With headlines swarming the news about climate change, thanks to activists like Greta Thunberg and Ridhima Pandey, artists have now begun using their platform to discuss major environmental issues.
Donald Glover, otherwise known as Childish Gambino, used his hit single ‘Feels Like Summer’ to discuss a deeper meaning to a hot, summer-like day. The lyrics “You can feel it in the streets, on a day like this, the heat, it feels like summer.” discusses how it is not actually summer, but it is hot like summer because of the climate changing. Gambino later sings, “I’m hoping that this world will change, but it just seems the same. Everyday gets hotter than the one before, running out of water, it’s about to go down.” These lyrics are even more evident that the song is about a greater meaning.
The impact of the news and artists’ hidden lyrics have everyday people, like Joshua Adams, professor at Salem State University, taking climate change into his own hands. When asked how Adams lessens his carbon footprint, he shares, “I try to lessen my plastic use. I recently bought a brita to refill bottles instead of buying the plastic ones. I also get water from the teachers room on campus.”
Gambino happens to be one of Adams’ favorite artists. Adams discussed ‘Feels Like Summer’ as “A deep, multi-layered song that you can take in different directions. It’s like everyone’s trying to have fun, but there’s this looming thing over everyone’s heads, climate change.”
Although there are plenty of actions we must take to lower the Earth’s temperature, each step taken, even just buying less plastic water bottles, is a step in the right direction.
LThomps Art 