- Singing in a group has been shown to strengthen social bonds and improve overall well-being.
- I attended a group singing event in New York City that I found on TikTok.
- After two hours of singing with strangers, I felt energized, lighter, and a little less alone.
I’m standing in a circle with 40 strangers. Matt Goldstein, 28, flits around in the center, assigning notes to the four-part harmony he’s creating on the fly.
Our voices grow louder, interconnected melodies echoing through our cozy studio space in New York City’s East Village. Try different vowels, from a wide “ah” to a soft “oh.” Goldstein then invites us to step into the circle and sing both the highlights and negative points of the week.
“I just got fired,” someone sings to our harmony.
Someone else jumps into the ring. “me too!”
When another participant sang that she had recently been diagnosed with cancer, a cheerful, harmonious chorus of “F— cancer!” broke out.
“A music space that gently connects”
This is Gaia Music Collective, a community Goldstein founded in 2021 to provide a “kind, connected musical space” for people of all levels of experience to sing just for the joy of it. From his 200-person one-day choir to intimate house shows, their collaborative events allow those seeking connection to reap the benefits of singing in a group, and in the process, he’s become a viral sensation on TikTok. It spreads to
The concept was born out of the isolation of the pandemic. As COVID-19 vaccinations allow safer in-person gatherings, Goldstein, a professional a cappella singer, composer, and vocal arranger, left her home in Brooklyn in May 2021. He invited six of his friends to the event, and they sang spontaneous harmonies and performed a musical. improvisational game. The six girlfriends invited friends to their next gathering, who in turn invited friends to their next gathering.
“I’ve been part of the music community all my life,” he told Insider. “I used to participate in singing groups like a cappella groups, choirs, and theater, but I missed that feeling of singing with people and the connection of singing in harmony. I did.”
Goldstein named the group Gaia Music Collective, after the Greek goddess of the earth, and how music helps explore “the ways we all connect and influence each other.” He said he would like to express his respect for how helpful he is. In December of that year, he hosted his first official house show, where he filmed a room of strangers harmonizing to Maggie Rogers’ “Right On.” Goldstein shared the song on his TikTok, where it received nearly 250,000 views. Rodgers himself commented on the video with a series of crying emojis.
“All these people were commenting, ‘How do you get into this room? Where are you doing this?'” Goldstein said. “That was kind of the turning point where I realized, ‘Oh, it’s not just my friends who want to do this. There’s a lot of people who want this kind of community.’ did.”
Singing in groups has been proven to have health benefits
It is difficult to describe in words the moving experience of singing with a group of strangers. During Circle Sing, which I attended in early October, I realized that the interwoven harmonies require me to tune into the people around me, hear their voices, and synchronize my breathing with theirs. I noticed. I couldn’t help but smile as I felt the resonance of the bass and the vibration of the treble, and watched everyone work together to create a unified sound.
Scientists have observed how singing strengthens social bonds and impacts a person’s health and well-being.
A 2015 study published in Royal Society Open Science reported a phenomenon called the “ice breaker effect,” in which singing promotes “rapid bonding between unfamiliar individuals” and promotes long-lasting It was found that the need for personal knowledge of group members gained through interaction was avoided. A 2016 study conducted by the Royal College of Music in London found that cancer patients who sang in a choir for just an hour had lower stress levels, improved mood, and a stronger immune system response. did.
Why does singing promote such powerful positive effects? Goldstein believes that singing requires us to let down our guard.
“Singing is really vulnerable,” he says. “We’re inviting people into that vulnerable space, where it’s a little less scary to say, ‘Hey, would you like to grab a coffee?'”
sing without judgment
Like most people I met through Circle Sing, I discovered Gaia Music Collective through TikTok. Although I often lead large groups in singing as a cantor in various synagogues, I rarely sing just for fun anymore. I’ve also been looking to rebuild my broader friend network ever since the pandemic shrunk it to his one pod. When the video came up on my For You page, I was sold.
Luckily I was able to get tickets. Ticket prices range from $15 to $30. Jamie Torres, a musical theater performer and regular at Circle Sing, said the event sells out quickly.
“There’s a really enjoyable sense of freedom overall,” Torres said. “You can completely let go and let go, right? That’s completely different from what I do at work.”
Singer and voice teacher Scott Morwitz also enjoys the spontaneity of Gaia’s approach after years of singing in more rigidly structured settings.
“When I came back from the first event, I didn’t expect to have a spiritual experience,” Morwitz said. “I grew up Catholic, but in recent years I’ve rediscovered Buddhism and started practicing meditation with others. When I found this, it felt similar.”
Some participants have developed romantic connections. Casper, a software engineer, and Conrado, an artist, got engaged after meeting at Circle Sing earlier this year. (They declined to give their last names because they have not yet told close friends the news.) Casper said he discovered the TikTok at a house show that featured a crowd singing ABBA songs. He said he decided to go to a Gaia event for the first time.
“When I moved to Brooklyn, this was what I envisioned: sitting in my living room with a bunch of people, enjoying time together, singing songs, and not feeling isolated. “That’s how I felt,” Casper said. “I was very nervous to come, but I’m really glad I came.”
That’s exactly what Goldstein hopes to accomplish. It’s about democratizing the experience of singing with others and nurturing the bonds it creates. You don’t have to read music, rehearse, or worry about your voice cracking.
“Singing with other people is a human right, and I think that’s been co-opted by certain segments of society,” Goldstein said. “You’re allowed to make music there, either by playing for people or by being part of an organized religion. What about making music? Just, like, why? mosquito?”
Due to overwhelming demand for more opportunities to connect, Gaia Music Collective is expanding into other cities and exploring bringing the healing effects of group singing to settings such as schools and prisons. Masu.
“It was really amazing,” Goldstein said. “So many people come all the way, and when they leave, they say, “I was looking for something like this. I felt really alone in this city, and this was the first time I felt that way.” “It’s been a while since I met new people.”
As Circle Sing drew to a close, I looked around the room and realized that the magic of group singing was already in effect. People entered the room as strangers, hugged each other, exchanged phone numbers and social interaction, and made plans to head to a local falafel shop to continue the conversation. I felt energized even though I had a long day at the office and came to the event directly from work. Writer. I’m a little less alone now. I hummed the song on the way home.