In an innovative step to collect funds for the cause of nature conservation, the Museum for United Nations – UN Live – has launched Sounds Right. It is a new global initiative that aims at raising funds for nature using nature’s own sounds. The initiative makes use of ocean waves, rainst0rms, wind, and birdsongs, among others. Indian artist Anuv Jain has joined the initiative using the sound of Indian rains for Baarishein, and crediting the sound to NATURE.
Many other global artists such as David Bowie x Brian Eno (Get Real uses cries of hyenas and wild pigs), Ellie Goulding (Brightest Blue Nature Remix using sounds of Colombian rainforest), London Grammar, Tom Walker, Blinky Bill, Navicula x Endah N Rhesa, and Los Amigos Invisibles have also collaborated with Sounds Right. They will all use nature’s sounds in their songs and credit it to nature by mentioning ‘featuring NATURE’.
Global artists collaborate with UN LIVE as they credit Nature as an artist for nature sounds.
Talking about the collaboration, Jain says in a press statement that his music is mostly inspired by things around him such as the sky, the rain, the trees. “Some of my best work highlights ‘nature’ as a metaphor to describe beauty. 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 al of us life.” His track, Baarishein, has been created by mixing gentle sounds of rain and thunderstorm from India. He also thanked the United Nations for the opportunity adding that a “huge chunk of the royalties generated from this track will go towards charity for environmental conservation”.
The road ahead for Sounds Right: $40 million funds, 600 million listeners
The initiative hopes to inspire fans and raise funds for nature conservation. It will also encourage fans to take follow-up actions such as recording morning birdsong for biomonitoring. It also advocates adopting sustainable behaviors and the knowledge partners of Sounds Right project it may generate more than $40 million for conservation in the next four years. It also hopes to reach more than 600 million individual listeners in that period.
Who benefits from the funds?
Sounds Right has currently zeroed in on funding organizations that operate in the regions of India, Indo-Burma, Myanmar, Philippines, Atlantic Forest, Tropical Andes, Madagascar, the Indian Ocean Islands and Sudaland.
The official press release for the announcement assured that artists may continue to independently feature nature sounds in their songs as previously. It adds that at least 50% of the recording royalties will be donated to biodiversity conservation and restoration projects for songs that feature NATURE (feat NATURE) as an artist as part of their collaboration.
United Nations’ Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications Melissa Fleming believes the initiative will unite people around the world as they recognize the intrinsic value of nature and they will all be inspired to take the actions needed to protect our planet.
CEO of the Museum for the United Nations Katja Iversen adds: “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.”
