If you want to discover independent talent and cheer them on, it’s a great community to get lost in. SB: What advice can you give for people to support artists during this time?ĪDAM: Sofar is a really good place to start for this because it’s a platform that’s always been designed to support its network of artists. I've spoken to a bunch of artists who have no intention of stopping for that reason. We’re seeing a massive increase in the number of live streamed performances and while I don’t think they will ever replace an in-person gig, they make those kinds of shows so much more accessible to people who might not be able to physically experience it. It also means that they can connect with fans in places where they usually wouldn't play shows. Like I said before, the internet has really opened up and people have really explored how they can collaborate with other artists around the world. SB: Have there been any innovations in the music industry that you would like to see continue long after lockdown?ĪDAM: Definitely. There’s something to be said for taking a step back and enjoying the things that might otherwise have passed you by. So, something that will stay with me after this experience is learning to see and enjoy parts of this city that are amazing, but I didn’t notice before. SB: What has been a 'small discovery' of lockdown that you now can't live without?ĪDAM: I moved to London two years before lockdown and fell in love with it because of all the things that are always going on. It’s all about making work for the sake of the process as much as it is about the final result. It’s a change of mindset where not everything has to be a masterpiece. Some have set themselves the challenge of making a song a day for a month or shooting a music video every week. They’re making skits for TikTok or doing videos on Instagram or YouTube. I’ve heard some seriously amazing stuff from this period, where some artists have found ways to keep creating, even if it's not necessarily for conventional releases. The other extreme is that collaborating across the country, even across the world has never been easier. Some artists have just completely shut down creatively, without that kind of constant inspiration and hustle of normal everyday life. SB: What is the best thing about live music that even a global pandemic can't get in the way of?ĪDAM: To be honest, there’s a thin line between music thriving in this sort of situation and also freezing up a bit. Artists have been so creative with digital content and the many ways they can still connect with fans and perform their music.īecause of all these different platforms, it means that we’ve ended up with a lot of new, interesting kinds of content that probably wouldn't have come about if the world wasn't set on fire and we all got stuck online, so it’s ended up becoming a really nice way to stay connected. It all sounds quite obvious but it makes a massive difference to the artists and is a great way to feel close with the music community. If I find an artist that I like on Spotify, I'll go on Instagram, check them out and follow them so I can keep up with their new projects. I’ve never been big on social media, but I’ve lent into it a lot more in lockdown. Trawling blogs and stumbling across different playlists is a great way to find new music where you can get lost in a tangent of something completely new. I’ve ended up diving back into being a headphone listener, which is how I first got into music, so it's been interesting going full circle and feeling like that 15 year old kid again. SB: How have you managed to stay connected with the live music community?ĪDAM: It’s been strange not being able to go to gigs all the time and meet new people through those kinds of shared experiences. Of course this is what happens the first time we experience live music in the real world again.' It was just a moment where we thought ‘Wow, this is ridiculous. It was a bit of a scramble with all the equipment already set up, but after a full 10 minutes, the rain just stopped and the sun came out.īy the time Flyte started to perform a double rainbow appeared behind them which was pretty surreal. It was a really beautiful day as well, but just before they kicked things off it started to bucket it down with rain. It was quite an impromptu socially distanced show, but everyone turned up with the best intentions and were really respectful of the situation. It was the first in-person live gig I’d been to in 2020 and although it felt a bit bizarre, it was also really freeing. SB: What has been a memorable live music moment THAT you experienced in lockdown?ĪDAM: There was an amazing moment last summer, where a Sofar alumni called Flyte hosted a pop up gig on Parliament Hill in Hampstead Heath.
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