Stephan Said

Stephan is an internationally acclaimed Iraqi-American musician and activist who has been called “this generation’s Woody Guthrie” by Billboard Magazine. He has been favorably compared to Bob Dylan, John Lennon and Bob Marley in publications like the New York Times, BBC, NPR and RFI, for his lyrics of social change, while All Music Guide compares his sound to hip-hop innovators The Roots. His song “The Bell” was called “the first major song against the war in Iraq” by Neil Strauss of the New York Times, and was hailed as “the antiwar anthem of this generation” by the Guerrilla News Network.

Stephan's new album difrent comes out on Sept 21 - the UN's International Day of Peace. difrent was produced by the legendary Hal Willner (who's worked with artists like Lou Reed, Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, and one of Stephan's mentors, Allen Ginsberg.) The album features his most universal songwriting to date, with cinematic love songs and pop anthems to global tolerance and peace in English, Arabic, French and Spanish blending pop with rock, folk and world music.

difrent is being used to launch a bold global initiative of the same name: a one-stop website and broadcast platform promoting music and social change initiatives all the time to connect our world and build a generational movement. Artists participating include Amadou & Mariam, O.A.R., Vusi Mahlasela, Guster, Warren Haynes, Vieux Farka Toure and more.

The first single, "Take a Stand," aims to unite people across every political, ethnic, religious, and musical border.

Photo by Chris Lucka