2Boys, Sam Verlinden, Joshua Flores “Bringing Hope Through Song”

With all the calamities that have been happening back to back in the world, the true nature of the human heart reveals again how we share each other’s pain and hurts and truly desire to extend a helping hand.

This week’s tribute article features four of our regularly featured artists.  Marcus and Sondre, better known as 2Boys, Sam Verlinden, and Joshua Flores, who were so moved by the devastation around them, that they have produced and recorded songs to bring messages of hope and encouragement!

I asked 2Boys a little about their new song entitled “Help Them” and they gave me the background of what inspired this particular production.

Marcus explained, “Some of our fans on Facebook requested that we create a song about the tsunami and the devastation in Japan. We were in the middle of working on a new single but really wanted to do this.  So putting the current work aside we asked if someone wanted to try sending some lyrics or just a few thoughts about the event.  A girl in our hometown Nina Vabog actually sent us a text that sparked the inspiration needed to write the lyrics for the song.”

Once the lyrics were on paper Marcus fired up their home studio equipment and made a beat in just one evening of work. Three days later the entire project from conception to the final note was completed just in time to perform live at a special concert appearance.  Their dad told me;

“They perhaps would have been safer to perform one of their other songs but this song had become so meaningful to them that they just could not put it aside and desired to sing it to their fans and to the world!”

2Boy’s desire to help make a small difference, if only raising the spirit of others through their song became more important than putting on a picture perfect performance. “Now that’s dedication”

While this is not the first time that Marcus has written, composed and produced his own music for the duo, it  once again shows how exceptionally talented they both are in being able to capture the moment in time and express their feelings through song. As you listen to “Help Them” you can hear the urgency in their voices expressing their emotions about the force of nature and the fiery dilemma that is still threatening all of Japan and creating fear in the heart of nations around the world!  They confessed that they have always been concerned about Nuclear Plants and the constant threat that looms all over the world in many nations.   In fact you can hear the hopelessness and cry in their voices expressing “What Can We Do?” “Fire In The Air”

I for one, was deeply moved by this new song paying tribute not only to the people in Japan but bringing us all together as one to HELP THEM!

Moving south of the Equator below the Land Down Under, we find Sam Verlinden from Auckland New Zealand. I asked Sam to author his own article which tells about what inspired his new original song entitled “Aotearoa” released less than two weeks ago.

Here is that Article:

Hi, I’m Sam and I come from Auckland in New Zealand. Auckland is situated at the top of the North Island of New Zealand.

On September 4th 2010 a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch which is situated approx one third of the way down the South Island’s east coast. Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island and is often referred to as the Garden City. This first earthquake hit at 4:35am in the morning causing widespread damage – but no direct loss of life partly because of the time of day it hit. Thousands of aftershocks occurred following (often daily) – and the people of Christchurch seemed to be getting used to them while in their recovery.

That was until 12:51pm on February 22nd 2011 – when the fatal magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck. This killer quake was centered 2km west of Lyttleton, which is 10km south-east of Christchurch. Although it was smaller in magnitude, the earthquake was more damaging because the epicenter was closer to Christchurch and shallower at 5 kms underground, whereas the September quake was measured at 10km deep. This earthquake also occurred during lunchtime on a Tuesday rather than before dawn on a Saturday, and many buildings were already weakened from the previous quakes.

The city was devastated.

No matter where are you from in the world, you will no doubt have seen reports on the news. Many buildings collapsed around Cathedral Square in downtown Christchurch and many lives were lost.

The Canterbury Television (CTV) building was severely damaged. Its lift cavity, the main part of the structure left upright, caught fire.

The day following the quake, the police decided that the damage to this building was not survivable, and rescue efforts at the building were suspended. It is believed that more than 100 people died in the building. Christchurch Hospital was evacuated due to damage in some areas, but reopened later to treat the injured. The New Zealand defense forces were called in to assist in evacuating the CBD.

The Pyne Gould Corporation building on Cambridge Terrace collapsed, and approx 30 of the building’s 200 workers were trapped. One survivor was pulled from this building 22 hours after the quake.

The day after the quake, the Hotel Grand Chancellor, Christchurch’s tallest building, was reported to be on the verge of collapse. The 26-storey building was displaced by half a meter in the quake and had dropped by 1 meter on one side. The building was thought to be irreparably damaged and have the potential to bring down other buildings if it falls. A two-block radius was cleared around the hotel. Damage to houses and buildings in surrounding suburbs was also significant, with power and water lost for many days for some homes.

Our NZ government declared a national state of emergency and flew in rescue and recovery resources from all around the world, including Australia, USA, UK, Japan, China and Taiwan to help. Our Prime Minister John Key publicly stated that 22 February may well have been New Zealand’s darkest day.  It has been New Zealand’s second deadliest natural disaster recorded, after the Hawkes Bay earthquake that hit in 1931. While the final death toll is still not known, it is estimated 182 people lost their lives in this disaster. New Zealanders around the country and the world could only watch with sadness as the devastation unfolded with most of us unable to do anything to help.

Initially I wanted to make a video to tell the world about our country and the earthquake and to encourage viewers to make donations to help the people in Christchurch. But then we decided to record this song which tells the story how it is. This song is a dedication to everybody impacted by the earthquake.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.

Also our thoughts and prayers to everybody impacted by the big one that recently struck Japan.

New Zealand is a small country and we all so desperately want to reach out and help our Christchurch neighbors as they continue to adjust to the devastation that has hit them. It has been estimated that the earthquake could cost insurers up to NZ$16 billion dollars. Any donations you can make would be gratefully accepted.

Here is the New Zealand Red Cross website – where you can make a donation to Christchurch appeal and also the Japan Earthquake appeal.

http://www.redcross.org.nz/currentappeals

I also wanted to say thank you to all those people around the world who contacted me to check if my family and I were safe.

I will continue to perform at various fundraisers around Auckland and I will keep my website posted with appearances as they are scheduled: The final version of my song will be posted onto iTunes soon, with all proceeds going to NZ Red Cross.

This video is a rough studio version – to give you all a preview.

MUCH THANKS, SAM V

Another rising young star who has also made a huge commitment to help those in distress in Japan is none other than Joshua Flores. Joshua first appeared on this site back in July of 2010. Since that time many exciting things have taken place for him and he is most definitely on his way to a very rewarding musical career.

A few years ago Joshua performed and recorded an original song entitled “Let’s Give Them Hope”.

Of all Joshua’s songs, I believe this one remains one of my very favorites.  I was very excited to hear his latest remake with his deeper and more developed singing voice, and happy to help spread the word of his offering it as a means of raising funds via download of the song.  He has said that all proceeds will be directly sent to aid Japan in their efforts of rebuilding homes and lives in that devastated country.

This video was only just released and allows you to hear the song that you can download and enjoy while at the same time help those in Japan who are so desperately in need!  After viewing this video please visit the download site of your choice and download his song to help Joshua in his quest to “Give Them Hope”.

For more information about 2Boys, Sam Verlinden and Joshua Flores be sure to visit their individual links on this site under the appropriate pull-down tabs and visit them on their own web sites for which the links are included above.  I am proud to support and write about these fine young artists and will continue to keep you informed about their successes as recording artists.