Music and coronavirus, a complicated relationship. If so far the pandemic has led to the cancellation of all kinds of concerts, including that festival you were waiting for so long, things could get worse. Up to a third of musicians could leave the stage forever after the financial losses caused by the coronavirus, a study has revealed.
Up to 34% of those dedicated to music contemplate saying goodbye to the industry, given the financial challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has unleashed. It details a report issued by Music’s Union, a British body. The research highlights that up to half of the musicians have been forced to seek alternative employment sources. Those who remain active in any way have seen their income reduced to less than a quarter of what they regularly earn.
“These figures are devastating and show how musicians struggle financially and are at a real risk of leaving the industry for the better,” said Horace Trubridge, secretary general of the organization, as reproduced by the British magazine Farout Magazine . The executive also warns of the domino effect that the cancellation of live presentations will bring and that affects from technicians to ticket sellers.
Although the study predicts the risks for the United Kingdom, a similar situation is experienced globally in the entertainment industry, in which music seems to be one of the last activities that would resume within the new normal. In Mexico, for example, cinemas, museums, and some theaters have already started a stumbled reopening, but for now, there is no news of the possibility of resuming the music scene.
Different interpreters have turned to the online alternative to make some free presentations, and platforms have even emerged in which they charge for concerts. Figures like Alex Lora or Alejandra Guzmán have opted for this format. Some interpreters have allocated the proceeds to technicians, illuminators, and other industry workers who have seen their activity interrupted by the coronavirus. Some groups like Moderatto have offered the self concerts are only just beginning to get onto the scene.
Faced with the situation of music and the coronavirus, labels such as Sony Music, Warner Music and Universal Music; Companies such as Seitrack and Spotify and interpreters have joined initiatives such as Música México Covid-19 (MMC-19), which has developed various mechanisms and tools of action and support for the music industry in Mexico. For example, one of them has been Juntxs Volveremos a Sonar, a fundraising event in support of musicians and technical personnel affected by social confinement.
For their part, companies like MTV have even announced Fobia’s Unplugged recording under strict security measures.
However, the possibility of music resuming its traditional gait would depend on the transition from the traffic light to green, when massive activities could already be carried out.
