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Best Ex

Photo by Natalie Sparaccio

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Quarantine Diaries: Best Ex Singer Mariel Loveland Is Playing Ukulele & Watching Brad Mondo Hair Videos

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As the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic continues to rock the music industry, the Recording Academy reached out to a few musicians to see how they were spending their days indoors
GRAMMYs
Apr 10, 2020 - 10:38 am

As the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic continues to rock the music industry, the Recording Academy reached out to a few musicians to see how they were spending their days indoors. Today, Mariel Loveland of Brooklyn indie-pop outfit Best Ex, whose new EP Good At Feeling Bad drops on May 22, shares her Quarantine Diary.

I've been quarantined in the suburbs of New Jersey for about a month now, and the first two weeks were definitely an adjustment. My mother more or less kidnapped me from Brooklyn—seriously, she said I didn’t have a choice and she was showing up at my door to get me regardless. I packed my bag and 45 minutes later she was there, mask in tow. That's an Italian mama for ya. At that point, I had a cough (which has since proved to be uniquely bad seasonal allergies) and was so terrified about potentially getting her sick that I stayed in the basement for 14 days without ever coming upstairs except to grab a plate of food. After the 14 days, we picked up my grandmother from Long Island, and the three of us have been holed up together. There are lots of meatballs, lots of friendly bickering (particularly when we can’t hear the rest of our family on our insane 20-person Zoom chats), and so much "90 Day Fiance" and "Vanderpump Rules." 

Though I have a tendency to catastrophize matters of the heart, I like to think I'm pretty rock solid with actual disasters. To be honest, I don't really feel the impending sense of dread my friends feel. At least not yet. I feel safe inside. My family is healthy, and though it is a bit lonely, it really only feels like life is on pause. I’m trying to welcome this break, with the thought I may never have one again. Of course, I’d be lying if I wasn’t bummed about my album's release. I was working on it for the last two years, and now that it’s finally coming out, the entire music industry is shut down. Two weeks before N.Y.C. basically closed, we had just started practicing our new setup as a duo. I had just pulled the trigger on planning a U.K. and European tour. We had West Coast and Midwest dates in talks and hometown shows slated for this month. That’s all indefinitely on hold, and when this blows over, I need to evaluate when and if I can still afford those tours after all the financial losses this thing has caused me.

Anyway, my days as of late have been quiet and creative. I’m lucky to get to spend so much time with my mom and grandma, and I feel blessed I get to wake up every day and write.

Wednesday, April 8

[10:30 a.m.–11 a.m.] Peeling my eyelids open

I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I’m a fully functioning adult who regularly gets out of bed after 11 if I don’t have anything else to do. I stayed up until about 1:30 a.m. watching the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen on YouTube and woke up this morning with a raging headache and a song in my head. I sing the melody into my voice notes and don't get up until my mom texts me that the coffee maker is turning off. It's go time (unless I want iced coffee).

[11 a.m.–1:45 p.m.] Flipping between news stations

I'm normally someone who spends a lot of the day reading news, op-eds and essays. The coronavirus outbreak has made this (probably unhealthy addiction) even worse. In Brooklyn, where I don't have cable TV, I usually read The Guardian or the New York Times, but my mother has the luxury of cable news. Particularly, Fox News, which I like to watch and purposely anger myself enough to yell at Tucker Carlson through the screen. Like every other day, we watch Andrew Cuomo's briefing while I eat a scone (I tried my hand at baking a couple days ago) and an orange. We've been joking through this whole thing that he’s my mom's boyfriend. Andrew, please be my stepdad? Is your brother single, too? Oh my god, I’ve been trapped in this house too long.

[1:45 p.m.–2:30 p.m. ] I meant to work out but it didn't happen

I'm not really one to ever work out. In fact, my family hysterically laughed when I told them I had started jogging. So far, I've done it three days in a row, but today my entire body hurt, and I was tired. I went downstairs to shower and change into running clothes, but that never happened. Instead, I started trying out a makeup tutorial from GiGi Hadid’s makeup artist, and it looked terrible on me. I had to wash off my whole face and try something else. At this time, I also texted my roommate at home to see how my plants are doing. It’s looking pretty iffy at the moment. We’re not really green thumbs.

