“Feel Again,” the latest single from OneRepublic, is a hopeful, anthemic song full of hand clapping and powerful drumming, and, frankly, it doesn’t sound anything like the moody single “Apologize” that first put the band on the map. Maybe that’s because of the unique inspiration behind the song that serves as the soundtrack for a PSA campaign for Save the Children spearheaded by The Ad Council.
The story behind “Feel Again” is told in a PSA titled “A Heartbeat’s Journey” that was created pro bono by BBDO New York and directed by Rabbit Content’s Sean and Andrea Fine, known for their Emmy-winning and Academy Award-nominated documentary War/Dance. The PSA follows Chisomo, a frontline worker for Save the Children, as he records the heartbeats of children in Malawi using a specialized stethoscope and an iPhone.
Cut to a recording studio in Denver, where Ryan Tedder, OneRepublic’s frontman, is listening to the heartbeats (some of which were also recorded in Guatemala) and using them to influence the composition of “Feel Again.”
At the end of the PSA, viewers are directed to visit EveryBeatMatters.org, where they can download “Feel Again.” A portion of the proceeds from the song will benefit Save the Children’s efforts to place local aid workers in disaster situations around the world.
In a making of video for “A Heartbeat’s Journey,” (see below) Tedder notes that many of the children had heartbeats between 130 and 140 beats a minute, providing the perfect tempo for an upbeat tune.
In addition to “A Heartbeat’s Journey” and other PSAs, the Every Beat Matters campaign will rely on radio, print, outdoor, digital, and social media outreach through Facebook.com/everybeatmatters and Twitter @EveryBeat to raise awareness of Save the Children’s mission and promote the sale of “Feel Again.”