Brighton alumna uses ‘Miracle’ song to raise awareness for Lebanon

University of Brighton alumna and songwriter Rawaa Barnes has recorded a track which is raising money for people affected by the devastating explosion in Beirut earlier this month.

Rawaa, who was an undergraduate computing student at the university before studying a Masters in International Tourism Management , initially wrote the song ‘Miracle’ with platinum artist Andrew Roachford in 2015 to highlight issues in the Middle East, but has now dedicated the track to raise money for Red Cross Lebanon and Impact Lebanon.

Rawaa, who also provides vocals, said: “I had decided to hold on to the song to be used in a musical, but when I saw the blast in Beirut I was moved so much that I contacted Andrew (Roachford) and he said it was a great idea.

“I recorded it quickly and then asked all my contacts in Beirut to send me footage that they’d taken first hand, so that our video editor – who was also based in the city – could put the video together.

“We really hope that through music and images, people will understand the suffering Lebanon is going through right now and will be able to help in any way they can”.

The song was published on YouTube where it caught the attention of Rami Mortada, Lebanese Ambassador to the UK, who invited Rawaa to attend a Red Cross evening on Monday (24 August) to help victims of the disaster.

It has also been picked up by The Peace and Prosperity Trust in London to use in a campaign to raise money for the Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon.

Speaking to Sky News Arabia, Rawaa said: “I was so moved when I saw the blast, on top of coronavirus, on top of the economic crisis and on top of everything Lebanese people have to deal with, I just thought they really needed our help”.

A songwriter, producer and novelist, Rawaa is currently working on a musical based on 23 songs she’s previously written and is the composer on BBC Radio 4’s ‘The Most Wanted Man in Sweden’, which has also been adapted for the stage.

She’s also in the early stages of adapting her novel ‘I am Rumi’ with award-winning playwright Hassan Abdulrazzak and is working as a producer and songwriter on an animation to be released around the end of 2022.

Watch and listen to ‘Miracle’ on YouTube