Since then, it has grown to include close to fifty local coordinators in over forty countries, including three in Canada. Becker to “inspire and remind people of the simple, practical power of loving unconditionally”. Global Love Day was established in 2004 by The Love Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 2000 by Harold W. ‘Free This Love’ celebrates the same idea, so it was a drop date slam dunk!” “It’s a symbolic day of unconditional love that recognizes our oneness through love. “As I was considering potential mid-spring release dates, I discovered that May 1 is Global Love Day,” he notes. With three years of pandemic, war and conflict, increasing divisiveness and climate crises all playing havoc with humanity, choosing to drop this joyful jam on Global Love Day was a no-brainer and an all-heart decision for Lees. “When I think of the thousands and thousands of entries that are submitted each year for these competitions and it hits me that ‘Free This Love’ has been singled out by industry peers for recognition not once, but twice, I’m completely blown away and so grateful,” says Lees. “Free This Love” was selected as a Top 10 Finalist for the 2022 USA Songwriting Competition and was recently chosen as a Semi-Finalist for the 2022 International Songwriting Competition.

This collaborative effort has already paid off with accolades from two major international songwriting competitions. “It was a pleasure to produce and an honour to work with such amazing talent!” “When listening to the demo of ‘Free This Love’, I could hear the emotion that Henry was conveying through his beautiful vocal performance and the impactful message of the lyrics that he wrote along with Heather and Matt,” recalls Thomas. “He’s done amazing work in recent years with brilliant pop icons like Debbie Gibson and Joey McIntyre and I knew he would be able to transform our earnest demo into this big, beautiful banger that we’re so proud of!” “Sean and I have collaborated a number of times since we first met and clicked during the annual SongStudio Workshop in Toronto five years ago,” notes Lees. To create the sparkling pop sound that showcases the song’s powerful message, Lees turned to his friend and frequent collaborator, Vancouver producer, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sean Thomas. This passionate anthem about compassion mixes Lees’ warm, soulful tenor with syncopated guitar, playful keyboard riffs, dramatic percussion and a four-on-the-dance-floor, total sing-along chorus. “We imagined love being ‘let out of the cage’ into a space of greater freedom and compassion,” adds Lees. Then, Matt joined us to help hone things stylistically and lyrically.” “Spotlighting that was one of our goals when Heather and I had our first writing session for the song. “‘Free This Love’ is a song that celebrates and reminds us of the importance and power of brotherly love,” shares Lees.

Award-winning Canadian Singer-Songwriter Henry Lees is aiming to spread the love far beyond his own glowing heart with his funkified, grooved-up new single “Free This Love”, available everywhere on May 1, Global Love Day.Ĭo-written with noteworthy, award-winning Ontario singer-songwriters Heather Hill and Matt Gerber, and produced by Vancouver-based musical wunderkind Sean Thomas (Debbie Gibson, Joey McIntyre, NKOTB, New Edition), “Free This Love” was borne out of a collective wish to uplift and inspire human reconnection during a time rife with fear, isolation and uncertainty around the world. Most certainly, this highest of emotions is at its best when it’s shared as far and wide as possible. Over the years, we’ve heard that love is the answer, the drug, can build a bridge, lifts us up where we belong, is endless, a crazy little thing and is, of course, all you need.

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