Music often reflects the times, and over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, many artists have been releasing songs about quarantine and everyday life. However, few are as ambitious as singer-songwriter and LGBT icon Todrick Hall, who released a six track album on April 29. Hall’s newest album “Quarantine Queen” is an energetic and humorous depiction of life under quarantine.

“Quarantine Queen” is full of high energy hip-hop anthems with varying themes about different aspects of isolation, such as watching the bizarre Netflix show “Tiger King” and making TikToks. The lyrics are creative and fun and are sure to give listeners a laugh. Hall even created a coronavirus-themed parody of his own hit song “Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels” called “Mask, Gloves, Soap, Scrubs,” the music video for which features a number of celebrities and dancers dancing from their own homes. The lyrical creativity that Hall shows in the album is not new to his style, but it is especially impressive considering the short time frame in which “Quarantine Queen” was written.

The inability to physically connect did not stop Hall from collaborating on this album: Jerry Harris, one of the most popular figures from the hit Netflix docuseries “Cheer,” is featured on “Mas(k)ot,” a cheerleading-themed parody of Destiny’s Child song “Bootylicious” that talks about all of the events, particularly for students, that have been cancelled due to the pandemic. Another track on the album, “Meow,” features drag queen Rhea Litre singing about the absurdity of “Tiger King.” 

While “Quarantine Queen” is incredibly upbeat and fun, it fails to capture some of the more serious aspects of the pandemic. Most songs about the pandemic that are being released focus on loneliness or the heroism of those on the front lines, while Hall focuses on having fun in isolation. However, Hall’s lyrics are celebratory of the simple, everyday aspects of quarantine, and are sure to help listeners in isolation think on the bright side about their experiences. 

The music of the COVID-19 pandemic will undoubtedly become a good reflection of humanity’s time in isolation, and none more so than Todrick Hall’s “Quarantine Queen.” In his funny and lively album, Hall encapsulates the ordinary experience of Americans everywhere stuck at home in a way that is sure to lift listeners’ spirits.