The music industry has been revitalized with music festivals, concerts, and new album releases.  

Covid-19 did not prevent Governors Ball 2021 from coming back bigger and better than ever before. Despite the year and a half anticipation, this year’s festival did not disappoint. It arguably “represented New York City at its best,” according to the Daily Campus review of the festival, “Back and better than ever at Gov Ball.”

Billie Eilish, a well-known indie-pop artist, started out with a bang on Friday night. She performed her darkly captivating, hit song “Bury a Friend.” The song is written from her perspective and alludes to a monster lurking under her bed. As the entrancing song continues, she explains that she believes herself to be her own worst enemy. She says that a monster would do her wrong just like she causes her own problems. Eilish’s performance was cited as “electrifying,” according to junior student Ella Arghirescu. 

Eilish’s act, although well performed, was not hard to follow. On Saturday, Phoebe Bridgers’s followed with an outstanding performance.

“Her performance managed to capture the attention of every single person at the festival,” high school sophomore Julia Weiner said.

Bridgers music encapsulated the emotional strength of the country during COVID-19, creating a confidential relationship with the audience, and allowing everyone at the festival to feel connected. 

Throughout the weekend of September 24-26th, many musicians commented on their excitement being back on stage and performing in front of their fans since they were deprived of that joy during COVID. In fact, Caroline Polachek, an indie-pop singer-songwriter cried tears of joy whilst performing her first song of the night. She was ecstatic to see people enjoying live music once again! 

Additionally, singer-songwriter Harry Styles  hit the ground running,  touring with his concert Love on Tour, where Styles presented songs from his albums “Harry Styles” and “Fine Line.” 

Despite mask mandates and social distancing requirements, sophomore student and avid fan of Harry Styles, Grace Bernardini attended the concert the very first night at Madison Square Garden.

“It was everything I could have hoped for and more. From the music variety, down to his outfit, it was absolutely amazing. I was so happy to be there, I didn’t really care I had to wear a mask,” Bernardini adds. 

Love on Tour is Styles’s first tour since 2017 when he performed Live on Tour. In his interview with NPR, Styles expresses his gratitude for being able to perform for his fans yet again.

“If you’re making what you want to make, then ultimately no one can tell you you’re unsuccessful, because you’re doing what makes you happy,” Styles said.

Love on Tour commenced on September 4th and closed on November 28th. Sophomore student, Melissa Ongley, attended the concert three times during the tour. 

“Every time I went it got better and better. I was lucky enough to go the very last night of the tour where he sang one of my favorite songs, ‘Kiwi’ three times! The energy in the crowd was purely infectious,” Ongley reported. 

Similarly, pop-artist Taylor Swift has had recent success with her newly released album entitled “Red (Taylors Version).” The album was released on November 12, 2021, and hit number one on the billboard 200 in the first week of its debut according to Billboard.com.

“Red (Taylors Version)” presents 30 tracks with music collaborations with Phoebe Bridgers, Gary Lightbody, Ed Sheeran, and Chris Stapleton. Sophomore student, Sienna Kauh, was pleasantly surprised with how much she enjoyed Swift’s new album. 

“With not being a huge T-Swift fan, I wasn’t really sure how much I’d like it; but I think all of her songs in this album can really resonate with teens in some way or form,” Kauh said.

 The album also incorporates nine previously unreleased songs that didn’t make the final product in Taylor’s release of her album “Red.” Taylor’s fans have been mesmerized by this album and all the memories it has brought. 

According to The Rolling Stone in the article “Red (Taylors Version)” by Rob Sheffield, this album is Swift’s “ultimate version of her most gloriously ambitious mega pop manifesto.” 

COVID-19 had extreme impacts on everyone’s life in one way or another. However, after what seemed to be a never-ending year and a half, our world is finally starting to feel normal again. As concerts and festivals remerge, both artists and listeners are ecstatic to enjoy the magic of music once again.