“Let’s Change the World” available now

Ringo Starr has released his new video “Let’s Change The World,” the lead single off his Change The World EP. The song and video deliver a welcome dose of hope and Starr’s trademark optimism. The song was written by Joseph Williams and Steve Lukather, both of whom also played on the track, with backing vocals by Amy Keys, Zelma Davis, Billy Valentine and Darryl Phinnessee.

Lukather also appears in the video, which was created in collaboration with Kids In The Spotlight, a nonprofit that provides a platform for foster care youth to tell their stories through film. These underserved youth write, cast, and star in their own short films, and the experiences help them to heal and grow, as well as to prepare and lay the groundwork for future employment opportunities.

“Let’s Change The World! I wanted to make this video with kids because they are our future and this is for them. They deserve clean water and fresh air. I believe we should leave this planet in better shape than we found it for our kids, and right now we are not doing that. Half the world is on fire and the other half is under water. We have got to change, and I believe we can. Peace and love,” Starr shares.

KITS was the perfect organization to partner with to fulfill Ringo’s vision for the video. The kids were involved in the entire process, including a zoom meeting with Ringo where they discussed the concept and shared some of their ideas, such as using a huge screen displaying images, fire-fighters putting out fires, smoke machines, and showing how this video could become an anthem of acceptance and fighting the effects of global warming. On the shoot days, which took place in Los Angeles on location by Starr’s Peace Sculpture in Beverly Hills Park, and at the Standard Vision Studios in Glendale, they were able to shadow and assist in all areas including directing, lighting, choreography and photography.

“The collaborative effort between Kids In The Spotlight and Ringo Starr to create the music video for ‘Let’s Change The World,’ is a perfect example of the opportunities our organization strives to bring youth in foster care year round,” shares KITS Executive Director, Tige Charity. “The experience our youth had in bringing Ringo Starr’s positive message to life through film and music is a memory they will have forever.”

Both during pre-production and on the production days, many of the kids contributed ideas for set-ups, wardrobe choices, etc. For instance, Santiago Chavez is a KITS youth and budding director, and shadowed the video’s director David Mahmoudieh on the shoot on the first day. Rodney Jackson-Brown, another KITS foster youth, is an aspiring writer and actor, who helped conceptualize and appeared in the video on both shoot days. (Rodney actually won the KITS National Foster Youth Screenwriting Contest with his script Bully, which David Mahmoudieh also directed).

“I have been working with the foster youth of Kids In The Spotlight for the past six years now, watching so many of them come of age as actors, writers and future directors,” shares director David Mahmoudieh. “KITS provides them with a truly transformative platform, where they can channel their experiences within the foster system and life in general into films that represent their identity. All of these kids have their own stories and KITS nurtures them into storytellers. I am continually blown away by the variety of unique voices in the program, and working with them on the ‘Let’s Change The World’ music video demonstrated the kids’ ability to apply their skills as storytellers to a whole new platform. One of the KITS affirmations is ‘I can do great things, because I was created to do great things.’ In Ringo and the positive message of his song, they found the perfect partner to do just that.”

“These kids were so great to work with,” adds Ringo. “I loved the way they jumped in and I think it turned out great. I want to thank each and every one of them for being so peace and loving and giving their all.”

Change The World is available everywhere digitally and on CD and cassette with a the 10” vinyl coming November 19th. The EP contains four tracks – “Let’s Change The World,” “Just That Way,” “Coming Undone,” and “Rock Around The Clock” — all the songs were recorded at Starr’s Roccabella West studio. Creating songs that span the spectrum of pop, country, reggae and rock and roll and featuring frequent and new collaborators, including Joe Walsh, Linda Perry and Trombone Shorty, Fully Fullwoood and Tony Chin, and many more.