In the summer of 2020, Alessia Cara was preparing to release a live recording of music she had put out the previous year. The project, This summer: live off the floor, had been planned before the coronavirus pandemic disrupted daily life across the world. By the time it was ready to reach listeners, however, Cara had decided to give the proceeds from the release a different purpose. The Canadian singer announced that she would donate her share of royalties from the EP to Save the Children for 21 years, as reported by Save the Children Canada. The commitment linked a single music project to a much longer period of support for children facing poverty, displacement and limited access to basic services.
Alessia Cara pledged 21 years of EP royalties to support children worldwide
Cara announced the donation on 25 June 2020, explaining that the decision had followed the upheaval caused by the pandemic. She had released an EP the previous September and subsequently recorded a live version, which was scheduled to arrive in the summer of 2020. Rather than treating the release as a conventional music project, she chose to direct her proceeds towards the international children’s charity over the following 21 years.The pledge concerned Cara’s share of the royalties, rather than an announced fixed sum. No total donation amount was specified in the announcement, leaving the eventual value dependent on the income generated by the recordings over time. Its duration was a defining part of the arrangement: revenue from the EP could continue supporting the charity well beyond its initial release period.For an artist, royalties can provide income long after a recording first becomes available. In Cara’s case, that continuing stream was intended to serve a charitable purpose, turning the release into a source of support that extended across decades.
Save the Children donation targeted children in more than 100 countries
Save the Children works with children and families in countries affected by conflict, poverty, emergencies and other forms of hardship. Its programmes cover areas such as healthcare, nutrition, education, shelter and protection from violence and exploitation.President and CEO, Save the Children Bill Chambers said, “This incredible support will provide much-needed funds to advance the rights of children in Canada, Yemen and over 100 countries around the world. Through this partnership we will help the most marginalized and deprived children in crisis have the opportunity to survive, learn and be protected from harm, no matter who they are or where they’re from.”The disruption had reached well beyond hospitals and public health services. School closures left hundreds of millions of children without their usual classroom routines, while lost earnings placed additional pressure on families already struggling to afford food and other necessities. For children living in unstable circumstances, interruptions to education and access to care could compound problems that had existed long before the outbreak.Save the Children said the donation would help it extend its work with children who were particularly vulnerable to these pressures. The commitment was intended to support both immediate needs and its continuing programmes in the years that followed.
Children in Yemen and Canada were among the groups highlighted
Cara specifically referred to children in Yemen, where years of conflict had left large numbers of young people facing severe humanitarian difficulties. In her announcement as reported by Save the Children Canada, she cited 12 million children experiencing hardship there. The figure reflected the scale of the crisis she wanted the donation to address, rather than a claim that the EP’s proceeds would be allocated exclusively to the country.She also drew attention to Indigenous children in Canada and children of colour living in vulnerable communities. By naming these groups alongside children in Yemen, Cara described a commitment that crossed national boundaries and included children experiencing different forms of disadvantage.The reference to Canada was significant because the singer’s charitable focus was not limited to emergencies overseas. Children can face barriers to education, healthcare, safety and other essential resources within wealthier countries, too. Cara’s stated intention was to support Save the Children’s work wherever assistance was needed across its international operations.The organisation’s announcement also emphasised the importance of reaching children who were often hardest to support during periods of crisis. Its work included helping families meet immediate needs while protecting children’s access to services that affect their longer-term development.
Pandemic delays shaped Alessia Cara’s 21-year royalty pledge
When Cara explained her decision, she described the EP as a project that had been planned before the pandemic changed the circumstances surrounding its release. The original recording had come out in September 2019, with the live version following the next summer. By June 2020, the pandemic had altered how people worked, studied and maintained contact with one another, while placing additional demands on charities.Cara said the situation had reinforced her concern about children who lacked the resources needed to learn, remain safe and pursue opportunities. Her announcement connected those concerns to the practical support provided by Save the Children, including food, shelter, healthcare and education.The pledge also reflected the particular nature of the music industry. A recording can remain commercially available long after the publicity surrounding its launch has ended, producing royalties at different points in its life. By committing her share of those proceeds for 21 years, Cara attached a long-term charitable purpose to a release associated with a specific moment in 2020.There was no announced estimate of how much the EP would ultimately generate for the charity. The commitment was defined by the length of time over which the royalties would be donated, rather than by a publicly stated financial target.
Save the Children welcomed Cara’s long-term support for children’s rights
In its response, Save the Children welcomed the donation and said it would contribute to efforts to protect children’s rights and improve their access to essential services. The organisation’s then-president and chief executive, Bill Chambers, highlighted the continuing effects of the pandemic on families, including the loss of household income, interrupted schooling and concerns about children’s wellbeing.The 21-year period gave the commitment a scope that went beyond the immediate emergency. While the pandemic had prompted Cara’s decision, the charity’s work also addressed longstanding challenges affecting children in communities around the world. Future royalties could therefore contribute to programmes operating under circumstances different from those that existed when the EP was released.Cara thanked the musicians who had worked on the recording and her team for supporting the decision. Her announcement did not set out a detailed distribution schedule or identify specific projects that would receive the proceeds.
