DARKSPARK UNVEILS VERSIONS – DOUBLES VOL. 1

Instead of dropping a single, two up-and-coming artists from vastly different parts of the world join forces to release the first in a series of ‘doubles’- two different songs written over a shared beat. This release, by award-winning artist collective Darkspark, is the first of three previews expected ahead of The Versions Soundtrack (to be released Dec 11), featuring 27 Anthems for Change from a global collective of emerging artists, supported by established songwriters, music legends, and A-list producers.

VERSIONS – DOUBLES VOL. 1

The soundtrack was created through The VERSIONS Project, a holistic mentorship program that brought together 27 emerging artists from around the world united by a shared mission to use their platforms for meaningful change. Over a year-long fellowship, these artists worked with celebrity mentors like Sean Paul and top producers behind hits for stars like Drake and Shaggy. Each artist created their own song over shared beats, inspired by the Jamaican tradition of “versioning,” where multiple artists craft songs over the same rhythm. This practice, which has empowered communities and influenced hip-hop, allowed the Fellows to add their unique voices to the tradition.

These releases feature songs written over a beat by Grammy-nominated Jamaican producers JLL (Drake, Smino) and Wixard. “Maboneng”— meaning “place of light”—by artist Khan Khalii, honours the vibrant creative neighbourhood in Johannesburg, South Africa where she once lived. Now based in Pretoria, Khan is an independent artist dedicated to addressing social issues through her music. Guided by Khan’s haunting vocals and empowering lyrics, at its heart,

“Maboneng” is about resilience. “30 years ago a place like Maboneng wouldn’t have been accessible to Black people, to people who look like me,” says Khan. “This song is a celebration of this place, and how we’re now able to own it.”

Across the ocean, in Portmore, Jamaica – a community on the outskirts of Kingston, comes “United”, a song as uplifting as its creator Lex MD. “United” is next in a long line of

Jamaican anthems powerful enough to unite people across borders, race and class. Its bombastic and catchy chorus, coupled with its genius use of sports metaphor, make this track an undeniable hit. Lex had been creating music for years; the VERSIONS Fellowship offered him a chance to combine two of his biggest passions- music and social justice. Speaking about his version Lex says: “I wrote United to urge people to remember community. While you are strong as an individual, you’re so much stronger when you are with people of a common mind, of a common goal, working together, being part of a bigger vision.”

A set of Doubles will be released weekly, ahead of the full soundtrack launch on December 11. Each Double will contain two “versions” created from the same shared beat, highlighting unique voices and perspectives from young artists across the globe.