We Are The World 25 for Haiti (YouTube Edition)
Encyclopedia
"We Are The World 25 for Haiti (YouTube Edition)" is a massively collaborative
charity
song and music video produced by Canadian
singer-songwriter
Lisa Lavie
and posted to the YouTube
video sharing website to raise money for victims of the January 12, 2010 Haiti earthquake
.
"We Are The World 25 for Haiti (YouTube Edition)" is the video creation of a collaboration
of 57 unsigned
or independent
YouTube musicians geographically distributed around the world. Lavie's video is a cover
of We Are the World
, which was produced in 1985 for African famine relief. Lavie's video was posted as a video response to the celebrity remake, We Are the World 25 for Haiti
, which was posted eight days earlier.
The video was named best viral video of 2010 in CNN Newsroom
's "Viral Video Rewind," and was recognized by YouTube
's official "theyearinreview" channel in its "Moments That Defined YouTube in 2010" feature. The video's participants were collectively recognized as "Persons of the Week" on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer.
In May, 2011, most of video's participants collaborated
in a second charity
video and original single
, "We Pray For You," to benefit victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
(Japan) and 2011 tornado outbreak
(southern United States).
conceived, organized, performed in, and with fellow YouTube personality Iman Crosson
, co-edited, the video for charity
relief of victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake
occurring the month before.
Lavie
said that she “was in the car driving and the idea to do a YouTube version of We Are the World
popped into (her) head." She determined how to assign portions of the song to respective YouTube singers, by "going to each singer’s (YouTube) channel and listen(ing) to their voices to get a better idea of how high or low a singer could sing, if a particular part would sound better with their tonal quality, etc."
In interviews on CNN
and ABC World News, Lavie explained how the video was made, given that its 57 contributors would not be performing in the same studio and generally did not even know each other. After deciding on the assignments of singers to song segments, she sent all the singers the same instrumental
backing
. A Radio Canada feature included a video segment of Montréal singer Heidi Jutras' vocal performance, in which she suppressed the instrumental
accompaniment
by using earphones. The singers then returned their respective vocal video segments to Lavie electronically, for the visual segments to be edited
, and the audio to be mixed
and edited
, over the course of "three days (and) one sleepless night." Lavie specifically pointed out the challenge of mixing
the vocal segments, made "tedious" by the segments' different sound levels, recorded in different acoustic
environments (bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms), and made by microphone
s of different type and quality
. The resulting composite vocal and visual segments, combined with the single instrumental
backing
, constituted the video that was uploaded to YouTube
.
The video was posted as a YouTube
"video response" to the 2010 celebrity remake video on YouTube, whose last minute included a video annotation inviting such video responses. CNN's Josh Levs
made special note of Lavie's pervasive use of YouTube's video annotation feature: her video continually provided successive video annotation hyperlinks to the YouTube channels of the respective contributing singers as their images appeared on-screen throughout the performance. Lavie's video included a video annotation hyperlink
to the wearetheworld official YouTube channel, which in turn contained a hyperlink
for donations for Haiti earthquake relief.
's national television program Canada AM
, within days after it was posted the video became the subject of worldwide media attention. Media coverage included multiple national television features on CNN
and a primetime news feature on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer.
CNN's Josh Levs
reported that "a lot of people are telling us that this is better than the celebrity remake. It certainly is a sign of the times and a case of where we are right now." In the second CNN interview that was aired, CNN's Richard Lui
remarked "This really is sort of—not to be trite here—we are the world," alluding to the song's title "We Are the World." Levs
added that "Richard's exactly right. ... Getting together fifty-seven singers, all over the world, ... and they all made their own recordings, and the world therefore put these different (recordings) together."
ABC's Diane Sawyer
conducted a Skype
interview with Lavie, asking her motivation for making the video. Lavie responded that "the way we (singers) give back is by singing." Singer Melissa Polinar explained, "We didn't really do it to compete with the remake," with Lavie
emphasizing that the YouTube collaboration "reaches people in a different way."
