When Canadian-Ethiopian musician Emanuel released his single ‘Need You’, he could never have expected that one fan of this beautiful song would turn out to be Golden Globe-winning actor, musician and producer Idris Elba OBE. The UK national treasure offered to make a music video for the song as a collaborative project with the word. First, he made a call out on social media (see here on Twitter and Instagram), where he encouraged people to submit photos or videos for an “inspirational collage” that would document how the world was coping with self-isolation.
The final result has beat all expectations, with a final total of over 4,500 entries from over 20 countries. Not only is the collection of images and videos a heartwarming testament to the ways people are coping with the current situation, but it’s also a beautiful piece of visuals. We also see Emanuel, alone in a room yet connected to the world through the screen.
This simple-yet-powerful representation rings true for all of us right now. We may be separated from our loved ones, from our friends, family, work colleagues, even strangers who we might never know but nevertheless colour the world around us, but our humanity is a unifying force. It’s something that we shouldn’t forget, through this global crisis and beyond, into the new future.
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