COVID-19 has had a massive effect on our sense of togetherness, and often it is common to feel alone in these trying times. With the inability to hang out with friends, travel, attend concerts or any other event, some substitutions have been accessible. It has become common to scroll through Instagram and see posts of musicians singing in their homes, or other members of the entertainment industry sharing bits of their lives in quarantine.
On April 16, ABC aired “The Disney Family Sing-along Special,” which contained an impressive lineup of artists performing iconic Disney songs from their homes. Some of the celebrities included in the lineup were: Ariana Grande, Beyonce, Demi Lovato, Christina Aguilera and the cast of “High School Musical.” The special was hosted by Ryan Seacrest, and was a much needed gathering of some of the country’s favorite stars instilling hope and encouragement during this COVID-19 pandemic.
The feelings of stress, loneliness, boredom and isolation has been all too prominent these days, so it was exhilarating to be able to gather on the couch with family and sing along to our favorite Disney songs. Ryan Seacrest and Beyonce, among others, shared hopeful words with viewers encouraging us to hold our loved ones close, and come alongside one another. I found this taste of the outside world refreshing and can only hope events like this one continue to carry us through to the end of this scary time.
Also, it’s important to point out that during this worldwide crisis, having social media posts or televised specials of celebrities in their homes brings a feeling of equality. This is one issue that is affecting the entertainment population as much as the general population. Rather than paying ridiculous amounts of money to see a singer in concert, we are being welcomed into their homes on a virtual level for in-home concerts. We get to witness the humanity within entertainers, and we are truly in this together.
Though the duration of this COVID-19 quarantine is unclear, the hope is to keep pushing forward, taking things one day at a time. Maybe external voices of encouragement is something we need more of. Either way, “The Disney Family Sing-along Special” brought countless smiles to the faces of both children and adults, creating hope, comradery and relief in a time of uncertainty.