Hours after ABC News posted the Skype interview online, the collaboration video's participants were recognized as "Persons of the Week" on the nationally televised ABC World News with Diane Sawyer to close the work week on Friday, March 19, 2010. The television broadcast paired segments of celebrity singers' performances with those of YouTube singers who sang the corresponding segments of the song, with Sawyer narrating: "He may not be Lionel Ritchie, but the fourteen-year old high school student in his bedroom in his bedroom in Perth, Australia, can sing. Instead of Al Jarreau
, this manager of a California youth program. In for Michael Jackson
, a community college student. Diana Ross
has been replaced by a young woman in Montréal singing in her bathroom. And for Dionne Warwick
, this receptionist at a hair salon in Santa Barbara." Sawyer's further explanation: "Perfect strangers, perfect harmony, making a joyful sound... in effect saying, we are the world, too... And so (for "Persons of the Week") we choose Lisa Lavie and the singers she brought together around the globe, who proved that that anthem is not just for glittering names."
The day following the ABC World News feature, CNN
online posted a supplemental feature that was being broadcast on CNN International: a "YouTube sensation, a new version of the popular song that's attracted more than 1.7 million views—and not a celebrity in sight."
Three days after the ABC World News feature, USA Today
characterized Lavie
as a "visionary" for conceiving the "phenom" YouTube video.
A Radio Canada feature emphasized the divergent sources of the segments constituting the video, noting that some of the 57 contributors sang "in their bedroom, living room or even in their bathroom" but that the result is assez remarquable (quite remarkable).
CNN's Josh Levs
explained that "the official YouTube channel of the celebrity version, is now posting this (YouTube collaboration) version there," meaning that a thumbnail
photo link to the YouTube collaboration video was displayed as a "Favorite" on the YouTube channel of the We Are The World Foundation adjacent the official celebrity remake video.
Within five months of being posted, the YouTube video had been viewed over 3.18 million times, had received almost 20,000 comments, had been "favorited" over 48,500 times, and was the seventh most highly rated YouTube Canada music video of all time.
Thirty-seven of the original video's singers were among participants in a second massively collaborative
YouTube
charity
video, "We Pray For You - 55 Youtubers Edition - Japan/ US Tornado Tribute (Original song)." J Rice organized the second video's geographically distributed participants, and edited and mixed the video that was posted to YouTube on May 9, 2011. Proceeds from a resulting iTunes
and Amazon.com
single
"We Pray For You (YouTube
rs Edition)" benefitted victims of the March 11, 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
(Japan) and 2011 tornado outbreak
(southern United States). After ten days, that video had over 175,000 views and a "Like/Dislike" ratio of 166, and by its 23rd day reached 250,000 views with the ratio expanding to 174.
The Tokyo Times referred to the "We Pray for You" video as an example of a trend to use crowdsourcing
for charitable
purposes. The "We Pray for You" video was featured on CNN Headline News' "Hottest Viral Videos" on June 18, 2011.
Collaboration
Collaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, — for example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing...
charity
Charity record
A charity record is a release of a song for a specific charitable cause. Some of the earliest charity records came from the Music for UNICEF Concert, with ABBA's Chiquitita and the Bee Gees' Too Much Heaven among them released as singles, with all the royalties going to UNICEF...
song and music video produced by Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Lisa Lavie
Lisa Lavie
Lisa Lavie is a Canadian singer and songwriter originally from LaSalle, Québec, Canada.Lavie is known for using the Internet to independently promote her own music and concerts...
and posted to the YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
video sharing website to raise money for victims of the January 12, 2010 Haiti earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
.
"We Are The World 25 for Haiti (YouTube Edition)" is the video creation of a collaboration
Collaboration
Collaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, — for example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing...
of 57 unsigned
Unsigned artist
The term "unsigned artist" or "independent artist" is used in the music industry as a marketing technique.-History and current scene:Many unsigned artists used to sell their music and music-related merchandise without the financial support of a record label, while often seeking a recording contract...
or independent
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
YouTube musicians geographically distributed around the world. Lavie's video is a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of We Are the World
We Are the World
"We Are the World" is a song and charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album We Are the World...
