Willo, founded by Crystal Desai during the pandemic, highlights the importance of presence and connection through music. After facing personal loss, Desai found solace in music, prompting her to create events fostering mindfulness. Willo performances encourage attendees to put away their phones and engage deeply, transforming the traditional concert setting into a communal space for sharing emotions and experiences. This innovative approach addresses the loneliness felt by many in urban environments, re-establishing social bonds in a healing context. Events are held in unconventional venues, enhancing reflection and community connection.
The mastermind behind Willo events is Crystal Desai, who started throwing the concerts during the pandemic. Just before the world shut down, Desai lost her father unexpectedly, after which she says felt her brain was in "knots." She moved back home to Florida for a few months, where she experienced moments of intense overwhelm. The only thing that seemed to help her stay grounded, she tells Time Out New York, was whenever she put her headphones on and listened to music.
Willo is part of a movement of spaces and events that wants us to turn off our phones, let our guards down and actually sit with one another. It combines the meditative and healing powers of music with socializing to create a new type of social event that many of us isolated, screen fatigued New Yorkers desperately need.
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