Indaba Music and Dave Stewart Join Forces with Tim Kring and Nokia’s Conspiracy For Good

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Indaba Music, the internationally heralded community of musicians, and Dave Stewart’s trendsetting record label, Weapons of Mass Entertainment, are joining Heroes creator Tim Kring and Nokia’s Conspiracy For Good (CFG) campaign to create music to benefit award-winning international nonprofit programs. Focusing on literacy and education, the new initiatives will benefit Room to Read and the Chataika Basic School in Zambia, and will feature the participation of Weapons of Mass Entertainment artists.

“Music plays one of the starring roles in the Conspiracy For Good”

Indaba Music has launched a unique musical composition program on IndabaMusic.com (http://www.indabamusic.com/featured_programs/show/cfg), offering five $1,000 prizes to winning artists whose submissions embody the true spirit of the Conspiracy For Good. Musicians may create a new song using provided audio or by uploading a pre-recorded composition of their own. Submissions are due by August 31 at 5 pm EDT.

“We are excited to be working with such innovative people and organizations,” said Matt Siegel, Indaba Music Co-CEO. “It’s an honor to bring such a worthy global cause to our international community.”

The inventive Weapons of Mass Entertainment joined CFG from day one when its internationally renowned artists, Ann Marie Calhoun and Nadirah X were uniquely interwoven into the story as protagonists, blurring the lines between fact and fiction when they joined the CFG to expose the evil Blackwell Briggs. As the story has progressed, Ann Marie has disappeared, leaving clues embedded in her music to help Nadirah and the audience uncover the corruption of Blackwell Briggs.

Additionally, a unique version of The Eurythmics’ chart topping hit ‘Sweet Dreams’ has been recorded in Mandarin by Beijing-based singer Tia Yuan. Recorded in Hong Kong and co-produced by Dave Stewart and Hans Ebert, Tia’s rendition will be sold on Nokia’s Ovi Music with all proceeds going to Room to Read’s Conspiracy For Good campaign.

“Music plays one of the starring roles in the Conspiracy For Good,” said Dave Stewart. “Promoting social benefits through this new entertainment experience is the focus of Conspiracy For Good. Through unique community participation on Indaba Music, and artist support from around the world, CFG is offering a new and unique concept of Music for Good.”

CFG has been interacting with participants using music throughout the project. Clues hidden in online music tracks have been solved to move the story forward, London’s Kiss FM awarded listeners with tickets to the 1-2-3-4 Shoreditch Festival courtesy of CFG, and a handful of underground gigs have all demonstrated the power of good for CFG participants. CFG has continued hosting live events in London including a massive concert on July 28 that featured acts including Chapel Club, Wild Palms, and Flats; a forthcoming recruitment party on July 31 including DJing and live vocals from Shingai Shoniwa and Dan from the Noisettes; and the finale on August 7 featuring musical performances from Mystery Jets, Dave Stewart, Tia Yuan, Ann Marie Calhoun, Nadirah X, and special guests - limited tickets are still available. To take part in the events you can register at www.conspiracyforgood.com.

About The Conspiracy For Good

The Conspiracy For Good, created by Tim Kring (“Heroes”) and powered by Nokia’s Ovi Platform, is a global movement for change driven by a story, a legendary narrative that blurs the lines between fiction and reality, compelling the audience to become a part of the plot and adventure with real world outcomes. Every participant has the ability to impact the outcome of this story and effect positive social change. This pilot “Read the Signs” combines story, community, alternate reality gaming (ARG), music, and social cause and will be played out on web sites, mobile devices, at live meet up interactive theatre events in London and, ultimately creating social and educational change in Africa for the Chataika Basic School, located in the village of Chataika in eastern Zambia. More information can be found at www.conspiracyforgood.com.

About Indaba Music

Indaba Music offers the leading suite of online tools that enable artists all over the world to create music together online. Members can connect with an international community of musicians to create online recording sessions, edit, mix and more. As of early 2010, www.indabamusic.com has over 500,000 users, growing at a rate of nearly 450% over the past year to include members from more than 200 countries. Indaba’s collaboration opportunities have previously featured such diverse artists as Weezer, Peter Gabriel, The Roots, Yo-Yo Ma, Mariah Carey, Crystal Method, John Legend, Matisyahu and more.

About Weapons of Mass Entertainment

The brainchild of innovative music producer and multi-media entrepreneur Dave Stewart, Weapons of Mass Entertainment is a company poised to rethink, reshape, and reinvent business. Working in music, film, television, books, theatre, and new media, WME embraces the entire creative process, operating as a “media company for the new world” (The LA Times).