More than 50 Canadian artists — including Alessia Cara, Haviah Mighty, TOBi, Fefe Dobson, Sarah McLachlan, Shawn Desman and Jully Black — have come together to form the Artists for Feel Out Loud collective, performing a "We Are the World"-esque rendition of Serena Ryder's "What I Wouldn't Do" from her 2012 album Harmony.
Roy Woods, Boslen, Jon Vinyl, GRAE, Sahara, Adria Kain, Babygirl, LOKRE, Shawnee Kish, Billy Raffoul, Jessia, JP Saxe, Naya Ali, the Reklaws, Wild Rivers, LOONY, RALPH, TALK, Donovan Woods, Tyler Shaw, Dominique Fils-Aimé and more also lent their talents to the charity single.
"What I Wouldn't Do (North Star Calling)" weaves the compassion-forward lyricism of Ryder's hit with the bridge from Leela Gilday's JUNO Award-winning "North Star Calling." The collaborative track serves as the anthem for Kids Help Phone's new Feel Out Loud initiative — the largest youth mental health movement in Canadian history, with a fundraising campaign that aims to raise $300 million to support increased access to their services.
Since its founding in 1989, the organization has been Canada's only 24/7 e-mental health service, providing free, confidential and multilingual support to youth over the phone or via text. Reaching their fundraising goal would allow Kids Help Phone to expand clinical service across Canada, close the mental health equity gap with e-mental health solutions and evolve the virtual care system through data, research, partnership and advocacy.
Ryder remarked in a press release:
"What I Wouldn't Do" is a song about love, and I think learning to love ourselves is our most important journey in life. It's an honour to reimagine the song with Leela Gilday, Bob Ezrin and all of the amazing musicians across Canada. I want to let young people know that it's okay to not be okay, and there are caring, supportive people who are there for them, no judgment, no issue too big or too small. I hope as you listen to this song, you will be reminded we all have of our own struggles and needs, but help is available, Kids Help Phone is there.
Gilday added:
I am so excited about the possibility the Feel Out Loud anthem has — to uplift, and to heal, and to hopefully help raise much needed dollars to spread Kids Help Phone's work into remote areas and save more lives. Our suicide rates in the North and in our Indigenous communities are devastatingly high, and it's my hope that by amplifying the conversation around youth mental health, it will empower the youth in our communities to reach out in their time of need. It was extremely special to have our northern kids take part in this project, and they are going to be so proud to see and hear themselves on the track and in the video.
"The mental health and wellness of our Canadian youth is our top priority, and it is inspiring to see more than 50 young Canadian artists come together and lend their voices to Kids Help Phone's Feel Out Loud campaign," said Loft Entertainment's Randy Lennox, executive producer of Artists for Feel Out Loud. "They say it takes a village and, in this case, the entire music community has come together to embrace this critical issue."
Katherine Hay, Kids Help Phone CEO and president, concluded: "We are truly moved by the overwhelming support from the music community — all coming together for youth mental health. Thank you for creating this masterpiece, reminding young people they're not alone, and that Kids Help Phone is here, 24/7 for any and all feelings."
Watch the video for "What I Wouldn't Do (North Star Calling)" below.
Roy Woods, Boslen, Jon Vinyl, GRAE, Sahara, Adria Kain, Babygirl, LOKRE, Shawnee Kish, Billy Raffoul, Jessia, JP Saxe, Naya Ali, the Reklaws, Wild Rivers, LOONY, RALPH, TALK, Donovan Woods, Tyler Shaw, Dominique Fils-Aimé and more also lent their talents to the charity single.
"What I Wouldn't Do (North Star Calling)" weaves the compassion-forward lyricism of Ryder's hit with the bridge from Leela Gilday's JUNO Award-winning "North Star Calling." The collaborative track serves as the anthem for Kids Help Phone's new Feel Out Loud initiative — the largest youth mental health movement in Canadian history, with a fundraising campaign that aims to raise $300 million to support increased access to their services.
Since its founding in 1989, the organization has been Canada's only 24/7 e-mental health service, providing free, confidential and multilingual support to youth over the phone or via text. Reaching their fundraising goal would allow Kids Help Phone to expand clinical service across Canada, close the mental health equity gap with e-mental health solutions and evolve the virtual care system through data, research, partnership and advocacy.
Ryder remarked in a press release:
"What I Wouldn't Do" is a song about love, and I think learning to love ourselves is our most important journey in life. It's an honour to reimagine the song with Leela Gilday, Bob Ezrin and all of the amazing musicians across Canada. I want to let young people know that it's okay to not be okay, and there are caring, supportive people who are there for them, no judgment, no issue too big or too small. I hope as you listen to this song, you will be reminded we all have of our own struggles and needs, but help is available, Kids Help Phone is there.
Gilday added:
I am so excited about the possibility the Feel Out Loud anthem has — to uplift, and to heal, and to hopefully help raise much needed dollars to spread Kids Help Phone's work into remote areas and save more lives. Our suicide rates in the North and in our Indigenous communities are devastatingly high, and it's my hope that by amplifying the conversation around youth mental health, it will empower the youth in our communities to reach out in their time of need. It was extremely special to have our northern kids take part in this project, and they are going to be so proud to see and hear themselves on the track and in the video.
"The mental health and wellness of our Canadian youth is our top priority, and it is inspiring to see more than 50 young Canadian artists come together and lend their voices to Kids Help Phone's Feel Out Loud campaign," said Loft Entertainment's Randy Lennox, executive producer of Artists for Feel Out Loud. "They say it takes a village and, in this case, the entire music community has come together to embrace this critical issue."
Katherine Hay, Kids Help Phone CEO and president, concluded: "We are truly moved by the overwhelming support from the music community — all coming together for youth mental health. Thank you for creating this masterpiece, reminding young people they're not alone, and that Kids Help Phone is here, 24/7 for any and all feelings."
Watch the video for "What I Wouldn't Do (North Star Calling)" below.