, which was produced in 1985 for African famine relief. Lavie's video was posted as a video response to the celebrity remake, We Are the World 25 for Haiti
We Are the World 25 for Haiti
"We Are the World 25 for Haiti" is a charity single recorded by the supergroup Artists for Haiti in 2010. It is a remake of the 1985 hit song "We Are the World", which was written by American musicians Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and was recorded by USA for Africa to benefit famine relief in...
, which was posted eight days earlier.
The video was named best viral video of 2010 in CNN Newsroom
CNN Newsroom
CNN Newsroom is an American news program on CNN/US.Broadcasting throughout the week, Newsroom features live and taped news reports, in addition to analysis from experts on the issues being covered, and headlines throughout each hour. The program tends to focus on softer news than their hard news...
's "Viral Video Rewind," and was recognized by YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
's official "theyearinreview" channel in its "Moments That Defined YouTube in 2010" feature. The video's participants were collectively recognized as "Persons of the Week" on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer.
In May, 2011, most of video's participants collaborated
Collaboration
Collaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, — for example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing...
in a second charity
Charity record
A charity record is a release of a song for a specific charitable cause. Some of the earliest charity records came from the Music for UNICEF Concert, with ABBA's Chiquitita and the Bee Gees' Too Much Heaven among them released as singles, with all the royalties going to UNICEF...
video and original single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "We Pray For You," to benefit victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
(Japan) and 2011 tornado outbreak
Tornadoes of 2011
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 2011. Extremely destructive tornadoes form most frequently in the U.S., Bangladesh and Eastern India, but they can occur almost anywhere under the right conditions...
(southern United States).
Making the video
LavieLisa Lavie
Lisa Lavie is a Canadian singer and songwriter originally from LaSalle, Québec, Canada.Lavie is known for using the Internet to independently promote her own music and concerts...
conceived, organized, performed in, and with fellow YouTube personality Iman Crosson
Iman Crosson
Iman Crosson is an American actor, impressionist, dancer and singer known on various Internet websites under the pseudonym "Alphacat" and is known for his impersonations of U.S...
, co-edited, the video for charity
Charity record
A charity record is a release of a song for a specific charitable cause. Some of the earliest charity records came from the Music for UNICEF Concert, with ABBA's Chiquitita and the Bee Gees' Too Much Heaven among them released as singles, with all the royalties going to UNICEF...
relief of victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
occurring the month before.
Lavie
Lisa Lavie
Lisa Lavie is a Canadian singer and songwriter originally from LaSalle, Québec, Canada.Lavie is known for using the Internet to independently promote her own music and concerts...
said that she “was in the car driving and the idea to do a YouTube version of We Are the World
We Are the World
"We Are the World" is a song and charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album We Are the World...
popped into (her) head." She determined how to assign portions of the song to respective YouTube singers, by "going to each singer’s (YouTube) channel and listen(ing) to their voices to get a better idea of how high or low a singer could sing, if a particular part would sound better with their tonal quality, etc."
In interviews on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
and ABC World News, Lavie explained how the video was made, given that its 57 contributors would not be performing in the same studio and generally did not even know each other. After deciding on the assignments of singers to song segments, she sent all the singers the same instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
backing
Accompaniment
In music, accompaniment is the art of playing along with an instrumental or vocal soloist or ensemble, often known as the lead, in a supporting manner...
. A Radio Canada feature included a video segment of Montréal singer Heidi Jutras' vocal performance, in which she suppressed the instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
accompaniment
Accompaniment
In music, accompaniment is the art of playing along with an instrumental or vocal soloist or ensemble, often known as the lead, in a supporting manner...
by using earphones. The singers then returned their respective vocal video segments to Lavie electronically, for the visual segments to be edited
Video editing
The term video editing can refer to:* Linear video editing, using video tape* Non-linear editing system , using computers with video editing software* Offline editing* Online editing...
, and the audio to be mixed
Audio mixing (recorded music)
In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
and edited
Digital audio editor
A digital audio editor is a computer application for audio editing, i.e. manipulating digital audio. Digital audio editors are the main software component of a digital audio workstation.-For use with music:...
