With a limited amount of activities to do during quarantine, the entertainment industry, especially music artists, have been working to keep spirits high.
On March 29, Elton John decided to host a commercial-free concert on iHeart Radio and Fox television channels, featuring many of today’s popular artists, such as Billie Eilish and Alicia Keys. According to iHeart Radio, the event attracted around 9 million viewers, and $10 million were raised to put towards coronavirus efforts.
Besides organized productions, the industry’s top artists have been doing living room concerts throughout the months of March and April. Instagram livestreams have been serving as the main platform for performances, and some are even getting played on television.
Musician John Legend has been an integral part of living room concerts, appearing on dozens of television channels and Instagram streams. “This is a cool way to connect with people and make them feel some kind of love and intimacy and connection, even though they have to be stuck at home,” he stated after an appearance on social media.
Junior Nathan Lokenvitz has been watching some of his favorite artists in the living room concerts. “I like them because they provide a sense of entertainment during this time when there is really not much else to do,” he explained.
Another fun example of artists’ dedication to making people happy was the “Disney Family Singalong,” aired on April 16 on ABC. Hosted by Ryan Seacrest, the production featured celebrities performing popular Disney songs.
Arguably the most impressive display was the work of Derek Hough, his girlfriend Hayley Erbert and sister Julianne Hough. The three performed the song “Be Our Guest” in elaborate costumes, professional dance routines (because that’s what they’re best at) and production-worthy transitions. The creative use of home supplies made the start to the Singalong a fun one.
Although the Disney Singalong was primarily targeted at parents and their young children, teenagers were able to enjoy it too.
Senior Hannah Anderson grew up as an avid “High School Musical” fan, so the performance of “We’re All In This Together” hit home. “I thought it was really cute to see the cast get together, but I wish Zac Efron was there. He was a huge part of the movies, and it’s not that hard to dedicate a few hours to your computer,” Anderson stated.
Many can agree that quarantine has been more dull than bright with the lack of social contact and freedom, but with the work of many A-list musicians, a little bit of light can be brought into each day.