[2:30 p.m.–5 p.m.] Time to sing and time to write

This quarantine has finally helped lift my months-long writer’s block, though I haven’t yet written the song. I feel like I’m on the brink of it. My mind probably won’t let it happen until everything I’ve already recorded is finally released, but I’m going to keep trying anyway. I played the voice memo from this morning. It’s kind of rubbish—or at least I don’t have a good place for it yet. I played through some other stuff I’ve written in the last two weeks and rehearsed a song I may sing at my brother’s wedding. I feel more nervous to sing at his wedding than I did singing in front of an entire stadium, so I don’t know if I’m going to go through with it.

I’ve also been teaching myself ukulele. The world could always use a new ukulele song, and somehow, I found the one instrument my tiny hands feel too big for. I sing "Can’t Help Falling In Love" to an audience of my cat using her litter box. I've had worse crowds.

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[5 p.m.–8:45 p.m.] Dinner and a movie

I go upstairs and instead of going on a run, I take my cat outside and sit in the rocking chair on the porch with her. She hisses at me, so I throw her back inside before she starts scratching and start watching TV with my mom and grandma. Eventually, we pick the film Hall Pass, which I’ve somehow never seen, and it’s exactly the kind of movie I needed to see at this moment. We also order dinner from our favorite Indian place. It’s quite exciting considering it was my grandmother’s first time eating Indian food.

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[8:45 p.m.–1:45 a.m.] Writing, writing, writing

Besides being a songwriter, I’m a writer writer. I swore during this quarantine that I’d finally write my poetry book, but I'm not really loaded with inspiration just sitting in a basement all day. I have some other stuff to finish anyway. Like most nights when I’m winding down, I make some tea (with biscuits of course) before I get to it. I write a bit and do some research for a piece I’m writing tomorrow. I like doing that before bed, so when I wake up, it’s all laid out for me.

After that, I watch YouTube until I pass out. I've been really liking Brad Mondo's hair videos, and it tempted me enough to dye my hair pink during quarantine. My roots are hopeless anyway. Beyond that, I’ve just been watching people try on things from clothing stores that I wish I could shop in right now. One day, hopefully sooner than later, I’ll get to buy cute new clothes for a cute new date and go to a cute old bar. Or maybe I’ll get to pick out a tour outfit. I love dressing up for shows, but until then, I’ve got my music, my words and my sweatpants.

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If you wish to support our efforts to assist music professionals in need, learn more about the Recording Academy's and MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund.

If you are a member of the music industry in need of assistance, visit the MusiCares website.

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Victoria Reed

Photo by Tonje Thilesen

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Quarantine Diaries: Alt-Pop Act Victoria Reed Is Dancercising To Spice Girls & Watching The Great British Baking Show"

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As the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic continues to rock the music industry, the Recording Academy reached out to a few musicians to see how they were spending their days indoors
GRAMMYs
Mar 30, 2020 - 9:59 am

As the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic continues to rock the music industry, the Recording Academy reached out to a few musicians to see how they were spending their days indoors. Today, alt-pop singer Victoria Reed, whose new album Aquamadre is out on April 24th via Fisica Moderna Records/ AWAL, shares her Quarantine Diary.

Today is day 17 of self-quarantining here in Mexico City. I returned home from the U.S. earlier this month, after spending some time in L.A. just as things were getting serious there, and made the decision to lock-in upon arrival.

It’s definitely an interesting and challenging time to be a musician, not to mention to be putting out a record, and yet the same could be said for literally everybody in the world right now. It’s an interesting and challenging time to be a human, and for many the challenges are far more dire than anything I'm currently dealing with. So it’s hard to get hung up on any personal or career dramas when your heart is busy breaking for all of the suffering and collective grief being experienced right now. Maybe that’s one good thing, albeit ironic, to come of all of this for me personally so far.

So here I am, finding myself feeling especially grateful for all of the sweetness in my life, not the least of which being the lovely little home that I get to stow away in with my husband Erik, who just happens to be one of my favorite musical collaborators as well. What luck! We moved to Mexico City from Brooklyn just over a year ago, and are fortunate enough to have a home studio, countless instruments, lots of sunlight and no shortage of food or skills in the kitchen. It’s been a lot of finding new routines and also sinking in deeper to the helpful ones I’ve already got.

Life has been pretty full throttle for the last few years, with staying at home or in one place for more than a few weeks being almost unheard of, so I’m taking advantage of this time to get a little more grounded, a little more rooted, and maybe to even take a breath every once in a while… if I can stay away from the news for long enough...

