American singer-songwriter Adrianne Lenker has released a solo EP with all proceeds going towards the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.
Released on Monday night on Bandcamp, I Wont Let Go of Your Hand is a precursor to the release of her album Bright Future this month.
“Everything I think to say feels like it is less than a micro-fraction of the power that is needed to convey the message. I can’t express how sad and angry I am about this ongoing violence towards Palestinians,” Lenker said on Instagram.
“The killing must stop. The need for a ceasefire is beyond urgent. Permanent Ceasefire Now! Today I’m releasing a new collection of songs I cherish, which were recorded in the moments they were written.
“You can purchase this record on Bandcamp, and 100% of the proceeds will go towards the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.”
Lenker is the lead singer of Grammy Award-nominated group Big Thief.
In 2022, the band suffered a backlash from Palestinian rights activists after they announced plans to perform two concerts in Israel.
After initially defending their decision to play in Tel Aviv, Big Thief cancelled the gigs citing the continuing Israeli occupation of Palestine.
"To be clear, we oppose the illegal occupation and systematic oppression of the Palestinian people," read the band's statement at the time. "We believe in total freedom and self-determination for all Palestinians."
Numerous artists and film actors, including Billie Eilish and Mark Ruffalo, expressed support for a permanent Gaza ceasefire on the Academy Awards red carpet this week.
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Several celebrities donned the red Artists4Ceasefire pin during the 96th annual Academy Awards ceremony. EPA -
Mark Ruffalo, a star of Poor Things, wears the pin at the Oscars on Sunday. AP -
Origin director Ava DuVernay and producer Paul Garnes show their support for Gaza. AFP -
Ava DuVernay attending the Governors Ball after the Oscars. AP -
The pin calls for de-escalation and ceasefire in Gaza. AFP -
Ramy Youssef, also from Poor Things, wore the pin on Sunday. AFP -
The Artists4peace initiative has written an open letter to the Biden administration and other world leaders. EPA -
British rapper and actor Riz Ahmed. AP -
French actor Milo Machado-Graner wore a Palestinian flag pin during the ceremony. AFP -
Machado-Graner and Swann Arlaud, from Anatomy of a Fall, show support for the cause. AFP -
American filmmaker and actor Eugene Lee Yang wears the red pin. EPA -
Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell, also a singer-songwriter. AFP -
Nadim Cheikhrouha, a producer on Four Daughters, supports the cause. EPA -
Filmmaker Shruti Ganguly, right, and a guest pose on the red carpet during the 96th Academy Awards. Reuters -
Besides wearing the red pin, Ganguly also had the words 'Cease Fire' written on her arm as she arrived for the 96th annual Academy Awards ceremony. EPA
Lenker's EP is part of a growing number of music projects released in support of Palestine.
In November, New York online music magazine Gunk released For Palestine, featuring 53 unreleased songs and demos from indie artists including Frankie Cosmos, Mutual Benefit and Told Slant.
In January, UK rapper Stormzy and US singer Daniel Caesar performed at a benefit concert in New Jersey with proceeds going to help those displaced by the war in Gaza and Sudan.
In October, 25 artists from the Middle East and North Africa banded together for the song Rajieen.
Released by US record label Empire and translated to "returning", the Arabic song details Palestine's struggle for independence.
“But the key to my home remains in my heart / And I’m returning with my children in my arms”, reads the chorus. “Even if the whole world stands against me / I am returning, O my country, I am returning.”
