VOICES OF THE REVOLUTION - 2015

Voices of the Revolution returns with a bigger, broader and more ambitious line-up

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to create this unique collaborative project for the third year. Mobilising artists from sites of conflict and enabling those artists to tell their stories on a global platform is key to the work of In Place of War. This year we have such an incredible selection of artists spanning four countries and some unbelievable UK performers. We are expecting amazing things!”

Ruth Daniel, In Place of War CEO.

Thirty international musicians from Zimbabwe, DR Congo, Venezuela and Brazil performed at Shambala Festival and Festival No. 6 as part of In Place of War’s Voices of The Revolution Project. From dancehall to dubstep, hip-hop to mbria, afrobeat to Latin sounds. 

Our world is made up of more than one voice. These are the Voices of the Revolution. In August and September 2015, In Place of War presented the third instalment of its flagship music project Voices of the Revolution, a unique collaboration project between international artists from places of conflict and UK artists.

Featured artists included:

Rico Dalasam from Taboão da Serra, City in São Paulo – Brazil’s first openly gay black rapper; Dhadza D – Zimbabwe’s biggest dancehall artist; Arena and Ellem MC – two female MC’s from the neighborhoods of Caracas, Venezuela; Bituaya an Afro-Venezuelan music experience that fuses Caribbean and digital sounds, rural and urban, with controversial lyrics; and The Monkey Nuts – a ground-breaking new hip-hop act from Zimbabwe.

The acts created new collaborations with Sam Lee and friends and Jon McClure of Reverend and The Makers, and many more UK artists. For UK artist Rodney P, this collaborative process is key to his passion for music:

“Part of the reason why I am still here as an artist after 25 years is for my love of collaboration, getting different people, from different places in one room – magic can happen. That’s the reason why I love being part of the music industry”

As these artists performed throughout the UK, their journeys and experiences were documented through social media, performance and video. Artists recorded their works throughout the project, culminating in the release of an album available for digital download.

The result: a project that connected across the globe, bridging the physical and digital divide to bring people together. A shared voice, a shared message.