COMPOSER/PHILANTHROPIST PETER BUFFETT AND INTERNATIONAL STAR AKON ANNOUNCE MUSICAL COLLABORATION AND LAUNCH SOCIAL ACTION PORTAL, IsThereSomethingICanDo.com
"This is a match made in heaven."
-Chris Blackwell, Island Records Founder
JUNE 11, 2008, NEW YORK CITY: Composer and philanthropist Peter Buffett and international star Akon announced today the beginning of their musical collaboration and the launch of a new social action and resource website, IsThereSomethingICanDo.com. Akon added vocals and remixed Buffett's song "Anything," from his 2007 album 'Staring At The Sun.' Starting today, the track is available for free download at their new website IsThereSomethingICanDo.com
The website, designed by Halo Media, LLC, hopes to answer the question "Is there something I can do?" posed within the song and will offer practical ways to get involved in affecting positive change. It will also serve as a forum for users to learn and share information about their experiences with giving back.
Buffett wrote "Anything," after visiting post-war Liberia and Sierra Leone. Akon, an avid supporter of aid organizations benefiting his home of Senegal, viewed the video Buffett created after his trip and was immediately inspired to contribute.
"This song serves as a global call to action. After my trip to West Africa I knew I had to express what I saw the best way I know how—through music—and to have Akon hear my call was an honor and a surprise to both of us," Buffett says.
Akon adds, "I didn't know who Peter was when we met, and he didn't know anything about me. That's the thing that makes our work together genuine: It's based simply on our desire to encourage people to do something."
The "Anything" remix is the first project in what will be an ongoing relationship for this unique pairing. Next up, Akon will begin work on the song "Can We Love" from Buffett's upcoming album 'Imaginary Kingdom' (out September 9th, BeSide Records) and together they are planning further artistic collaborations around this theme.
On February 14th at the Hammerstein Ballroom, V-Day kicked off its 10th anniversary event that will be held in New Orleans on April 11th and 12th.
http://v10.vday.org/
At the request of Eve Ensler, Peter Buffett sang "Can We Love?" especially "V-mixed" for the 10th anniversary.
He introduced the song by saying, "We are here because of the power of one woman's voice. But it's not just because Eve has the courage to speak for others, but because she gives others the courage to speak.
I hope that by the end of this song all the men in the room are singing along with me. If men's voices can be brought into this movement, we can begin to turn some of these monologues into dialogues.
I sing this song as the voice of a child who didn't understand the hatred in Selma that he saw on television and the voice of a man who doesn't understand the violence in the Congo that he reads about in the newspaper."
This free download is available to help spread the word.
LATEST RELEASE
STARING AT THE SUN > view album info
"Add introspective lyrics, strong melodies, and Buffett's masterful electronic skills, and one's left with a glamorous set, laid back, but bristling with creativity." ~ allmusic.com
"Buffett's layering of vocals on songs like "Broken Open" evokes Simon and Garfunkel as well as the Beatles, Beach Boys and Byrds." ~ onmilwaukee.com
"So I Say is a crisp, percolating cut from Staring At The Sun, the electronically savvy instrumental artist's second CD with vocals" ~ USA TODAY
JUNE 11, 2008, NEW YORK CITY: Composer and philanthropist Peter Buffett and international star Akon announced today the beginning of their musical collaboration and the launch of a new social action and resource website, 
