LISTEN TO DON’T STOP HERE
A SHORT FILM FOR THE SINGLE IS DIRECTED BY SAMONA OLANIPEKUN, EXEC PRODUCED BY STEVE MCQUEEN AND LAMMAS PARK AND FEATURES WILL POULTER –WATCH HERE
World renowned artist, songwriter, musician and producer Fraser T Smith has today revealed the details of his brand-new Future Utopia single Don’t Stop featuring Avelino and Tomorrow’s Warriors, out now via 70Hz Recordings. The single, which is a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s iconic 1977 track is released in collaboration with Greenpeace and is accompanied by an original short film, exec produced by legendary, Oscar-winning British director Steve McQueen and featuring Will Poulter (Midsommar, Guardians of the Galaxy 3). The film will be played on big screens at Glastonbury throughout the festival this month.
Speaking about the track, Fraser says:
“I’m immensely proud to be working with Greenpeace to help bring the iconic ‘Don’t Stop’ back into the public awareness with such a vital message. Working with Tomorrow’s Warriors and Avelino felt like the perfect collaboration for Future Utopia, in providing exactly the right energy for the track. I’m excited for everyone to hear this”.
Future Utopia’s reinvention of Fleetwood Mac’s Don’t Stop features instrumentation from jazz talent development organisation Tomorrow’s Warriors, vocals from the House Gospel Choir and a powerful performance from British rapper Avelino. Don’t Stop is a contemporary fable about being young in the world today. The song is a call to action for young people worried about their future and the state of the planet, and a message for those who dream of a better tomorrow.
Written and directed by Samona Olanipekun of Steve McQueen’s Lammas Park stable, exec-produced by McQueen, and featuring Will Poulter, the track’s short film is a stark look at the state of the world and all of our roles in it. Set in a vibrant but unsettling party which is spinning out of control, the viewer is confronted with the reality of our situation; greedy corporations are partying like there’s no tomorrow, and if they keep acting like that, there won’t be one. But this is the darkness before the dawn, as people begin to realise the immediacy of the problem and the urgent need for change. It is a stunning message of hope, that the fate of our planet is in our hands, that we can imagine a better tomorrow and make it happen.
Speaking about the video, Steve McQueen says:
“This short film is an arresting look at the state of a world hurtling out of control. I’m so proud to have been involved in this project with Greenpeace and Samona, who’s once again shown what a talented writer and director he is. It captures the unease at seeing corporations (especially those of oil and gas) and their enablers, do damage to the environment on our behalf, acting like there’s no tomorrow and driving the climate crisis solely for their profit. But we have collective power to realise a different future. It’s imperative that people don’t forget, tomorrow is promised to no-one.”
Areeba Hamid, executive director of Greenpeace UK, adds:
“When you look at the state of the world that older generations have wrought, oil companies partying like there’s no tomorrow, politicians watching as our house is on fire, it can feel overwhelming. But awareness and resolve to save our planet, to save lives and livelihoods, has never been stronger. People all over the world are incredibly worried about their future, but they hold enormous power. This film is a message of hope: that demanding a better tomorrow is not only possible, but critical.
We’re so proud of this incredible collaboration, to get to work with such a talented and passionate group to reimagine Fleetwood Mac’s iconic Don’t Stop and bring the song to a new generation”.
Fraser T Smith is a multi-award winning, internationally acclaimed artist, producer, songwriter and musician – one of the most in demand creators in contemporary music today. He has co-written, mixed and produced 7 Number One singles in the UK, 2 Billboard Number One singles in the US, and contributed to 18 Number 1 albums. Having spent most of his career producing and songwriting for some of the biggest artists in the world (Adele, Stormzy, Sam Smith, Florence and the Machine, Drake, Gorillaz, Kano, Dave and more) he released his own debut album, 12 Questions, in October 2020, under the moniker ‘Future Utopia’. 12 Questions features an incredible roll call of some of Britain’s most vital and brilliant artists, including Stormzy, Dave, Kano, Ghetts, Bastille, Es Devlin, Simon Armitage and Idris Elba and discusses issues including faith, freedom, race, gender, wealth, equality and ecology.
Having initially burst onto the scene with a series of now legendary freestyles, Young Fire, Old Flame, Avelino’s 2015 mixtape with Wretch32 catapulted the Angolan-born, Tottenham-bred artist to the upper echelons of the UK rap scene. The hype continued with collaborations with heavyweights Skepta, Dave and Stormzy and a steady stream of mixtapes, culminating in the release of his debut album God Save The Streets in April 2023, which received widespread critical acclaim for its powerfully realised message, topping the UK independent albums chart.
Speaking about the collaboration, Avelino says:
“It’s always a pleasure working with my guy Fraser, and when Greenpeace put this idea forward, it felt fitting. Mr God Save The Streets is asking God to Save The Planet”.
Tomorrow’s Warriors is a pioneering talent development agency, creative producer, learning and training provider, consultancy and charity and specialising in jazz. Founded in 1991 by Gary Crosby OBE and Janine Irons MBE, TW helps aspiring young artists from diverse backgrounds discover their magic and achieve creative ambitions and has made a significant contribution in changing the face of UK Jazz. Tomorrow’s Warriors has a dedicated resident space at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall to host its free Young Artist Development Programme aimed at talent aged 11-25 years old, comprising of learning and participation, artist development and professional performance opportunities. Meanwhile, TW’s Emerging Artist Programme delivers mentoring, training, traineeships, talks, masterclasses, and bursaries to support artists into professional careers, with a number of exceptional musicians securing a place at a Music Conservatoire following their time on the talent programmes.
Future Utopia’s new single Don’t Stop featuring Avelino and Tomorrow’s Warriors is out now via 70Hz Recordings, in collaboration with Greenpeace. Greenpeace is an independent non-governmental organisation which campaigns to protect the environment and promote peace.
Future Utopia’s new EP We Were We Still Are is out on 14 July.
