Singer/songwriter and advocate for nature and the world at large, Victoria, BC’s Kele Fleming has released a new version of “Vanishing Of Bees”; now available as the “Set Me Free Remix” by Atlas To Earth.
An indie darling, Fleming writes folk/roots/rock-based music, laced with intelligent, conscious, and thought-provoking lyrics. A proud member of the LGBTQ2A community, as well as being a woman in her 50’s, Fleming’s presence in today’s music industry is an important one, as it progresses toward a more diverse and inclusive landscape.
“This is the third release of ‘Vanishing Of Bees’ and the second remix by Atlas To Earth,” Fleming explains. “When I first wrote the song, I was deep into my grief about the climate catastrophe. I wanted to capture my love of the world around me through the eyes of the child in the song while allowing my grief and fear and anger to bubble up to the surface.”
Fleming has seen the threat of climate disaster firsthand. “In the summer of 2021, there was what’s called a ‘heat dome’ that locked in temperatures of close to 40 degrees Celsius for about a week’s time. It was terrifying,” Fleming shares. “Around that time, I think I experienced peak grief and started to shut down a bit and feel hopeless about the state of the world.”
“Vanishing Of Bees” was originally released on World Bee Day in May of 2019 as a fundraiser for the David Suzuki Foundation’s Butterflyway Project. Fleming says she called upon the memories of her childhood self – her wonder and love for the natural world – to create the track. “The images collected in the song convey a child’s wonder and sense of freedom and joy,” she says. “This is contrasted with the adult voice in the song … a voice that expresses grief for what has been lost … youth and the natural world threatened.”
Since the pandemic, Fleming has taken to collaborating with DJ’s and, as a result, her music career has taken an unexpected change in direction.
The original folk/roots version of “Vanishing Of Bees” featured Fleming’s signature jangly guitars, as well as a bee-like droning and buzzing of the banjitar. Now, the track has been re-released once more as an EDM remix by Canadian composer, sound designer and alternative artist, Atlas To Earth. “Vanishing Of Bees” newly exhales with ethereal expression on this classic call to action. “In trying to make it stand out from the first remix, I focused on a different part of the lyrics, ‘Set me free’,” Atlas offers, continuing: “I think it takes on a different perspective, maybe about the grander issue behind the bee problem, seeking freedom from social/climate issues. The pre-chorus is almost like a march for freedom, and the chorus opens up like a passionate dance for freedom. Though it doesn’t concretely incorporate the topic of bees, I think it’s a cool display of how a song can become an entirely new piece and offer a new perspective.”
Pollinate your playlist with the social commentary, and heartfelt plea that accompanies it: “Vanishing Of Bees – Set Me Free Remix” by Kele Fleming featuring Atlas to Earth.
