My Earth Songs

Nobody could question the worthiness of this project – the proceeds from which benefit UNICEF’s COVID-19 relief fund for children and it is accompanied by a call from UNICEF’s director Henrietta Fore ‘to imagine a better world for every child’. Overseen by American singer-songwriter Lonnie Park and Indian new age composer Ricky Kej, the songs were first aired in a ‘virtual live concert’ in June and attracted more than 25 million viewers in 75 countries.

Inevitably with a target audience of kids, what we get is mostly a bland form of soft-focus global-pop but there are some fine moments. Opener ‘Shine Your Light’ features South Africa’s Mzansi Youth Choir and possesses a similar quality to K’naan’s 2010 football world cup anthem ‘Wavin’ Flag’, and ‘Born from the Land’ on which Baaba Maal’s voice soars with spine-tingling soulfulness. Credit for tackling serious issues in an accessible way, too, with Greta-friendly song titles such as ‘Carbon Footprint’ and ‘Gimme Your CO2’. Other enjoyable moments include the children’s songs ‘In the Waterworld’, featuring Mexican mariachi queen Cindy Shea, and ‘Bicycle Day’ with a lovely kwela-style cameo from South African flautist Wouter Kellerman. Not really one for most Songlines readers, but try it out on your kids or grandkids.