On Wednesday night, First Lady Michelle Obama gave the opening keynote speech at this year’s South by Southwest music festival in Austin. To supplement her talk, which centered on her “Let Girl’s Learn Initiative” and the push for education for girls throughout the world, the First Lady coordinated a star-studded group of artists to record a new song, “This Is For My Girls.”
Videos by American Songwriter
The anthem—written by Hall of Fame songwriter Diane Warren—includes vocals from Kelly Clarkson, Chloe & Halle, Missy Elliott, Jadagrace, Lea Michele, Janelle Monaé, Kelly Rowland and Zendaya. The upbeat song features an empowering, brass-heavy chorus, anchored by the lyric, “This is for my girls/stand up and be heard.” Listen to a preview of the song below.
The new track is not the first time that Obama has used music to encourage the pursuit of higher education. The First Lady teamed up with Saturday Night Live’s Jay Pharoah in December for a more humorous take on her message. The College Humor-released music video called “Go To College” features “FLOTUS on the track,” as Pharoah and Obama rap through the reasons why students should attend college.
“This Is For My Girls” is available for purchase on iTunes, with proceeds benefitting the Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Fund.
