Multi-Country Televised Event Announced to Reimagine ‘We Are the World’

Plans are afoot for a “modern reimagining” of the 1985 standard “We Are the World” — called “We Are the World NOW” — as a multi-country, real-time recording and also aired songs occasion. In words of the job’s manufacturer, Jeffrey Weber: “We are taking “We Are the World NOW” to the globe.”

Separate recordings of the track will certainly be created in Korea, China, Japan, Australia, England, Italy, France, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, Spain and also several African nations. Additional nations might be revealed later on.

The initial 1985 recording of the altruistic anthem “We Are the World,” by USA for Africa, was created to ease hunger on the African continent. With “We Are the World NOW,” “a percentage of the revenue from the sale of the recordings and associated products will be split between a noted charity in each country devoted to ending world hunger and a third-party charity devoted to the same goals on a global basis,” according to a declaration.

“We Are the World” — co-written by Michael Jackson and also Lionel Richie and also created by Quincy Jones — was an international hit in 1985. It covered the Billboard Hot 100 for 4 weeks and also took place to win Grammys for document and also track of the year. “We Are the World 25″ — a cover variation by one more all-star collection, Artists for Haiti — gotten to No. 2 on the Hot 100 in 2010, though it didn’t have anywhere near the very same social influence as its precursor. That one was created by Jones, Richie, RedOne, Mervyn Warren, Patti Austin, Humberto Gatica, Wyclef Jean and also Rickey Minor.

Weber states that he has actually not yet gotten in touch with Richie, the Jackson estate or Jones regarding the job. He wouldn’t require consent, past a mandatory permit, to cover the track, however includes, “Once there is a broadcaster in place, we would have to strike a deal for publishing rights to the original song with Lionel as well as the Jackson estate if the project were to be shown on any device that has a visual image, such as a DVD, television, computer screen, movie theater, etc.” 

The job’s maker and also exec manufacturer is Sunny Ogbamichael, a Korean business owner. “Never before in our history are we, as a people, more divided on so many levels,” she stated in a declaration. “We are divided socially, economically, racially, religiously and politically. In what I hope will be a unifying effort, we are producing reimagined and modernized versions of the song, ‘We Are the World,’ in over a dozen countries, while aligning with indigenous charity partners dedicated to ending world hunger.”

Pre-manufacturing is readied to start on July 1, at which time Weber will certainly begin to collect artists and also vocalists from each nation. The initially videotaping session is anticipated to be in Seoul, South Korea in the very first quarter of 2024.

Each nation’s session will certainly be tape-recorded real-time, however out the very same day.

Weber states the “We Are the World NOW” live occasion collection will certainly be tape-recorded in over a lots nations: “We are assembling the finest local arrangers, musicians and vocalists in each country to record contemporary versions of the song in the language of each country and incorporating the indigenous instruments of each country. The project will be recorded live, in world-class studios in each country.”

To help the different arrangers in each nation, Weber will at first tape a modern-day take on the initial track that can be increased by the arrangers in each nation or utilized as an instance for every nation’s chosen arranger to produce their very own setup. Weber’s recording will certainly include a band that Weber has actually put together, consisting of Gregg Bissonette (Ringo Starr), Matt Bissonette (Elton John), Tariqh Akoni (Josh Groban), Dapo Torimiro (John Legend) and also Troy Laureta (Ariana Grande). The track will certainly likewise include rap artists, consisting of Prodigal Sunn (Wu-Tang Clan, Sunz of Man) and also Anacron.

“I expect that each country’s arranger will have a different approach to what a modern version of the song will be,” states Weber. “I am going to leave the arrangement up to each arranger, but when you add the indigenous instruments to the mix, it promises to be interesting, at least. I do expect rap to be a part of some of the versions. We will be doing a symphonic version of [the arrangement] in China which will be arranged and conducted by Christina Liang.”

Weber has actually functioned as a show, occasion and also songs celebration manufacturer and also has actually likewise created numerous cds. He teamed with Morgan Ames to generate the cd Diane Schuur and also the Count Basie Orchestra, which was a dual Grammy champion in 1988 for finest jazz singing efficiency, lady (for Diane Schuur) and also finest important setup going along with vocals (for arranger Frank Foster).

Grammy and also Emmy-winning designer, Clark Germain, will certainly tape and also blend the whole job. Germain won a Grammy in 2004 for finest jazz important cd, specific or team for his service Wayne Shorter’s Alegría. He won an Emmy in 2017 as a racking up mixer on Amazon’s Mozart in the Jungle, which was granted exceptional noise blending for a funny or dramatization collection (half-hour) and also computer animation.

Broadcast and also circulation companions for “We Are the World NOW” have yet to be settled.

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