With Earth Day approaching, 'Nature' has officially become a recording artist

And really, it’s about time. Nature has been featured in songs for generations, from the birdsong in Aphex Twin’s ‘Slo Bird Whistle’ and Nas’ ‘Nas is Like,’ to the atmospheric wind sounds that form the intro to Pink Floyd’s ‘When the Tigers Broke Free’.

However, just like many female featuring artists, nature hasn’t been receiving her dues, and her talents have been largely going unsung.

Until now. Sounds Right is a new global music initiative which aims to raise the profile of nature in an accessible and ultimately, audible way. Artists from around the world have gotten together to either release new tracks or remix old favourites, which feature nature sounds.

And not only this, but all the rainstorms, waves, winds and birdsongs used will be credited as a 'NATURE', a feature which will link to her own profile on major streaming platforms. She will also be releasing as a solo artist, providing listeners with ambient songs recorded via The Listening Planet and VozTerra.

And, thankfully, this isn’t only going to look good on her ‘portfolio’. At least 50% of the royalties garnered via collaborations, and 63% of the money raised via the ambient tracks, will go on to fund conservation initiatives. These will also then be topped up by donations via Sounds Right’s GoFundMe page.

The initiatives this money will be directed towards will be decided upon by Sound Right’s advisory panel, a group of world-leading biologists, environmental activists, representatives of Indigenous Peoples, and experts in conservation funding. Mindahi Bastida, Otomi-Toltec Leader, who is on the panel, has said of the project: 'It is about paying back to life systems that have inspired the human spirit through the magic of sound. The time has come to live in permanent reciprocity.'

This reciprocity will try to be created in places like Madagascar and the Philippines, as they have been identified as areas which are experiencing acute threats to their biodiversity. This global focus is reflected in the artists involved in the project, with musicians from Colombia, India, Venezuela, Kenya, Indonesia and more, all taking part.

Highlights include Brian Eno’s remix of his collaboration with David Bowie, ‘Get Real’, which will now feature cries of hyenas and wild pigs, as well as Indian singer-songwriter Anuv Jain’s ‘Baarishein,’ which will be accompanied by Indian rains. Another exciting release is ‘Orange Skies’ from Louis VI, who collaborated with acoustic ecologist Martyn Stewart, musicians Jelani Blackman and Mick Jenkins, and the sounds of the Borneo rainforest, to create a track which focuses on the destructive power of forest fires. Other artists to feature include Cosmo Sheldrake, Blinky Bill, Aterciopelados and Bomba Estéreo.

The age-old question of whether art imitates nature, or the other way around, has just been blown out of the water. As now, in the lead up to this year’s Earth Day on April 22, nature herself has officially become a recording artist.

The work doesn’t end with the music, however. Fans will be encouraged to take further action to support sustainability, from recording morning birdsong for biomonitoring, to sparking conversations with their peers which will hopefully help grow this initiative into a wider movement for change. Sounds Right knowledge partners have estimated that this project will generate over $40m for conservation with over 600m individual listeners in its first four years.

It’s no secret that our house is on fire and we need all the help we can get to put it out. Wildlife populations have declined by an average of 69% in the past 50 years and at least 1.2 million plant and animal species are estimated to be at threat of extinction.

And this project alone isn’t going to save them. Its potential pales in comparison to actions that governments and big business could take. However, it’s this type of thinking, which pivots away from viewing nature’s value as something to be extracted, and instead platforms it as something enriching in its natural state, that is key to fighting the climate crisis.

Furthermore, in an era of potential stagnation brought about by climate anxiety and the generally overwhelming nature of this issue, projects like these help individuals to take action. Katja Iversen, CEO of the Museum for the United Nations, which helped to develop this project, states: 'Sounds Right meets 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.'

Ultimately, it’s all about changing perceptions. If we can stop viewing nature and art as separate, and instead focus on the power nature has to enrich the art we all consume daily, hopefully, we can start giving nature the respect she deserves.

I just hope that streaming platforms like Spotify which are promoting NATURE give her more dues than they do the large majority of artists who currently use the service.

Earth Day is on April 22. Find out more about Sounds Right at soundsright.earth