The world as we know it has been drastically altered. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have tragically been infected and/or affected by the Co-Vid 19 pandemic.  Schools are shut down for the remainder of the academic year, and stay-at-home orders have kept everyone in quarantine. The one thing that has not changed, however, is our country’s desire for unity and togetherness. As author Victor Frankl said, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms- to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.” It is during times like these when actively choosing to make the most of the situation has become essential. Along these lines, many talented artists have taken it upon themselves to choose to spread the joy of their talent to others virtually.

A great example of “making lemonade from lemons” would be how the American Country Music Awards, better known as the ACM awards, were supposed to be held in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 5, but due to the circumstances had to be postponed until the fall. The artists and producers involved, however, still wanted to do something special to include the artists and fans at home. Instead, an event, ACM Presents: Our Country, was put together and televised where artists like Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and Carrie Underwood sung their show-stopping songs from the comfort and safety of their own homes. It was incredible to see how these artists were able to have such perfected voices live and on the spot with no auto-tune whatsoever. The title of the event really showed through with the feeling of unity that it brought to those watching. A particular performance that stood out was when Thomas Rhett sang his new song Be a Light with the message to be there for others and spread love during this time. 

Besides these televised performances, many singers have been doing live streams as well. Luke Combs, for example, wrote a new song a few days ago and performed it on Wednesday night on Instagram Live. This song is titled, Six Feet Apart, and discusses his quarantine experience and how he feels about the events going on. His relatable lyrics were sung beautifully when he said, “I miss the road, I miss my band, giving hugs, shaking hands.” Even with something as seemingly insignificant as a live stream, these artists are entertaining and bringing joy to so many homes. Many events might be cancelled, but our love for music does not have to be.