Bastille frontman Dan Smith also provides vocals on the record, which appears in Sir David Attenborough’s BBC nature series Planet Earth III
Planet Earth III, the BBC nature series helmed by Sir David Attenborough, was created to reflect the increasing change occurring within the world’s natural habitats. The eight-episode series explores oceans, deserts, grasslands, coasts, and more, where nature itself provides the type of soundtrack people listen to while drifting off to sleep. But it also explores humans while delving into the conservation champions fighting to save the planet while we still can — and there’s music for that, too. On a new record titled “Mother Nature,” British singer and songwriter Raye works with legendary composer Hans Zimmer to support the climate crisis cause with relaxed urgency.
“Good morning/Mother Nature painted a sky for us this dawning/She took some crimson reds, and melts them into oranges/She hides the moon behind the curtains safe out of sight/Then, she’ll open them up to prepare for the night,” Raye sings on the opening verse of the track, which featured guest vocals from Bastille frontman Dan Smith. The song’s bridge arrives with a subtle warning: “As it rains/How she cries/For as she burns for us/Shе still turns for us.”
“I’ve watched religiously for years, so having this opportunity open for me doesn’t even feel real,” Raye shared in a statement, according to the Independent. “David Attenborough and Hans Zimmer are two of my heroes, to be able to compose a song with Hans is BEYOND a wildest dream, and then to hear Sir David narrate over and in between my voice actually brings tears to my eyes. To be able to contribute in my small way to this massively important and equally beautiful documentary series is an honour and a moment I will always cherish.“
Planet Earth III premiered on BBC on Sunday, Oct. 22. The third installment of the nature series was filmed over the course of five years in nearly four dozen countries.
“Creating scores for any of the BBC’s Natural History series is always an honour for me as there are no more epic stories than those occurring naturally every day in our own planet’s ecosystem,” Zimmer shared. “For Planet Earth III it’s a further privilege to bring the incredible world class talents of Bastille and Raye to create both a wonderful soundscape for the series, and the beautiful, poignant track, Mother Nature.”
