3 Tbsp launches refugee-owned recording studios in communities affected by displacement, releases compilations of select tracks, and sends 80% of music sales and licensing profits to the music creators. Learn more.
* numbers as of November 2020
People around the world want to hear what life is really like where refugees are settling in large numbers, inside and outside camps, from both refugees and members of the communities generously hosting them. What better way is there to learn of these people's stories and to hear the emotions surrounding them than through song? These are stories that need to be heard right now and documented for future generations to hear later.
Politicians and the media often try to demonize and dehumanize refugee populations. This leads to "fear of the other" and little thought about the life of any one individual. 3 Tbsp aspires to capture and share music that reminds the general public we have more in common with each other than we're led to believe. We hope this leads to compassion - and to the number of people with this compassion outnumbering the people who feel fear and ill-will.
Help us: if you hear or read a touching story on 3 Tbsp, please share it (artist stories coming soon).
Writing and recording songs can be a desparately-needed cathartic experience. Especially when mental health services are scarce.
Singing into a microphone, knowing there is a chance that the world will hear your voice, that can feel empowering.
Music-lovers around the world know that certain songs seem magical in their ability to bring a sense of comfort to the listener. Especially when that song is relatable. There are currently 80 million displaced people in the world and very few songs speaking directly to them. More broadly, the themes of loss, love, and hope are universally relatable.
Help us: provide a small donation on top of your music or merch purchase, or a small donation on its own. These songs can only be recorded after we help a refugee secure the equipment needed to begin recording. In some cases, this will be a small studio setup, in other cases this will be a $200 hand-held recorder capable of providing us with hundreds of songs. We are 100% dependant on your generosity to make this happen.
New recording studios serve as a vehicle to provide income and mentorship opportunities for studio owners, their producers, and sound engineers.
Newly trained managers can represent many of the recorded musicians and use their demos to help them find paid gigs, from which they can share revenue.
Sales of music through 3 Tbsp generates revenue for artists and their families, plus 3 Tbsp can license songs on behalf of artists for cover versions, TV, film, etc., and send royalties to music creators.
Help us: purchase our compilations (coming soon). 80% of profits from music sales go straight to music creators. We can pay artists so much more than the music industry standard because we are a not-for-profit organization, most labor is volunteer-based, and we have very low fixed operating costs.
