Today Flemish singer-songwriter Guido Belcanto releases the song "We Zijn Met Veel te Veel". The song is a stand-alone single which is part of the 'Start Making Sense Program'. Together with 60 Belgian Artists the Start Making Sense Program made an exclusive compilation album where each artist contributes a track to raise funds for the cultural emergency fund of the HOPE Foundation. This charity works alongside artists and educators to help children suffering from the devastating effects of the war in Gaza.

Guido Belcanto is a man on a mission. In the TV show 'De Afspraak', he shared how angry and powerless he felt about the inhumane situation in Gaza. "Niemand legt ze een strobreed in de weg" (No one takes action to undermine their deeds) were his words. When Guido heard about the Start Making Sense initiative, he knew he had to be part of it. He immediately went into the studio with musician friends and invited a children's choir to record We Zijn Met Veel Te Veel (We Are Far Too Many), a song that had long been simmering in his mind. The entirety of the revenue will go directly to the Culture Fund of The Hope Foundation, benefiting all children suffering from the devastating consequences of the war in Gaza.

More about the 'Start Making Sense Compilation Album'

From new songs to reworked versions of existing music, live recordings to demos, the only requirement was that the tracks were not available for purchase anywhere else. The album artwork was donated by Ramy Moharam Fouad, the design by Lise Leën, and promotional support by Les Fabuleux and Gelezen en Goedgekeurd. The album is available exclusively as a digital release via bandcamp as a digital purchase for €21 or more. We chose this approach to avoid production costs and ensure that donations go directly to the HOPE Foundation.

Project initiator Laurens Mariën, with the help of Astrid De Sterck, Ward Dewulf, and Tine Deboelpaep, launched a wide-reaching campaign to raise funds through music. As a result, the album showcases a diverse range of artists and genres, featuring contributions from Eefje de Visser, Sylvie Kreusch, Brutus, Whispering Sons, Emma Bale, Guido Belcanto, Dijf Sanders, and Lefto Early Bird. Among the youngest contributors, Nala Elise Delbeke (8), Iggy Vos Delbeke (5) (children of Tijs Delbeke and Elisabeth Van Lierop), and Hanna Lora Van Bakel (9)—known as De Biggies—recorded their song “Ben Je Lief” for the album. Additionally, Johannes Genard and Michaël Lamiroy wrote the poignant track “Christmas in Gaza.”

"We are constantly overwhelmed by the horrors unfolding, which leave us feeling powerless. The unrelenting violence makes me turn away and numbs me. How can I, as a person, respond to this? How can I, as an artist, create or focus on self-promotion while the world burns? Why does our politics—the world—fail to stop this?" – Laurens Mariën

Start Making Sense offers no answers to these questions, but it represents a way to resist cynicism, draw attention to the genocide in Gaza, raise crucial donations for children in need, and maintain hope for all those affected by this horrific war. According to De Standaard, at least 44,805 lives have been lost, including 17,492 children, with over 106,257 injured and at least 11,000 missing.

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