(May 28, 2026) Karen Bernod’s latest single “VR” (Virtual Reality) confronts the dichotomy that exists in our modern and increasingly digital world: we are simultaneously connected and disconnected. People can get on social media and connect with anyone in this world based not on proximity or even a relational connection, but on shared interests. That’s what makes a site like SoulTracks possible – the web allows people from disparate backgrounds and locations to unite – connected by the world wide web and our shared love of R&B music.
However, the same technology that connects an indie soul fan in South Bend to one in South Africa can also disconnect us from the people living in our house and – increasingly – from reality. I recently read a story about young men choosing artificial intelligence girlfriends over flesh and blood women because the AI girlfriend can be trained to be more compliant.
So, when Bernod sings about not wanting the live in a mental place that is filled with insecurities and dark thoughts, and desiring to escape to a place where love is unconditional and life is simple, non-challenging and she always wins – even if that world that exists on a smart phone and tablet – she’s describing 2026.
In the song’s hook, Bernod asks whether social media is a blessing or a curse. The truth is that social media and VR can be both. The same technology that lets people strap on some goggles and learn the basics of flying an airplane also makes it possible to replace human writers, accountants, and girlfriends with virtual ones. What a world? Check out Karen Bernod’s new song “VR” here.
By Howard Dukes
