Justin Bieber Tops List Of Canadian Stars Wavin' A Flag For Haiti

Justin Bieber On Thursday, February 18, a diverse group of more than 50 young Canadian artists -- from indie darling Emily Haines to renowned rapper Kardinal Offishall -- assembled at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, BC, to record a song to aid the victims of earthquake ravaged Haiti. Scheduled for release on Friday, March 12, at 12:01am (EST) wherever music is sold digitally, the song is a re-record of hip-hop artist K’NAAN’s “Wavin’ Flag” and was produced by music icon, Bob Ezrin (Peter Gabriel, Alice Cooper, KISS, Pink Floyd).

Reworked to include specific lyrics for Haiti, some of the star-studded cast of talented musicians lending their voices for Young Artists For Haiti include: Justin Bieber, Jully Black, Pierre Bouvier from Simple Plan, Broken Social Scene, Tyler Connelly from Theory Of A Deadman, Fefe Dobson, Drake, Elisapie, Esthero, Nelly Furtado, Emily Haines from Metric, Jacob Hoggard from Hedley, Ima, Chin Injeti, K’NAAN, Pierre Lapointe, Avril Lavigne, Lights, Matt Mays, Justin Nozuka, Kardinal Offishall, Sam Roberts, Serena Ryder, Deryck Whibley from Sum 41, Hawksley Workman and Nikki Yanofsky. For a complete listing of artists featured in the recording visit: facebook.com/youngartistsforhaiti.

All proceeds from the sale of the single will equally benefit Free The Children, War Child Canada and World Vision and their individual efforts on-the-ground in Haiti to provide short-term relief, mid-term rebuilding and longer-term education and training.

“I’m still in awe of how quickly this all came together. We had a vision and a small window of opportunity to make it happen, and within a few short days, the artists were engaged, the studio was set, and the song was recorded,” said Ezrin. “In all my years in the business, I've never experienced anything quite like the energy and unity of these young Canadian artists as they came together to help the people of Haiti. They did so with no egos, just love, passion and a magnificent generosity of spirit. It was fantastic."

“We’re honoured to be a part of the Young Artists For Haiti project and hope, now more than ever, Canadians will continue to give to our friends in Haiti,” says Craig Kielburger, founder of Free The Children. “We’re especially committed to supporting and empowering the young people of this devastated nation. I can’t think of a better way to support this country than through the power of music. Free The Children will use the funds raised to ensure that children get back into the classroom quickly and safely as they help rebuild and shape a better future for Haiti."

“Young Artists For Haiti is an incredible and inspiring project, and War Child Canada is thrilled to be involved as one of the three chosen charities. It is extraordinary to see so many wonderful artists come together to aid Haiti’s recovery. I would like to thank all of the artists and everyone involved for their generous donation to this project. This will be a huge boost for our work in Haiti, as we focus on the long-term rehabilitation needs of the children,” says Dr. Samantha Nutt, Founder and Executive Director, War Child Canada.

“Young Artists For Haiti is an example of Canadian collaboration at its best and World Vision Canada is proud to join this great initiative. The tenacity and passion of young Canadians everywhere will make an impact when it comes to meeting the tremendous needs of Haiti’s children and their families,” says Dave Toycen, President and CEO, World Vision Canada.

The official Young Artists For Haiti fan site remains the exclusive source for behindthe- scenes footage, interviews with the artists, photos from the session, news and more. Visit: facebook.com/youngartistsforhaiti.