Lansing neo-soul singer V. Soul juggles work and art during lockdown  

WEDNESDAY, May 6 — The warmth of stage lights, the sight of swaying bodies, the sound of her voice amplified to an impossible volume. Lansing neo-soul singer Kevica Towns, 27, who writes and performs under the name V. Soul, has no idea when she’ll get to experience these things again. Since the COVID-19 outbreak has made it impossible to safely perform music in front of a crowd, artists like Towns have nothing left to do but create in private. 

“I miss being on stage. I really do,” said Towns. “When and if we get back to performing in Lansing, it’s going to be like a family reunion. I think it’s really going to be nice. I’ve just been working and writing” 

Before the whole world went on lockdown, Towns regularly performed at popular Lansing bars like Mac’s Bar and the Avenue Café. Towns has also participated in Lansing’s annual house show festival, Stoopfest, which was canceled this year for obvious reasons.  

“The Avenue is my home. That’s where it all started,” said Towns. “And I’ve played the most shows at Mac’s Bar this year.” Asked if she was worried that these places wouldn’t survive the pandemic, Towns said, “Yes, I absolutely am.” 

Work-life has proved both to be both a stressor and an inspiration for Towns. After all, artists write about what they know. Lengthy, tedious shifts lugging and scanning items at a warehouse directly inspired her new single, “What A Day.” 

“I do inventory. Forklifting and stuff like that. Usually an eight-hour shift. It’s a lot of work. It’s becoming tiresome,” said Towns. “Work is a five-day-out-of-the-week thing for me.” 

In the song, Towns sings, “I work the 9 to 5 to make ends meet. It don’t make no sense when I lack the ability.” During the chorus, she repeats the title of the song as though it’s a mantra. “What a day, what a day,” she sings. 

“If anything, work is almost helpful to my mental health. It keeps me busy. I’m still thinking a lot, but not as often when I have something to do,” said Towns.  

The song is timely but not too on-the-nose. It’s an empathetic anthem for those essential workers who continue to prop up the post-coronavirus world, perfectly expressing both the thankfulness and tiredness that comes with working long hours in times of need. The lyrics reflect the sense of mindless repetition people feel when working their underappreciated day jobs.  

“It’s a song written about a relatable day at work,” she explained. “Sometimes, you get off work and you just want to talk about it. Who can I talk to? That’s why I wrote the song. It’s my first pandemic song.” 

Towns knows that it can take a village to raise a great song. Collaborating with other artists in Michigan and people around the world has given her a sense of community in these times of widespread loneliness and isolation.  

Towns said that she has a decent social media following and likes to post videos of her performances. She uses Instagram and YouTube to let her fans know that she appreciates their support. “I have many famous producers that I get beats from. From Lansing to Atlanta. I collab with a lot of people,” said Towns. “Instagram is my most international social media account. I go all the way from France to California.”  

Though Towns is a Detroit transplant, she has made many connections in the Lansing music scene since moving here. There are several musicians she would like to play a show with again once the world is ready for live music.  

“James Gardin, Mikeyy Austin, Jahshua Smith, Conspicuous Bystanders,” said Towns. “I’m sure There’s plenty of people I’m missing out on, but those are the ones off the top of my head. They’ll lift the ground up here in Lansing.” Towns said that she can’t wait to see them all perform again.  

During quarantine, Towns plans on releasing YouTube videos for old songs with the music video director, Kimbrough. The pandemic only recently started to affect Towns. Thinking about how the world will look in the future makes her anxious. She doesn’t know quite what it will look like, but she knows it will probably never be the same. 

“I haven’t been feeling scared until, like, now. Even with everything opening back up, we’re still going to have social distancing, we’re still going to have to keep six feet away, we’re still going to have to make sure we’re sanitizing and wearing masks,” said Towns. “It’s kind of getting scary.” 

You can check out V. Soul’s music on YouTube and Spotify.