Mari Kalkun releases animation film for ‘Mother Earth’ in collaboration with Brian Eno’s EarthPercent charity

Estonian singer and multi-instrumentalist Mari Kalkun has teamed up with Brian Eno’s EarthPercent charity for the release of her new single ‘Maaimä’ (Mother Earth). The track, which is about the controversial relationship between humans and nature, is accompanied by a beautiful short animation film, the vision of Oscar-nominated Croatian director and illustrator Lucija Mrzljak.

On Earth Day 2024, EarthPercent announced a new initiative in which ‘the Earth’ is established as an artist on digital music services, adding visibility the charity’s core concept of artists donating a percentage of earnings towards tackling the climate crisis. Mari Kalkun has pledged a percentage of digital earnings from the new single to EarthPercent.

Mari Kalkun - Maaimä (Mother Earth) animation video by Oscar-nominated Croatian director and illustrator Lucija Mrzljak

Funds raised by EarthPercent go directly to organisations on the frontline of the climate and biodiversity crises, focusing on five key areas of action: climate justice, conservation, law and policy change, a just energy transition and greening the music industry itself. The charity has collaborated with many amazing artists, including Jacob Collier, Mount Kimbi and Aurora who have named Earth as a co-writer.

The album Stories of Stonia, which won ‘Folk Album of the Year’ in the 2024 Estonian Music Awards, has moved fans and critics around the globe. In less than a year Mari has presented her new creation in more than ten countries, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea.

The central topic of the album Stories of Stonia is humanity’s controversial relationship with nature and whether the old runo-songs are able to speak out about over-consumption and climate change,” says Mari. “The song ‘Maaimä’ (Mother Earth) addresses very contemporary problems such as the climate crisis, overpopulation and consumption. The song is written in one of the world oldest languages, the Võro language, by poet Leila Holts.”

‘Maaimä’ (Mother Earth) is taken from the album Stories of Stonia, out now on Real World Records.

Featured release

  • Stories of Stonia

    Mari Kalkun

    Released 07 July 2023

    With a voice that seems to speak to us from the heart of the Estonian forest, Mari Kalkun’s music is at once of a place and deeply personal. Rooted in ancient Estonian and Võru traditions, but beautifully fresh and contemporary, Stories of Stonia reaches back to very old layers of tradition to imagine what Mari's ancestors would have thought and sung about the world in an era of skyscraper, steel and metal.

By Online Editor

Main image: Mari Kalkun. Photo credit: Dmitri Kotjuh.

Published on Tue, 14 May 24

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Mari Kalkun releases animation film for ‘Mother Earth’ in collaboration with Brian Eno’s EarthPercent charity

The song, 'Maaimä', is about the controversial relationship between humans and nature.

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