Harriette Weels (Jetty Weels)
Lead vocals, Mai Tai (*) Amsterdam (HOLLAND)
So let us swallow it for the time being and look for a future filled with more togetherness, respect, love, tolerance and peace
Body, mind and soul!
The first and foremost thing that we have to do is to rejuvenate our body, mind and soul. In times like this, I think that is the first thing to be done.
The COVID-19 has dramatically changed our lives. It has brought more pain and suffering in our lives than anything else. All these shutdowns and lockdowns are doubly depressive and causing harm to our mental state. And adding insult to injury is the fact that most of us are without work and income and we are really pushed to the edge. We are really doing everything to control ourselves, yet, things are not easing — it gets tougher each day.
Need a bit of toughness
But, as the saying goes, when the going gets tough, the tough gets going. I know that it is a cliché but I feel this is as good a time as any to apply this dictum into our lives. We need to believe this maxim and live it.
We need a bit of toughness – both mental and physical to get through these tough times. We need to toughen up our body and we also need to toughen up our mind and soul. It is not an easy task but nothing is ever easy and we need to believe in it and practice it.
Most stressful and overwhelming time
Never in our life have we been so constantly challenged with disruptions on a daily basis as we are now during this COVID-19 ‘season’. It is stressful and overwhelming as we try to navigate through all these sudden changes. It almost feels like the times when we started out but again the stark difference is then we were ready to take risks, but today, knowing the situation, it would be foolhardy to take risks. It would be dangerous. It would be like diving into the deep sea with our arms and legs tied.
Difficult to perform on stage now
As artists, there is this great urge to go up there on stage and perform, but right now this is not possible, as COVID has disrupted all activities. It has scythed through that personal, emotional feeling of performing live on stage. When safety is foremost on our mind and when our hearts are also filled with fear of this unknown virus that can pounce from the shadows and consume us, we will not be able to focus even if we do get on stage.
Nothing can even dent our creativity
But, I do not believe those who say that the corona virus has also destroyed our creativity. Never. Of course, like any, the creative person will be affected and deeply and more intensely than others, but history foretells many stories of greats who have outlived crises and come out flying. They have showed even greater creative output than in the normal circumstances. As artists and as a band, we are always on the forefront of innovation and even in the time of COVID, we have not lost sight of that.
At our creative best
As far as Mai Tai is concerned, we had originally planned a reunion to commemorate 35 years of history this December (2020), but yes, COVID threw a spanner in the works, and we are forced to move the celebrations to next year. Notwithstanding that, we are all at our creative best; this crisis has actually stimulated our creative process.
We can absorb the blows
I don’t think COVID or any crisis will make artists lose their creativity. We are all a resilient lot and though we may not like what is happening to us, we are equally strong enough to absorb the blows and perhaps, as time goes by, we might even accept it as an unfortunate part of our lives and learn to live with it.
Becoming whole again
But, one thing is certain. The world is never going to be the same again. This virus has made sure of that. We have to accept that too. We have to understand that certain things that we have taken for granted before the COVID crisis erupted, will never ever happen again, at least not in a long time. But for those who will outlive this crisis, it will be equivalent to being reborn. It will be like reaching the nadir in pain and suffering and then slowly changing and becoming whole and perhaps better again. Isn’t that equal to being reborn as a new and better person?
A future of learnt lessons
But, as we prepare to welcome a brave new world somewhere in the future, let us also fill it with the most valuable lessons that we have learnt from this terrible experience of COVID.
Let us make sure that our future is going to be one of simple togetherness where we will fill our lives with more understanding, respect, tolerance, love and peace.
At the moment, let us consume this bitter COVID pill in the full belief that we are to get cured of many other ‘ailments’.
(*)
The high spirited all female group, Mai Tai, burst on the international music scene in the mid-80s with a series of infectious and massively successful dance-pop hits produced in Netherlands, including, ‘history’, ‘female intuition’ and ‘body and soul’.
At one point, they were considered to be one of the greatest female groups of the 80s. Harriette Weels and Caroline de Windt are the original leading ladies of the group. Harriette is also known as Jetty in Holland. Jetty is derived from the name Harriette (in Dutch), Harriette explained.
Today Mai Tai comprise original artists, Harriette and Caroline. The legendary ladies are supported by a formidable ensemble of talented artists, Rowena Oemar, Nancy Zefo and Ronda Rensch.
Today Mai Tai comprise original artists, Harriette and Caroline. The legendary ladies are supported by a formidable ensemble of talented artists, Rowena Oemar, Nancy Zeefuik and Ronda Rensch.
* Credits: Photo by Patricia Steur, Makeup by Jolanda Soniga, Styling by Kim Keizer Design and artwork by Zillion productions
Website : www.maitai.nl
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