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Taken from Yahoo Music (Jul 17, 2014)
Michael Franti Says Students’ ‘I’m Alive’ Cover ‘Moved Him to Tears’
by Billy Johnson, Jr.
On Friday, July 18, at 6:45 p.m. PT/9:45 p.m. ET, Yahoo Live will livestream Michael Franti & Spearhead's concert from the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion in Boston. Tune in HERE to watch!
It's not just about record sales, it's about how his music resonates with his audience. So the singer said he was moved "to tears" when he came across a YouTube video of students at New York's PS22 Chorus singing a cover of the song.
In an exclusive interview with Yahoo! Music, Franti said he was moved to meet and perform with the kids. Then he offered an acoustic rendition of the track from his latest album, All People.
Franti says his album All People is a "celebration of diversity" and comes from a very personal place. Franti, who is of mixed heritage - Irish, French, German, African American and Native American (Seminole Indian) - was adopted and raised by a Finnish family. He has four siblings. "Mom was insistent that all five of us were treated exactly alike," he says.
In discussing the album, Franti explained how the song "Life Is Better With You" was inspired by a real life Valentine's Day experience with his girlfriend. See him recount the story and sing the romantic ballad.
Like Franti's previous works, All People is full of thought-provoking songs. Among them are "Earth From Outer Space," a collab with K'Naan, and "Show Me A Sign" that addresses how modern news reporting trends have made disposable even some of the most important current events.
Franti wrappws his Yahoo visit by offering one of his biggest hits to date, "The Sound of Sunshine."
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