The Parachute Club‘s single, Rise Up has been selected as the theme for World Pride Toronto by popular acclaim. In celebration, The Parachute Club is releasing a new EDM/pop-retro dance version of their Canadian anthem.
Rise Up Remix comes to us via multi-platinum award-winning producer Rob Wells. The Parachute Club will be performing their hits live on the Pride stage on June 27th.
“Thirty-one years ago we performed Rise Up for the first time at Toronto Pride to 1000 people in 1983,” says Parachute Club lead singer Lorraine Segato. “We are delighted that this song has resonated so powerfully in many communities, but especially in the LGBT community who danced to this song before it was even released to radio.”
Rob Wells describes his dance mix as “epic and timeless. I’ve been a fan of The Parachute Club, Lorraine Segato and Rise Up since I first heard it, and it’s such an honour for me to be a part of this remix and to be a part of World Pride in my own small way.”
Segato recalls playing Toronto Pride in 1983: “We had a 6’ x8’ stage set up the center of Kings College Circle near Convocation Hall. Just as the band began the opening riff of Rise Up, 1000 returning Pride marchers came running towards us. It was an amazing moment because it was dangerous to march in Pride at that time.
“The courage of those 1000 people helped to bring about the incredible human rights changes that are now embraced by the estimated two million World Pride 2014 supporters flooding into our city.”
The band is releasing this remix in collaboration with Sony ATV, and to honour the courage and activism it took to get from police raids to the largest celebration of LGBT rights in the world. The hope is that Rise Up – the music and the theme – will inspire people around the world who continue to risk so much to fight for their right to love.