Sunday, March 29

[8 a.m.–10 a.m] Daydreaming and more dreaming

Though I often wake up around 6 a.m. and lay in bed journaling, writing poems, responding to texts and emails, and dreaming up master plans, I am a notoriously late riser and will almost always fall back asleep by 8 a.m. for another solid four to five hours. Today was no exception.

[10 a.m.–12 p.m] Letting in the light

The first thing I do when I open my eyes, before even rolling over or sliding up my sleep mask, is my daily meditation practice. I begin with a 10-minute mindfulness meditation from Headspace and follow with a tapping meditation that I adapted from a method I learned in therapy. I find it really eases the transition between the dream world and waking life, and helps me to begin my day from a grounded, peaceful space—great for getting ahead of any pesky feelings of impending doom and especially helpful during times of global crisis, where some days waking up feels more like waking up in a weird bad dream. 

Afterward, I fling open the windows for a mini yoga moment. This is a new addition to my usual routine. Moving my body feels like heaven, the purple Jacaranda trees are blooming in Mexico City right now, and we’re lucky enough to have one right outside of our bedroom window. It’s been feeling like an extra special gift these past couple weeks.

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[12 p.m.–1 p.m.] Pancakes, Spanish practice and Charles Ives: Symphony No:1

Been on a big pancake kick lately! And lucky for me, Erik has been making them for me on demand almost every day since we’ve been locked in. Whatta gem! He’s also gotten into a cute little morning (read: afternoon) routine of studying Spanish in the living room while listening to classical records. Today I decided to join him.

Though we’ve been living here for over a year, and my Spanish is getting there, all of the travel back and forth and touring in the U.S. makes it a bit difficult to really get to the next level. So now that all we’ve got is time, it feels like a good opportunity to go a bit deeper. Though with near zero social contact at the moment, we’re definitely missing out on the whole real-life application element!

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[1 p.m.–4 p.m.] Testing, testing

For the first time in my life I have a proper home studio and it’s been a total game changer… not to mention, a major asset for a quarantine! It's where we recorded all but one song on the record, and having it has really supported my creativity and musical evolution in exciting ways. 

I’ve been a bit wary of buying too much into the idea that we should all be using this time to be even more productive than usual (if there’s ever been a time where it seems we’re being nudged by the universe to slow down and take a breath this certainly seems to be it). So, though I’ve been plenty inspired, I’ve also made a deal with myself not to force anything. But today I felt particularly amped up to experiment with potential setups for the livestream album release show I'm planning. I had to make the call to reschedule all my spring tour dates pretty much the day before I was finally getting to announce them, which was obviously a huge disappointment, but alas! The show must go on!

I also spent some time casing the apartment, testing the light for a music video I’m planning on filming for my next single. I was supposed to film something last week in Detroit with an amazing director friend of mine, but had to call off the shoot, so I’ve decided to go D.I.Y. and film it myself.

[4 p.m.–6 p.m.] Golden hour on the roof

In non-quarantine times, we usually spend our afternoon freetime taking long meandering walks around the city, soaking up all the beauty, inspiration and amazing food this city has to offer, so we’ve never really spent much time up on our rooftop. But last week we realized what a thing it is to have any outdoor space at all right now, and have been spending the last hours of daylight up there almost every day since.

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It’s a warm, beautiful day, as is usually the case in CDMX. Erik does the New York Magazine crossword and listens to the Bill Simmons podcast. I lounge about, tuning in and out, chiming in with a crossword answer here and there. I admit to him that I’m actually kind of enjoying the quiet calm in the air, however eerie, and shortly thereafter I’m totally struck by how audible and all encompassing the sound of the birds chirping around us is. "Are they usually this loud?" I ask. 

A perfect breeze accompanies a perfect peachy pink sunset and for a brief moment all feels strangely right in the midst of all that is so horribly wrong right now.

[6 p.m.–8 p.m.] DANCERCISE!

There have been a seemingly infinite amount of great livestream workouts to tune into at any given moment of the day, and yet, I’ve really been into just going freeform and dancercising my heart out! Every other night or so I’ve been setting up shop in front of the massive full length mirror in my bedroom, turnin' down the lights, shutting the door and blasting what has now become a passionately curated playlist of '90s bangers. Think: Spice Girls deep cuts, Cher, Toni Braxton, Haddaway, Aqua, Destiny’s Child… all the greats.

