IN what has become the trend in the aftermath of major natural disasters, the music industry at home and aboard can be relied on to lend its voice in solidarity with such victims. As was the case over 20 years ago with Hurricane Gilbert in Jamaica and more recently Hurricane Katrina in the USA, the catastrophe in Haiti is no exception.

One of the most high-profile gestures to date in the spirit of commiseration for both the victims and survivors of the earthquake a week ago is that of international pop star Rihanna’s performance of Bob Marley’s Redemption Song on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

According to the Rolling Stone online magazine Rock and Roll Daily, audio copies were immediately available for download on RihannaNow as well as on Oprah.com. Rolling Stone reported that all artistes, publishing and label proceeds from the track will benefit Haiti relief efforts through organisations such as the RedCross, UNICEF, Oxfam America and Partners In Health. The track is also available on iTunes.

Rolling Stone further stated that Rihanna will also perform on MTV’s Hope For Haiti special to be aired today on other major networks, including VH1. The special will also feature performances by U2’s Bono, Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys, Justin Timberlake, among others.

Then there was the Songs for Haiti benefit concert last night featuring Thomas Lauderdale and Terrance ‘Cool Nutz’ Scott at Aladdin Theatre in Portland Oregon, USA.

Not to be left out is Jamaica and reggae. On the local front, one of the major recording projects in the making at this time at the Tuff Gong International Recording studio is a song dedicated to the Haitian cause titled Hear Your Calling.

“We basically want them (the Haitian people) to know that we hear their cries,” producer Handel Tucker told Splash. Like the charity anthem of 1985, We Are The World, written by the late great Michael Jackson and recorded by a group of international artistes, USA For Africa, Hear Your Calling, written by Raymond Azan, will feature a host of Jamaica’s finest entertainers.

One of the fastest rising stars, David M, is crafting a track called 90M Francs. “Because a lot of people don’t know that the Haitian Government was forced by France and the American governments to pay back 90 million francs,” the upcoming Jamaican entertainer told Splash.

“A lot of people don’t know, including myself,” admits David M, “how rough Haiti has got it over the years between France and America which is part of the reason why they are where they are today. In fact, the name of the song is 90M Francs, which is a sum when calculated today, is worth some US$20 billion that had to be paid back for over 120 years at high interest rates… But it’s not just about Haiti and what is happening there now. It is really to edify people and let people understand Haiti.”