Michelle Obama Recruits Kelly Clarkson, Zendaya For Pro-‘Girl’ Anthem
Women's empowerment has a new face — or, more accurately, about a dozen.
Ahead of a panel discussion at South by Southwest later today (March 16) at which Michelle Obama will lead discussion on cultivating talents and passions, the First Lady has orchestrated the release of a brand new song called "This Is For My Girls." The track, which features contributions from Zendaya, Kelly Clarkson, Kelly Rowland, Missy Elliott and Lea Michele, is bold, brassy and likely to have you renewing your bonds of sisterhood.
"This is for my girls / Stand up and be heard / My ladies, my sisters all over / This is for my girls," the diverse voices declare on the track, which was written by Diane Warren.
Sales of "Girls," which is available for download iTunes, will directly benefit the Peace Corps' Let Girls Learn campaign, which moves to support 62 million adolescent girls across the world who don't have access to education (each featured artist waived royalties and fees for their work). And the powerhouse vocalist team, which also includes Chloe + Halle, Jadagrace and Janelle Monae, gets the point across in perfect fashion, Warren told Billboard right after the song's release.
"It's kind of like 'We Are the World' meets 'Lady Marmalade' with these strong voices and strong women," she said. "When was the last time you heard a song like this or a record that had this many amazing divas on it? I'm really proud."
Download the song now, and check back here at 11:30 AM EST for a livestream of Obama's MAKERS panel, which will also include remarks by Warren, Elliott, Sophia Bush, and moderator Queen Latifah.
Look back at a collection of pop songs that feature social messages: