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PEOPLE & ARTS Monday 20 noveMber 2017
Pharrell Williams sounds warning about climate change

By REBECCA KANTHOR In an earlier interview with The Associated Press,
Associated Press Williams struck a mostly optimistic tone, saying
SHANGHAI (AP) — Pharrell Williams is using music young people in particular make him hopeful
to sound the warning about climate change. for the planet’s future.
The Grammy-winning musician appeared in “I don’t even know if the new generation needs
Shanghai this week to debut a song titled “100 a message. This new generation cares about
Years,” which he described as “a postcard, a others. They believe in sharing for the greater
sarcastic one, to the people who should be good,” he said. “I think the world would be a
ashamed to call themselves scientists and poli- different place if millennials and women would
ticians.” take positions of power. It would definitely be
The song addresses those who deny climate different.”
change. At the exclusive pre-release, all guests were in-
“I thought, ‘Let me just troll all the pseudoscien- structed to turn off their phones and lock them
tists, the ones that don’t care about the eco- in bulky metal boxes so that no one could leak
system,’” he said. “There are a lot of great fine the song. Pharrell showed off the track he had
scientists. We just happen to have some that recorded onto a record made from clay. Ex-
agree with our current administration in the plaining that the record would be placed in a
States. I don’t get it.” vault that was destructible only by water, he
President Donald Trump’s administration has made a clear connection with climate change
downplayed man’s role in climate change and and rising sea levels.
has announced plans to pull out of the land- “If we don’t, as a species, if we don’t do what
mark Paris climate accord, which was agreed we are supposed to do, we lose the track but
to by President Barack Obama’s administration. we also lose the planet,” he said.
However, the targets of Williams’ song most like- The mood lightened when the audience
ly won’t hear it: The song, a collaboration with watched as Williams attempted to play the re-
the cognac brand Louis XIII, won’t be released cord for the only time before its official release In this April 22, 2017 file photo, Pharrell Williams
for 100 years. in 2117. After he struggled to get the record to performs at To the Rescue! Los Angeles Human
Williams spoke to a group of reporters and ce- play, participants wondered whether anyone Society Benefit in Los Angeles.
lebrities, many of whom had been flown to in 100 years would know how to play the record Associated Press
Shanghai for the event. Actors Jesse Williams — if it survives. “Normal lies are not normal, so don’t normalize
and Zhao Wei were among those present. After playing the track, Williams emphasized: them.”q