KDrummer 16 Is a drummer working on his music career during the pandemic. Below he dives into your questions in a Q&A with Switching Styles.

Introduction

The covid pandemic has impacted so many different aspects of the world. The Coronavirus pandemic has made it hard for many citizens around the world to function day to day. The pandemic has interrupted normal functions such as work, school, visiting family, recreation, entertainment to name only a few.

The music industry is one of the hardest-hit industries. Musicians throughout the world are feeling the hardships due to the Covid-19 lockdowns. KDrummer 16 is just one of the artist’s being hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

KDrummer 16 provides “Fun, entertaining, and unique drum covers of hard rock and metal songs from various artists”. With drum covers such as “It is the End” by Ice Nine Kills, “Riot” by Three days grace, “Ticks and Leeches” by Tool, and so many more!

 

 

Interview with KDrummer 16 and Covid-19

Below is a Q&A with Switching Styles and KDrummer 16 where we delve deeper into how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted him and his music career.

 

What has your experience been during Covid-19?

My experience with Covid-19 has been luckily minimal with bad news, but it has definitely impacted my life. I’m currently in school right now, and all of my classes are now online. My job is taking all the proper protocols to present the spread of the virus, and it’s been months since I have seen certain friends and family. For my musical pursuits, I’ve been fortunate enough to work in time to see my band a few times a month up until recently, when cases began to increase once again. My band, The Extremity Complexion, formed just before Covid-19. It’s been quite an interesting journey trying to write original material, perfect cover songs, and even promote ourselves. Luckily, we’ve put out quite a bit of material given our circumstances, and I’m hopeful for the future that lies ahead with the band!

 

How has it changed since March?

Right now, not too much has changed for me since March. With case numbers rising again, we were put on quarantine for another three weeks. With that comes limited contact with my friends and family as it was like in March. However, during the summer months, I lived a semi-normal life again, which was very nice! I practiced with my band, started a new job, and was able to do short vacations throughout those months. Wearing P.P.E has become a new normal for me, and even though it’s been almost a year, not too much has changed with the state I’m living in and how I view this whole pandemic.

 

What impact has it had on the music industry?

Unfortunately, Covid-19 has had a huge impact on the music industry. Bands are unable to tour, and some are unable to record new material. With all of this time now available, many bands have written entire albums to generate revenue once again, which is good. Musicians had to make a shift on connecting with their fans, and many have done it well; live streams, drive-in concerts, and virtual performances are now a new normal. For new artists, to be discovered requires an expansive social media outlet compared to the normal playing gigs and becoming known approach.

 

What are the supports available for musicians?

Supports available for musicians ultimately boil down to the fans and followers. To make a career out of music involves other people to enjoy what one puts out, creating a dependency on the artists from the fans. For these artists to have support during these unique times, fans need to purchase merchandise and to show that they still want to hear from the artists. In turn, the artists will put out new material creating a cycle of buying and selling that the music industry needs to thrive.

 

Are the supports enough?

In my opinion, the supports are enough given the circumstances. Some fans can’t afford to support the artists the way they want to because of the financial pit they may be in. With many people on unemployment, spending money on wants instead of needs isn’t logical, and that causes the support musicians need to not be as good as it could be. But it’s enough for the musicians now because they too are struggling during these times.

 

How have you seen the music industry change or adapt?

As mentioned before, I’ve seen the music industry shift toward social media and virtual forms of material. Instead of playing live, bands are now doing virtual and live streams to connect with the fans. But live performances are still happening, with drive-in concerts becoming quite popular.

Since March, I’ve watched about three virtual concerts, and I enjoyed all of them because it gave me camera angles unable to be seen experienced at actual concerts. However, nothing is quite as exhilarating as the actual in-person concerts that so many people are missing during these times.

 

What advice would you give to musicians that are struggling?

The advice I’d give to musicians struggling during Covid-19 is to just keep trying to promote yourself on all forms of social media.

Even if you start with small amounts of likes and views, the more material you put out, the more followers and fans you’ll gain. People are desperate for entertainment now. If the material you put out is something people are interested in, I guarantee the views will begin to climb!

 

Concluding Thoughts

Being a musician during a pandemic is a difficult thing to maneuver. Whether it’s attempting to book shows as they’re constantly being cancelled or having to reschedule for some time in the far distant foggy future, it’s rough. Live music has certainly taken a hit throughout the world.

Follow Switching Styles and KDrummer 16  to keep up to date on current projects.