Incubus' Mike Einziger and composer Hans Zimmer team up on song to end child labor
By Laura Ferreiro
Mike Einziger of Incubus, Travis Barker of Blink 182, Pharrell Williams and renowned composer Hans Zimmer may seem like an unlikely group of musicians to work together, but they’ve teamed up to record a song to bring attention to the plight of child laborers, and to put an end to it.
The formidable crew joined child trafficking survivor Minh Dang to record the song, “Til Everyone Can See.” The idea for the song came after they met with the International Labour Organization (ILO), an arm of the United Nations that promotes workers’ rights and calls on governments to institute laws preventing children from being exploited and entering into the labor force.
They released the song and its accompanying video on June 12 to commemorate World Day Against Child Labor. “Open up your eyes/listen to the cries/it’s time to right wrong,” says the song, which was co-written by Einziger and violinist Ann Marie Simpson, and has a distinct “We Are The World” vibe to it.
“There are 168 million children between the ages of five and 18 years in child labor around the world, doing work they are too young to perform,” Einziger says. “Many are denied the opportunity to go to school. Eighty five million of them are doing work that puts their health or safety, sometimes even their lives, in danger. They’re victims of exploitation in the drugs or sex trade, are recruited as soldiers or made to beg, to work in mines and sweatshops or as domestic workers. This is unacceptable.”
Other musicians around the world are also pitching in to raise awareness of the plight of child workers through the Global Music against Child Labour Initiative, with orchestras and musicians of all genres dedicating concerts to the struggle against child labor.
To learn more about the campaign to end child labor, click here.