“Cheesin’,” the charity single released at the beginning of the global pandemic in 2020,has raised more than $175,000 for MusiCares, the song’s distributor announced on Wednesday. The song, a collaboration between Cautious Clay,Remi Wolf,Still Woozy,Sophie Meiers,Claud,Melanie Faye, andHXNSwas released via JJ Corsini’s label,Slowplay,in partnership withRepublic Records/ Imperial.
Since the song’s release, 100 percent of net profits from every stream and download has been donated to MusiCares, the Recording Academy’s charity that supports artists and those in the music community. The MusiCares Covid relief effort was the organization’s largest and longest-running specific relief effort in its 30-year-plus history. Between March 2020 and July 2021, MusiCares’ Covid relief efforts reached 38,000 people and their families with over $29 million distributed to people in need in over 3,500 cities across the country. The relief aid has provided financial support for basic living expenses, as well as physical health, mental health, addiction recovery services, and more.
Fans can learn more about “Cheesin’,” MusiCares, and the #CHEESIN4CHARITY initiative at cheesin4charity.
For a few years before its release, Cautious Clay and his producer friend HXNS had been working on the song. While it was meant to be a fun pop song featuring many friends, he said he’d always hoped it would have a charitable contribution tied to its eventual release.
“When Covid hit in 2020, I had been working on my album, ‘Deadpan Love,’ but didn’t feel like ‘Cheesin’’ was right for it,” Clay says. “But I also felt like I wanted it to go somewhere, so I reached out to JJ and the team at Republic and decided to release it as a benefit for all of the work lost specifically for people in the live music industry.”
Corsini said, “The song was such a no brainer for us. It stands for everything we did as a brand new label…A great pop song, created by some of our favorite new artists around, with a really meaningful and sincere philanthropic mission.”
MusiCares Executive Director Laura Segura said, “When the COVID-19 pandemic started, we could have never foreseen the impact that it would have on members of the music community. We have seen an increased need for our program’s health and welfare services over the last two years and support from collaborations like ‘Cheesin’’ allowed us to offer COVID-19 relief to music professionals and continue our health and human services to assist with physical and mental health, preventative clinics and so much more.”
For music professionals needing support, from preventative clinics, unforeseen personal emergencies, disaster relief, and more, contact MusiCares at 310.392.3777 or visit www.musicares.org.
