“Prom, did they cancel this / Field trip, did they cancel this / Graduation, did they cancel this / I didn’t think they could cancel this.” For children of all ages, the coronavirus pandemic affected them in a number of ways, specifically with schools being closed to prevent further spread. In many cases, many of the rites of passages and special occasions associated with school, such as prom and graduations for various age levels were either cancelled. Multitalented entertainer Todrick Hall, assisted by Jerry Harris, seeks to atone for such losses, making the best out of the unfortunate situation on the energetic and totally fabulous “Mas(k)ot,” which opens his six-song EP, Quarantine Queen.
Everything about “Mas(k)ot” is exaggerated – over the top to the nth degree! Honestly, that’s positive because you can’t listen to this pop record and not smile. Even as a list of all of the missed occasions commence “Mas(k)ot,” Hall and Harrs uses it as fuel for his atoning fire. A prime example:
“Corona, she on a spree
She wanna stop everything
So, dance if you’re on our team
The class of COVID-19.”
From that tongue-in-cheek moment, Hall doesn’t waste “The cap and gown” or the “Bomb prom gown.” No, he decides to be – wait for it – “A Quarantine Queen.” Using the essentials at his home, Hall lives it up, like he’s a teenager again, during the global pandemic. “Toilet paper pom-poms / Netflix chilling, we’ve been watching us a rom-com,” he sings, continuing, “Be my date to prom, prom / I’ll take a brother with a mask, hot.” Sure, it’s as tongue-in-cheek as albeit, much like the aforementioned COVID-19 class reference, but it’s infectious and definitely semi-atones through its entertainment value.
No, Todrick Hall and Jerry Harris can’t atone for the devastation caused by a once-in-a-lifetime global pandemic, but they can make us smile. “Mas(k)ot,” and Quarantine Queen as a whole, helps to atone and assuage through entertainment, a gift that keeps on giving.
You can learn more about Todrick Hall here:
About The Curator - Brent Faulkner
Slightly eccentric with interests that seem to know no ends, restless ‘Renaissance Man’ is the best way to characterize Brent Faulkner, a native of Kentucky. A certified music educator, multi-instrumentalist, and composer known for his incredibly sharp ear, he lives and breathes music of a variety of styles. In addition to passion for educating, performing, and writing music, he’s equally passionate blogging and writing about it, managing his own site, The Musical Hype (https://themusicalhype.com). When he’s not intensely analyzing music, you can find him reading or watching a movie, reality television or some sporting event.
