Nile Rodgers bans right-wing Swiss political party from using ‘We Are Family’
Chic legend Nile Rodgers has released a statement after the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) used a song that his management described as a “sound-alike” to the Sister Sledge hit ‘We Are Family’.
In a statement, Rodgers explained how the views of the party are at odds with his own, and for that reason, he doesn’t want ‘We Are Family’ to be associated with the SWP. Notably, the Swiss political party are against immigration and Islam. Additionally, earlier this year, the Eurosceptic organisation tried to prevent a bill regarding climate change.
Taking to social media, Rodgers shared: “Following reports that the right wing SVP party in Switzerland has used a ‘We Are Family’ sound-alike song in a political video without permission.”
It also included a comment directly from Rodgers that read: “I wrote ‘We Are Family’ to be the ultimate song about inclusion and diversity at all levels, regardless of race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion or sexual orientation.”
He added: “I condemn its use by the SVP (Swiss People’s Party) or anyone else not keeping with the values of the song and all decent people. The purpose of the song is to bring joy to all with no exclusions!”
The statement concluded by revealing Hipnosis Songs, Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell are currently at work trying to make the political party cease and desist their use of the song.
The SVP are yet to comment on Rodgers’ statement.
Meanwhile, Rodgers recently expressed why he believes the use of artificial intelligence could be useful to artists, and why it shouldn’t be policed. “Right now we have to let the cards fall where they may because you can’t tell an artist, ‘You can’t paint with that colour’. You just can’t do that,” he said in a recent interview. “You have to let artists figure out what’s right and I believe that we all inherently know right from wrong and we will figure it out – this is right, this wrong.”
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