I've been finding it so comforting, freeing, and grounding in all the sweetest ways. It really conjures up feelings of going full on, all out in my childhood bedroom back in the day, coming up with these totally extra dance routines as if it was my life’s work and Geri Halliwell herself was watching—and I’m also reminded of this very specific feeling of kind of hoping my parents or sister would walk in and see how fly I was, yet feeling super embarrassed, shameful and woefully caught of guard anytime they actually did. 

Tonight I put my hair in double buns for added effect.

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[8 p.m.–11 p.m.] Vino naranja, a perfect pasta, and night owl shenanigans...

I love to cook, but cooking and planning special dinners each night has been bringing Erik so much joy lately, and has proven to be a real bright spot in his quarantine doldrums, so we’ve kind of got an unspoken agreement going where he’s been handling the cooking each night. He’s an excellent cook, so not a bad deal for me at all! Tonight he made a bolognese that can only be described as perfect, and we savoured an amazing bottle of natural orange wine that we had delivered from our friend’s restaurant in the neighborhood. I drink a glass (or at least a few sips) of wine pretty much every night of my life, quarantine or no quarantine, but this was a special treat.

To be honest, I probably haven’t gone to bed before 2 a.m. in over a year, so whereas most people might be winding down at this point (I think?), I’m just getting going! Tonight’s activities ended up including: an impromptu couples songwriting session at the piano, a heavy duty tarot check-in, about an hour’s worth of family facetimes, a cookie break on the deck looking up at the moon, a long leisurely shower, writing this journal entry, and lastly, "The Great British Baking Show"—to put one in a good headspace before bed, of course.

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If you wish to support our efforts to assist music professionals in need, learn more about the Recording Academy's and MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund.

If you are a member of the music industry in need of assistance, visit the MusiCares website. 

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Peter Bjorn And John

Photo by Johan Bergmark

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Quarantine Diaries: Peter Bjorn And John's John Eriksson Is Reading Poetry & Battling Possible COVID-Related Illness

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As the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic continues to rock the music industry, the Recording Academy reached out to a few musicians to see how they were spending their days indoors
GRAMMYs
May 5, 2020 - 11:59 am

As the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic continues to rock the music industry, the Recording Academy reached out to a few musicians to see how they were spending their days indoors. Today, John Eriksson of Swedish indie favorites Peter Bjorn And John, shares his Quarantine Diary. Peter Bjorn And John's ninth studio album, Endless Dream, is out now.

[4:30 a.m.] Waking up, coughing like a very old man. The sound reminds me of my grandfather. He was coughing a lot, he was a car repairman and he was half deaf. Someone fired a gun right next to his right ear.

[Editor's note: According to the band's management, Eriksson suspects he may have contracted COVID-19. But, because they're only testing people in Sweden who need hospital care, he can't be sure.]

[4:34 a.m.] Trying to fall asleep again by watching an old Swedish criminal drama from the end of the '80s. Everybody is wearing bright white jackets and dresses. Weightless, fluffy humans with untroubled minds, feather-light bodies, relaxed faces. Everything looks so easy and the pace is so unbelievably slow. The investigator is constantly holding a burning cigarette between his index and middle finger.

[5:30 a.m.]  Waking up, coughing and probably waking up my girlfriend for the 45th time during the last three weeks. But, she loves me, yeah, yeah, yeah?

[5:35 a.m.] Trying to read a book in bed. Can almost only read "slow" writers at the moment. Tove Jansson or Peter Handke. Bruno K. Öijer or Tomas Tranströmer. Books where the sentences are not chasing each other, texts where it doesn't matter if you are on page one or 99. Pages that have a mind of their own.

[8:01 a.m.] My girlfriend comes from the kitchen and hands me a black bowl with oatmeal porridge. Eating that in bed, waving goodbye to my son on his way to school. 

[9:17 a.m.] Looking out the window. Coughing.

[10:00 a.m.] Time for a chance of scenery. Walking into the living room. Looking out of that window.

[10:14 a.m.] Standing on the balcony, watching seagulls making love on a roof. It is not cute. A big, dazed bumble bee, already busy, flies around looking for the meaning of life, creating a feeling of melancholy. Feel like touching its fuzzy yellow-black body and wish it luck. 

Another busy creature, the postman, comes on his yellow bicycle, wearing shorts today (why not). He picks up the envelopes, the flyers and magazines from his huge, blue postbag in a relaxed and effortless way, totally at ease with his tasks. He walks slowly to the house next to ours.

