Cousin Greg From 'Succession' Made A Song About Coronavirus & Honestly? It Slaps
This is the year that has officially changed what "normal life" means, with each day bringing new situations — and musical endeavors — that were once unimaginable. Take Succession star Nicholas Braun's "Antibodies (Do You Have The)" song, for instance. The Emmy-nominated actor came up with a few clever lyrics back in May, he probably didn't realize that about two months later, his song would be sweeping the nation.
On May 7, the Emmy-nominated actor, who plays Cousin Greg on HBO's Succession, took to social media with his idea for a coronavirus-related song, which was actually inspired by a real-life date he went on. "I went on this quarantine date; it sort of felt secret because I didn’t want my friends to know. And I guess the combination of paranoia and romance is what the song is about," he told Rolling Stone.
So, Braun sang the lyrics for his followers, but since he didn't have any instruments on hand, he asked people to send him music ideas to accompany his words. In the following weeks, a flood of submissions came in from talented individuals, including celebs such as American Idol contestant MacKenzie Bourg and Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina star Kiernan Shipka.
What started out as a joke became real when Atlantic Records reached out to Braun about turning "Antibodies" into a real song. So, with the help of Colin Brittain (who produced for 5 Seconds of Summer and Dashboard Confessional), Braun created a pop-punk version of his song. When it came time to make the music video, Braun threw on eyeliner, hugged some rocks, and created the "emo" throwback 2020 1000% needed.
Braun’s aforementioned IRL romantic companion, Camilla Engstrom, starred as the love interest in the video, which was actually a big deal. “In the video when we hug, that was a very real thing for us in real life,” he told Rolling Stone. “We were on date three and we were like, ‘Hey, is it okay to take off our bandanas and hug each other today?'”
While the line about having antibodies means "pants off" isn't exactly medically sound advice, watching the music video on repeat is sure to give you a healthy dose of laughs.
"Antibodies" is available on major streaming platforms. The song supports two coronavirus response organizations, Partners In Health and The COPE Program.
If you think you’re showing symptoms of coronavirus, which include fever, shortness of breath, and cough, call your doctor before going to get tested. If you’re anxious about the virus’s spread in your community, visit the CDC for up-to-date information and resources, or seek out mental health support. You can find all Elite Daily's coverage of coronavirus here.