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Singing for a Reunion

12:30pm Monday, 8th August 2011  

Micah Chua

If you know anything about Levi McGrath, you would know his music is driven by a social agenda to inform and inspire listeners about the injustices that plague many countries in Africa. In particular his concern has been for children abducted as child soldiers.

The Australian singer/songwriter wrote Reunion Song which was honoured at the Indie International Songwriting Contest recently. McGrath emerged from hundreds of professional songwriters with second prize in the folk category. "It means my music can take a real international step," he told Eternity.

Reunion Song was drawn from Levi's experience in Uganda, working alongside World Vision at a child soldier rehabilitation centre. It tells the story of Justin, a 17 year-old ex-child soldier Levi had gotten to know, and his first encounter with his family after spending nine years in battle. Both Justin's parents had died during his time away, but Levi watched as he was tearfully reconciled with his 92-year-old grandmother.

"The very first thing Justin wanted to do after he got back to Uganda was to go to the local library," Levi told Eternity. "He picked out a pile of text books across a wide span of subjects, brought them to the centre and began to study.

"I was blown away," Levi said. "He was just so desperate to get back to normal life. I asked him why he was so focused on study like this. He told me his friends had finished school, had gone to university and were getting jobs. He felt so far behind."

The smile on Justin's face and the spring in his step was inspiration enough for Levi to write a song about hope arising from destructive experiences. "I really want people to have an emotional response to the song," Levi says, "but also to move their heart in some kind of way that would inspire them to respond."

To stream the award winning song, visit: http://levimcgrath.bandcamp.com/track/reunion-song