Once Mekel, Mr Big’s Billy Sheehan, ex-Guns N’ Roses guitarist Ron Thal and more share charity single, ‘Human Race’

Indonesian singer Once Mekel, best known as the former lead singer of veteran rock group Dewa 19, has collaborated with Mr Big’s Billy Sheehan and former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Ron Thal for a charity single, ‘Human Race’.

Released on Friday (January 21), ‘Human Race’ aims to fundraise for and spread awareness of ForestNation’s ‘Plant With Us’ program, through which the non-profit organisation hopes to plant more trees in Tanzania in an effort to combat the ongoing climate crisis.

Listen to ‘Human Race’ below.

The single also features contributions from Indonesian guitarist Edo Widiz of veteran rock band Voodoo, former Yngwie Malmsteen and Journey vocalist Jeff Scott Soto, and American drummer Simon Phillips, who has drummed for The Who, Toto and Judas Priest.

‘Human Race’ sees Jeff Scott Soto, Once Mekel and Croatian singer Dino Jelusić trade vocals over the song’s anthemic guitar solos, spreading messages of global perseverance and uniting for a larger cause. Once Mekel also performs a short spoken-word verse in Bahasa Indonesia.

A donation of just 30cents plants one tree in Tanzania, with donation denominations ranging from 10 trees, 25 trees, 50 trees and 100 trees, to donors’ preferred number. More information can be found here.

‘Human Race’ marks Once Mekel’s first release of the year. Last year, he released a cover of the Chrisye song ‘Sabda Alam’, following his ‘Intrinsik’ album in 2020. Once Mekel was the lead vocalist of Dewa 19 from 2000 till 2011, when he left to focus on his solo career.

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