Artists for Sudan | Advocacy Song (2019)

Sunday Bloody Sunday

A4A’s cover of U2’s Sunday Bloody Sunday (August 2019) featuring Canadian artists, acts as a tool of advocacy for the crisis currently unfolding in Sudan, Africa. The release has come to life in close collaboration with Warner Music Canada.

The track was recorded in Toronto by producer David Bottrill (multiple Grammy Award Winning Producer behind Muse, Rush, Peter Gabriel) and Darcy Ataman with vocals contributed by ‘the collective Artist for Sudan’.

Could this project be viewed as another indication that artists are finally being motivated to speak with a united voice on pressing social and political issues after a long period of apathy? Is this the evolution of an artistic revolution?

Canadian Artists Want You Too To Care About Sudan
FYI Music News (Aug 12, 2019)

When people are deprived of justice, they create their own language of hope and healing. The best way to express this is through music and art.

‘Sunday Bloody Sunday,’ reimagined by some of our greatest Canadian artists, is a protest song for the people in a country that cannot protest for themselves to the wider world. Our hope is that as a tool of advocacy it helps to finish bending the arc of history of Sudan towards the light.

Darcy Ataman, CEO & Executive Producer
Make Music Matter & A4A Records
Canada

Canadian Artists Coming Together

Recorded in Toronto, ON, Canada at Revolution Recording in July 2019, released by A4A Records in collaboration with Warner Music Canada, participants include:

  • Ian D’Sa (Billy Talent)
  • Ben Kowalewicz (Billy Talent)
  • Jim Cuddy (Blue Rodeo)
  • Cone McCaslin (Sum 41)
  • Neil Sanderson (Three Days Grace)
  • Matt Walst (Three Days Grace)
  • Damhnait Doyle
  • Emmanuel Jal
  • Serena Ryder
  • Corey Hart
  • Ron Hawkins (The Lowest of The Low)
  • Scott Anderson (Finger Eleven)
  • Simon Ward (The Strumbellas)
  • Amy Millan (Stars)
  • Colin MacDonald (The Trews)
  • John Angus (The Trews)
  • Ewan Currie (The Sheepdogs)
  • Hill Kourkoutis
  • Vox Choirs
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzi_TePHUpf/

This cover of Sunday Bloody Sunday acts as a voice of the people fighting for what’s right and wrong in their country – as an energetic support helping them in this current situation, as well as a tool of directing the world’s attention on this brutal situation.

Having contributed by singing with my choir on this song, makes it even more significant to me. By singing together on this especially, it has created a momentous unified feeling emphasizing the seriousness of this situation in Sudan

– Heine Nielsen

Artwork Inspired by a Viral Sudanese Photo

The artwork for the single is inspired by a photograph that went viral earlier this year, taken during public protests by Sudanese artist Lana Haroun.

I’m glad to be an inspiration for people all over the world. But it’s for the peace revolution, made in Sudan, our home, with love.

Lana Haroun, Sudanese artist

All proceeds raised through downloads and streams will be donated to Human Rights Watch.

Changing the World, One Voice at a Time

A4A (Artists for Artists) Records & Publishing is a home for recordings and projects that are changing the world – one voice at a time.  In partnership with Warner Music Canada, songs are distributed globally, available for streaming and download on all major digital platforms.

A4A’s first music releases are written and produced by artists in the Healing in Harmony program of Make Music Matter Inc. – and now, also Artist for Sudan.

Featured on several Spotify and Apple Music playlist in the first week, Sunday Bloody Sunday by Artists for Sudan was well received.

Being able to draw awareness to human rights and minority groups around the world is a fundamental extremely important part and duty of my work.

Doing this via the power of music, and at a record label dedicated to minorities and human rights, is a perfect way of utilizing the forces and power of music – in a global music industry.

– Heine Nielsen

See also Press on this project…