August 19th, 2008
Inspiring Women: Annie Lennox
“Sing my sister sing
Let your voice be heard
What won’t kill you will make you stronger
Sing my sister sing*”
For years, Annie Lennox has rocked the masses with her strong, sultry, soulful voice and unique style. From the days when she was one half of the hugely successful Eurythmics to her award-winning solo work, the Scottish songbird has made an indelible impression on the music industry as we know it. Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)… There Must Be an Angel… It’s Alright (Baby’s Coming Back)… Thorn in my Side…Walking on Broken Glass… Little Bird… No More I Love You’s…Waiting in Vain…oh, the list is endless. And now, with an impressive collection of awards under her belt (some of which include Brit Awards, Grammies, Ivor Novello Awards, a Golden Globe and an Oscar), this singer / songwriter is not only continuing to create brilliant albums, but she’s also turning her attention to humanitarian projects.
One of the biggest and most serious issues plaguing the world is the HIV Aids epidemic. Right now, over 33 million people are living with HIV! Half of those are women and Sub-Saharan Africa is the worst affected. Last year, an estimated 370 000 children under the age of 15 became infected with HIV. Those are pretty shocking stats! Aids awareness, access to antiretrovirals (ARVs), the right to basic health care, mother to child infections etc. are issues that desperately need to be addressed - and Annie Lennox is one of the angels who has risen to the challenge. In October last year, Annie Lennox released ‘Songs of Mass Destruction’ which included the track ‘Sing’ – a collaboration with 23 well-known female artists. The list is pretty impressive and includes Madonna, Celine Dion, Pink, Dido, Sugababes, Joss Stone, Melissa Etheridge, Angelique Kidjo, Gladys Knight and Sarah McLachlan, to name a few. ‘Sing’ was released in a bid to raise money for the fight against Aids and begins with this message: “This is a call for the national implementation of the ‘Mother to Child Transmission Prevention Programme’ in all maternity hospitals across South Africa.”
She simultaneously launched a campaign by the same name to help South African women and children living with HIV. Lennox is an Oxfam ambassador, as well as a 46664 ambassador for Nelson Mandela’s HIV Aids Foundation and she passionately supports South Africa’s Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) – an organisation committed to campaigning for the rights of people living HIV Aids. Speaking at an international Aids conference held in Mexico City earlier this month, Lennox urged fellow artists, musicians, filmmakers and women to continue the fight against the epidemic and not to become complacent about the issue.
This brilliant songstress uses her ‘fame’ as a vehicle to contribute towards an issue that so desperately needs attention, actively getting involved in the fight against HIV Aids at a grass roots level. In my books, Annie Lennox is a truly inspirational woman.
If you’d like to read more on Annie Lennox’s ‘Sing’ campaign, why not visit the official website?…
* Lyrics from ‘Sing’ by Annie Lennox, off the album ‘Songs of Mass Destruction’