, over the course of "three days (and) one sleepless night." Lavie specifically pointed out the challenge of mixing
Audio mixing (recorded music)
In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
the vocal segments, made "tedious" by the segments' different sound levels, recorded in different acoustic
Musical acoustics
Musical acoustics or music acoustics is the branch of acoustics concerned with researching and describing the physics of music – how sounds employed as music work...
environments (bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms), and made by microphone
Microphone
A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
s of different type and quality
Sound quality
Sound quality is the quality of the audio output from various electronic devices. Sound quality can be defined as the degree of accuracy with which a device records or emits the original sound waves...
. The resulting composite vocal and visual segments, combined with the single instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
backing
Accompaniment
In music, accompaniment is the art of playing along with an instrumental or vocal soloist or ensemble, often known as the lead, in a supporting manner...
, constituted the video that was uploaded to YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
The video was posted as a YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
"video response" to the 2010 celebrity remake video on YouTube, whose last minute included a video annotation inviting such video responses. CNN's Josh Levs
Josh Levs
Joshua Levs, commonly known as Josh Levs, is an American broadcast journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia, who reported for the CNN news television network. He received his undergraduate degree from Yale University, where he was elected president of his United Synagogue Youth chapter and where a...
made special note of Lavie's pervasive use of YouTube's video annotation feature: her video continually provided successive video annotation hyperlinks to the YouTube channels of the respective contributing singers as their images appeared on-screen throughout the performance. Lavie's video included a video annotation hyperlink
Hyperlink
In computing, a hyperlink is a reference to data that the reader can directly follow, or that is followed automatically. A hyperlink points to a whole document or to a specific element within a document. Hypertext is text with hyperlinks...
to the wearetheworld official YouTube channel, which in turn contained a hyperlink
Hyperlink
In computing, a hyperlink is a reference to data that the reader can directly follow, or that is followed automatically. A hyperlink points to a whole document or to a specific element within a document. Hypertext is text with hyperlinks...
for donations for Haiti earthquake relief.
Media coverage
Called "a massive charity collaboration for the digital age" by CTVCTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
's national television program Canada AM
Canada AM
Canada AM is a Canadian breakfast television news show, which has aired on the CTV Television Network since 1972. It is currently hosted by Beverly Thomson and Seamus O'Regan, with Marci Ien reporting from the headline news desk and Jeff Hutcheson presenting the weather forecast and sports...
, within days after it was posted the video became the subject of worldwide media attention. Media coverage included multiple national television features on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
and a primetime news feature on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer.
CNN's Josh Levs
Josh Levs
Joshua Levs, commonly known as Josh Levs, is an American broadcast journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia, who reported for the CNN news television network. He received his undergraduate degree from Yale University, where he was elected president of his United Synagogue Youth chapter and where a...
reported that "a lot of people are telling us that this is better than the celebrity remake. It certainly is a sign of the times and a case of where we are right now." In the second CNN interview that was aired, CNN's Richard Lui
Richard Lui
Richard Lui is a dayside news anchor for MSNBC. Lui can be seen weekday mornings from 10am-12pm on Jansing and Company on MSNBC. Prior to joining MSNBC, Lui was anchor for the 10am ET edition of Morning Express on CNN Headline News...
remarked "This really is sort of—not to be trite here—we are the world," alluding to the song's title "We Are the World." Levs
Josh Levs
Joshua Levs, commonly known as Josh Levs, is an American broadcast journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia, who reported for the CNN news television network. He received his undergraduate degree from Yale University, where he was elected president of his United Synagogue Youth chapter and where a...
added that "Richard's exactly right. ... Getting together fifty-seven singers, all over the world, ... and they all made their own recordings, and the world therefore put these different (recordings) together."
