House Arrest With SOFI TUKKER
Everything’s changed.
COVID-19, the current pandemic (now permanently etched in our vocabulary), is forcing an exponential change in the vast majority of the world. It’s transformed where we go; what we eat; how we learn and work; our speech (have you ever heard the phrases “social distancing” or “shelter at home” before the last month?); how we spend our time; and who we spend it with. One thing that remains the same is the basic human need for social connection. Historically, people have connected by forming social groups comprised of people with common interests: family gatherings, sports groups, Girl Scouts, book clubs, fandoms, knitting circles, cooking classes, support groups, Alcoholics Anonymous, line-dancing-on-Sunday-night-at-the-Golf-Club, theatre buffs, exercise enthusiasts……you name it. The list is endless. But how will people evolve to meet the need for social connection when we’re being told to maintain as much distance as possible?
Enter SOFI TUKKER.
For those unfamiliar with their work, SOFI TUKKER is a musical duo composed of Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern. They are known for their energizing electronic dance music, jungle-themed set, and upbeat positive vibes. In 2017 their song “Best Friend” was featured in the iPhone X commercial, catapulting them into the music scene. In 2018, their first song ever released, “Drinkee”, was nominated for a Grammy. Hot on the heels of that nomination, music critics nominated their album “Treehouse” for “best dance/ electronic album” in 2019.
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the band made the tough decision to cancel their spring “R.I.P. Shame” world tour. But ever the opportunists, SOFI TUKKER turned this sour situation into a way to bring their growing community closer together than ever before. Like most of us, Soph and Tuck are quarantined at home. Their “social group” started with just the two of them on March 12th when Sophie was doing her workout while Tucker DJ’ed. On a whim, the band’s content producer Squid Spelman, live-streamed the whole thing. According to Hawley-Weld, “It just went really well and was really cool to connect with people in, you know, the comments from all around the world. It felt really right and really relieving to be ‘together’ again so we decided to make it a ritual.” Halpern added some texture on a live “mukbang” hosted by YouTuber, Tokimonsta, on April 9, 2020. “It sort of became this thing that I think really helped us, like, anchor our days and [to] get up and have to look presentable and put on clothes and I think if we didn’t have that it would- this whole thing would be a lot harder.”
What nobody could have predicted (least of all Sophie and Tucker themselves) is how their daily 1 pm “Live-Stream-DJ Set-Dance Party” would take on a life of its own and evolve into what’s now the new way to be social while we’re apart. Here’s the gist of the group: same time; every day; great music; inspiration to move; live interaction people world-wide who are trying to make the most out of a bad situation; everyone invited; quirkiness encouraged! The daily meet-up has quickly become a beacon of light for quarantined music junkies, growing in size at an exponential rate with many attendees joining religiously every day. And unlike a recorded broadcast, there’s plenty of opportunities for people to interact with each other “real-time” in the comments section. “Hey! Anyone know what song this is? Thx” one user commented on Instagram while someone eagerly replied, “This song is Alabina by the Gipsy Kings!!” Another user addressed the comment section with, “I feel like we’re real friends after this quarantine.”
After having the chance to attend one of these spirit-lifting live-streams I noticed a big push around encouraging people to get up and to get moving, and maybe most importantly, to let loose and have fun with it! Once the set ended, I got to chat with a fan named Nancy about her personal experience attending these midday dance parties. Nancy established that she has attended every session! I asked her, “Have they helped you become more active while in quarantine?” Nancy answered emphatically “Yes! They have gotten me to move around every day for half an hour. I watch their set at 1:00 and walk or march around my house for exercise! Also, it brings a smile to my face because I enjoy their energy so much and like interacting with other fans!!”
According to Nancy, she has been to nine SOFI TUKKER concerts. Surprised at that number, I asked her to give the pros and cons of watching them online instead of in-person, “Pros…I get to see them every day!!! And I seriously can’t think of one con other than I wish I was really at the house dancing with them!! Haha!”
When asked how she feels after the set, she said, “At peace… because for half an hour each day I get to forget about all of the terrible things that are going on in the world with this virus!! They have never done this before and it made me realize why I was drawn to them! They definitely exemplify how to take lemons and turn them into lemonade!! They have gone through rough patches as well but always try to stay positive and that is why I LOVE THEM!!”
Nancy isn’t the only SOFI TUKKER enthusiast to join in on this fun. Attendance has topped 1,800 on some days. Alex, who has been to 18 of their concerts, says she watches and exercises with them every day. “I follow them and watch their [Instagram] story almost every day so I actually was watching the first unofficial day when Tucker was just DJing and Sophie was doing her HIIT workout. So I was on the bandwagon from the very beginning.” I asked, “How has watching their DJ sets daily changed your routine?” “It kinda slipped in easily to my schedule but having their sets daily gives me a bit more structure and holds me accountable to work out, ” Alex replied. Alex also added some more color to these 1 pm get-togethers by saying because SOFI TUKKER has virtually moved completely online now, “those who cannot get to their live sets either for financial or geographical reasons now have access.” She went on to say, “It also allows them [SOFI TUKKER] to continue to be creative and make more music while staying connected with their followers and interactive with fans.”
And there have been some surprising side-effects of this group that meets for music and movement, for both the fans and band members themselves. As most traditional social groups do, this daily event has become a forum for social support, encouragement, healing, wisdom, and inspiration. “It’s been a weird time for everyone. And I think, personally, I have been going through a lot of shit that I’ve been struggling with and it means so much to me to have my little quarantine family.” Halpern shared one day before beginning a set, “I appreciate every one. And if you are also having a tough time dealing with a heartbreak, or the stresses of the world or whatever it is… you’re not alone. Thank you for making me feel not alone today.” Tucker’s openness has also inspired many others to speak up as well, “I have cancer. And I watch this every day to just chill and get my mind off it. Thank you for doing this!” one member commented while another agreed, “This is so massively important for my daily survival thank you guys a million times”.
These mid-day dance parties are perfect for those trying to overcome COVID-19 boredom, those who crave social interaction, and for those who want to lift their quarantine spirits (not to mention FREE and ACCESSIBLE)! You can find Sophie and Tucker partying it out (and socially evolving) at 1 pm EST on their Instagram page, @sofitukker, Facebook page, @sofitukker, and Twitch, @sofitukkerofficial.
