South African based music duo, Bottomless Coffee Band, launched a new song and video called ‘Wilderness’. This coincided with the announcement that they are the official ambassadors for the Community Conservation Fund Africa (CCFA).

Husband and wife duo, Lourens & Esté Rabé (Bottomless Coffee Band) recently partnered with a global initiative, The Community Conservation Fund – Africa (CCFA) as official ambassadors for the NPC. CCFA came about when two hospitality partners, Accor and Mantis, recognised the urgent need for tourism to play an active and hands on role in community upliftment and conservation.  The dream: To create a ‘green print’ for all hospitality tourism in Africa.  Tourism depends on conserving the environment but, equally important is uplifting, empowering and integrating local communities.

After a concert in the Eastern Cape last year, attended by CEO and Chairman of CCFA, Adrian Gardiner, a partnership was born between the Bottomless Coffee Band and the CCFA. He asked them the burning question: ‘What are you, as musicians, doing for conservation?’ Fast forward to the early hours the next morning when Lourens and Esté found themselves awake, inspired by the possibility of being involved in conservation through their music.

And with that, their single ‘Wilderness’ was born. ‘The song tells the story of a rhino calf being separated from his mother after she is shot for her horn representing the greater environmental and conservation crisis.  We are all created to live in harmony and synergy on this planet – to protect all the natural systems that we as humans can’t create once it’s gone…’ the duo explains.

Bottomless Coffee Band, like many people, is aware of the current state of our planet and the urgent need to highlight the preservation of our environment, especially in collaboration with the community.  The duo was inspired to make a difference with what they have in their hands – music.

Their strong belief and inspiration for ‘Wilderness’ has been the driving force behind their partnership with CCFA.  ‘For us, music is all about bringing people together and sharing stories. What we can contribute is to carry the torch to different audiences, from all walks of life, spreading the conservation message and raising money for the cause’.

When asked what drew Adrian to the band, he said, ’I was inspired by the talent I saw in Lourens and Esté. Chatting to them I realised that with their passion and musical ability, they could be agents for change.  A perfect fit to be ambassadors for CCFA, to spread the conservation message through song’.  And the band is doing just that having taken on the roles of official ambassadors for the CCFA.

 ‘Wilderness’ was released 27 March, alongside a thought provoking music video filmed by Homebrew films.

You can view it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3955_Mfq9ZI

 The duo has forged an additional partnership with Fairview, who has pledged to donate R1 to the CCFA for every music video shared. A portion of sales of the song will also be donated to the CCFA. All parties involved will run a ‘share to care’ and ‘download to donate’ campaign on their social media platforms – the wider the songs’ reach – the more money will go towards conservation.

‘I think music is the best global means of communication and, if anything needs to be communicated right now, on a world stage, it is conservation,’ says Fairview owner, Charles Back.  ‘The two collaborate in such a meaningful way that it has the ability to cross boundaries and cultures and influence people across the world.’

CCFA & BOTTOMLESS COFFEE BAND PROJECTS

  • The Bottomless Coffee Band was the guest artist at the first CCFA fundraiser held in October last year, where they performed ‘Wilderness’ for the audience. R700 000 was raised that night.  ‘We believe that the power of music can be used at grassroots level to emphasize the conservation cause and to inspire people, from all walks of life, to get involved.’
  • Their contribution aims to continue with the release of the ‘Wilderness’ music video and song
  • A fundraising event in Port-Elizabeth is planned for June
  • A Tree Planting Concert to be hosted at Fairview in October
  • A concert and fundraiser in London is planned for October. Fairview and other South African brands will join hands to take this story to the UK.

For more information on the current projects run by the CCFA, go to www.ccfa.africa.

Keep up to date with the on-going projects of Bottomless Coffee Band by heading to their website: www.bottomlesscoffeeband.com