ABC's Diane Sawyer
Diane Sawyer
Lila Diane Sawyer is the current anchor of ABC News' flagship program, ABC World News. Previously, Sawyer had been co-anchor of ABC Newss morning news program, Good Morning America ....
conducted a Skype
Skype
Skype is a software application that allows users to make voice and video calls and chat over the Internet. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free, while calls to both traditional landline telephones and mobile phones can be made for a fee using a debit-based user account system...
interview with Lavie, asking her motivation for making the video. Lavie responded that "the way we (singers) give back is by singing." Singer Melissa Polinar explained, "We didn't really do it to compete with the remake," with Lavie
Lisa Lavie
Lisa Lavie is a Canadian singer and songwriter originally from LaSalle, Québec, Canada.Lavie is known for using the Internet to independently promote her own music and concerts...
emphasizing that the YouTube collaboration "reaches people in a different way."
Hours after ABC News posted the Skype interview online, the collaboration video's participants were recognized as "Persons of the Week" on the nationally televised ABC World News with Diane Sawyer to close the work week on Friday, March 19, 2010. The television broadcast paired segments of celebrity singers' performances with those of YouTube singers who sang the corresponding segments of the song, with Sawyer narrating: "He may not be Lionel Ritchie, but the fourteen-year old high school student in his bedroom in his bedroom in Perth, Australia, can sing. Instead of Al Jarreau
Al Jarreau
Alwin "Al" Lopez Jarreau is a seven-time Grammy Award winning jazz singer.- Background :Jarreau was born in Milwaukee, the fifth of six children. His web site refers to Reservoir, Inc., the name of the street where he lived. His father was a Seventh-Day Adventist Church minister and singer, and...
, this manager of a California youth program. In for Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, a community college student. Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
has been replaced by a young woman in Montréal singing in her bathroom. And for Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick is an American singer, actress and TV show host, who became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and a United States Ambassador of Health....
, this receptionist at a hair salon in Santa Barbara." Sawyer's further explanation: "Perfect strangers, perfect harmony, making a joyful sound... in effect saying, we are the world, too... And so (for "Persons of the Week") we choose Lisa Lavie and the singers she brought together around the globe, who proved that that anthem is not just for glittering names."
The day following the ABC World News feature, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
online posted a supplemental feature that was being broadcast on CNN International: a "YouTube sensation, a new version of the popular song that's attracted more than 1.7 million views—and not a celebrity in sight."
Three days after the ABC World News feature, USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
characterized Lavie
Lisa Lavie
Lisa Lavie is a Canadian singer and songwriter originally from LaSalle, Québec, Canada.Lavie is known for using the Internet to independently promote her own music and concerts...
as a "visionary" for conceiving the "phenom" YouTube video.
A Radio Canada feature emphasized the divergent sources of the segments constituting the video, noting that some of the 57 contributors sang "in their bedroom, living room or even in their bathroom" but that the result is assez remarquable (quite remarkable).
CNN's Josh Levs
Josh Levs
Joshua Levs, commonly known as Josh Levs, is an American broadcast journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia, who reported for the CNN news television network. He received his undergraduate degree from Yale University, where he was elected president of his United Synagogue Youth chapter and where a...
explained that "the official YouTube channel of the celebrity version, is now posting this (YouTube collaboration) version there," meaning that a thumbnail
Thumbnail
Thumbnails are reduced-size versions of pictures, used to help in recognizing and organizing them, serving the same role for images as a normal text index does for words...
photo link to the YouTube collaboration video was displayed as a "Favorite" on the YouTube channel of the We Are The World Foundation adjacent the official celebrity remake video.
Formal recognition
- The video's participants were recognized as "Persons of the Week" on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer (March 19, 2010).
- CNN NewsroomCNN NewsroomCNN Newsroom is an American news program on CNN/US.Broadcasting throughout the week, Newsroom features live and taped news reports, in addition to analysis from experts on the issues being covered, and headlines throughout each hour. The program tends to focus on softer news than their hard news...
's Josh LevsJosh LevsJoshua Levs, commonly known as Josh Levs, is an American broadcast journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia, who reported for the CNN news television network. He received his undergraduate degree from Yale University, where he was elected president of his United Synagogue Youth chapter and where a...
chose the YouTube video as the best viral video of 2010 in its "Viral Video Rewind" feature (December 26, 2010).
