Living in a global pandemic as a musician and trying to thrive is nearly impossible. You can’t host concerts anymore, which is the main source of income for most bands and artists. Not only ticket sales but the concert is typically where the merchandise gets sold as well, and is a good way for artists to get exposure. However, having the in-person quality of that being completely stripped can be difficult. Live streaming platforms are an amazing tool for musicians to host online concerts and even Q&A’s or podcasts. Social media presence plays a big role, the chances of someone hearing of a new band through Facebook or Instagram are insanely high. Utilize your bio to share links to your other sites- including merchandising. Having the ability to connect and communicate with an audience all at the edge of our fingertips is a huge privilege to be taken advantage of especially during a time like this. People are turning to their screens and devices as replacements for the day to day social interactions we were used to having. Another amazing option for those artists and musicians that aren’t only there to perform but to teach as well are devices and programs like Zoom, where they can teach video lessons and still make a living teaching through it. With the pandemic lightening up in some areas, for smaller musicians at least, social-distancing and masks are a good option for those that would maybe like to host a small gathering to play, but it’s still difficult as not only would the mandatory distancing call for a large enough venue, but the artist I’m sure would still lose a good chunk of their audience due to people just not wanting to go out, or being extra precautious, or even can’t make it because they themselves are sick- which is where live streams and video concerts come in handy.