World Youth Day 2016 ha come and gone, but we couldn’t finish our coverage of the event without mentioning Edwin Fawcett’s “I Wanna Praise.” London artist and gospel choir director wrote the song in 2002 but never recorded it for an album.
Now, as Edwin’s work is becoming increasingly international, and with the approach of World Youth Day in Krakow, the time was ripe. Fawcett took the original version, written in English, and had it translated and recorded in seven different languages, all found on the I Wanna Praise album available on iTunes.
The song is based on Deuteronomy 6:5-7. It is “the great commandment,” our response to God’s command to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
The song features a distinctive afro-beats sound, incorporating the heritage of the members of the St. Antony’s Youth Choir, which Fawcett directs. Over half of the young people are Nigerian or West African. The video was also shot on location at St. Antony’s Parish where the choir performs every Sunday.
In addition to the youth choir, the video features the talented young rapper Norma (who was only 10 at the time of the video shoot) and almost all of Edwin’s family: his siblings and nephews and niece make appearance.
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Libby Reichert
And today we celebrate...