On the street below, random people are walking almost aimlessly, like they are on vacation, like the narrow passage in our backyard is the Ramblas in Barcelona. But the people down there don't sound like tourists; the only thing you hear is the dampened sound of their slow footsteps on the asphalt, soft rubber soles, sometimes touching small pieces of gravel. No hard heels and no loud voices. It's like everybody is trying to compose a vast silence, together. A minute of silence after a minute of silence. The only distinct sounds are the spring birds. For all of them, it's business as usual and the only creatures behaving like they are on a charter trip are the seagulls. Screaming, fighting, f**king, acting like they own this place.

[11:30 a.m.] Continuing to read. The book I'm reading smells like dust in a warm attic, its pages yellowed by sunlight and antique cigarette smoke.

[11:55 a.m.] Doing a breathing exercise in order to get the mucus out of the lungs and I end up coughing up a big lump of white-yellow slime that lands on the wooden floor. Looking down at something from another world and it feels like it is looking back at me. I go to the toilet, gather a big ball of toilet paper, go back into the living room and carefully wipes up the slime. I throw the paper in the toilet and look at myself in the mirror. It is unworthy to be sick. Unworthy. 

[1:15 p.m.] Drinking water. Getting a text from Bjorn, asking me if I want to DJ at a livestream event next month. Seriously considering this for a moment, which must be a sign of illness. 

[2:02 p.m.] Have noticed that movies in black and white work better when you are sick, It's like there's more space in them. Watching Wim Wenders' "Der himmel über Berlin" for the first time on a fantastic Swedish movie site and one scene takes my breath away. The camera zooms in on a woman sitting in a laundromat thinking about all the stuff she needs to fix at home before her husband gets there: cooking food, doing the dishes, vacuuming. In the middle of her thoughts, the image changes from black and white to color, illuminating a long row of dark-red washing machines. This almost makes me cry. Don't know why. 

[5:30 p.m.–8 p.m.] Coughing.

[8 p.m.] Going to bed. Feel a bit better than yesterday evening. Before I turn out the light, I read the last lines of a poem by Tranströmer: 

"Outside, the late spring.
From the greenery a whistling - people or birds?
And cherry trees in bloom pat the heavy trucks on the way home.
Weeks go by.
Slowly night comes.
Moths settle down on the pane:
small pale telegrams from the world."

If you wish to support our efforts to assist music professionals in need, learn more about the Recording Academy's and MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund.

If you are a member of the music industry in need of assistance, visit the MusiCares website.

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Leon Of Athens

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Quarantine Diaries: Leon Of Athens Is Playing An Audiotree Session & Watching "The Kominsky Method"

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As the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic continues to rock the music industry, the Recording Academy reached out to a few musicians to see how they were spending their days indoors
GRAMMYs
Apr 21, 2020 - 9:12 am

As the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic continues to rock the music industry, the Recording Academy reached out to a few musicians to see how they were spending their days indoors. Today, London-based, Greece-born indie-pop artist Leon Of Athens, who recently released his new single "Communication," shares his Quarantine Diary.

[10 a.m.] I'm a late sleeper and this quarantine definitely hasn't helped my sleeping habits. Luckily, I got eight full hours of sleep and feel much more relaxed today. Coffee calls. I simply cannot operate without it—you can easily call me an addict. Waking up in Athens in April is a true blessing. I'm a resident of London and was about to fly to the the U.S. for SXSW right when it got cancelled. I felt I needed to be in Athens close to my mom and fortunately, I was able to get here in time. It's 26 degrees Celsius and the sun here is sublime. I walk up the stairs to the rooftop for my daily dose of vitamin D and feast on the beautiful view. Athens is surrounded by three mountains with the sea right behind them. I'm taking it all in.

[10:45 a.m.] Still on the rooftop and now moving on to some cardio and stretching. Gotta keep my body moving, even if it's for a few minutes. It helps me stay mindful.

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[11:30 a.m.] I make myself a healthy brunch and get to work. I practically spend my entire days in my home studio, either playing or writing music. I've also been doing a lot of online sessions and tonight I'm doing one for Audiotree. I had done one in their studio, in person, a few years ago. They're great, so I'm extra excited for this one. I start setting up and going through my setlist for tonight's gig that will take place at midnight Greek time (we are eight hours forward) so it's definitely a good thing that I'm a late sleeper and that I have understanding neighbours.

