Mother Nature is being recognised with songwriting credits – and royalties. — AFP
For many years, the music industry wasn't directly involved with campaigns related to the safeguarding of biodiversity. But attitudes in the sector are changing, spurred on by climate-aware artists and professionals. Some of them are even giving songwriting credit to Nature to raise funds for various environmental projects.
This original initiative is called Sounds Right. It was launched by the EarthPercent association to raise royalties for the preservation of nature. It is supported by a number of well-known musicians, including Brian Eno, Ellie Goulding, London Grammar, V from BTS and Lykke Li.
Over the last few months, these artistes have all released new tracks that celebrate the myriad sounds of nature. "From my garden I recorded the songs of live crickets late at night, the warm summer wind at sunset, the early morning birds at dawn, and the sound of birds before sunrise at downtown Los Angeles, when the city is still asleep but the world awakens around us,” Swedish singer Lykke Li said in a statement about her track, TЯAƎH ЯUOY OT YAWHӘIH (feat. NATURE).
To pay tribute to Mother Nature, the artists participating in Sounds Rights credit her as a co-writer on their tracks. In doing so, they pay her a share of the royalties generated by their songs on music streaming platforms. In six months, the tracks in which Mother Nature is credited have already racked up over 65 million listens on music platforms, raising several thousand dollars in royalties. This money, combined with donations to Sounds Right, will be put to good use in preserving biodiversity.
A total of US$225,000 (RM978,674) will be donated to various Colombian organisations committed to protecting nature. This choice is far from insignificant, given that Colombia is one of the 17 most diverse countries (considered the richest on the planet in terms of biological diversity).
The money raised thanks to Sounds Right will contribute to the development of scientific tourism in the La Planada nature reserve, and to the protection of cotton-top tamarin monkeys and their forest habitat through the Fundacion Projecto Titi.
To raise public awareness of the importance of preserving biodiversity, EarthPercent has announced the creation of a music award called Tune Into Nature, which is only open to musicians aged between 18 and 30 who live in Britain. – AFP Relaxnews