- The video was recognized by YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
's official "TheYearInReview" channel in its "Moments That Defined YouTube in 2010" feature (December 2010).
Reception by viewers
The video received its first half-million views on YouTube in two days, and more than 830,000 views in its first six days.Within five months of being posted, the YouTube video had been viewed over 3.18 million times, had received almost 20,000 comments, had been "favorited" over 48,500 times, and was the seventh most highly rated YouTube Canada music video of all time.
Reunion performances
The video's participants, who had been geographically distributed at the time of its creation in February 2010, performed together in the same geographic location in Washington, D.C. in December of that year. The singers and musicians were assembled on the same stage at a private business' Christmas event.Thirty-seven of the original video's singers were among participants in a second massively collaborative
Collaboration
Collaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, — for example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing...
YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
charity
Charity record
A charity record is a release of a song for a specific charitable cause. Some of the earliest charity records came from the Music for UNICEF Concert, with ABBA's Chiquitita and the Bee Gees' Too Much Heaven among them released as singles, with all the royalties going to UNICEF...
video, "We Pray For You - 55 Youtubers Edition - Japan/ US Tornado Tribute (Original song)." J Rice organized the second video's geographically distributed participants, and edited and mixed the video that was posted to YouTube on May 9, 2011. Proceeds from a resulting iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
and Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"We Pray For You (YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
rs Edition)" benefitted victims of the March 11, 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
(Japan) and 2011 tornado outbreak
Tornadoes of 2011
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 2011. Extremely destructive tornadoes form most frequently in the U.S., Bangladesh and Eastern India, but they can occur almost anywhere under the right conditions...
(southern United States). After ten days, that video had over 175,000 views and a "Like/Dislike" ratio of 166, and by its 23rd day reached 250,000 views with the ratio expanding to 174.
The Tokyo Times referred to the "We Pray for You" video as an example of a trend to use crowdsourcing
Crowdsourcing
Crowdsourcing is the act of sourcing tasks traditionally performed by specific individuals to a group of people or community through an open call....
for charitable
Charity (practice)
The practice of charity means the voluntary giving of help to those in need who are not related to the giver.- Etymology :The word "charity" entered the English language through the Old French word "charité" which was derived from the Latin "caritas".Originally in Latin the word caritas meant...
purposes. The "We Pray for You" video was featured on CNN Headline News' "Hottest Viral Videos" on June 18, 2011.
Contributors to the video
According to the "sidebar" (textual description) of the subject video:- Editors: Lisa LavieLisa LavieLisa Lavie is a Canadian singer and songwriter originally from LaSalle, Québec, Canada.Lavie is known for using the Internet to independently promote her own music and concerts...
(audio editing), Iman CrossonIman CrossonIman Crosson is an American actor, impressionist, dancer and singer known on various Internet websites under the pseudonym "Alphacat" and is known for his impersonations of U.S...
(video editing). - Instrumentals: Mike Kalombo.
- Ending graphic: Chris Kalombo.
Singers
Singers are recited in the order listed in the subject video's sidebar:- Troye SivanTroye SivanTroye Sivan, born Troye Sivan Mellet , is an Australian child actor and singer. He played Young James Howlett in the X-Men film X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and most recently starred in the film Spud-Personal life:...
- Melissa Polinar
- Ben Sharkey
- Iann Guérin
- Bruce & Daniel
- Mishal Moore
- Ahmir (group)
- Blair Perkins
- Lyne Sullivan
- Lois Mahalia
- Chris Cendana
- Jumoke Hill
- J Rice
- Luna Mae
- SamDaSinga
- Anhayla
- Maria Zouroudis
- Lisa LavieLisa LavieLisa Lavie is a Canadian singer and songwriter originally from LaSalle, Québec, Canada.Lavie is known for using the Internet to independently promote her own music and concerts...
- David ChoiDavid ChoiDavid Yong Choi is an American musician and YouTube video producer living in Los Angeles. He performs a mix of original songs and covers of pop hits. Choi released his debut album, Only You, in October 2008. His second album, By My Side, was released on May 19, 2010...
