Our Song
Tambah Project (Nidala Barker, Kyle Lionhart & Billy Otto)
A community-driven song that you stream for a greener planet, with all royalties going to Wild Ark
Why we wrote this song
Em and I were walking down the beach in Nov 2019 just as the devastating bushfires had ravaged the country. Sensing the despair across the country, we were moved into action wanting to leverage the work that we do with musicians and psychology, to tell a story of hope and regeneration that could cut through the climate distress and chaos. Not denying the destruction and distress that is real, but reminding people that there is still much beauty worth protecting and hope for change.
We care deeply about the environment and we care deeply about all of the living things that inhabit it. The ecological destruction is causing deep levels of climate anxiety in humans, and it is not helped by a pervasive narrative that the end of the world is nigh and it is all our fault.
There is a different story, one that recognises where we are but says that we are at an inflexion point where we can change things, and this is exciting. The possibility of regeneration is real . There is a more beautiful world that our hearts know is possible (Eisenstein).
We believe that we are far more likely to look after our beautiful world when we are experiencing love and hope, rather than sitting in fear and overwhelm. Moreover it is the responsibility of the arts to be using its inherent emotional power to generate a feeling of positivity and inspiration amongst people.
We hope that ‘our Song’ is the first of many. We dream of a catalogue of songs that are telling inspiring stories, regenerating our souls as well as regenerating the planet.
Credits:
The project was conceived and delivered by LUSTRE and Wye in The Sky Records. LUSTRE (Record Label) provided the label platform to release the song.Flux Films created the documentary. No Hands Design created the website. Josephine Cubis took the photos. Paul Pilsnenks recorded and engineered the track. Paul Blakey mastered the track. Hadley Perkins did the artwork.
They all volunteered their time because they believed in the project.
About us as artists
The Tambah Project was founded by Ed Foster and Emily Toner, a musician and a music exec, wanting to use the power of music to connect, move and inspire positive change whilst rewilding the planet.
Ed has worked in the music industry for 10 years, in London and Australia, in the big corporate world, for little indies and now with his own company, LUSTRE. He believes in the intangible value of music and is driven by a passion to see musicians succeed and create important cultural work that impacts the world.
Em Toner is a clinical psychologist, musician and label owner working in the field of eco-psychology. She combines her skills as a clinical practitioner and incredible songwriter to create change and improve peoples’ lives.
Ed & Em combined to create the Tambah Project and bring together Kyle Lionhart, Billy Otto and NIDALA, three profound Australian musicians, to write and record a song that could spread a message of hope, regeneration and community.
Kyle is a well known and much loved artist and songwriter, Billy Otto is a passionate artist and activist, and NIDALA is an incredible songwriter and activist, born of the Aboriginal Djugun people of the Kimberley and bringing critical feminine energy and indigenous perspective to the process.
Together they created the Tambah Project!
About the music video
The environmental organisations we admire or support
Wild Ark. UNEP. National Geographic. Rainforest Alliance. Surf Rider Foundation. School Strike For Climate Action. Climate Council. Patagonia. Sea Bin. Damon Gameau. Dumbo Feather. Green Music Australia. Resurgence. Fridays for Future. Plastic Free Mermaid.
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