Music as a metaphor for human sexuality: an interpretation through the lens of contemporary musical language

Abstract

Human sexuality has traditionally been ap-proached through normative models centered on function and reproduction. In recent dec-ades, however, there has been a shift toward frameworks that prioritize subjective, rela-tional, contextual experience and greater flex-ibility. Within this context, contemporary mu-sical language—particularly in the work of Jacob Collier—offers a conceptual pathway for understanding sexuality as a complex, dy-namic, and intersubjective phenomenon. Through a structural analogy between musical elements—harmony, microtonality, rhythm, and modulation—and dimensions of sexual experience, this work proposes a reading that integrates emotional, temporal, and cultural aspects of sexuality. This perspective allows for an expanded clinical and educational un-derstanding of human sexuality, moving away from rigid models and fostering a more open, plural, and situated vision, but above all, an immersive one.