There are few artists who can compare themselves to the Scottish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sandi Thom an artist who for many years has run in the face of traditional music trends and now as a ‘Rebel With a Cause’, she is once again set to upset the status quo with the release of her latest single, the controversial Revolution Anthem (Festival of the Oppressed) on 15/3/24. As the title suggests the song is truly an anthem relating to recent geo-political turmoil, with lyrics defined to touch the hearts of the disenfranchised and those that are struggling under unjust systems sick of the way the world has treated them.
“As songwriters and artists, we have the opportunity to be a mouthpiece for the ‘vox populi’.” says Thom. With societies across the world seemingly reaching a boiling point, where marginalized and oppressed communities are being silenced, Sandi is using her platform to call for change on behalf of those who can’t. “Nothing will change if we do not take a stand and raise our voices together. There is, after all, “power in our voice”.”
Revolution Anthem (Festival of the Oppressed) pulls references from the French revolution, the Russia/Ukraine War, and even Brexit, name dropping world leaders such as Donald Trump and blatantly calling out former leaders such as Liz Truss. The anthemic stripped back folk-rock song is something you can imagine being sung in football stadiums for years to come with lyrics such as;
“So, it’s time for a change raise your voice to the air, time for a change Revolution is here”
Layering its tribal sounding drums and percussion with a simple acoustic guitar, we are left drawn to Thom’s powerful voice, once again using vocal harmonies to create Thom’s unique sound, and highlighting the incredibly powerful lyrics. The result is a rousing single that will have anyone sick of the unjust status quo, clapping and singing along to the very end.
Once again, we stand at a tipping point for our society, not just here in the UK, but the World. The dawn of revolution seems imminent. We are “down-out, down-beat and down-trodden”. And if “has to be time for a change” states Thom.
Sandi Thom first came to prominence in the mid-noughties as one of the first artists to pioneer a streamed tour, performing broadcasts from her Tooting home. The online concerts made headlines at the time with Thom’s shows beginning with 60 viewers before exploding into an excess of 100,000, landing her a deal with RCA/Sony. The artist then released her 2006 single I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair) which topped the charts across the UK, Ireland, and remained at no.1 in Australia for 10 consecutive weeks. I wish I was a punk rocker stands at a whopping 70 million plays on Spotify.
Revolution Anthem (Festival of the Oppressed) precedes Sandi’s later 2024 work which will see her release an exclusive line of NFTs and perform a host of festival dates. This once again sees Thom paving the way for a new generation of artists, as the first well known British singer songwriter to release her music first in the Metaverse before mainstream music platforms.
Revolution Anthem will be released not only as a song but as a limited-edition collectible piece of art; a 3D mosaic of Sandi’s face made up of the mug shots of her very own fans.
Revolution Anthem (Festival of the Oppressed) will be available across all platforms 22/3/24 and will drop as an NFT on the 15/3/24.
Previous Press Reviews:
**** Classic Rock magazine
“Exquisite” The Times
“Unique pop-folk” The Herald
“Fierce & Honest songwriting” The Huffington post
“Internet Sensation” BBC
“Pugnacious and Sharp” The Irish Times
“Diverse and consistently Impressive” American Songwriter
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