Singer Fiona Apple announced this week that she plans to donate money earned from 2019 and 2020 from TV and movie royalties of her song “Criminal” to the While They Wait fund, which provides legal services to immigrants.
“After months and months of reading the news about how my country is treating refugees, I’ve become gutted with frustration trying to figure out the best way to help,” the singer-songwriter wrote on Tumblr, adding, “It seems to me that the best way I can help detainees is to contribute to payment of their legal fees.”
“Criminal,” the Grammy-winning single from her 1996 debut LP, “Tidal,” is, according to Fiona Apple, the song requested most for film and TV placement.
“When they are separated from their children they need help navigating the system,” Fionna Apple said. “They need to be bailed out of prison. They need money to pay for the ankle bracelets they are forced to rent and wear while awaiting arraignment, for crying out loud.”
She also urged other artists to take her lead and donate earnings from one song to While They Wait or another organization with a similar mission. “I could write a song about this, and maybe I will,” she said, “but for now, I will use ‘CRIMINAL’ to help the WRONGLY criminalized get justice.”
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter @jeromeehudson
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