- Richard Rick Rose
- Nick Pitera
- AJ Rafael
- Lucas Teague
- Jessica Sanchez
- Thia MegiaThia MegiaThia Megia is an American singer from Mountain House, San Joaquin County, California. Megia finished in the top 11 of the tenth season of American Idol...
- Shan Malaika
- Airto
- Emmanuelle Auger
- Laura Broad
- BeeKay
- Sheena Melwani
- Dan Talevski
- Frank Bell
- Orlando Dixon
- Iman CrossonIman CrossonIman Crosson is an American actor, impressionist, dancer and singer known on various Internet websites under the pseudonym "Alphacat" and is known for his impersonations of U.S...
- JR Aquino
- Eric Arceneaux
- Stacy Dudero
- Meghan Tonjes
- James Dupre
- Heidi Jutras
- Anna Moya
- Laura Song
- Renee Thomas
- Jon McSingee
- Laurence
- Nick Gardner
- Jon Cahlander
- Julie Corrigan
See also
- We Are the WorldWe Are the World"We Are the World" is a song and charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album We Are the World...
- We Are the World 25 for HaitiWe Are the World 25 for Haiti"We Are the World 25 for Haiti" is a charity single recorded by the supergroup Artists for Haiti in 2010. It is a remake of the 1985 hit song "We Are the World", which was written by American musicians Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and was recorded by USA for Africa to benefit famine relief in...
- Charity recordCharity recordA charity record is a release of a song for a specific charitable cause. Some of the earliest charity records came from the Music for UNICEF Concert, with ABBA's Chiquitita and the Bee Gees' Too Much Heaven among them released as singles, with all the royalties going to UNICEF...
- 2010 Haiti earthquake2010 Haiti earthquakeThe 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
- CrowdsourcingCrowdsourcingCrowdsourcing is the act of sourcing tasks traditionally performed by specific individuals to a group of people or community through an open call....
- YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- Social impact of YouTubeSocial impact of YouTubeYouTube, by providing a video hosting service, has been involved with popularizing Internet trends in popular culture. Its users represent of society and it is part of a set of social networking sites that people and organizations often maintain a presence on. YouTube has created some internet...
- Audio mixing (recorded music)Audio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- Internet bandInternet bandAn Internet band is a musical group whose members collaborate online through broadband by utilizing a content management system and local digital audio workstations...
External links
- YouTube link to subject video "We Are The World 25 for Haiti (YouTube Edition)" (WebCite archive)
- YouTube link to the ABC World News "Persons of the Week" television feature of the subject video (WebCite archive)
- CNN.com link and YouTube link to CNNCNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's first television feature of the subject video (WebCite archive) - YouTube link to CNNCNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's second television feature of the subject video (WebCite archive) - CNN.com link to CNNCNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's third television feature of the subject video - YouTube link to ABC NewsABC NewsABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
' "Persons of the Week" television feature (WebCite archive) - Website of We Are the World Foundation LLC (charitable foundation affiliated with 2010 celebrity remake) (WebCite archive)
- YouTube link to 2010 celebrity video "We Are The World 25 For Haiti - Official VideoWe Are the World 25 for Haiti"We Are the World 25 for Haiti" is a charity single recorded by the supergroup Artists for Haiti in 2010. It is a remake of the 1985 hit song "We Are the World", which was written by American musicians Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and was recorded by USA for Africa to benefit famine relief in...
" (WebCite archive) - Website of the "USA (United Support of Artists) for AfricaUSA for AfricaUSA for Africa was the name under which forty-seven predominantly U.S. artists, led by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, recorded the hit single "We Are the World" in 1985. The song was a US and UK Number One for the collective in April of that year...
," containing a link to the 1985 celebrity video "We Are the WorldWe Are the World"We Are the World" is a song and charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album We Are the World...
" (WebCite archive) - YouTube link to May 9, 2011 charity collaboration video "We Pray For You -55 Youtubers Edition -Japan/ US Tornado Tribute (Original song)" (WebCite archive).