17 July 2015 (released)
17 July 2015
The Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars (SLRAS) are in London to support the amazing Red Cross Long Road Project - designed to further educate people and change public opinion to the terrible plight refugees face around the world and the choices they have to make.
The Long Road project is a ground-breaking concept album called The Long Road, which will be released later this year and features top musicians working with refugees and asylum seekers who have been helped by the Red Cross, to communicate their life stories through music.
It will be produced by Brit Award winner Ethan Johns, and will see artists including spoken word poet Scroobius Pip, singer-songwriter Kindness and the Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars pair up with a person who has been forced to flee their home and seek safety in the UK and will help tell their story through the lyrics and music they will produce for the record. More artists TBA.
SLRAS are uniquely placed to contribute their own story to the project: The Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars plan to tell their own story in the lyrics they will write for their song which will feature on the album.
The SLRAS story briefly:
Forced to leave Sierra Leone in the 1990s after violent rebel attacks and resettle in Guinea.
They met in a refugee camp and formed a band to entertain their fellow refugee’s.
A film was made about their experience, where they were filmed performing to refugees at refugee camps in Guinea.
They then returned to Sierra Leone after the war and formed a touring band and have performed on some of the world’s most prestigious stages (Opened for Aerosmith, performed on New York’s Central Park Summer Stage, Japan’s Fuji Rock Festival and the revered Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival) and matured into one of Africa’s top touring and recording bands.
They also now play an important diplomatic role as spokespersons and for the ever-increasing millions of refugees worldwide.
Music-News.com caught up with The SLRAS to find out more. Check out the exclusive interview above.
@BritishRedCross
