Chris Mann has carved out a niche of timely parodies and now he’s turning his wit toward inspiring people to get their COVID-19 vaccinations with his latest single “COVID/Back.”
Based on Justin Timberlake’s smash hit “Sexy/Back,” the song encourages people to get vaccinated in hopes of getting life back to normal. “COVID/Back” is one of several times Mann has written parody tunes related to the COVID-19 pandemic; he started last year with “My Corona”, which racked up 7.7 million views on YouTube, and has done several other pandemic-themed singles since.
Many of those songs, including “Real Friends Before COVID,” “My Corona” and the frontline workers tribute “Thank U Frontline,” are available on Mann’s album Viral/Viral that he released last year.
His latest record is Noise, which compiles some of his prior singles including the title track, “Gentleman” and “Old Fashioned.” But while his vocal talents can still blow the doors off any venue, Mann has found a whole new following as a parody artist.
A finalist during the second season of NBC‘s singing competition The Voice who also starred as the Phantom of the Opera on the musical’s North American tour, Mann has executed an incredible pivot over the last year. He’s gone from pop powerhouse to parody superstar, putting his own spin on a wide variety of songs from Lizzo to Garth Brooks. That versatility plus his acting ability to play everything sincerely, no matter how off the wall, has quickly made him as entertaining as the iconic “Weird Al” Yankovic.
While it’s unlikely Mann will pick up Hawaiian shirts and an accordion any time soon, his latest single is more than worth a listen just to hear how much he’s stretched his wings. Many musical artists have looked for ways to keep recording during the pandemic, and a lot of people overall are searching for joy and humor in this difficult time. Chris Mann has been able to both expand his career and put a smile on many faces. Who knows what he’ll come up with next?
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