'Anytime You Need a Friend' Charity Single Launches - Breathe

‘Anytime You Need a Friend’ Charity Single Launches

Thu 16 Apr 2020

When we first started Breathe Harmony, the Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS staff choir run by Breathe Arts Health Research, we knew that singing would alleviate stress and forge strong community ties. What we could not anticipate, was how quickly this resilience of our NHS communities would be tested by the current COVID-19 crisis. In the past month, we have facilitated ways to continue offering spaces of respite to choir members as well as patient groups using digital tools.

Now members of  Breathe Harmony  have created a truly international recording of Mariah Carey’s ‘Anytime You Need a Friend’ in partnership with Musical Director Mike King and MyCool Music Foundation, bringing over 100 singers together to show their appreciation for the NHS.

Fionnuala Donovan, Guy’s and St Thomas Highly Specialist Neurophysiotherapist and Breathe Harmony member, who is the first singer to appear on the track said:

As always the choir and singing has added a little bit of light to my life, something which is particularly needed during these dark times of uncertainty. I hope this song spreads that light to everyone.

Today, this single by Breathe Harmony & Friends is finally available to download on iTunes and Amazon Music!

Amazon download link: https://amzn.to/3clBmDz

iTunes link: https://apple.co/3bdfdqW

The video recording of the song has even been tweeted by the original artist Mariah Carey and gained 34,000 views on YouTube so far.

Watch Breathe Harmony NHS Staff Choir version of 'Anytime You Need a Friend'.

Our patrons Jim Carter and Imelda Staunton have shown their support for ‘Anytime You Need a Friend’ in hope the track will make the charts to celebrate the inspiring work of the NHS amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. They said:

“We are huge supporters of the work of Breathe Arts Health Research. As actors we know the value that the arts have on our own health and wellbeing, and so during the coronavirus crisis, we need the sense of hope and community that the arts can provide more than ever.

We love the Breathe Harmony & Friends track, Anytime You Need A Friend, as its words resonate with communities around the world right now, as together we face this global pandemic. We urge everyone to get behind our multi-talented NHS and download this track to help celebrate our NHS staff and spread Breathe’s message of global solidarity during these difficult times.”

Small charities like Breathe Arts Health Research and MyCool Music Foundation will be the hardest hit by the COVID-19 crisis. To make sure these vital services continue to exist, all proceeds from the single will be divided between Breathe Arts Health Research and MyCool Foundation to enable the charities to deliver their arts and health projects to patients, and support the NHS with arts services all year-round.

You can download the press release with more information here.

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