Cover (your mouth) songs
Musicians are penning tunes about COVID-19
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to alter daily life for people around the globe, some artists are offering up their talents as a distraction from the chaos. Others are using those talents to lean into it.
Singer Jojo recently instructed fans on the importance of social distancing through a parody of her 2004 debut single Leave (Get Out). This version of the song, which she posted to her Tiktok account, is aptly called Chill (Stay In).
Cardi B recently landed an unexpected hit after a Brooklyn-based DJ and producer turned the rapper’s impromptu Instagram rant about coronavirus into a lively remix. The song, from DJ imarkkeyz, features Cardi B venting about not understanding the novel coronavirus or its rapid spread across the globe. It borrows its hook from the rapper’s exasperated declaration that things are getting real and her raspy delivery of the virus’ name.
The song went (there’s just no other way to say this) viral, catching the attention of Cardi B herself and fans across the world. The rapper has been retweeting videos of people dancing to the track, and recently shared a video of fans — in alarming proximity to one another — swaying to the song at a club in Brazil. imarkkeyz, known for remixing viral memes, told the New York Times that his own fans had been urging him to give Cardi’s video the remix treatment. The result is currently among the Top 10 songs on itunes.
DJ Snake — the French record producer who featured Cardi B, along with Selena Gomez and Ozuna, on his Billboard 100 hit Taki Taki — was also inspired by Cardi’s virus-related angst. He set her trademark cackle and the rapper saying “coronavirus” to a mix of keyboard notes and sounds made by household objects, and uploaded a video showcasing his creative process to Youtube.
Weeks before Cardi B inadvertently lent her COVID-19 anxiety to a dance track, Dominican rapper Yofrangel released Corona Virus. The single begins with him warning listeners, in Spanish, to “Watch out for the coronavirus.” The frenetic track also includes some practical lines: “Cover your mouth, you will not make me sick.” The music video, posted to Youtube in February, doubles down on its theme with the rapper in an ambulance surrounded by people in masks. As noted by the Los Angeles Times earlier this month, there are several Spanish-language songs about the virus already, including Mister Cumbia’s La Cumbia Del Coronavirus, which has more than four million views on Youtube.
Earlier this month on HBO’S Last Week Tonight, John Oliver praised a Vietnamese PSA that advises people to wash their hands and to avoid touching their face. “Vietnam made a song about washing your hands to prevent coronavirus infection and it absolutely slaps,” he told viewers. “That’s a genuine club banger right there.” The song even inspired a Tiktok dance challenge.
In addition to educating listeners on how not to spread the virus, some coronavirus-inspired songs may also benefit people affected by the virus. When a fan suggested DJ imarkkeyz donate the proceeds from his Cardi B smash, he replied that it was his goal. The rapper agreed. “Keep in mind you don’t get your money right away,” she added, “but even months from now there would be families with financial issues for getting laid off due to the virus. We will donate!”