BENGALURU: With an aim to help the people affected by the ongoing lockdown, The Bangalore Collective, a 37-member group comprising musicians, DJs and event management professionals has come together to raise funds through online music. Started in association with Sunday Soul Santhe, a city-based flea market and performance platform, the collective has released a cover of Michael Jackson’s Heal the World. It will be followed by a Hindi version, which has been penned by disc jockey Sasha Sammb, on April 30. All the proceeds will go towards the Feed The Needy Campaign of the National Restaurant Association of India, and The Smally’s Foundation.
Conceptualised by Neeraj Kapoor, a city-based entrepreneur, and curated by him and DJs Yon and Thirtha Patil, the initiative aims to connect and create awareness among the audience online through their social media handles.
“We connected with artistes from across the city to come on board, since we had limited resources in terms of recording and no professional equipment. It’s a collective effort,” says Patil, adding that each musician’s part was recorded separately, and later compiled and produced by singer-songwriter and guitarist Brian C Bangera at his home studio.
Patil emphasises that while they incorporated a few Indian classical elements in the songs, the reason behind releasing two versions is to attract listeners across various segments. “This initiative is not just to feed the needy but also to help a lot of people from the entertainment fraternity who have been forgotten. From people behind a stage setup to the stewards and kitchen staff, all of them have been affected as well. Freelancers in the industry can’t survive if the current situation continues for long,” says Patil, adding that they plan to provide ration kits through the help of the non-profit organisation, Shah Foundation.