Entertainers and sport stars might be bearing the brunt of the Covid-19 lockdown, but a record number of celebrities are united to lend their voices to inspire hope during these unprecedented times.Eighty local musicians, DJs, actors, sport personalities and influencers collaborated to record a rendition of US singer and songwriter Bill Withers’s 1972 hit Lean on Me.
The tune, which was released online free of charge this week, was made in partnership with pharmaceuticals company Cipla SA.
“We wanted to shed light on mental issues and that’s why we partnered with Cipla, because they are also ambassadors for mental health,” singer and actor Emo Adams, the brainchild behind the project, said.“This will live on for longer than when the radio stops playing it and can become a theme song for Cipla in that regard.”
Adams said he wanted to include a range of personalities on the track, and not only musicians, as he felt that was the best way to reach a wider audience.

The local version includes the song’s original chorus and some lyrics but also introduces Setswana and Afrikaans lines. It has been punted as the country’s new soundtrack during the global health crisis.