Local author explores Black music’s role in sustaining joy during Covid-19 lockdown, reports Neandra Etienne
Local author and lecturer Dr Joy White’s new book Like Lockdown Never Happened: Music and Culture during Covid takes a look into the Black popular music and culture that emerged during the pandemic, including Kano’s Newham Talks series, Steve McQueen’s BBC anthology Small Axe, and the Verzuz DJ Battle series.
Like Lockdown Never Happened explores the ways in which Black joy and creative expression were sustained and helped to shape the experience of lockdown, helping us counter its isolation and restriction.
In her synopsis White said: “When everyday life moved online during the Covid-19 lockdowns, music and art took on a renewed importance. For millions, dancehall, lovers rock, rap, grime and UK drill became the soundtrack to the times as geographic and sonic borders blurred and interwove.” You can purchase this book from 1 October.
Visit: www.joywhite.co.uk
No news is bad news
Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.
The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.
If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.
Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.
Monthly direct debit
Annual direct debit
£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.
Enjoying Newham Voices? You can help support our not-for-profit newspaper and website from £5 per month.