AS the popular adage goes, with great power comes great responsibility, and this certainly applies to stars like Nelson Mandela, Michael Jackson, Bono, Oprah Winfrey and Angelina Jolie. These icons have used their global status to improve our world and have contributed to making it a better place for future generations.
There have been many who have followed in their footsteps over the years, including One Republic who have used their “power” for good with their involvement in humanitarian projects. Last year, the American pop, rock band were part of a campaign called Share the Sound of an Aids-Free Generation, which shares a message of hope and unity to empower today’s youth to realise that they can be the generation to end the Aids pandemic.
With South Africa ranked among the top three countries with the highest rate of HIV/Aids and with One Republic’s South African tour taking place next week, it seems fitting that our country needs the support of more artists such as this band. The campaign is partnered by The Coco-Cola Company, together with RED, and invites people from all over the world to join efforts to help end mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
According to The Coco-Cola Company website, the campaign features an array of top artists (Bono, Adam Lambert, Avicci) as they debut music and offer exclusive experiences encouraging people to come together, share and most importantly, to give.
The funds raised go to The Global Fund to fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, to finance grants which provide HIV prevention, testing, counselling, treatment and care services. Furthermore, as part of the movement, the band created a fundraising experience where a lucky fan can spend the day with them and enjoy VIP access to a show.
The Apologise hit-makers have also been involved in other projects, such as the Teenage Cancer Trust Concert to raise funds for the campaign which provides specialist support and care for young people across the UK.
Besides music being a platform to connect with different people in different places, these icons have shown that, most importantly, it can be used as a means of uniting people to support charities and movements.
The world desperately needs more icons like them so that we can change the world and honour the vision that Nelson Mandela had.
That’s just their humanitarian take through music. What’s also interesting about the band is lead vocalist Ryan Tedder joining the American reality television singing competition, The Voice, a few years ago, as the show’s first in-house producer and songwriter. He’s not the first to have done so: many artists have joined singing competitions along the way, including Jennifer Lopez (American Idol), Britney Spears (X Factor USA), Demi Lovato (X Factor USA) and Christina Aguilera (The Voice). And now Tedder has joined one of these singing competition productions in the hopes of helping to unearth new talent.
With such a unique songwriting ability and being an independent mega-producer, Tedder couldn’t be a better choice for the American show. The One Republic frontman was also one of the geniuses behind songs such as Kelly Clarkson’s Already Gone, Beyonce’s Halo, Ellie Goulding’s Burn and Jordan Spark’s Battlefield, which clearly demonstrates his varied style and songwriting ability.
As for the tour, which is in support of the group’s latest album, Native, it is said to be their biggest, playing over 185 sold-out dates around the world. Durban’s Gangs of Ballet are the supporting act in South Africa.
l Don’t miss One Republic’s SA Tour on Friday at the Coco-Cola Dome in Joburg and on Sunday at the Grand Arena, GrandWest, in Cape Town. Book through Computicket