> Let's promote positivity during this pandemic, for ourselves and for others. 

It's 2 am on a weekday night; my productivity and confidence are at an all time low. There's something about being confined to the same space for a prolonged period of time that triggers my mind to overthink about all of the things that are (and could) go wrong. Before plunging deeper into a pool of negative thoughts, I'm greeted with some words of affirmation on my Instagram feed, posted by one of my favorite independent artists. "Life doesn't have to be perfect in order for me to choose happiness. Today I choose happiness." I'm the one that has the final say on my own thoughts, and it's time to cultivate more positivity. 

This pandemic has taken a huge toll on both the physical and mental health of communities; however music has served as an effective way to boost morale. CenterPoint Arts took music to the streets of Brooklyn, where musicians were able to give mobile performances through their cars. The spontaneity and respect for social distancing protocols allowed community members to enjoy the sounds from their apartment windows and front gardens, without running the risk of overcrowding (don't worry, everyone stayed at least six feet apart). And as mentioned by Bradley (2020), "Concerts From Cars brings music to the streets as a cure for cabin fever and as an uplifting force for everyone who struggle during the pandemic."

I'm still waiting for the day where I get to listen to a pop-up concert on my street! Living next to one of the busiest streets in my city, the only music that I hear in my community is from the occasional car that speeds down at 3 am blasting songs like "Numb Numb Juice" by ScHoolboy Q (great song, just really bad timing). 

Artists, like SZA and Lizzo, have also taken to Instagram Live to lead virtual meditation sessions (yes, there were crystals involved) where sound healing was implemented. They addressed issues like the importance of self-care and the toxicity of social media, which led to a relaxing intermission of a Tibetan singing bowl and a flute. Lately I've found a heavy reliance on the content of artists to relieve my quarantine anxiety; however, artists are feeling levels of pressure and anxiety as well (they're human too, after all). 

"Just when I finally felt my heart returning to the rhythm of creativity, the world shut down (Burg, 2020)."

Independent artist Charlie Burg was able to reflect on his negative quarantine thoughts through the perspective of a creative. Artists, especially independents, feel pressured to stay relevant during the pandemic. I've definitely noticed an increase of noise on social media platforms, so I can see why this is the case. It has also become increasingly difficult for artists to grasp a source of inspiration, as Burg (2020) mentioned that his main source of inspiration stems from external entities. Some artists are able to experiment with their craft in the comfort of their own homes, while others struggle to stay motivated (just like how college students feel with online classes). "Illuminating this darkness must be done as a community" (Burg, 2020), so let's not forget to show compassion towards artists too. 

Here's something fun that boosted my spirits this week: 

Players of the new "Animal Crossing: New Horizons" game have started a trend on Twitter where album covers are transformed to K.K. Slider (a famous dog musician in the game) covers. I included some of my favorites below!

> Let's support independent artists in more ways than one.  

I've been finding so many hidden gems from independent artists on my "Discover Weekly" playlist lately on Spotify. As mentioned by Steve Stoute, CEO of United Masters, the number of independent artist releases has increased since the start of the pandemic. Independent artists aren't tied to the strict guidelines of a large record label, so the sky's the limit in terms of content creation. The schedules of studios and mastering facilities are disrupted, and the teams of big label artists are affected heavily during this lockdown (Lockdown Listening and the Independent Artist, 2020). This gives an advantage to independent artists who record and produce tracks from home (I'm here for it!). 

Here's a track that I've been enjoying recently from one of my favorite independent artists, boylife: 

Although this is the case, artists (regardless of their levels of fame), have been greatly impacted by the cancellation of their live shows (I was looking forward to so many amazing concerts this Summer). So are there ways we can support our favorite artists during this pandemic? Yes, through virtual tipping! Spotify now allows listeners to donate to artists' pages through the "Artist Fundraising Pick" function via Paypal, GoFundMe or CashApp. Other streaming platforms are expanding their tipping options as well, like SoundCloud, which is partnering with Twitch to add donation links to profiles. Livestream platforms, like YouNow are adding monetization features too (IQ, 2020). 

Music has kept so many of us afloat during these rough patches, and it's time to show our favorite independent artists our appreciation! 

Wait! Let's not forget about our independent venues either. There's a new organization comprised of independent music venues and promoters called the "National Independent Venue Association (NIVA)" that's fighting for the industry's survival during this pandemic. It's hard to preserve the ecosystem of local venues with the "stay at home" protocol in place, and NIVA has been pushing to secure more federal funding for independent venues and artists. But beyond this push, NIVA is also providing the keys to survival (resources, guidance, etc.) for small businesses during these tough times (bless). 

Learn more about NIVA's amazing work here. 

References: 

Bradley, C. (2020, April 24). Concerts From Cars Brings Live Music to the Streets During the Pandemic. Retrieved from https://www.jazzrightnow.com/concerts-from-cars-brings-live-music-to-the-streets-during-the-pandemic/

Burg, C. (2020, April 24). Staying Creative, Challenging Habits, and Being Thankful During Quarantine. Retrieved from https://www.complex.com/pigeons-and-planes/2020/04/charlie-burg-staying-creative-quarantine

[Concerts From Cars Digital Image] (2020) Retrieve from https://www.jazzrightnow.com/concerts-from-cars-brings-live-music-to-the-streets-during-the-pandemic/

Ingham, T. (2020, April 22). 'If you're an independent artist, the world is yours. You have no boundaries.'. Retrieved from https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/podcast/steve-stoute-unitedmasters-if-youre-an-independent-artist-the-world-is-yours/

Lockdown Listening and the Independent Artist. (2020, April 24). Retrieved from https://musicindustryblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/24/lockdown-listening-and-the-independent-artist/

Mahadevan, T. C. (2020, April 25). Watch SZA and Lizzo Lead Joint Meditation Session. Retrieved from https://www.complex.com/music/2020/04/watch-sza-lizzo-lead-joint-meditation-session

nnivassoc. (2020, April 17). [Tweet]. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/nivassoc/status/1251262659229605895

Sodomsky, S. (2020, April 20). Independent Venues Band Together for New Organization. Retrieved from https://pitchfork.com/news/independent-venues-band-together-for-new-organization/

Sp8Ghost. (2020, April 22). SZA & Lizzo on IG Live Healing The World. [Video file]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leizYktg4Lg

Vincent, B. (2020, April 22). Animal Crossing Fans Are Placing K.K. Slider Into Iconic Album Art. Retrieved from http://www.mtv.com/news/3164052/animal-crossing-kk-slider-meme/

Yoo, Ryan. (2020, April 25). boylife - peas (official audio). [Video file]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rq6lWRCYOY