> Music serves as the calm during the storm. 

My brother and I were sitting at the dining room table watching Porter Robinson's Secret Sky set live on my phone. Looking back, I wonder why I decided to watch his set on my tiny phone screen. Maybe I was too immersed in the phenomenal visuals projected on the wall behind Porter, or maybe I was too busy reading the hilarious commentary by fans in the live chat feed. Porter's set lasted over an hour; however, it served as a temporary escape from personal troubles (and as another reason to procrastinate on studying for online midterms). I'd already decided that Secret Sky was my favorite festival livestream thus far when an earlier headliner, Madeon, had incorporated one of Frank Ocean's Endless tracks into his set. Despite the cancellation of traditional shows, the livestream alternatives have served as a huge mood booster for me and many others during the pandemic.

Missed out on the livestream? Listen to all the Secret Sky sets here. 

Porter Robinson's unreleased track previewed at the end of his set served as the perfect closer: 

As I was writing a paper for one of my classes today, I received a notification from Spotify with the header "Reminder: Take a break" followed by text that said "Here's some calming music to help you find your zen." Spotify has recently implemented a Daily Wellness playlist that provides listeners with motivational podcasts and personalized music. The playlist updates twice a day so that it's catered to fit listeners' daily routines. Morning curations could include self-care podcasts and up-tempo music, while evening curations could include meditation podcasts. Spotify is able to remind us that it's okay to incorporate some "me time" into our daily routines, especially during these times of uncertainty (so slap on a face mask and tune into one of the podcasts of the day).

Speaking of self-care, board-certified music therapist Dean Quick has created a YouTube channel where he posts clips of music meditation and relaxation in hopes of relieving the impact of COVID-19 on mental wellbeing. Quick has been able to utilize music to assist patients with severe anxiety and pain management in the past. Because music can increase endorphins and reduce cortisol, our stress hormone, Quick decided to create videos to mimic one-on-one music therapy sessions for the public free of charge. Check out his channel here. 

"Every night I dream about going out to hear music. The bands in my sleep are terrible, but I'm always sorry when I wake up and it's over" (Sheffield, 2020). 

Rolling Stone editor, Rob Sheffield, provides a personal take on what it's like to be a passionate music fan during the current pandemic (and wow, is it relatable). He describes music as something that brings him peace, but addresses that music also serves as a reminder of all the things that he took for granted before the pandemic started (in my case, it would be the song that I always blasted during late night car rides with friends or the song that I played every evening while I walked back to my dorm). As mentioned by Sheffield, although listening to music runs the risk of reminiscing on what could've been, it's also able to remind us to stay hopeful as we continue to push through day by day. 

Billboard has provided a list of 10 dance songs to commemorate Mental Health Awareness Month. Each highlights an artist's way of expressing his or her struggles through a beautiful track. Check them out here (and yes, Porter Robinson is on the list)!

Here's another track, called "Drowning" by KUČKA, that I would add as the 11th track to the list: 

> Music taste is evolving during these unprecedented times. 

I've been browsing Spotify and Twitter more frequently for new music since the start of the pandemic, and this desire to discover new music has now become an evident trend amongst the general community as well. According to Billboard survey data, 43% of respondents are listening to new music from artists that they've never listened to before (which is an increase from previous surveys). So why are more people suddenly taking this plunge? 

According to Pitchfork, when we listen to new music, a network of nerves in our brain help to make sense of these new patterns of sounds. During this process, our brain also releases varying amounts of dopamine, triggering intense emotional responses. No wonder I feel extra pumped when I hit play on my electronic playlist in the mornings. As mentioned by Larson, although we crave familiarity in these times of uncertainty, it's important that we continue to explore new unfamiliar worlds of music (instead of letting our history be defined by a "feedback loop"). We should continue to update the soundtrack of our lives (especially while we're in the midst of a global pandemic). 

Creative director, Daniel Bremmer, has gotten innovative with the aspect of music discovery by pairing it with Amazon Alexa and CDC-recommended 20 second hand washing. He created an Alexa skill that allows individuals to discover new artists from a diverse range of genres while washing their hands (say goodbye to the alphabet song). Bremmer also created this function with smaller artists in mind. He encourages users to support the featured artists' through purchasing their merchandise or streaming their music on the Handwash Jukebox's website. 

References: 

Bein, K. (2020, May 19). 10 Dance Songs For Mental Health Awareness Month. Retrieved May 20, 2020, from https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/9386206/dance-songs-mental-health-awareness-month

Daily Wellness: A New Mix of Motivational Podcasts and Personalized Music. (2020, April 27). Retrieved May 20, 2020, from https://newsroom.spotify.com/2020-04-27/daily-wellness-a-new-mix-of-motivational-podcasts-and-personalized-music/

Donaldson, M. (2020, May 7). Handwash Jukebox: Battling COVID-19 With Music Discovery. Retrieved May 21, 2020, from https://8sided.blog/handwash-jukebox-battling-covid-19-with-music-discovery/

Harris, V.(2020, May 7). Music therapist creates YouTube series to calm coronavirus anxiety. Retrieved May 21, 2020, from https://greenvillejournal.com/arts-culture/upstate-beat-music-therapist-creates-tube-series-calm-coranvirus-anxiety/

Larson, J. D. (2020, April 6). Why Do We Even Listen to New Music? Retrieved May 21, 2020, from https://pitchfork.com/features/article/listen-to-music/

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. (2019, April 16). Retrieved from https://www.allianceforchildrenandfamilies.org/may-is-national-mental-health-awareness-month/

Moreland, Q. (2020, May 12). Music Discovery Rises in Popularity Amid Pandemic, Study Finds. Retrieved May 21, 2020, from https://pitchfork.com/news/music-discovery-rises-in-popularity-amid-pandemic-study-finds/

Powell, K. (2020, May 10). MUST LISTEN: All The Sets From Porter Robinson's Secret Sky Festival. Retrieved May 20, 2020, from https://www.youredm.com/2020/05/10/porter-robinson-secret-sky-live-sets/

Sheffield, R. (2020, May 8). Life Without Live. Retrieved May 21, 2020, from https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/rob-sheffield-life-without-live-music-992966/

Qetic. (2020, May 7). Porter Robinson主催オンラインフェス＜SECRET SKY MUSIC FESTIVAL＞に長谷川白紙が出演決定！Madeon、キズナアイ、kz（livetune）もラインナップ. Retrieved May 20, 2020, from https://news.nicovideo.jp/watch/nw7209189