If you’ve walked along the street in any city you’ve seen hundreds of sidewalk musicians.
Whether it’s a guitar player in the subway or a jazz trio in the park, when they’re good, they’re a welcome addition to a morning commute or evening walk. When they’re exceptionally good, you may drop a dollar or two into their box, or send them a Venmo.
If you’ve ever seen a sidewalk musician, you probably never got the impression that they were begging for money; in fact, more often than not, they’re too preoccupied to say anything at all.
Unfortunately, that is not the impression on woman got when she passed a sidewalk harpist, and she made sure to let the harpist know. The harpist captured the whole exchange (if you can call it that), on her TikTok.
Robyn was playing an impressive rendition of “Careless Whisper” on her harp when a woman came up to her asking if she had permission to be there.
When Robyn calmly told her she did and kept playing, the woman continued to pepper her with questions, asking eh why she was begging for money, saying that she was going to have her arrested, and saying she was going to ask council if Robyn had permission to be there.
Robyn calmly answered each of the woman’s questions, not egging her on or insulting her, and continued to play her harp. Her bothered response to the heckler has the internet obsessed. So much so that it made its way onto X.
Commenters are commending Robyn for how she handled the situation in general, and many of them are defending her right — and that of any musician — to play music in public. One person noted that she was adding art to the world in pockets that needed it. They said that her talents, and the talents of any street musician, are just adding beauty to the world.
A lot of people are just laughing at the irony of the song she was playing, one person even noting that the woman must really not want to dance again. Several people agreed that their anger issues would’ve never survived that situation. But playing an instrument as peaceful as the harp, maybe that gentleness is second nature to Robyn.
The general consensus in the comment sections across the internet was that this woman must be allergic to joy magic and fun.
Oh, and there should be more harps. Everywhere.
