London– As the world celebrates Earth Day on Tuesday, more than 30 acclaimed artists from around the globe, including Indian singer-songwriter Armaan Malik, have released new music infused with the sounds of nature. Malik’s contribution, What In The World, is a heartfelt call to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the environment.
The tracks blend natural sounds — from birdsong and crashing waves to glaciers, moths, antelopes, and rainforest wildlife — creating a unique musical collection launched under Sounds Right, a groundbreaking initiative that makes history by crediting ‘Nature’ as an official artist on streaming platforms.
The lineup features a stellar mix of Grammy winners and rising stars across multiple genres, including French composer Yann Tiersen, Steve Angello of Swedish House Mafia, Seattle indie-rocker SYML, Indian-American singer-songwriter Raveena, and many others. Representing countries such as India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Colombia, Russia, Hong Kong, Denmark, and Argentina, the artists span diverse musical styles from pop to electronic to indie rock.
Reflecting on his contribution, Malik said, “Nature is speaking — we just have to listen. ‘What In The World’ is a call to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the world around us. That’s why the Sounds Right initiative is so important. Music has the power to inspire change, and together, we can make a difference.”
Describing the track’s evolution, he added, “‘What In The World’ starts as a gentle reflection and builds into a powerful pop-rock anthem, echoing the growing urgency of its message. It’s about waking up to the chaos around us, questioning our impact on each other, our environment, and the planet — while holding onto hope that change is still possible.”
Raveena, another featured artist, offers Morning Prayer (feat. Nature), a meditative track that weaves together elements of nature, healing, and ancestral memory. Known for her ethereal vocals and genre-blending style, Raveena draws from her Sikh Punjabi roots and deep spiritual connection with the Earth.
Sharing the story behind the track, Raveena said, “Jenn and I wrote ‘Morning Prayer’ during a magical moment in nature. We were deep in the forest, and I was meditating in the rain for 30 minutes. At the peak of my meditation, the light was pouring through the raindrops. Jenn recorded the rainfall and later sent me an instrumental made from those sounds. I was so inspired that I wrote the song on the spot, capturing that memory. It felt like the perfect song for Nature’s Earth Day series.”
Other artists echoed the importance of the project. Yann Tiersen remarked, “I’m grateful to be part of the Sounds Right campaign. We live in a time when the human narrative has been placed at the center of everything. It’s time to rewrite that story. The Earth isn’t just a backdrop for our ambitions — it’s a living, breathing force we are entangled with.”
SYML, who incorporated sounds from Washington State’s Olympic mountain range and Puget Sound region, added, “The mountains and waterways shaped my upbringing, and now I’m raising my own children amid the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Wherever we are, it’s up to all of us to take care of what came before and leave it better.”
All tracks are available on the “NATURE’s Collaborations” playlist on Spotify.
Gabriel Smales, Global Programme Director for Sounds Right at UN Live, emphasized the initiative’s impact: “We asked a question — what if nature could speak and be credited through music? A year later, the answer is clear. Millions are listening, and real funding is being directed to communities protecting the planet’s most vital ecosystems.”
“By collaborating with Nature, artists worldwide are reminding us that music can do more than move us emotionally — it can empower us to protect what matters most. If music can make nature a collaborator, imagine what could happen if other industries followed suit.”
Led by the Museum for the United Nations — UN Live, Sounds Right is a collaborative effort between global artists, nature sound libraries, producers, creatives, and environmental organizations. Partners include EarthPercent, AKQA, and the Hempel Foundation, all working to put music at the heart of a global conversation on nature conservation and restoration. (Source: IANS)
