On 15th May 2021 Coventry officially stepped into its year as UK City of Culture. To mark the launch, Coventry City of Culture Trust commissioned a music track which serves as a 2021 homage to George Eliot.
Eliot who’s considered one of the greatest UK authors of all time, and famously used a pseudonym to disguise her gender, lived in the city in the mid 1800s, yet her words feel as fresh and resonant today as ever.
The track produced by Coolie – who is at the helm of Coventry’s drill fame having produced Top 20 hits for both Jay 1 and BBC Sound of 2021 Pa Salieu – features spoken word samples of Eliot’s quotes from a host of talented voices, known for their services to the arts and Coventry itself.
Jay 1, Alice Lowe , Carla Mendoca, Clint Mansell, Debbie Isitt, Emma Fryer, Hazel O’Connor, Helen Masters, Icey Stanley, Lee Child, Lisa Dillon, Lord Mayor, Manjinder Virk, Navin Kundra,
Nitin Ganatra, Paul Morrell, Pauline Black, Samson, Stella Graham, Vince Hill
The track first served as the score for a film which launched at 20:21 on Saturday 15th and gained headlines across the BBC and national press, but now the track is available in its full length to download in support of the Positive Youth Foundation; a charity and social enterprise supporting young people in Coventry to make positive life choices and reach their potential.
The Changing Trax strand at PYF supports young people through creative programme offers
Rashid Bhayat from PYF : “ We are incredibly grateful to the Trust for partnering with us this year & to Coolie & all the artists who have generously offered 100% of the royalties to the charity. This invaluable support comes at such an important time for the City and it’s great that we will be able to offer more support to the Youth of the future”.
Coolie said “ it was such an innovative and inspiring idea to take Eliot’s words which are so relevant today and give them a contemporary twist.
Making this single for our city was special, and will stay close to my heart. I wanted to find a way to use it to give everything back to the next generation of Coventry, after all the future is theirs, if I can help build a better one for them then my job is done as a proud Coventrian artist. That is why all proceeds will be going to the Positive Youth Foundation in Coventry. Peace, Love and Blessings as always”
Uncommon Creative Studio’s Charlie Gatsky Sinclair said, “It was so inspiring working with Coolie – such a talent at the heart of the UK Music scene and with so much passion and pride for his City. The breadth of participating talent was incredible. It’s great that the track is so authentic and captures the essence and spirit of the City whilst supporting such a wonderful cause.”
Download NOW for just 99p! Listen on the go, listen in the gym, listen anywhere.
Support us and Support Coventry – your City of Culture 2021.
