AR Rahman hopes his Earth Day musical message will 'resonate with the masses'
Oscar and Grammy-winning Indian composer AR Rahman has collaborated with "We are the world" creator Ken Kragen and global artistes like Natasha Bedingfield and Cody Simpson for "Hands Around The World". The project is aimed at raising awareness about the irreversible perils of climate change.
The fundraising and technology initiative has been officially launched on April 22, which marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.
The year-long project includes a new anthemic song featuring Bedingfield, Simpson, MAJOR, Jonathan Cilia Faro, Erica Atkins-Campbell of Mary Mary, and many more.
Alan Parsons and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra along with NASA and astronauts from the International Space Station have also lent their support with their One Note Symphony composition. An album of powerful songs representing music from different genres is also in the making.
"I am hopeful that our combination of using music and technology on this project will have this message resonate with the masses. It has been a pleasure to collaborate with so many incredible musicians from around the world," said Rahman.
As part of this Earth Day 2020 initiative, Rahman officially introduced the project via Instagram on April 22.
Rahman's music team for "Hands Around the World" includes producer Kevin Doucette, Polish composer Julia Zuzanna Sokolowska, and K-pop songwriter Daniel Caesar.
The song lyrics have been written by Stephen Schwartz and the Hands team and had its first recording session at film and television composer Nathan Barr's Bandrika Studios in Los Angeles in February.
The campaign is championed by Kragen who created the historic 1985 global collaboration "We Are the World" and "Hands Across America".
He has joined hands with Neil Morgan, an entertainment entrepreneur who is the brains behind an app that will use hologram and augmented reality technology to link one billion people holding hands around the world in a virtual reality selfie-chain for the benefit of climate change.
Kragen said: "Just as ‘We are the World' and ‘Hands Across America' called attention and raised funds to fight hunger and homelessness, this new project will be a game changer for the environmental issues that threaten every living thing on this planet."
"Hands Around the World" is officially endorsed by the legendary record producer Quincy Jones and the primatologist and anthropologist Jane Goodall, with support from climate change scientists, NASA's Thorsten Markus and climate specialist Professor Todd Crowley.
