Steve Major typically spends his days on stage entertaining audiences aboard a cruise ship, but he hopes a recent project will shine a spotlight of a different kind on an issue that has hit a little close to home.
Major, who grew up in Barrie, is set to release his latest single on April 24.
He says the song, Torn, is a bit of a departure from his usual “pop-contemporary style,” as it was inspired by the war in Ukraine and is aimed at bringing a continued awareness to the issue.
“I felt it warranted the harsh sounds because of what’s been going on,” Major explained during a telephone interview from Miami, where he is currently rehearsing for a new show with Royal Caribbean Productions.
“When the war first broke out last year in February, I think everybody was up in arms and shocked because everyone was looking at the horrific images," said Major, who has family living in Ukraine and has also spent time there himself. "It’s one of those things where in the moment when it first happens everybody wants to do something and wants to jump in to help and make their opinions known."
Now, more than a year after Russian troops invaded Ukraine, Major says he thinks many people have simply become numb to the ongoing crisis, which is why he decided to write Torn.
“It’s still going on and people are still being killed every day," he said. "We are not just talking about people who have gone into the army to protect their country. We are talking about people who are literally in their apartments in the middle of the city and the next thing you know they’re taking a missile in that front window — innocent people.
"It’s just a horrific thing."
Unfortunately, for people not living it day-to-day, it has become a distant issue and one that tends not to be front of mind anymore, Major says.
“In North America, we hear about it on the news from time to time, (but) the media isn’t covering it as much anymore … and (people are) more inclined to talk about Donald Trump and his indictments than the 10 million people who just lost their lives over in a foreign country," he said.
Major says he hopes the new song will resonate with people on a different level, and help bring the war back into the spotlight.
“I don’t think anybody has put out music that really talks to the innocent people who are being affected," he said. "This song is not political. I am not taking shots at Ukraine. I’m not taking shots at Russia. I’m not slamming (Russian President Vladimir) Putin with my lyrics.
"What I am doing is talking about the people who have been affected by this terrible situation and I want to continue to bring awareness to that so people can take a stand and say enough is enough," Major added. "We have to do more than just sit back and watch from our TV sets."
Locally, Major spent most of his youth performing with the Strolling Youth Players, as well as at Kempenfest, Canada Day and Promenade Days.
Once released, there will be two versions of Torn available — one in English and the other with English and Ukrainian lyrics. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the single will be donated to Global Empowerment Mission, a non-profit organization founded in 2011 as a first-responder to global disasters.
“I just felt they were worthy of the cause as they continue to assist people in Ukraine," he said. “Just off the top of my head, I think they’ve relocated something like 38,000 refugees and raised $250 million.
"There’s lots of amazing things they’ve managed to do over in Ukraine.”