[2:30 p.m.] Siesta time is quite important in Greece and lasts from 2:30 until 5:30. I never sleep during the day but it is imposed quiet time that I like to take advantage of by chilling on the balcony and getting some reading done. It's also the time my manager Eva in Philadelphia is up so I'm usually on the phone with her or on a conference call. We haven't changed much in the way that we work and are constantly keeping busy.

[4 p.m.] I put on my mask and gloves and leave the house for the nearest grocery and drug store. I stock up on some food and sanitisers while taking my daily stroll. I arrive back home, wash my hands and make myself some chicken and rice to eat. 

[6 p.m.] I put on the news and get my daily update on the number of COVID-19 cases. We're at 11 new cases today, so we're doing great. Starting to see the light at the end of tunnel. 

[6:30 p.m.] I've been working on a documentary I'm taking part in as a musician. My actress and dancer friend Melia who lives in L.A. asked me to take part in it—it's a kind of audio/visual digital mixtape, a meditation on being human, both from our internal and external experiences of being connected to a larger community. It's a virtual discussion where I am replying to her dancing through music. My space in my apartment is relatively small so I spend quite a few hours on trying to create an alluring setting, getting the right props, angles and lighting for the shoot. I've always been a D.I.Y. kinda guy but this situation has definitely brought out my resourcefulness on a whole new level. I will be performing a song of mine called "Fire Inside You" from my last album, [2018's Xenos]. After getting the right sound ready, I wait for the sun to go down. I light up some candles and shoot the last few takes.

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[9:30 p.m.] I now have to start setting up the sound for Audiotree's session. My neighbour and drummer friend Theo joins the soundcheck. We perform together on many of these sessions and it's great that we're able to do so. The technical aspect of the sound is lot trickier than it looks and it's something I need to do from the beginning every time I have a new setup. It takes up some more time but we make sure to have some dinner at least a couple hours before the session and digest in time.

[12 a.m.] Audiotree session. 

[12:30 a.m.] The session went great and Theo goes home. I'm starting to feel pretty wiped out and take a warm shower. 

[1 a.m.] I put on "The Kominsky Method" to decompress and actually feel like I might even fall sleep a bit earlier tonight. 

If you wish to support our efforts to assist music professionals in need, learn more about the Recording Academy's and MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund.

If you are a member of the music industry in need of assistance, visit the MusiCares website.

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Stefan Alexander

Stefan Alexander

Photo: Benjy Bradshaw

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Quarantine Diaries: Indie Pop Artist Stefan Alexander Is Calling His Parents And Reading Patti Smith

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As the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic continues to rock the music industry, the Recording Academy reached out to a few musicians to see how they were spending their days indoors
GRAMMYs
Apr 18, 2020 - 9:41 am

As the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic continues to rock the music industry, the Recording Academy reached out to a few musicians to see how they were spending their days indoors. Today, NYC queer electro, indie pop artist Stefan Alexander, who recently released his sophomore EP, Cry Again, shares his Quarantine Diary.

As has been said over and over, this is a crazy time to be alive. It's perhaps an even crazier time to be alive in New York City, where I'm currently in my version of quarantine. NYC has essentially become the center of the pandemic in the U.S., with over 100,000 cases in the five boroughs alone. 

I only go out once a week for groceries and any other errands. However, I live in a spacious two-family house. I've mostly been holed up in my room, working from home for my post-production day job, doing some remote vocal work and stealing moments to write new songs. I'm so thankful for my job security during this time. I know so many musicians who primarily make their living from touring and performing. They're really struggling, and that puts my challenges in perspective, along with the stories I hear from my friends who work in healthcare who are seeing the devastation on the frontline.

For the first few weeks of lockdown, my anxiety hit a new high. I was relying on Benadryl and other sleep aids at night and extra coffee in the morning. I couldn't stop refreshing the news every hour, scared of what new nightmare might pop up on the screen. It took me a while to understand how much this constant news diet was affecting me. When I started limiting myself, my creative brain was able to wake up again. 

Like many of us, I've created a new routine inside the restrictions of quarantine. As much as I miss all of my friends and family, I'm starting to get used to this new normal.

[8-10 a.m.] Wake up my mind and body

Stefan Alexander

Stefan Alexander's at-home gym equipment | Courtesy Photo: Stefan Alexander

I've been trying to wake up early every day, even on the weekend. I'm a morning person anyway, so I always hop out of bed. First, I make my first cup of coffee. Then I start my workout and turn on WNYC, my local NPR station. In quarantine, I've started weightlifting again in my room, working on my beach bod with hopes that we'll all be able to do some sunbathing soon—after a much-needed haircut. 

