Climate change takes center stage in SEA’s music scene
THROUGH the years, the diverse musical traditions of Southeast Asia (SEA) have served as a universal language, fostering cultural exchange and knowledge. Today, this musical legacy is taking on a new purpose. Musicians around the world are lending their voices to move people to action around the climate crisis.
One initiative is the Music Declares Emergency, a movement urging the music industry to act on climate change. Supported by artists such as Grammy-award winning singer Billie Eilish, who highlighted her environmental advocacy during one of her “Happier Than Ever, The World Tour” concert legs in the Philippines in 2022 by strategically minimizing the environmental impact of her tour.
Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour, powered by renewable energy and initiatives to reduce carbon footprint, is also expected to go live in the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand this 2024.
From Thailand’s pioneering Wonderfruit Festival to Malaysia’s Rainforest World Music Festival, the Philippines is also echoing its commitment to conservation. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources of the Philippines’ “Kantalikasan” album celebrates winning environmental songs while Lio Beach Fest in Palawan celebrates environmental awareness, harmonizing vibrant performances and conservation efforts.
Driven by a shared concern for the climate crisis, 13 leading Indonesian musicians recently came together to form the Indonesian Knowledge, Climate, Arts and Music Lab. Their collaboration has resulted in the “Sonic/Panic” compilation album, released under Alarm Records, Indonesia’s first environmentally conscious record label. The album’s diverse genres unite under a common cause: the urgent call for climate action.