Working for world peace
Last Update: Thursday, February 14, 2008. 3:00pm AEDT
By Brooke Daniels
From bomb shelters in Israel, to human rights events and festivals around the globe, SONiA strives to ‘disappear fear’ and spread a message of peace and love across the world.
“The idea of ‘disappears fear’ is just something that’s been true for my whole life probably,” SONiA explains.
“The band itself … I started it with my sister in a sense of when you disappear fear between people, what you have left is love. That just seems like such a good way to proceed on the planet.”
“When I was 10-years old, I remember being in the bedroom, sitting on my bed with my sister, and my brother said: “… there’s a bomb, you know, that can destroy the whole planet and that’s why things are the way they are.” “That was a moment of truth for me. That really was the essence, the beginning of the band.”
SONiA is no newcomer to our shores. Although there’s been several trips to Australia since the late 90s, she has only just discovered the mid north coast. “I had no idea places like Wauchope existed. There’s a real richness and diversity there. The community is vibrant … and Australians in general are just so quick and to the point. I’ll definitely be back.”
SONiA winds up her Australia tour in March but will continue to share her music in 2008 with tours through the USA, Canada, Europe, Asia, Israel and the Middle East.
The quest for peace and an end to world poverty will continue this year with the band’s label, ‘disappear records’ donating 18% of the profits of every song downloaded to the United Nations World Food Programme. And the ‘Guitars for Peace’ will work to deliver acoustic guitars to children in war-torn countries.