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‘LEAN ON ME’ (Bill Withers)
ONE HEART REFUGEE CHOiR & FRiENDS
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Refugees & professional musicians join forces!



In the first-ever collaboration of its kind refugees and professional musicians have joined forces to perform an uplifting new version of the Bill Withers classic Lean On Me for the festive season.



The singers – One Heart Refugee Choir & Friends were accompanied by talented musicians including Mike Lindup from Level 42, and Kari Bannerman from Osibisa and Ibibio Sound Machine, Anselmo Netto and Pk Ambrose, have generously donated their time and skills.

The professional musicians worked alongside a choir of original voices that evoke the gospel talent of Aretha Franklin, the joy of Miriam Makeba and the heart-piercing emotion of Billie Holiday. All envolved have poured their heart and soul into this song, and remind us that wherever we are from and whatever our circumstances we are all connected.

The song has been recorded at a time when we are facing the worst global refugee crisis since World War Two. Less than 1% of the world’s 22.5 million refugees make it to the UK to claim asylum. But those who do often encounter hostility, which compounds the trauma they experienced when they were persecuted in their home countries.

Despite the horrors including rape, torture and imprisonment that many of the choir members have been through, the song is an upbeat and joyful testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Its message is one of solidarity and unity at a time of global conflict.

We hope the song will raise awareness and funds for refugees. Proceeds of the song will go to Refugee Action and donations can be made here. http://bit.ly/2AeqqVI

Refugee Tamara McFarlane, one of the singers in the choir said: “Twenty-four of us – asylum seekers and refugees from more than a dozen different countries – sang our hearts out, accompanied by the most fantastic professional musicians. Refugees’ and asylum seekers’ voices are rarely heard in this country. Usually we are hidden. We have all been through terrible things but our spirits are strong. We hope that the song’s message urging human beings to unite, is one that people across the UK can get behind.”

Professional singer Nina Miranda, of Smoke City, who gathered together the group of extraordinarily talented musicians to record the track, said: “The message of human solidarity, especially in times of adversity, has never been more important. Everyone had a wonderful day recording the song and it was a real pleasure to perform with the talented members of the One Heart Choir. We hope the song will raise awareness and funds for asylum seekers and refugees.”

FACTS ABOUT ASYLUM SEEKERS & REFUGEES:

More than 65 million people have fled their homes as a result of war and conflict - equivalent to the entire British population having to leave the country.
We are facing the biggest refugee crisis since the Second World War.
There are 22.5 million refugees. More than half of them are under 18.
55% of the world’s refugees are from Syria (5.5 million), Afghanistan, (2.5 million) and south Sudan (1.4 million). Europe hosts just 15% of the world’s asylum seekers and refugees. Less than 1% of them come to the UK.
The top three refugee hosting countries are Turkey (2.9 million) Pakistan (1.4 million) Lebanon (1 million)
Germany has 18 times more asylum applications than the UK. In 2016 Europe averaged 2.4 asylum applications per thousand people, in the UK it was just 0.6 per thousand population.
Only 10,858 Syrians have claimed asylum here since the conflict began in 2011 – just 0.21% of Syria’s 4.8 million refugees.
In the year ending June 2017 asylum applications in the UK decreased by 25% to 27,316.

Already this year 2,410 men, women and children have lost their lives crossing the Mediterranean in flimsy boats not designed for this kind of journey.
Refugees endure kidnap, rape, imprisonment and torture, not only in the countries they are fleeing from but also on their hazardous journeys.
Asylum seekers are a tiny proportion of new arrivals in the UK – last year 588,000 people arrived but just 27,316 were seeking refuge here.

CREDiTS:
THE MUSICIANS & VIDEO CREW

One Heart Choir – 24 non-professional asylum seeker and refugee singers.

Nina Miranda, arrangement, production and vocals, Jeffrey Darnell, lead vocals, Kari Bannerman, guitar & vocals, Mike Lindup, piano, Pk Ambrose, Bass, Anselmo Netto, percussion, Aricia Mess, vocals, John Brice, creative director, Jonny Solway, engineer, Jack Hudson and Tris Ellis, assistant engineers, directed and filmed by Ross Domoney, Tariq Elmeri and Micha Otto, edited by Micha Otto. Enormous thanks to all the professional singers and musicians who gave their time for free and to Jasmin Lee-Barnes who organised the day’s recording and donated space and technicians at Dean Street Studios.