The Atlanta Falcons are no longer the only ones shouting “Rise Up!” in the Georgia Dome. Before a crowd of over 43,000 college students at Passion 2012, held Jan. 2-5, Matt Redman recorded the music video to his new single “27 Million.”
The song tells the gripping true story of an Eastern European girl, trafficked into the London sex trade. He wrote “27 Million” in an effort to bring global awareness to the issue of human trafficking. The song title reflects the estimated 27 million individuals trapped in modern slavery. Redman will release the mainstream single worldwide on February 27, with the accompanying music video recorded live at Passion. (Here’s an amateur video of the performance.)
The powerful lyrics and catchy chorus caught on immediately among the young crowd. “We’ve got to rise up, open our eyes up! / Be her voice, be her freedom, come on stand up!” The crowd not only stood, but jumped up and down as they sang this freedom song.
The song opens with the voice of Christine Cain, founder of the A21 slavery prevention organization: “It astounds me, that not only does human trafficking exist on the earth today, there are actually more slaves than there ever have been in the history of humanity. It’s almost incomprehensible.”
Cain’s quote inspired Redman and wife Beth to write this anthem for abolition. They asked British hip-hop singers Lindz and Lucy West to join them in recording the song. Lindz adds an urban flavor with his rap interludes. “Not someone’s commodity / a precious being like you and me / a daughter a sister, a somebody . . . / No voice, she’s a slave to the night.”
The release of their single coincides with their February “27 Million” tour around the UK to support Cain’s A21 campaign.
2/27 UPDATE: And here’s the official video.
