Classically trained musician, Anderson Rocio (our cover girl, March 2022), who shuttles between Los Angeles and Half Moon Bay has made a spine-tingling contribution to the earth. The singer-songwriter composed the song, Power in Us, released on June 8, World Ocean Day. Anderson talks to FARIDA MASTER about the opportunity of a lifetime to garner support for the future of humanity.
It’s not often a young songwriter gets the opportunity to give back to a world she deeply cares for.
Just as the LA-based musician, Anderson Rocio, who once sailed halfway across the world with her family – and a Yamaha p60 piano – was wondering ‘what next?’, the universe conspired to present an exciting challenge. She was asked to write a song inspired by the pivotal Antarctic Climate Expedition 2023, onboard the Sylvia Earle, a purposed built ship designed for discovery in the most remote and beautiful places on earth.
She deep dived into it.
The Antarctic Climate Expedition, was led by Dr Sylvia Earle, a world-famous oceanographer, explorer, marine biologist and Time Magazine’s Hero of the Planet. It attracted a top selection of brilliant minds including world renowned photographers, filmmakers, conservationists, scientists, ocean luminaries, specialists in arts and economics, brought together to find creative solutions to our climate emergency.
Antarctic Mission Blue in February of this year aimed to inspire transformative change for global net zero emissions by 2035 and make a commitment towards action. “To do whatever it takes to move from where we are right now to a better place,” said Earle. “To influence global climate like never before.”
Talking about how it came to be, Anderson says “My father, Juan Antonio Romero a marine biologist and filmmaker for 35 years, was the director of photography for the expedition.”
As luck would have it, Michael Aw was one of the leads of the expedition. He is the winner of more than 67 photography awards, author of 37 books and filmmaker, and mentioned he was looking for the songwriter of Paradise (which crossed the 5m mark on Spotify) to work on the Oceans project. Little did
Aw know that the songstress he was talking about, happened to be Romero’s daughter, Anderson.
The half Spanish, half American, Kiwi singer songwriter, who has travelled widely with her dad, visiting the world’s biggest aquariums says, “It is a cause which is close to home for me. I ended up writing a song called ‘Power in Us’.
“Whilst researching for the song, I noticed that within the world of Environmental Conservation, there is not much of a crossover for popular music – soundtracks consisted mostly of instrumentals and classical pieces.”
The former diver at the Dubai Mall Aquarium, UAE and pro-kiteboarder, realised she had a big project on her hands to bridge the gap between the two worlds of conservation media and popular culture.
“Power in Us is now a full-fledged project to bring these worlds together,” says the talented pop singer.
Having written the song to create an awareness about environmental conservation, Anderson is giving it License Free to anyone advocating for the protection of the environment. The mission is to bring the voices of conservation together for the bigger cause.
“The song reminds us that as humans, have the power to make huge changes if we work together,” says Anderson, who is using the power of music to create change.
“I want it to be a piece that will always be connected to helping bring exposure to conservation projects and the beauty of our planet. This is a way for me to give back to a world I care deeply about.”
The song, produced by Kiwi, Joseph Corban-Banks who gave up his percentage for the cause, passionately calls for unity and change. He urges us to pause and listen to the earth’s cries.
“It highlights, the overwhelming noise of our own voices which often overshadow the urgent need to address the crisis we face,” Anderson says “It invites us to recognise the power within us; the power of love and nature, reminding us that by not listening, we hinder the transformative change our planet desperately needs.
Anderson ends saying, if there is anyone around the world interested in the song for an environmental project, they can contact her at: powerinus@andersonrocio.com.
NOTE: One hundred percent of the streaming revenue from Power In Us (the song) will be split three ways and donated to the three major environmental groups which the Power in Us Project supports. They are: Live Ocean, the New Zealand Ocean advocates, Ocean Generation (Based out of the UK) and Mission Blue (Based out of the USA).
