Rosa Gulliver of TINYGMUSIC | 26th March 2024
Last night, indigenous musicians from across Brazil travelled to Los Angeles to perform with Brazilian superstar and philanthropist Alok at the GRAMMY Museum®’s Ray Charles Terrace as part of the Global Spin Live series. The special edition of Global Spin Live celebrated the upcoming album release of “The Future Is Ancestral,” produced in partnership with indigenous communities across Brazil, and Alok, who was recently voted as the No. 4 DJ in the world for the second consecutive year.
This unique musical performance and creative discussion took place on the rooftop of the prestigious GRAMMY Museum. It combined the ancestral music and knowledge of indigenous communities with the electronic pop beats of the acclaimed producer Alok, creating a unique multi-sensory experience of music, inspiration, art, and culture.
“The Future is Ancestral” has already received tremendous support and acclaim from international organisations including Global Citizen, the United Nations, and UNESCO. In 2023, as part of a collaboration between the Alok Institute and UN Global Compact with support from Greenpeace, Indigenous artists and Alok showcased parts of “The Future is Ancestral,” with a performance on the roof of the United Nations headquarters in New York City during Global Climate Week.
The GRAMMY Museum event marked the project’s debut in Los Angeles. Opening the event to a packed house of over 300 guests, the night’s host and moderator, Dawn Miller, shared details of the vibrant programme to come before introducing special guest Moran Sol Broza of BeTogether. Broza provided a few inspirational words to unite the audience behind the message of “The Future is Ancestral.” Following this, a video transported the audience to the heart of Brazil for the recording sessions of the album, immersing them more deeply into the creative journey. This was followed by an inspiring panel discussion featuring the partners of “The Future is Ancestral.” The panel included Célia Xacriabá, an anthropologist and Federal Deputy of Minas Gerais, Mapu Huni Kuî, a spiritual leader and musician; and Alok, a global DJ, producer, and humanitarian. This discussion was moderated by Dawn Miller, a culture and media expert.
“The Future is Ancestral'' project first started in 2021 when Alok felt a calling to establish a deeper connection with the world and nature around him. He then initiated a collaboration with the indigenous community. Alok went through a transformative time, discovering the wisdom of their way of life and the harmony it brings to the earth. He knew he wanted to partner with them to share their knowledge and wisdom with the world. From here, “The Future is Ancestral'' was born from an alliance between Alok and indigenous artists from Huni Kuin, Yawanawa, Guarani Mbyá, Guarani-Kaiowá, Guarani Nhandeva, Xakriabá, Kaingang and Kariri Xocó ethnicities, to create musical and inspirational projects for the benefit of humankind.
The project evolved into a musical journey and cultural collaboration that took place in a studio over the course of six weeks. The indigenous and Alok collaborated to produce an album that blends pop and ancestral music. The project also examines the relationship between music and indigeneity, showcasing how music can serve as a healing vehicle that preserves language, history, and further explores the connection between mankind and the natural world.
Through “The Future is Ancestral,” the indigenous peoples and Alok have embarked on a global humanitarian mission to inspire and raise awareness about the significance of indigenous knowledge in safeguarding the earth's biodiversity. Despite comprising less than 5% of the global population, indigenous communities worldwide are responsible for safeguarding over 80% of the planet’s biodiversity. Indigenous knowledge has been identified as an important cornerstone in creating a sustainable future for our planet. “The Future is Ancestral” was created to encapsulate and share this important message.
Profits from the album will go to the Indigenous artists who co-created the project. This is an open invitation to be a part of helping co-create a more culturally and environmentally sustainable world. If you would like to get involved in the movement of "The Future is Ancestral" and learn more about the album, head to the project website.
About THE FUTURE IS ANCESTRAL
The project, initiated in 2021, stemmed from Alok's immersive experience collaborating with indigenous communities. It evolved into a six-week studio-based collaboration, resulting in an album that intricately weaves together ancestral wisdom and modern musicality, while advocating for environmental conservation and cultural preservation.
About ALOK
Alok is a bona fide dance music superstar and philanthropist, holding the title of the second-largest DJ on social media with a combined reach of over 70 million followers. With more than 5 billion streams and about 30 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Alok is the most listened-to Brazilian artist internationally. Outside of music, Alok is also a recognised brand and star, having achieved huge notoriety in the gaming world as a character with his own name in the widely popular game “Free Fire.” In 2023, he was named the No. 1 DJ in Latin America for the third consecutive year and the 4th Best DJ in the world, according to the prestigious DJ Mag Top 100 DJ Poll. Alok is also the only Brazilian to make the “Billboard Dance 100” and was named in 2022 by Bloomberg Linea as one of the 500 most influential people in Latin America. As Alok has performed some 320 shows annually on five continents, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential Brazilian artists of all time and is currently experiencing his breakout moment in the US.
Keep up with ALOK
About ALOK INSTITUTE
The Alok Institute, founded in 2020, supports social and environmental projects in Brazil, Africa, and India. Its focus areas include entrepreneurship, social gastronomy (food security), human development (with a priority on women, children, and youth from the outskirts of major cities), and indigenous populations.
About GRAMMY MUSEUM
The GRAMMY Museum, currently celebrating its 15th anniversary, is a non-profit organisation dedicated to celebrating and exploring music from yesterday and today to inspire the music of tomorrow through exhibits, education, grants, preservation initiatives, and public programming. Paying tribute to our collective musical heritage, the museum values and celebrates the dynamic connection between people’s diverse backgrounds and music’s many genres. It tells stories that inspire us and encourages creative expression that leads to change in our industry.
Credits
Thank you, Miller PR, for allowing TINYgMUSIC Productions to cover Alok's activities and promotions.
Miller PR specialise in serving clients in the music, entertainment, lifestyle, and tech industries. The agency has worked with many renowned brands, such as global corporations, business leaders and entertainment and music icons.
In the music and entertainment sector, Miller PR has worked with globally recognised personalities and music artists which include Gene Simmons, Tyga, Boy George, Paris Hilton, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Afrojack, Rich the Kid, Armin Van Buuren, Lay Zhang, G.E.M., Carson Daly, Cesar Millan, and Engelbert Humperdinck, and iconic content creators Peter Guber, Robert Evans, and Stan Lee.
With strong expertise across multiple genres of music, including hip-hop, pop, and dance music, Miller PR has been hired by many music labels to represent artists or provide corporate communications and event support.