PJ Morton is having an amazing week. He announced the release of his forthcoming album Cape Town To Cairo and its corresponding Cape Town To Cairo Tour a few days ago, and now he ends the week with the premiere of the new song “Simunye (We Are One)” and its accompanying music video. The powerful ballad co-written by Morton and legendary South African songwriter and guitarist Jonathan Butler features the uplifting harmonies of the Soweto Spiritual Singers. The second single from the project, the follow-up to “Please Be Good” is a timely peace anthem released just ahead of the 30th anniversary of South Africa Freedom Day.
“Simunye (We Are One)” is a passionate call to action. Morton implores us to ditch fear and love more so that peace does not elude us forever. “I hope it’s not too late before we see / That Simunye /
If we’re to unlock the door that is peace / Ahe Simunye / It seems as though we’re widening the divide / Ahe Simunye / Let’s close the gap of hate while there’s still time / Ahe Simunye,” he sings, making his impassioned plea.
Morton implores us to choose the things that unite us over the things that divide us so that history does not continue to repeat itself. “Because we are stronger / When we’re together,” he sings on the song’s chorus.
The video, filmed on location in Johannesburg, South Africa, is simple yet poignant. It opens with the camera focusing on a Kawai grand piano in the center of an empty room as PJ enters the frame and plays the opening chords.
The next scene shows the Soweto Spiritual Singers dressed in white with vibrant orange and zebra print headwraps and sashes in a lush field surrounding the iconic Soweto Towers. They form a semi-circle around PJ as he sings. They join him, raising and clasping their hands as they sing, “Ahe Simunye.” The video concludes with the singers’ heads and hands raised in victory as PJ points toward heaven and just before we see him close the piano in his solo scene with his head bowed.
“Simunye (We Are One)” is the final track on Cape Town To Cairo’s tracklist and sums up PJ’s greatest takeaway from the experience, even though it was written only days after he arrived in Cape Town. “‘Simunye’ is a Zulu word that means ‘we are one,’” PJ said of the title. “One of the main things I’ve learned during my travels is that we’re all more connected than we are divided. More love! I wrote this in Cape Town after only two days of being in Africa,” he continued.
PJ Morton’s Cape Town To Cairo arrives on Friday, June 14th on Morton Records/Empire. Take a listen to “Simunye (We Are One)” and watch the music video below, then pre-save the album on your choice of digital music platforms.
