Thursday Night and a Singalong ‘Sung Alone’: The Experiences of a Self-employed Performer During the Pandemic

COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on those working in the UK’s creative economy, and particularly its entertainment sector. This article explores the experiences of Mark Godiva (pseudonym), a self-employed musician whose livelihood has been radically threatened by the virus and its associated restrictions. Mark’s story highlights both the continuities and challenges that have been created for those working on the front line of what is a radically altered cultural landscape. It illustrates the continuing precarity of his work, and how the need for additional entrepreneurial skills, beyond simply being a performer, have become more important than ever. At the same time, it considers some of the technical, affective, spatial, and even existential challenges associated with working over a range of social media platforms that performers such as Mark have experienced.