ISOLATE & create ... says Blvk H3ro
THE COVID-19 pandemic has forced entire populations to embrace necessary but isolating choices like quarantine and social distancing. While there are some who thrive on social interaction and may feel like they’re at their wits’ end because they need to stay shut in and far away from other people, there are others, like the eccentric and stylish BlvK H3ro. He thrives on isolation, a practice that has encouraged creation and perhaps also his decidedly individual presentation. But the entertainer also understands another necessary action – for everyone to stay connected and for them to somehow keep earning. He has a solution, but it’s a work in progress.
“This is actually perfect for me because I was always the musician that isolated. I wouldn’t come out to any shows unless it’s time to perform. When it done, me gone back up. It’s not a new thing for me, personally, to isolate and create. But what has happened, business has slowed down,” he told The Gleaner.
Blvk H3ro’s isolation is self-imposed. But in the wake of COVID-19’s spread, everyone else is isolated, too – and it can potentially break the bank. Concerts and festivals across the globe have been postponed or cancelled.“We make money mostly from the live shows,”he added.
LIVE ONLINE
Since the Internet is still functioning as it should, Blvk H3ro plans to continue to release music. He also wants to buckle down with his team to organise live shows online.
“Just like any other business, we just have to hit the drawing board. We just here looking at it. It’s a digital, online space. I think we can use it to our advantage. We still can communicate, listen to our music, and watch our videos. I think streaming was built for this,” Blvk H3ro said.
The artiste’s engagement with his audience continued yesterday with the release of his latest single, Young Boss, in collaboration with prodigious performer Wayne J. “What we’re gonna do is just to keep up the content, putting out music. It’s just making the people feel like even though this is happening, there’s still a sense of normalcy. They’re still getting their music and visuals,” he said.
There is also another idea, to ‘bring the live to your device’.
“We’re planning to do shows online. Probably you pay a US$5 or US$10 fee or it’s subscription-based, and you get to perform like it’s a show. These are the things we’re trying to put in place to keep the panic down. That’s all we can do as missionaries, as stewards of this music.”