Videos

Rhidian Brook, Writer and Broadcaster  

“Freedom Cries Out delivers a thoughtfully curated and beautifully performed selection of songs that weave stories of displacement and refugees together into an urgent and moving sound tapestry. Samantha Crawford has the reach and range to voice these very different, individual experiences, and make them into a coherent whole. A wonderful project.”  

 

Alexandros Plasatis, Founder & Publisher of ‘the other side of hope’ 

“Freedom Cries Out was a truly original initiative, and it was an honour for our magazine, ‘the other side of hope’ to be involved. Our contributors were deeply moved by how Samantha Crawford’s performance brought their writing to life, giving their words a new reach and resonance. Collaborating with Samantha was a joy at every stage, from the first meeting to the final notes of the project. 

This partnership not only shone a light on the stories and the people’s journeys behind the songs but also created connections that will outlast the project itself.” 

 

Hannah Elwyn, Head of Culture and Ethos, Refugee Education UK  

“I have read many research reports, news articles and books about the experiences of refugees who have had to leave their homes in search for freedom and safety in another country. It’s one thing to read and understand the information, but it is a whole other thing to have the issue presented through art.  

I found Freedom Cries Out to be deeply moving, in a way that statistics and information simply could not reach my heart. As Samantha owns these stories and experiences through her performance, I found myself feeling the emotion of these stories in a whole new, and profound way.  

I think that through Freedom Cries Out Samantha is able to pull people into this issue, who may not have thought about it much previously. And for those who have engaged in the issue a lot already, she is able to pull one in so much deeper to the human experience of forced migration.”  

 

Fabio D’ Andrea, Pianist, Composer and Film Director  

“Freedom Cries Out is a powerful and necessary programme — deeply moving in both content and performance. Samantha Crawford brings extraordinary sensitivity and conviction to stories that are too often silenced. Giving voice to the realities of being displaced or a refugee, keeping hope alive and the challenges of creating a new beginning through song is not only artistically compelling but socially vital.  

Samantha’s thoughtful curation — blending contemporary and classical composers — creates a rich emotional and musical landscape. It’s rare to see such difficult subjects treated with this much honesty, dignity, and musical beauty. These are stories that need to be heard, and this project tells them with exceptional care and purpose.”  

 

Priscilla Okoye, Writer and Poet  

“It is one thing to write a poem—drawn from the belly of the heart. It is another to have it read, reaching the drums of the ear. But when it is set to music—reimagined by a composer, then carried on the voice of an award-winning soprano, whose artistry brings new depth and gives wings to every word, and shaped again by the hands of a pianist—it becomes something greater.  

It is a new creation.
A gift.
Not only to the writer, but to every ear that hears it.  

Freedom Cries Out is more than a performance—it is testimony. A message that needs to be heard. It reminds us that The Names of the Earth, and the stories they carry, deserve to be sung.  

To have my poem included in Freedom Cries Out was a true honour.” 

 

Sarwa Azeez, Poet, Translator and anti-genocide activist  

“To hear my poem Mending carried by Samantha Crawford’s hauntingly beautiful voice brought tears to my eyes. For those of us uprooted, pushed into silence and shadows, Freedom Cries Out is more than a performance — it is a gathering of voices long unheard.  

My grandmother used to tell me how as a little girl her vibrant and peaceful village was set on fire in a political struggle. They had to flee and those who stayed faced genocide. But because of their marginalisation, no one could share their heartbreak and losses. Through this programme I feel like I am finally telling her stories to the world. I am deeply honored to stand with these artists in this chorus of hope.”