “Simply by being your absolute, most genuine self in every interaction of every hour, you provide a great and rare service on this earth.”
The playful novel follows the Pope and the Dalai Lama as they embark on an undercover road trip through the Italian countryside to rediscover the beauty and joy of a simple, ordinary life. She also recommends All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven, Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke, and When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi.
Frank Ocean: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
FRANK OCEAN: Courtesy of Getty Images
THE OUTSIDERS: Courtesy of Goodreads
Frank Ocean isn’t just great at writing poetic lyrics, he also has impeccable taste in both films and music. Creating great art means drawing inspiration from many different forms, and he happens to be an avid reader too. One of his favorite books, recommended by him on his personal Tumblr is The Outsiders, a coming-of-age novel American writer S.E. Hinton began writing at age 15 and published at age 18.
The Outsiders follows two weeks in the life of 14-year-old Ponyboy Curtis, who struggles to find his place in society while being caught between right and wrong. Two rival gangs of white Americans are divided by socioeconomic status: the Socs (short for “socials”), who are upper-middle class, wealthy, and can get away with anything, and the Greasers, who are working-class, constantly on the outside, and always watching their backs. After finishing the book, you can also check out the 1983 film adaptation directed by Francis Ford Coppola, featuring then-up-and-coming stars like Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, and Tom Cruise.
Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast: The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
MICHELLE ZAUNER: Courtesy of @jbrekkie
THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING: Courtesy of Goodreads
We’re wrapping up our list with one of the most influential nonfiction writers of all time — Joan Didion. She captured the 20th century in all its intricacies, complexities, and crises, leaving a lasting impact on readers and even some of the artists on the list. Among her many works, The Year of Magical Thinking stands out as a recommendation from Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast, featured on her reading picks listed on Dua Lipa’s Service95,
The Year of Magical Thinking is a nonfiction memoir by Joan Didion that explores the year following the death of her husband, John Gregory Dunne, in 2003. Just days before his passing, their daughter, Quintana, was hospitalized in New York with pneumonia, which led to septic shock, placing her in an induced coma and on life support. Didion reflects on grief, loss, and the universal experience of marriage, navigating both the good and difficult times of life.
After finishing The Year of Magical Thinking, here’s a bonus recommendation for you! Zauner’s critically-acclaimed memoir, Crying in H Mart explores her grief and complex relationship with her late mother, recounting their shared love for Korean food, and navigating her identity as a Korean-American.