BY: Alexis Eichelberger

The coronavirus pandemic has put a lot of things on hold, but creativity isn’t one of them. Artists have found innovative ways to keep releasing new music and accompanying videos despite being unable to shoot in a studio.

Here are our six favorite lockdown-made music videos released in recent months:

Twenty One Pilots’ “Level of Concern”

“Would you be / my little quarantine?” frontman Tyler Joseph asks in this single released in April. It’s obvious what the men of Twenty One Pilots had in mind when they released “Level of Concern,” and the accompanying homemade music video is similarly topical. It shows both guys at home with their partners, spending quality time together and supposedly making the song itself.

The Jonas Brothers and Karol G’s “X”

This flirty track is a collaboration between the hottest brothers in music and one of the most popular artists on the Latin charts. To shoot the music video for “X,” Karol G and each of the Jonas Brothers were filmed singing, dancing and indulging in a beverage or two through the screens of their individual iPhones.

Kygo and OneRepublic’s “Lose Somebody”

To create the music video for “Lose Somebody,”  Kygo and OneRepublic got creative with some green screens. It’s just cheesy enough to be both charming and entertaining, and the video’s fun nature is a good fit for the high-energy EDM track.

Charli XCX’s “Claws”

In perhaps the greatest artistic feat of lockdown, Charli XCX wrote and recorded a full album with the help of her fans in six weeks’ time. She released three singles prior to the full collection, called How I’m Feeling Now, including “Claws.” Like the song itself, the music video was also a DIY project that she filmed from the comfort of her home.

Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber’s “Stuck With U”

To raise money for a scholarship fund for the children of first responders, Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande teamed up to release “Stuck With U” in May. The video was an instant hit around the world, showing both of the pop superstars with their loved ones, a number of other celebrities, and lots of sweet fan moments that people submitted to be included in the compilation.

J Balvin’s “Azul”

Can’t meet up with a crew to film a music video? Hire an animator instead. A few months after J Balvin released his celebrated fifth studio album Colores, he released the artful masterpiece of a music video for “Azul.” It visualizes the longing lyrics of the reggaeton track with animated sex scenes, heated arguments and a very cute cartoon puppy.