Isolation Dance: Songwriting During the Pandemic

During this abominable pandemic, I’ve learned that an introverted writer, like me, has been wearing a mask for most of her life. She talks until she is talked over, whispers when others shout. I have become nocturnal. I write until three in the morning, pouring my secrets into the earth. I send my poetry to my closest friends, who believe that I am one of the most emotional and vulnerable people in their lives. You can imagine my best friend’s response, who attends Berklee College of Music, when I sent her one of my poems regarding how I’ve felt during Covid-19. 

I had gone three months without seeing my significant other when I decided to write a poem regarding our distance, with hopes that others might relate. I sent the poem to my best friend, via text message, and received a surprising response from her, saying that she had transformed my poem into a song. She posted the song on her Instagram, her first original song, and my first poem on social media. After lots of reflection on the self, I came to the realization that a person’s feelings are the most vulnerable and delicate, and with the help of music, the choice to be the strongest part of someone’s body. We titled the song “Isolation Dance.”

My best friend and I are lucky, having the ability to successfully collaborate virtually in a time where many musicians do not have that option. The music industry has suffered immensely due to coronavirus, causing the live show industry $9 billion in lost revenue. Behind the scenes, audio engineers, sound and light crews, backstage teams, and tour managers have each suffered the consequences due to concert cancellations and the like. Songwriters additionally rely on performance royalties from live performances that they cannot acquire due to coronavirus. Even though the streaming industry is 80% of total revenue for the music industry, lesser-known independent artists have trouble earning close to even minimum wage due to low royalty rates. (Ochoa) And with the constant pressure that artists already have to produce work during this time in history, it’s all the more challenging to create for others, let alone for the self. 

Empathy is the inner reaction towards a greater movement, one that allows you to awaken and speak when you are silenced.

Many songwriters believe that there needs to be human connection in a room when they are writing music. With the lack of each other’s interaction, a feeling is lost, and an emptiness surrounds the room. Big singer-songwriters like Dan Henig claim that you need interaction with others for a powerful creation to be made. Other songwriters like Jazelle Rodriguez and Joe Kirkland explain how the glitches, lags, and delays in Facetime and Zoom calls often cause their virtual collaborations to be challenging, as the beats and melodies tend to be completely off. Antonio Dixion makes a powerful point in explaining that many artists need engineers and producers to track their records, so it’s up to the songwriter to do more than write now. (Leight) No matter the case, musicians and songwriters have had their share of setbacks during this plague, testing everyone’s skills and perseverance. 

So how will we do it? How will artists fill the emptiness in the room? We rely on poetic lyrics and dramatic refrains to get us through our days. As an introverted writer, I want to evoke emotion in those who feel emotionless. I want to put a smile on people’s faces so big that it’s impossible not to see it through their masks. Only music can do this, fill the emptiness in our hearts, and give us the freedom to dance. This is how we relate to what feels almost unrelatable. This is our Isolation Dance.