SongWriter turns stories into songs
SongWriter is a multimedia creative project created by Ben Arthur that brings together writers, artists, thinkers, and musicians to transform stories and ideas into original songs. Featured artists include Questlove, Isabella Rossellini, David Gilmour (Pink Floyd), George Saunders, Sharon Van Etten, Joyce Carol Oates, Jamila Woods, and Steve Earle
Ben Arthur hosts and edits the show
SongWriter is available as a podcast from PRX, and as a live performance series, in segments on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Cafe for 1.5M listeners, and in articles in Paste magazine
CEO of Aegis Trust, Freddy Mutanguha, speaks about forgiveness.
Since 2024 SongWriter has been supported by Templeton World Charity Foundation. Episodes focus on elements of human flourishing like forgiveness, empathy, caregiving, and polarization, and include the perspective of scientists on their related research
As an example, in the summer of 2024 there was a live SongWriter performance in Kigali, Rwanda, exploring forgiveness on the 20th anniversary of the genocide. Survivor Freddy Mutanguha (Director of the Kigali Genocide Memorial) spoke about visiting the man who killed his mother in prison, Dr. Pamela Wadende described her research in Kenya, and Hope Azeda and Peace Jolis shared poetry and a new song written in response to Freddy's story
Ben sings with Peace Jolis
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