Manama: A passion-filled song that calls for world peace and global solidarity in the face of wars and disasters will be launched from Bahrain by a new record company owned by the king's son, Shaikh Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
The single track, called He Who Makes the Sky Gray, is also written by Shaikh Abdullah, who is also Governor of Bahrain's southern region. The song's worldwide premier will take place "very very soon," featuring American pop star Germaine Jackson as lead singer along with a number of international, Shaikh Abdullah told a press conference yesterday.
"The proceeds will go to relief efforts in different parts of the world to help victims of wars and natural disasters," he added.
"It is a song created in Bahrain … to show the world that this region is not about wars and conflicts. This is a powerful worldwide peace initiative coming out for the first time from the Middle East to show solidarity with war-torn, disaster-hit and famine-stricken nations and," Shaikh Abdullah said.
"It is a project that also intends to bridge the gap between East and West."
The idea was born long before the tsunami disaster that hit a number of Asian countries, he said. But since the tragic events of Asia, the company became very keen to finish production as soon as possible. "We hope it will gather a substantial amount of funds which will go NGOs and grass-root groups involved in relief efforts. This is a non-profit project," said Shaikh Abdullah.
The initiative is supported by His Majesty King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa, who met the project team earlier this week. The song was composed by Bahraini Ahmad Al Harmi and the sound is currently being mixed in the United States by "the best in the industry," according to Jackson, who described Shaikh Abdullah's lyrics as "incredible."
The song is the production debut of Bahrain-based Two Seas Records, set up recently by Shaikh Abdullah and Jackson.
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Jackson to build a mosque in Bahrain (Agencies)
24 November 2005
MANAMA — World's top pop singer Michael Jackson, who recently settled down in Manama has donated a huge amount of money, the figure was not disclosed, for building a state-of-the-art mosque near his luxury palace in the Bahraini capital, according to his spokesman. The proposed mosque would be designated for learning the principles and teachings of Islam, as well as teaching of English language, for which high-standard teachers would be brought from United States under his personal supervision, the spokesman said.
Jackson did so as a token of appreciation to the Bahraini people, who welcomed him and treated him as if he was one of the citizens of their country.
Michael Jackson has moved to reside in Manama after the long-judicial battle, which ended up with being acquitted of the charges of child molestation.
The court hearings were followed up by news agencies for many months, and the number of reporters who attended and covered them was estimated at more than 2000 from all countries in the world.
It is noteworthy that Germain Jackson, the brother of Michael had embraced Islam at the beginning of 1990s, and he was one of former Jackson Five band and the solo singer Germain had felt his brother Michael has great interest and study of Islamic books, the tolerance of Islam and his dealing with Arab and Muslim personalities since long years. The most prominent among those figures is Prince Al Waleed bin Talal and the Bahraini royal family.
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