Before COVID-19 rapidly spread globally, most people never thought about it seriously. As one would think, it was just another adversity that would eventually be eradicated considering our scientific and technological advancements. However, as time passed became clear that the world had not anticipated such an adverse health threat. Thus, like soldiers in a battle, everyone had to retreat as governments and institutions sought strategies, much less, a solution to alleviate the crisis.
With the imposition of state and nationwide lockdowns, schools and businesses came to a standstill. Most young people like me who are often at school wanted to relax and take a much-needed break from our ordinary routines. I thought of it as a golden opportunity to catch up with my favourite television series, eat more homemade delicacies and get more sleep which I had craved for. At first, it was fun spending most of my time watching movies or playing video games with my younger brother. Not so long after, staying inside was no longer interesting as it seemed at first. Due to the pandemic, my parents were temporarily laid off at work. As my dad suggested, most unnecessary expenses would be directed towards essential commodities like food and toiletries. It dawned on me that life had changed drastically, and nobody knew when it would return to normal.
For weeks, I felt more like I was trapped or stuck inside the house. According to news reports, most people were in a similar situation, and research indicated that obesity, mental illnesses, and domestic violence cases had increased dramatically. Even with such hopelessness, health experts constantly reiterated the importance of utilizing the period for self-growth. Alternatively, music had emerged as a source of hope and resilience against a global pandemic. Taking note of the advice, I remembered that I have a passion for disc jockeying, and I had a music controller that my best friend had gifted me on my birthday. Although I had only used it a few times, it gave me such profound memories since I mostly used it for birthday celebrations. I was amazed at how helpless I had been while it had been all along sitting in the attic right above me!
My music controller is small, not so fancy, and it is relatively outdated compared with the ones being sold in the currently. Regardless, it is dear to me, and it was what I needed to pull through such a devastating period. It was not clear how it would work out since there no birthday parties or any gigs to perform. However, thanks to technology, I would create channels on various social platforms and upload my material (mixtapes) for my friends and anybody else to listen for free. More importantly, I had a student (my younger brother) who wanted to learn how to DJ and fans (my parents). Having the machines and the audience, I was ready to go. Life would certainly change for the better.
I must admit that it had been quite some time since I last used the controller. Due to this, I almost had forgotten how to synchronize tracks and move from one genre to another correctly. As I practised more, I regained my skills and even got better at scratching and applying sound effects. Inwardly, I felt great-more like I had resurrected a part of me that had died for some time. Besides, my younger brother and mother kept telling me that I was getting better by the day. Although my father never said much about my renewed interest in disc jockeying, I later found out that he did the same thing in his teenage years in college. As I thought, he must have been too proud to tell me that I had taken after him.
After some time, I thought it was better to share my recorded mixtapes with my friends and classmates. In doing this, I created channels in Soundcloud and Mixcloud and provided a link through which anybody could listen and, if possible, download some music. Additionally, I created two social media groups to mobilize and update my fans every time I uploaded new material. Like any beginner, I was very anxious when I uploaded my first two projects. Just as I guessed, only a few people had listened to my content within the first week. Although my mother told me to be a little more patient, I began thinking that maybe I was not as good as I thought.
Nonetheless, I kept recording more material and encouraged people to check more of my mixtapes. After a month and a half, I noticed more people listened to my mixtapes as each had over 400 viewers. What touched me more was that most listeners gave positive feedback and encouraged me to do better. Honestly, I was thrilled that I impacted other people’s lives through music. Even though I balanced my disc jockey sessions with studies and chores, it was much better than staying glued to the television. Alternatively, disc jockeying revealed to me the indefinite benefits of family and friends. It is unimaginable how a small, outdated music controller touched the lives of so many people at such a critical time. I hope my story, like others, serves as an inspiration to future generations to think more and maintain a positive mindset even when it is almost impossible.
