Jacob Collier Builds Support System With Shawn Mendes and Stormzy in ‘Witness Me’ Video
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A choir of 5,000 voices forms the foundation of the support system Jacob Collier is building with Shawn Mendes and Stormzy on his latest single, “Witness Me,” which also features Kirk Franklin. In the newly released music video for the record, the trio leans into earnest humility in a home where everyone shows up for one another, even through their own hardships.
“This song means a great deal to me, and its creation has brought me a lot of hope and warmth over the two years of its gestation,” Collier shared in a statement. “In a time where there are countless divisive forces around the world, my hope is that this song can act as a reminder of the power people hold to come together and really see each other, carry each other and bear witness to life in all its colours.”
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Mendes added: “So happy to share this song with everyone. Jacob, Stormzy & Kirk are artists I’ve admired for a long time, so I’m honoured to be a part of such a beautifully intentioned song.”
Collier began working on “Witness Me” in 2021 during a studio session with Mendes in Malibu. “We bonded over our love of gospel music, joyous communal gatherings and creating music for more than ourselves,” he explained. “I worked on that song seed over the coming months, and travelled to Arlington, Texas (chez Franklin) to work with Kirk and his unbelievable singers for a day. That session transformed the demo into a fully-fledged song, which I then sent to Stormzy to do his inimitable magic with.”
The song will appear on Collier’s forthcoming project Djesse Vol. 4, set for release on Feb. 29. The album features more of these 5,000 voice choirs, crafted from the thousands-deep audiences at the musician’s live shows and incorporated into the music.
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