Street performer marks COVID-19 pandemic’s 5-year anniversary by singing ‘Rise Up’ to Chicago

CHICAGO — On March 25, 2020 – at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic – Andrew David, a Chicago street performer, captivated the city by singing the Leonard Cohen song, “Hallelujah” on the empty streets.

Five years later, he has once again emerged as a symbol of Chicago’s strength, singing “Rise Up,” the Andra Day anthem of resilience.

David’s voice echoed from the intersection of North Orleans Street and West Wacker Drive, just like it had five years earlier, when it touched everyone from a health care workers to Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who mentioned David in his 2022 election night address.

“Street performer Andrew David serenading Chicago with the song ‘Hallelujah’ during the early days of the pandemic,” showed the best of Illinois, Pritzker said. 

“The reaction to ‘Hallelujah’ during the pandemic was overwhelming,” David said. “It’s a song that’s bigger than me. Bigger than street performing, but so purposeful for such a time as we were in.”

More than 1 million Americans died during the pandemic.  It re-shaped society – from the workplace to the classroom.  But five years later, crowds have returned to the corner, and traffic is busy once again on Wacker drive.

“It definitely is a testament to the City of Chicago just bouncing back year-by-year,” David said. “Day-by-day from the pandemic.”

Savannah Love walked by as David was singing “Rise Up.”  She took special meaning from the son’s title.

“You just got to rise up from everything that you’re dealing with,” she said.  

“It’s an anthem of overcoming adversity, hard times personal struggles, so it kind of fits somewhere in everyone’s life,” David said.