In a world-first move, the global music initiative Sounds Right today launched a groundbreaking platform that allows any musician anywhere to officially feature “NATURE” as a recording artist on their songs, sharing royalties to fund vital conservation efforts worldwide.
The new platform, FEAT. NATURE, opens submissions to musicians globally via soundsright.earth/feature. Artists who incorporate sounds from forests, oceans, rivers, or wildlife can now upload their tracks and distribute them to major streaming services, with royalties split 50:50 between the artist and NATURE.
This expansion follows the initial 2024 launch of NATURE as an official artist on streaming platforms, which featured collaborations with stars like Ellie Goulding, Hozier, and Bomba Estéreo. The initiative has already engaged over 26 million listeners across 181 countries, generating an additional $400,000 for Indigenous- and community-led conservation projects in biodiversity hotspots like the Amazon and Congo Basin.
Ahead of the pivotal COP30 climate conference in the Brazilian Amazon, Kenyan artists are joining the movement. Blinky Bill has reimagined the classic Luo gospel song “Kata Matin” with sounds from the Congo Basin, while Bien is also releasing new music featuring NATURE.
“Kata Matin is an old Luo Gospel song that’s been passed down generations,” said Blinky Bill. “I wanted to give it a contemporary feel that places it in the here and now. I had so much fun working on it and I’m sure others will enjoy it too.”The launch addresses a critical cultural disconnect. A recent study found that references to nature in culture have declined by approximately 60% since 1800. By weaving nature’s sounds back into popular music, Sounds Right aims to rebuild this connection while mobilizing direct funding.
“Today, in a world first, we’re giving artists a simple and impactful way to credit NATURE in their music — helping restore nature’s presence in popular culture while directing new music royalties to frontline conservation,” said Gabriel Smales, Global Programme Director for Sounds Right at the Museum for the United Nations – UN Live. “This cultural loss is deepening the growing disconnect between people and the planet at a time we can least afford to.”Proceeds from NATURE’s share of royalties are directed to the Sounds Right Fund, which supports community-led conservation projects selected by an independent panel of Indigenous leaders, scientists, and conservationists.
“With this launch, we’re extending the Sounds Right model into a scalable mechanism for independent artists worldwide,” said Hans Poulsen, Program Partner at Eleutheria Group. “It’s a practical, transparent framework that embeds purpose into the core of music distribution, aligning creative freedom with measurable environmental impact.”The FEAT. NATURE platform is now live and accepting submissions at soundsright.earth/feature.
