Balcony singing was one of the first isolation stories to appear on social media, as bored Italians tried to connect with friends and neighbors. From instrumental concerts, with piano, sax and violin joining from nearby windows, to full neighborhood sing-a-longs, the phenomenon has grown across the world to help raise the spirits of those in isolation. Voices echoing across deserted courtyards have helped us to unite in song. Professional singers entertain the neighborhood on a daily basis, while other neighbors get together for impromptu percussion sessions.
In Boston Massechusetts, singer Mike DiCarlo took to his balcony with a corona-inspired parody of Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline”.
Nearby residents quickly joined in, on the “hands not touching hands” version of the famous song. The one-off concert has grown into a nightly rendition each night, with requests taken via social media. The most popular requests of the day can be heard at 6pm each evening.