'Nature' joins music platforms for conservation project

LOS ANGELES

"Nature" became a musical artist on April 18 with the help of stars including Brian Eno, Ellie Goulding and Aurora, part of a United Nations initiative to raise conservation funds.

Music platforms will have "Nature" as an official artist from Thursday, collaborating on tracks such as a remix of Goulding's "Brightest Blue" featuring Amazonian birdsong and the sounds of a Colombian rainforest.

Eno has reworked his collaboration with David Bowie, "Get Real," to include the cries of hyenas, rooks and wild pigs, while Indian superstar Anuv Jain adds Indian rainfall to his recent single "Baarishein."

Other contributors include UMI featuring V from BTS, Bomba Estereo and London Grammar.

Spotify will include all the songs in a special "Feat. Nature" playlist, while the individual tracks will be available on other platforms.

The project, Sounds Right, was set up by the Museum for the United Nations - UN Live, which hopes it will get a total of 600 million streams over four years, generating $40 million for biodiversity conservation and restoration projects in threatened ecosystems around the world.

"The goal of this evergreen initiative is to activate fans, raise funds, spark a global conversation about how we value nature, and inspire a sense of agency in our collective efforts to protect the planet," the organisers said in a statement.

Norwegian singer Aurora, who contributed "A Soul With No King", added, "The world is calling for us. And it has been for a really long time. We can feel deep inside of our very core, that something is wrong."

Working on the project, she said, "has mended something in me."