Collaboration For a Cause: War Child Records Releases HELP(2)
It’s difficult to imagine a world that hasn’t been touched by music. From the communities our favorite artists cultivate to the lyrics that turn our souls inside out, music is innately unifying and understanding. Over the last few decades, artists have played a pivotal role in using their platform to advocate for rising issues. In an effort to raise awareness and foster solidarity in response to global crises, the concept of charity albums was born, creating a space for artists to contribute original songs or reimagined covers for a collaborative project that directs its funds to show support for specific causes.
We’ve seen acclaimed musicians like Bruce Springsteen and U2 lend their voices to A Very Special Christmas, a benefit album for the Special Olympics, released in 1987, or a compilation of indie-rock artists, including Bon Iver, Arcade Fire, and The National, in Dark Was The Night, a project funding research for HIV/AIDS back in 2009.
In 1993, filmmakers David Wilson, Bill Leeson, and social entrepreneur Willemijn Verloop witnessed first-hand the devastation left by a war-torn Bosnia. Frustrated by the UK government’s apathy towards the children who were suffering the traumatic aftermath with no resources to rehabilitate their health and communities, the non-profit organization War Child was created, with a mission to “work to protect, educate and stand up for the rights of children living through conflict and go to the hardest to reach places to support them.”
The HELP album, released in 1995 in collaboration with War Child UK, reached remarkable heights with the help of Britain’s chart-topping artists. From Oasis to Blur to Radiohead, tracks for the compilation were recorded within 24 hours in studios across Europe. Nearly $2 million went to the non-profit, and 30 years later, HELP (2) is bringing in today’s heavy-hitters. Under James Ford’s production, the album features unreleased covers and original songs, including a return from Oasis, Cameron Winter’s “Warning,” a Sinéad O’Connor cover of “Black Boys on Mopeds” by Fontaines D.C., a Big Thief original track, and more. Olivia Rodrigo’s cover of “The Book of Love” by The Magnetic Fields is released with a video filmed by children in Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, and Yemen.
HELP (2)’s arrival comes amid high levels of adversity and violence, as children continue to live through conflict around the world. By supporting the project through streaming and sharing, all proceeds go to War Child UK’s efforts to stand up for their rights and provide aid and protection.
Listen to HELP(2), available for listening on all streaming platforms, and for purchase through War Child UK.
