Fun Fridays: 3 ways music can uplift spirits stuck at home
Article by Emily Whelan ’20
Whether it’s shuffling your favorite playlist, listening to a new album or tuning into an artist’s live stream, music is sure to lift your spirits during these challenging times. So check out these ideas to incorporate music into your life during our time of remote living.
# 1 Listen to free concerts from your favorite artists
Artists all over the world are finding creative ways to entertain their fans during this period of social distancing. Instagram and YouTube are full of artists going live to share unreleased songs and take requests from fans.
Chris Martin of Coldplay put on an at-home concert last week, performing some of his most famous hits such as “Viva La Vida” and “A Sky Full of Stars.” John Legend followed his lead and serenaded fans with “All of Me” from his piano at home. Keith Urban performed new and old songs from his home studio. Pop artists Charlie Puth and Niall Horan also took to social media to entertain their followers.
#2 Check out all the new music being released
With everyone being cooped up in their homes, the go-to Spotify playlists might be getting old. In addition to these singers going live on social media, there is also a lot of new music being released. For example, country artists Thomas Rhett, Reba McEntire, Hillary Scott and Chris Tomlin just released a new song they all collaborated on called “Be a Light.” All proceeds of the song go to the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund.
Pop artists including 5 Seconds of Summer, Dua Lipa and Kelsea Ballerini all released new albums in the last few weeks, too. It’s a good time to discover new music, and regardless of your taste, all three of these albums feature upbeat and uplifting songs.
#3 Practice your own instrument at home
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This is also the perfect time to dust off any old instruments you may have, tune them up and create a new hobby! If you have always wanted to learn to play the guitar, artist James Bay is offering free guitar lessons on his Instagram account. His first video was a lesson on how to play his hit “Let It Go,” and his second taught the chords to “Hold Back The River.” Udemy is also a site with a lot of cheaper music lessons that you could try out. Who knows, maybe you will find a new passion or rekindle something new when it comes to music?
For so many of you, music is a powerful healing tool to provide hope in dark times. The concerts may be cancelled, but the music will never be.
Each Friday, SALVEtoday will provide fun ideas and experiences to encourage and uplift the University community during this time of remote living and learning. #salvesgotthis #funfridays
Featured photo by Getty Images/Ajwad Creative
