USA: Singer-songwriter Brett Dennen talks about recording duets with Jason Mraz and Natalie Merchant

Record ID: 1538247

  • Title: USA: Singer-songwriter Brett Dennen talks about recording duets with Jason Mraz and Natalie Merchant
  • Date: 9th September 2009
  • Summary: STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF BRETT DENNEN AND NATALIE MERCHANT
  • Embargoed: 24th September 2009 09:18
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Music
  • Reuters ID: LVA3JFO3PAZOO345Y62DED4WZVQI
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: The first thing that strikes you about singer-songwriter Brett Dennen, is that he appears to have wisdom way beyond his 29 years.
    "People come and they want to hear a message and we as artists are messengers for the world, I think. It's our job to write about what we see and the changes we want to bring and I feel like our responsibility with knowledge and power comes responsibility and so I think we've got to put a positive message out there with the music but also support good causes and use our celebrity or our personality to raise awareness."
    The striking red-head has just been jamming in studio with fellow musician Jason Mraz, recording the song 'Long Road to Forgiveness' for Survival International charity album 'Songs for Survival'.
    The charitable organisation acts as a voice for tribal people around the world, and advocates education and land rights.
    "It's great. I love working with Brett and we love to bring attention to certainly to Survival International, yet again," Mraz says.
    "We're really hoping, I mean wouldn't it be amazing if what we do here today brings even more attention to the organisation and raises more money and awareness for the tribes all over the world. I mean that was the original intention of the song. If we can continue that, it would be wonderful," Dennen says.
    For Dennen and Mraz, it's a stellar combination. Dennen's most recent album 'Hope for the Hopeless' debuted as the Number 4 Independent Album, the Number 6 Digital Album and at 41 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart. In 2008, Rolling Stone named him as 'an artist to watch.' Mraz, meanwhile, recently made history with his song 'I'm Yours' spending 71 weeks on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart.
    "For me, as a musician I feel I've been given some really great gifts and that is with music. And with music I'm given this opportunity to connect with hundreds of thousands of people and so it's my duty now to give my gifts back, or all of my gifts back and that's give my music back and really keep people coming together," Mraz says.
    It's not the only duet Dennen has recently recorded. This summer, the singer-songwriter joined rocker Natalie Merchant, former singer with band 10,000 Maniacs, re-recording Dennen's song 'Heaven'.
    "It was such a trip because she has such a recognisable voice and for me I've scoured YouTube and seen people singing my songs but never you know someone who was like, someone I used to idolise. So when she started singing the words that I wrote, it was kind of a trip," he says.
    The song is now available at AOL Music and iTunes, and will hit radio stations on September 14.
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