The Euphoria of Film and Television

MUSIC IN THE DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC:

How artists have uplifted us through times of diffculty

Whether we’re heartbroken, mourning, or just walking home through the rain, there’s always a song to match our feelings and mood - and at best, cheer us up. Even with the COVID-19 pandemic affecting lives around the world, music made people forget everything for a moment. It brought joy to us during lockdowns, and in the months of social distancing, it helped us regain optimism - a kind of saving grace. We have not only been enjoying music releases of our favourite artists but also sharing new kinds of concert experiences via the internet.

At the beginning of the pandemic, millions of fans all over the world were able to glimpse into the living rooms of The Rolling Stones, who performed alongside many other musicians at the international Global Citizen’s One World: Together at Home online special in April 2020. The audience was particularly delighted by the performance of late drummer Charlie Watts, who seemed to play air drums on their 1969 hit You Can’t Always Get What You Want. There was much speculation as to whether Charlie was playing air drums, or if he was working with software that virtually simulates a drum set. Whatever he did, the audience loved it. “Charlie Watts happily playing air drums for The Rolling Stones is the kind of feel-good content we needed,” wrote one Twitter user afterwards. The Global Citizen special was set up in collaboration with Lady Gaga, who in turn released a new album shortly thereafter in May 2020. With Chromatica, she released melodies inspired by house music of the 80s and 90s, ending a four-year musical hiatus. Her new songs mentally transport her ‘little monsters’ back to the dance floor of the club, in a sweaty, dancing crowd at 3 am – providing an escape from reality in lockdown. In September of this year, the remix album Dawn of Chromatica was released, in which Gaga brought together a widely varied group of artists. With Ariana Grande, Elton John, Rina Sawayama, Clarence Clarity or Pabllo Vittar – she reminds us of what has always been the foundation of her music: a sense of community, solidarity, and tolerance.

A catchy tune that is also inspired by the 80s was released by Twenty One Pilots in April 2020. While lyrics of Level of Concern revolve around the global pandemic, its melody is rather spirited and cheerful. Clearly, the song wants to give hope by creating a feeling of comradery. The music video - which has received almost 75 million views - documents the making of the song, that the duo recorded and filmed individually during the lockdown. Short clips show the two of them spending time with their families; they decorate the walls at their homes with stars that glow in the dark and which can later be seen shimmering in all colours behind them. Below the YouTube video, a user commented: “I love how creative this music video is, it really captures how trying to be positive and creative in quarantine feels”. Joseph and Dun donated a portion of the proceeds from the song to the non-profit Crew Nation, which distributes the donations to solo self-employed artists in the music industry who have experienced financial hardship during the pandemic.

Moreover, a truly multifaceted album was released by The Weeknd at the beginning of the pandemic. Critics praised his work After Hours in which he reinvented himself as it stands out stylistically from previous works and opens a personal and vulnerable side of the singer. The album was eagerly anticipated in March 2020 and was still topping the charts at the end of the year. His song Blinding Lights was celebrated as the album’s biggest hit and broke records throughout the year by becoming the most streamed song on Spotify and the longest-running Top10 hit in U.S. chart

Music continues to uplift us during times of hardship and will always give us something to lean on or look forward to when nothing else can. ”

history. With the hashtag #BlindingLightsChallenge, it also became a viral trend on TikTok that received over 510 million views. Everyone from families to shop assistants or firefighters danced to the song on TikTok during the lockdown. “Blinding Lights spoke to the world in a time when it was most needed. That uplifting quality is undeniable and why nurses, families and kids with their dogs were all posting dances showing their moments of relief during these tough times”, said The Weeknd’s manager Wassim Slaiby in an MRC Data report.

While many of the COVID-19 restrictions have since been lifted, the world is now looking forward to another highly anticipated release. After a mysterious worldwide promotion that projected a big 30 on billboards and buildings, Adele recently announced her new album due to be released on November 19th. Music continues to uplift us during times of hardship and will always give us something to lean on or look forward to when nothing else can.

Words by: Svenja Schindler Design by: Katie Leslie Illustration by: Sian Hopkins