Singer and songwriter Danny Singh, an Ozone Park native, partnered with the Cana Foundation to create and release an environmental music video, SENSORAMA, which was released on March 24. The project consists of a three-part visual experience exploring the connection between nature and music.
Singh and the Cana Foundation hope to raise awareness about the importance of rewilding and the need to protect and preserve natural resources. Rewilding refers to allowing nature to take care of itself by enabling natural processes to shape land and sea, repair damaged ecosystems and restore degraded landscapes. The mission of rewilding is part of the environmental preservation of the planet.
The three parts of the video are each meant to represent the three stages of messaging that Singh and the Cana Foundation is trying to get across. These messages are revolt, reflect and rewild.
The revolt section is meant to draw upon the connections between human life and horses through the brutality that some endure and standing up against it. This is conveyed in the first stage of the video through chaos in the streets. The reflect section shows Singh alone in a white void, which is meant to have both him and the viewers reflect on their actions and behavior. The rewilding stage shows nature’s beauty and his connection to horses.
The Cana Foundation is a non-profit based in New York that is dedicated to saving wild horses and raising awareness about environmental destruction. The organization has been around for about 15 years.
According to Singh, this project had been in the works for about six months. He was recruited by the organization’s founder, Manda Kalimian, after a friend of his introduced him to her. Kalimian felt that Singh would be a great ambassador to help the Cana Foundation to spread their messages to youths after Singh brought up some ideas on how to achieve this.
“I gave it a shot,” Singh said. “I made some music while in California that I thought fit the vibe. I just found a way to bridge it all together using the whole rewilding concept. We can all rewild in different ways.”
Heavily influenced by his upbringing in Ozone Park and Guyanese heritage, Singh applies a blend of R&B, punk and electronica to his music. As the first young ambassador for the Cana Foundation, Singh hopes his work will inspire other young creative people to also take part in the cause. The non-profit organization feels artistic expression can be a powerful tool when it comes to raising awareness on environmental issues.
Singh said he wants those who view the video to be more conscious in how they live their lives. He also wants up-and-coming artists who watch it to feel as though they aren’t limited in what they can talk about.
From a young age, Singh has been passionate about music. He credits his father for helping him develop this love by taking him to church, where he learned to play instruments, including the bass and saxophone.
“I’m definitely honored just to be a part of this foundation,” Singh said. “It’s cool to have somebody on the other side of things support you in your dreams and let you be as creative as you want. [Kalimian] gave me the reigns to do or say whatever I wanted. I know she’ll do that for more kids and artists. I’m just happy to be the first one and I’m excited to see what comes next.”
According to Singh, there are already some future projects he has in the works for the Cana Foundation. Both he and the organization are looking forward to completing them and making them available to the public, hopefully in the near future.
The premiere of the video took place just four days after International Rewilding Day, which occurred on March 20.
