Solo artist and multi-instrumentalist Akova will be entertaining the crowd this year at Picnic In The Park, an annual fundraiser for the Cerebral Palsy League.
Coinciding with the start of Cerebral Palsy Awareness Week, the family event has been recognised as the Lord Mayor’s ‘Community Event Of The Year’. A local musician to the Gold Coast, Akova has been known to promote 'music with a message’ and has been involved in several fundraising events. “I do a lot of fundraising events, if I think they're suited I do them. I'm actually doing another one for Sea Shepard on the Gold Coast.”
His latest single ‘Time To Stand’ incidentally created a social media movement in which complete strangers sent photographs of themselves holding handwritten signs of the song’s title. “We had a completely different idea all ready to go, but on the day of shooting one camera man and the girl Anastasia were sick, so it was put aside for a while. Then somebody sent in a sign 'Time To Stand' and we thought wow, this might be the way to go. Then we put a Facebook message out and they just came in from all over the world. It was massive.”
When asked whether ‘Time To Stand’ was primarily about a strong opposition to fracking, Akova said it was open to interpretation. “I just put a little message out there and what you get from that song is completely up to you. I'm not trying to teach anybody anything. I'm just trying to say to the ones that think like me that they're not alone. People are working too hard, people aren’t having enough time to have fun. Basically it’s ‘Time To Stand’ and say ‘we’re all tired here – tired of the lack of common sense’.”
In light of this social media engagement, Akova decided to donate proceeds from the single’s sales. “Fifty per cent of all proceeds are going to the Wildlife Foundation. We picked somebody that was taking care of the planet and the people before profit.”Akova's latest album, ‘This Is Me Now’, will be released in August, followed by a national tour starting in September. You can expect a mixture of socially aware lyrics and playful tunes on this release. “There's always the good-time songs. It’s always good to do something good but it's always good to have a party and play. It’s 50 per cent of what's close to my heart and there’s 50 per cent of songs to have fun.”
Other highlights of Picnic In The Park include: two, live Peppa Pig shows, face painting, jumping castles, an accessible liberty swing, barnyard animals and much more.
Picnic In The Park takes place at Roma Street Parklands 26 July from 10am.
