Sinead O'Connor Rerecords Song to Fight Sex Trafficking

Posted on Nov 10th 2009 4:45PM by Emily Tan
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hough she hasn't produced any new material since 2007's 'Theology,' Sinead O'Connor will be releasing a new version of 'This Is to Mother You' off of her 1997 'Gospel Oak' EP. The new version wasn't made to promote the Irish singer's career but rather to help anti-sex trafficking organization Girls Education and Mentoring Services (aka GEMS) raise awareness about the rise in child prostitution in America.

"I was delighted and honored to be part of this movement," O'Connor said during a conference call with reporters. "I was delighted and honored that my song was some way representative of what GEMS was working out and achieving when it comes to helping young women."

O'Connor shared the microphone with R&B songstress Mary J. Blige and GEMS member Martha B while Doc McKinney and Ali Shaheed Muhammad produced the track, adding a modern feel to the otherwise lullaby-like ballad. "We wanted to be able to speak to the young girls and make it somewhat contemporary," Muhammad said. "That was the challenge because the song has such a lullaby feeling to it, but that's what makes it so beautiful. We didn't want to get too far away from it."

Although O'Connor hopes that this song will raise awareness, 'This Is to Mother You,' had a slightly different meaning for her when she originally penned it. "It's a song about survival," she said. "I myself am a survivor, not of sex trafficking but of severe child abuse. So this is obviously a subject that I can identify with when it comes to young girls trying to get out of bad situations and make a good life for themselves. To me, the song was a part of me talking to me."

'This Is to Mother You' will be released digitally on Dec. 2, and proceeds of sales will go toward GEMS' Girls Fund.