Glastonbury-performing local musician Seb Lowe has teamed up with young people across Oldham to release a new song dedicated to addressing hate crime in modern society.
Seb’s new track, titled 'Change the Pattern', comes out today in support of the borough’s wider efforts to raise awareness of hate crime and the impact it can have, during a national week of action.
The inspiration behind the Delph-born musician’s latest music first came about after he took part in a creative writing workshop with a group of 20 students from Oldham Theatre Workshop (OTW) and members of Oldham’s Youth Council.
It was here where Seb, an OTW alumni, collaborated with children aged between 13 and 16 to discuss the topic of hate crime and learn more about their own personal experiences of hate and what they’d heard elsewhere.
The singer-songwriter then took these stories away with him and used their words as the basis for his new lyrics, which talk about the real-life issues of hate and the devastating effects it can have on people's lives.
Reflecting on his new song, Seb said: “We all know the world can be a cruel place, but it is through our actions as individuals, that we can make it a better place.
“In the song, I talk about the thoughts and opinions that are passed down to us through generations, thoughts that in some cases, can be quite hateful.
“But there’s a generational gap between older and young people now, and it’s on us to change those thoughts and to change that pattern for our future.”
Seb was keen to unpick the thoughts and opinions of younger people as part of his new song because he said ‘some of the best thoughts come from those who don’t think it is their place to have an opinion.
“The young people I spoke with gave such a strong insight into the world they currently see, and the impact hate has on society,” he added.
“When they first started the workshop, they all came in thinking ‘Oh what will I say’ but once we go into some activities and teased out their thoughts, it was astonishing how much they had to say.
“Hate is a very serious topic to discuss, and I can see why a lot of people would shy away from talking about it because it’s not nice a subject, but through music we can help to play out those emotions and feelings, to magnify them - and this can lead to action.”
Councillor Amanda Chadderton, Leader of Oldham Council, said: “Seb’s new song is very powerful and addresses many of the real-life issues that people have sadly had to go through.
“As we’ve seen over the years, music can be incredibly instrumental in raising awareness about a variety of key issues, and this is another great example.
“So, I want to say a huge thank you to Seb, alongside our students from Oldham Theatre Workshop and members of our Youth Council, for their efforts in addressing this topic during National Hate Crime Awareness Week.
“It’s so important that everybody is aware of the effects of hate crime as it is an abhorrent act. It divides our communities, and it has a damaging impact on the lives of victims and witnesses who are subjected to this cruelty.
“The more people know about this, the more we can do to put an end to it across Oldham and beyond.”
'Change the Pattern' was released today via Seb’s official social media channels, with the 19-year-old now set to take his new material on stage at his upcoming headline performances across Yorkshire later this month.
The song, which you can listen to in full on Seb’s Tik Tok channel @Seb.lowe.music, will also be featured in Oldham Theatre Workshop’s pioneering ‘You Stand Accused’ immersive theatre experience, which continues to educate secondary school children across the borough on the severity of hate crime.
Hate crime is an act of violence or hostility that is directed at a person or group because of who they are or what they think they are, and it can come in many different forms such as physical attacks, a threat of attack, and verbal abuse or insults.
It is important to know that anyone can be affected by such incidents, so if you have been affected by a hate crime, even if you’re unsure you have been a victim or a witness to one, call 999 in an emergency. In a non-emergency call 101 or go to a nearby police station and report it.
Extra support is available for people who wish not to contact the police or those who need extra support.
This can be accessed at the Stop Hate Helpline – 0800 138 1625 – a free confidential 24-hour hate crime reporting service, or by visiting one of Oldham’s various third-party reporting centres which are detailed on our website.
For more information on hate crime visit www.oldham.gov.uk/hatecrime