I miss Brighton Beach and Coney Island, where I'd normally be going in the next month or two. Regardless, it feels so good to get the blood and endorphins flowing. Maybe I'll finally be a thirst trap once I can finally get out into the world again!

[10 a.m.-noon] Make a smoothie and call my mom and dad

Every morning, I make myself a smoothie, chock-full of ginger to help my immunity. This is also when I pour a second cup of coffee. Then I call my parents. Like many people, it's really hard for me not to visit my family. I had to cancel a trip back home to Massachusetts earlier in March. I don't know when I'll see my parents again in person, but for now, the daily phone calls help make the distance feel less insurmountable.

[noon-2 p.m.] Record and write music

Stefan Alexander

Stefan Alexander records music at home | Courtesy Photo: Stefan Alexander

I've been making music every day, recording acoustic videos and collaborating remotely with a few producers here in the city and around the world. During normal times, I do most of my songwriting while in transit, commuting to and from work or heading out to meet a friend. Now, out of necessity, my room has become the place where I feel the most creatively engaged. I'm lucky to have my own recording gear, so I can keep working, even if I can't get into the studio. I've heard from a lot of artist friends that they're either artistically stuck or feeling prolific. I'm, thankfully, more the latter.

[2-4 p.m.] Eat lunch and edit

I've been doing a lot more cooking. Today, lunch is leftovers from a big pot of split peas and rice I made a few days ago. While eating, I listen to a bit of a podcast: Queery, hosted by Cameron Esposito, [which features] interviews with LGBTQ+ artists and comedians. Listening to familiar voices on podcasts and the radio keeps me grounded, able to imagine a post-coronavirus world. 

After lunch, I get to editing the vocals I recorded earlier in the day, prepping them to send to the producer. I'm really excited about all the new music I'm working on. It might not be out in the world for many months, but for now, it's another part of the future I'm envisioning for myself, a more colorful light at the end of the tunnel.

[4-6 p.m.] Read "Just Kids," check the news and meditate

Stefan Alexander

Stefan Alexander reads at home | Courtesy Photo: Stefan Alexander

I've been meaning to read Patti Smith's "Just Kids" for years, so when I found it on our communal bookshelf, I was excited to finally have the time to do it. While I can't get out and see the city, reading the book is a wonderful way to envision NYC at a different time, bursting with life. I listen to some Brian Eno while I'm reading. 

A notification pops up on my phone, and when I click it on, I'm compelled to check the news. They've just released the new case numbers, the updated death count. My anxiety flares up and I spend 15 minutes doing some deep breathing meditation to find equilibrium again.

[6-8 p.m.] Call a friend and sip a cocktail

Stefan Alexander

A cocktail mixed by Stefan Alexander | Courtesy Photo: Stefan Alexander

A couple of weeks ago, I made a list of all the friends I should call or FaceTime when I'm feeling lonely. I mix up a cocktail, one of my favorite ways to decompress, and call one or two of the people on that list. I'm reconnecting with friends I don't get to see very often. 

I've realized that quarantine has essentially made all of us equidistant, whether we live across the country or somewhere nearby in Brooklyn, which is both terrifying and comforting. I'm trying to concentrate on the comfort. I've always been more of an extrovert, so this time cooped up is challenging for me, but the phone calls provide me with the interaction I need, despite the lack of physical human contact.

[8-10 p.m.] Make another cocktail and watch "Unorthodox"

After catching up with a friend, I whip up another cocktail and open my computer, avoiding checking the news again. Tonight I'm watching "Unorthodox" on Netflix. It's about a woman's escape from her Chassidic upbringing in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. My previous apartment was in the predominantly Chassidic neighborhood of Borough Park. We almost never had the opportunity to interact with our neighbors. I gleaned whatever information I could from the few conversations I had the pleasure to have. "Unorthodox," which is based on a memoir, paints such a vivid picture of one woman's life within the community. This show is so immersive that it makes for a great distraction from everything going on outside.

[10 p.m.-midnight] Say goodnight to mom and dad, read and sleep

Along with waking up early in quarantine, I've also been going to sleep early. Before bed, I call my parents once more for a short conversation: goodnight and I love you. I get ready for bed and read a few more pages of "Just Kids" before dozing off.

If you wish to support our efforts to assist music professionals in need, learn more about the Recording Academy's and MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund.

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