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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Beth Blatt |
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HOPE SINGS LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE MUSIC of the MONTH CLUB HOPE SINGS - Using Music to Help Women and Alleviate Poverty GOOD MUSIC FOR A GOOD CAUSE |
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New York, NY – January 25, 2011 - Hope Sings, the first music organization to use the universality of song and the power of story to raise funds for and awareness of microfinance, announced the launch of its unusual MUSIC OF THE MONTH CLUB. Unlike other subscription services, the Hope Singstm MMC will produce, curate and directly deliver amazing music on a regular basis to its fans. For people who want to learn about new types of music or long to do more good in the world but have limited time/resources, the Hope Sings MMC is a welcome addition to the music and philanthropy scenes. Year 1 of the MMC focuses on the music of Latin America - Hope Sings Latin. It offers a combination of original songs, inspired by microloan borrower success stories, and existing, uplifting songs (where “hope sings”) from both established and emerging artists. The focus will be on female artists, reflecting the fact that many microloans go to women. “We were in the process of producing an album and we just had too much fabulous music we wanted to include,” said founder Beth Blatt. “So we came up with the idea of a ‘timed-release release’. This way we get to offer two albums worth of music – maybe even more. And enrich the songs with so much more cool content than you could offer in just liner notes.” “We want to offer a meaningful, valuable experience, to people,” says Blatt. “That’s what keeps people coming back, what makes a fan. That’s what makes an organization sustainable, not handouts or donations. Which is the premise of microfinance itself – sustainability.” For “La Esperanza Canta,” Colombian singer/songwriter Marta Gomez was inspired by the stories of 3 women in Nicaragua who received microloans and took their first steps out of poverty. Marta was so taken with the idea of Hope Sings, she wrote the song within 48 hours of hearing about the project, and was in the studio recording it less than a week later. Marta, a graduate of Berklee College of Music, is a frequent presence on the international world music circuit and is featured on several installments of the Putumayo series of world music CD’s. “Hope” was inspired by stories of Dominican women – particularly meaningful to Dominican singer-songwriter Alih Jey. She teamed up with friend and frequent collaborator, Ines Gaviria to co-write and record the song. Producer Fernando Perdomo (Forward Motion Records) gave “Hope” a Wilco/Beatles/ gospel feel. “Sigue Asi” has been waiting to be written for years. Songwriter Jose Luis Pagan met Manuel while visiting his native town of Salta, Argentina. The boy had little but his flute and his music, and that’s all he needed to be happy. Jose Luis never forgot little Manuel. Jose Luis called on Cynthia Nilson, lead singer with the great Argentinean rock band Los Sacados for an outstanding vocal interpretation of his song. In future months, the Hope Sings MMC will include more original songs, plus favorites from acclaimed artists such as Aterciopelados and Susana Baca, and hot-off-the-presses songs from up-and-coming artists, including alums and students from the prestigious Berklee College of Music. Hope Sings is the first company to go beyond run-of-the-mill charitable compilation albums and produce original songs inspired by and in support of a cause.“I want to put the power of story back into pop song,” says founder/CEO Beth Blatt. Click here for more details. ABOUT HOPE SINGS Hope Singstm is a for-benefit organization harnessing the power of song and story to help women around the world improve their lives by raising awareness of and funds for microfinance. After Latin America, Hope Sings goes around the world – to Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the US – everywhere microfinance is helping people, especially women, lift themselves out of poverty. Hope Sings focuses on female musical artists to tell these stories, since up to 85% of microloans go to women. It’s a win-win: women helping women, musical entrepreneurs helping emerging entrepreneurs, and supporters getting the gift of great new music. “Hope Sings is already receiving huge support from the Latin music community,” said Porfirio Pina, Senior Director of Latin Music at BMI, which is endorsing the organization. “It’s a way for artists to give back to their communities and to inspire their millions of fans online and around the world to do the same. When someone buys a Hope Sings™ song, they help eliminate poverty.” Beth Blatt, founder of Hope Sings, is a New York-based musical theatre writer with extensive international experience and a background that includes advertising, public relations, television production and performing. “A friend told me that, with a loan of $100 she made through Kiva, she was helping a woman in Central America start a business and begin to lift herself out of poverty. I thought, ‘Now that’s an inspiring story that would make an amazing song.’ And that’s how Hope Sings was born.” “Microfinance currently reaches more than 150 million people worldwide. However, 1.3 billion people still exist on less than $2 a day, so there is clearly a need for [more]. Hope Sings represents a new and creative way for people the world over to support this powerful poverty alleviation tool,” said Rupert Scofield, President and CEO of Hope Sings partner FINCA International. |
