Perry Martins
Gospel music singer Koryn Hawthorne has featured in the Apple Music Juneteenth 2022 Freedom Songs collection; a specially-curated collection of music to celebrate and honor Juneteenth. Available to stream exclusively on Apple Music, the second annual compilation features an eclectic mix of originals and covers to celebrate the holiday from the likes of Alex Isley, Brittney Spencer, 6LACK, Bun B, Cautious Clay, Damien Sneed, Denzel Curry, Eladio Carrión, Elena Pinderhughes, Jlin, Koryn Hawthorne, Kranium, Lupe Fiasco, Moliy, SEB, and WSTRN. ‘Juneteenth 2022: Freedom Songs’ is available now in Spatial Audio only on Apple Music.
“As the awareness and mainstreaming of Juneteenth continues to rise, our team at Apple Music is committed to commemorating the holiday while ensuring that its historical significance is not lost,” said Ebro Darden, Apple Music’s Global Editorial Head of Hip-Hop and R&B. “We continue our annual efforts with a new collection of Black Music and stories from artists across an array of genres aimed to amplify the conversation, inspire reflection, and celebrate freedom.”
Artists featured on this Freedom Songs were commissioned by Apple Music’s expert music curators to reflect the spirit of Juneteenth through the majesty of music. Including over 16 artists across an array of genres, including Hip-Hop, Gospel, Latin, Jazz, R&B, Country and more, the collection aims to uncover the complexity of the Black experience against the backdrop of the historical touchpoint of Juneteenth — from joy to pain and hope to rumination.
To complement ‘Juneteenth 2022: Freedom Songs’, Apple Music partnered with multiple Black visual artists who created original artwork for the project, including: Kendall Henderson and Sophie Douala. Additional elements include bespoke animations from artist Robbie Shilstone and a companion visual of 6LACK’s rendition of “UMI Says” directed by Adele “Supreme” Williams and Erin G. Wesley.
Additionally, Apple Music celebrates Black music all month long with ‘Black Music Month: The Future,’ a global campaign spotlighting the future of Black music through a curated list of rising stars from around the world across a multitude of genres who are creating and influencing new sounds.
