With her new song "Save the Day", Mariah Carey breaks out the whisper register to tell us to vote and take action. Featuring Lauryn Hill, "Save the Day" is the first single off the legendary diva's new two-disc compilation album, The Rarities, available now. The song sends a clear message: "We're all in this together", and "it's up to us".
"Save the Day's" new animated video, released October 22, beautifully rhapsodizes on the song's theme of citizenship - more important than ever in a tumultuous era marked by a global pandemic, political and social uprisings, and a looming presidential election.
Carey partnered with PushBlack, the non-profit media organization that delivers inspiring Black stories, to honor individuals during this transformative moment in the video. Carey is joined by Kerry Washington, PushBlack's Julian Black, and the agency Maestra's De'Ara Balenger and Zara Rahim as executive producers. As the animated video goes on, portraits of influential people and essential workers alike come to life.
Specifically, the video pays tribute to Breonna Taylor, Congressman John Lewis, trans activist and writer Raquel Willis, Sojourner Truth, Fredrick Douglass, and essential workers on the frontlines of the pandemic, with gorgeous portraits drawn by artist Molly Crabapple (she also illustrated an Emmy award-nominated video about AOC).
Carey already released one powerful video for "Save the Day", which she performed at the opening ceremony for the U.S. Open. But this version brings the song's themes to life in a way that feels visceral - which, of course, is the point. Carey hopes the song inspires people to do their part right now, whether it's phone banking or making a voting plan.
"Our country is at a critical moment in history, and I felt compelled to do what I could using my platform of music to encourage us all to take action," Carey said in a statement. "My hope is that the Save The Day video will serve as an inspiring message and spark meaningful dialogue and action across the country, for each of us to do our part to save the day. The lyrics of this song are all about doing your part to make a difference and highlighting the impact that each of us can make. Whether you're an essential worker, a protestor, a student, a young parent making it work, or a first-time voter, we each have a duty to support our communities."
Following Carey's, the first portrait in the video is one of Breonna Taylor. At the age of 26, Taylor was wrongfully killed by police officers in her home in the middle of the night. Her tragic death, alongside others recently lost to police violence, galvanized people around the world to protest racial injustice this summer.
"Breonna's life was tragically and wrongfully taken from her, but her death cannot be in vain," said Tamika Palmer, the mother of Breonna Taylor, said in press announcement about the video. "There is so much at stake and we all must do our part. Having my beautiful daughter featured in the video is a testament to our people coming together in the face of tremendous adversity."
The song tells us to "Save the Day", but doing so will require the work of many days.
(The Oprah Magazine)
|
|
