Pause, Play, Repeat.: The real impact of Covid-19 on musicians

What was the real impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the lives and careers of musicians? In candid interviews, 18 musicians at the top of their game, including Ray Gelato, Tony Kofi, Ivo Perelman, Emm Gryner, Collette Cooper, Adrian Cox, Tara Minton, Champian Fulton, Graeme Flowers, Chris Bestwick, Camilla George, Alex Ward, Elise Morris, Grace Garland, Esther Bennett, Jennifer Lauren, Claire Cope and Beatrice Betley, discuss the impact of Covid-19 on their music, careers and lives. They discuss the sudden loss of work and income, the closure of venues and rehearsal spaces, the effect on their emotional well-being and the sense of being caught up and overtaken by events completely out of their control. Access to reliable advice, funding and grants as well as support through the music community is also discussed. The musicians explain how they continued to be creative, how new collaborations were formed, the negatives and the benefits of lockdown. The musicians are based in different countries, of various ages and each has their own take on their experiences before and , during the pandemic. They also give their views on the long term effects of the pandemic. These interviews describe the true effects of the pandemic on their lives and how they felt as a musician caught up in a global disaster. Most are jazz musicians but many play across genres. The interviews are profound, open and revealing. With a foreword from Ivors Academy and support across the music industry, the importance of documenting the effects of Covid-19 on musicians is important and necessary.