Opinionated music with a mission
Even more than his name, the musical compositions that Stephen Emmer (59) made for broadcasting organisations and television stations such as NOS and RTL ring a bell with many. After years of commissioned work, he wants to make a social contribution with his new album 'Home Ground'.
Stephen: “Right now, millions of children are fleeing war and violence. What is their home in this turbulent world? With Home Ground, I want to inform people about global issues. And strike a chord. Everyone has a right to a Home Ground.”
Stephen himself moved frequently during his youth. “I went to nine different schools and lived in India, Aruba, and Suriname, among other places. That certainly shaped my worldview. My Home Ground is where my mission is taking me.” His current mission? To support the work of War Child.
Soothing with a message
“Home Ground is a project that stemmed from personal inspiration. Often, protest music is merely a channel to convey a lyrical message, campfire songs with a certain anger. However, I believe that socially engaged music can also be more layered, adventurous, and complex, but above all, more ‘soothing’ than angry. I believe that the message hits much harder then.”
Choice for War Child
The idea to support children in conflict zones with the album soon emerged. Children who often no longer have a real ‘home’. For Stephen, War Child was the perfect choice to collaborate with. “Based on the lyrics on the Home Ground album and the fact that the initiative is focused on music, I immediately thought of War Child. And, just like War Child, I am a relatively small player operating on an international level.”
Crate digging for purity
“Unfortunately, I can’t sing at all myself, so I had to look for vocalists. For Home Ground, I wanted not only good singers, but also musicians with integrity.” Stephen’s search for pure vocalists began on Google. “I started searching using the keywords: soul singer, socially conscious, and poetry. Basically a kind of crate digging in 2017. Looking for artists who believe in the mission, and who have escaped the commercial onslaught of the music industry.”
Snowball effect
Stephen has previously collaborated with big names in the industry. For instance, during the production of his previous CD, he received a remarkable email from America: ‘My client thinks you are on a special track.’ “I asked who that client was. It turned out to be the legendary producer Tony Visconti. I replied with Dutch pragmatism: ‘Thank you! But I can’t afford that!’ But it turned out Visconti had long since stopped being in this business because of the money. He wanted to do it for free; that is how special he found the project.” Big names also collaborated on the album Home Ground, such as Chaka Khan, Patti Austin, and Andy Bey. “It really is a boyhood dream come true.”
Word as Weapon
The album features poetic, socially engaged lyrics, delivered in a soothing way. Stephen: “I think people nowadays have developed a huge callus for humanitarian disasters, especially when they occur far away. The lyrics on Home Ground are moving and poignant.”
Making of
The making of took over a year in total. “It was a huge logistical operation, involving artists from all over the world.” Hundreds of letters, emails, and phone calls later, an album is ready that truly stands out. Home Ground was released on June 9 (2017).
Prior to this, an album trailer was launched featuring authentic footage from War Child, filmed in the countries where we work. Limited edition T-shirts are being sold featuring drawings by children who participated in War Child projects, and an international fundraising campaign has been launched in collaboration with Pledge Music.
Supporting children under war
Stephen: “The goal is to generate awareness for the amazing work of War Child. Additionally, a portion of the proceeds from both the digital and physical album is being donated to War Child. “In this way, Home Ground supports War Child in helping 'our' children.”
[War Child - Interview]