Blue Freedom Foundation: Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us about your music, Jaki. Can you tell us about what inspired you to write the song “Captive”?

Jaki Song: I believe all animals should live in their own environment, living their life as nature intended. Especially for the whales and dolphins that are highly intelligent and have such strong bond with their family members. I’ve watched documentary video’s and befriended many ocean activists and advocates on Facebook. Watching all the tragic captures and captivities of these beautiful animals just broke my heart! So I’ve decided to do something about it. For Tillikum, Lolita, Morgan, and all other captives that ended up in a small tank, taken from their home and families… Today they still live as slaves in a small tank slowly dying… All for the greed of money and to entertain human beings!
The lyrics to “Captive” were written by one of my great inspiring activist friends HOLISE CLEVELEND lll, he is a volunteer coordinator of CYBER WHALE WARRIOR and a huge Sea Shepherd supporter. One day he asked if I could write a song for his story and I did. I adjusted his lyrics to fit my melody I was singing and writing. The instrumental music itself was written by my musical brother JOHN POOT who lives in the Netherlands (we adopted each other 🙂 ) . We are planning to write many more songs.

Blue Freedom Foundation: Can you tell us a little bit about how you’ve incorporated animal activism into your songs?

Jaki Song: Emotions of love inspire me to create music, not only for those I love in my life including my son 🙂 but for animals too.
These poor beautiful cetaceans became my passion! I still have faith in the human race… there are people who care deeply as I do but don’t have any clue about what is going on. I wanted to get their attention.
People are attracted to visions, sounds and music! Music is one of the best ways to get the message across and being a singer/songwriter/animal advocate, I decided to write songs and be the voice for those that have none.
　

Blue Freedom Foundation: Can you tell us about how the dolphin slaughter in Taiji and “The Cove” inspired you?

Blue Freedom Foundation: Do you write other animal activism songs? Can you tell us a little about them?

Jaki Song: Yes, I have written a song for the dolphins in Taiji and the Cove Guardians called “Dolphin Cove” with another very talented friend of mine who lives in Italy, his name is Alberto Puviani, he worked with professionals and famous artists, such as Peter Gabriel. “Dolphin Cove” was very much inspired by “The Cove” and all the footage posted on Facebook by the Cove Guardians in Taiji with their video cameras. I can imagine how they must feel.. Being there watching from a distance… hearing their cries 🙁 One of my activist friends Michelle Jean made a video using some of the footage by the cove guardians with “Dolphin Cove ” backing it up. I hope more people will come to me with creative ideas as such. With Visions and Sound combined we can reach many more caring people.

I also wrote a song titled “Black Oil” This one is more techno.. The lyrics were written as what the voice of the sea would say to us, condemning and pleading to us to stop polluting, stop raping our ocean.

Blue Freedom Foundation: Tell us a bit about your career in music and involvement in animal activism.

Jaki Song: I am now concentrating on writing songs and not so much on tours since I have a family of my own. But I am on many different musical sites such as www.reverbnation.com/jakisong and my CD’s are being sold on iTunes and a few other online stores. But most of the new songs are not for sale yet. I am planning something different for some of these ocean advocate songs, I would like to use them to help organizations who are trying to make a difference.
Also, I have made many musician friends from all around the world, they are on reverbnation.com and other promotional sites and we generally end up friends on FaceBook. Some get surprised when they come to view my Facebook page because I am constantly posting news about the dolphins in Taiji and not much of music, LOL! Some would leave but there are some that are curious to know what I am up to. Some of them even joined up! That’s when I am happy! Because I know that they will write music inspired by our ocean friends, just the way I got started!

Blue Freedom Foundation: What advice would you give to those who are debating whether or not to buy a ticket to a marine park?

Jaki Song: First see the movie “The Cove”. Don’t buy the ticket and support these money hungry idiots! The more money they make the more marine parks will arise! For the few whales and dolphins that were chosen as captives there will be hundreds and thousands that will be slaughtered each time! You will be contributing to these slaughters. Please go watch them in their own environment! They are friendly and much more entertaining because they are happy! Don’t condemn them with jail sentence, eating dead fish for the rest of their lives! Buying these tickets is like sentencing death role for these animals! Their spirit is broken and their life span cut short. If you are paying to see them because you love them then let them live life as they should… Let them live free. Please… Boycott Marine parks!

Learn more about Jaki Song on Facebook and Twitter
Buy Jaki’s album on iTunes and Reverbnation