Africa is using the power of music to raise its voice in support of the Global Goals.
Featuring musicians from all over the continent, the song, “Tell Everybody,” is Africa’s first crowdsourced song, produced to educate and inspire listeners to support the U.N.’s Global Goals for Sustainable Development.
The song is released ahead of the U.N. Sustainable Development Summit on Sept. 25, when world leaders will gather for the adoption of the 2015 SDGs — 17 initiatives to solve issues including poverty eradication, gender equality, and universal education.
“Tell Everybody,” addresses the global impact of this mission in a powerful ballad sung in five different languages.
“I hope this song activates young people to start challenging their governments to deliver these goals, starting today!” Victor Ochen, Africa’s ambassador for the Global Goals campaign, said in a statement.
Described in a press release as a song “by Africans, for Africans,” producers crowdsourced the lyrics for two verses — one sung in French, one in English, with a competition called “Add Your Voice/Add Your Verse” that called for participants to submit lyrics through their cell phones.
“We decided to let the young voices of Africa be heard in this song,” said Cobhams Asuquo, one of the producers of “Tell Everybody.” “The African youth are powerhouses in their own right and collectively they can make change happen.”
The song and video includes stars from South Africa, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, Togo and Ghana, and is posted on YouTube and available on iTunes and Apple Music. Viewers and listeners are encouraged to share the song and promote its message using the hashtags #telleverybody and #globalgoals.
“Young people feel they don’t have a voice in politics,” said Diamond, a Tanzanian singer on the track. “This song tries to challenges that thinking. Poverty is political. It’s time for young people to know their power and use it wisely.”
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