By Aditi Khanna
London, Apr 18 (PTI) Singer-songwriter Anuv Jain’s composition capturing the sound of Indian rains is part of a new global music initiative called ‘Sounds Right’ launched on Thursday by the Museum for the United Nations – UN Live in the lead-up to Earth Day on April 22.
Jain’s Hindi composition forms part of a multilingual playlist, made up of worldwide artists bringing together the sounds of nature from Colombia, Norway, Venezuela, Kenya, Denmark, the UK, the US and Indonesia.
The diverse mix of global artists have joined Sounds Right to release new tracks, or remixing hits to ‘Feat. NATURE’ by including sounds from the natural world, which was described as “recognising nature as the valuable artist it truly is” that will be a game changer.
“A lot of my music is inspired by what’s around me; the sky, the rain, the trees. Some of my best work highlights ‘nature’ as a metaphor to describe beauty,” said Jain.
“I’m so excited that I get to be a part of the Sounds Right initiative because I get to give back to something that has given me so much, has given me music and most of all has given all of us life,” he said.
Besides Jain’s ‘Baarishen’, the playlist includes Ellie Goulding’s ‘Brightest Blue – Nature Remix’ using sounds from the lush rainforests of Colombia; Brian Eno’s David Bowie collaboration ‘Get Real’ with the harsh cries of hyenas, rooks and wild pigs; and Cosmo Sheldrake’s ‘Soil’ as a homage to the powerful transformative and generative capacities of subterranean ecosystems.
Louis VI collaborated with acoustic ecologist Martyn Stewart of the Listening Planet for ‘Orange Skies’, a track with sounds from the Borneo rainforest.
The goal of the initiative is to activate fans, raise funds, spark a global conversation about how we value nature, and inspire a sense of agency in our collective efforts to protect the planet.
Fans will be encouraged to take follow-up actions to conserve nature, such as recording morning birdsong for bio-monitoring and adopting sustainable behaviours. Sounds Right knowledge partners project that Sounds Right will generate over USD 40 million for conservation with over 600 million individual listeners in its first four years.
“Sounds Right is a groundbreaking music movement. It unites people around the world in a shared commitment to recognise the intrinsic value of nature and it inspires all of us to take the actions needed to protect our planet,” said Melissa Fleming, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications.
‘Feat. NATURE’ royalties and donations to Sounds Right will be collected by UK and US registered charity EarthPercent and then directed to biodiversity conservation and restoration projects in threatened ecosystems around the world.
Funds will be distributed under the guidance of the Sounds Right Expert Advisory Panel, a group of world-leading biologists, environmental activists, representatives of Indigenous Peoples, and experts in conservation funding.
Katja Iversen, CEO, Museum for the United Nations – UN Live, said: “Popular culture, like music, has the power to engage millions and millions of people, ignite positive global change at scale, and get us all on a more sustainable path.
“In a world where empathy is declining and many people often feel that their actions hardly matter, Sounds Right and UN Live meet people where they already are – on their screens and in their earbuds – with stories and formats they can relate to, and actions that matter to them. Recognising nature as the valuable artist it truly is will be a game changer.”
The Museum for the United Nations – UN Live is an unconventional, borderless museum, working to connect people everywhere to the goals, work and values of the United Nations and build a world where everyone feels agency to contribute to a positive future for people and the planet. PTI AK NPK
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