Terra Spencer’s latest single, “Raining On A Saturday” advocates for making the best of slow, rainy, weekends. Since most days of the week have become nearly indistinguishable from one another, and staying inside has practically been government-mandated, you don’t have to go out of your way to lean into this sleepy lifestyle.
If you’ve been living under a rock, you might have missed the fact that Terra Spencer has been winning the live-streaming game and she did it with one simple addition to her show: a blanket fort.
Yes, Terra Spencer also has the wild skills of a heart-wrenching songwriter and she’s likely underrated and unrecognized as a comedic genius, but let’s not underestimate the value of a good blanket. For starters, it’s practically a towel and we all know how infinitely useful those are. Secondly, it is the practical manifestation of modern-day escapism. Mr. Dressup had his Tickle Trunk and Fred Penner had his log. Spencer has a quarantine quilt.
Spencer’s fort is a comforting escape from the woes of the world, under which anything might happen.
“I have fully embraced the Blanket Fort lifestyle. My best friends have always been stuffed animals,” says Spencer. “It’s a fairly open-concept fort for a fairly closed-concept show. It can fit two people somewhat uncomfortably.”
If you have the means, she highly recommends putting together one for yourself. Spencer particularly suggests building in the modern Scandinavian style of IKEA who have conveniently released their own guide for such occasions.
While Spencer’s blanket fort has proven to be a popular hangout, some performances are a little more exclusive. She gets a bit cheeky with the lyrics and what happens under the covers:
“Stuck on the fridge out in the kitchen
Is a list of things to do,
But it’s raining on a Saturday
And I’ll start my list with you…”
While it might be tempting to cocoon ourselves away from the world, Spencer points out that there are some things in the world we can’t turn our backs on.
“If there’s any important news at all, it’s that many independent artists are giving up their Bandcamp money [on Friday] for good causes,” says Spencer. “I spent ages deciding which one. I don’t often wish that I made more money, but I do right now for that reason.”
For that Spencer has chosen to contribute to the NS Black Lives Matter Solidarity Fund. The fund supports members of the Black community living throughout Nova Scotia whose lives have been impacted by COVID-19 through unexpected costs such as funds for basic necessities (food, childcare, rent, utilities); for loss of income for artists, freelancers, and gig economy workers; for seniors and the elderly, persons with disabilities; and for those already facing daily challenges of capitalism and precarious housing.