CODY LOVAAS RECORDS NEW SONG TO ACCOMPANY IWC’S “THE LITTLE PRINCE” READING SERIES
Schaffhausen, 19 May 2020 – IWC Schaffhausen has released a song by artist Cody Lovaas to complement its reading series of “The Little Prince”, which forms part of its “TIME WELL SHARED” initiative to lift spirits during the current global crisis. The original song, entitled “Traveller”, is a new musical interpretation of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s famous book, and is directly inspired by the adventures of the eponymous character to different planets and the constancy of his love for his rose.
The ongoing programme of readings features brand ambassadors from around the world reciting different excerpts from the classic novella. Teaming up with IWC, Lovaas wrote the song to communicate the worldfamous book through music. Echoing its story with his poignant lyrics and highlighting the spirit of solidarity contained within the project as a whole, Lovaas found much to inspire him.
The song is available on: https://youtu.be/niLJ8mmzpks
“In reading “The Little Prince”, it reminded me of the heightened curiosity and imagination in all of us, but especially in children,” explained the Californian singersongwriter. “I think we all wish we could hang on to the imagination we had as children. This thought resulted in the lyric ‘I tried to keep the light above my head, but it was dimmed by the world’.”
In telling the young prince’s journey, Saint-Exupéry’s book explores themes of isolation, loneliness and friendship, as it seeks to determine the essence of human nature. Over 75 years since it was first published, it remains a pertinent and powerful reminder that the best things in life are often the simplest and that real wealth and happiness comes from caring for others. No other novel has been translated into as many languages, and read by as many people from different countries and cultural backgrounds, as “The Little Prince”.
“The “TIME WELL SHARED” initiative continues to evolve as we find new ways to reach out to the IWC community, with shared messages of positivity. The themes and emotions Saint-Exupéry tackles in “The Little Prince” are particularly relevant in these difficult times, and by working together with Cody, we hope to underscore the book’s abiding significance through the unifying power of music,”
IWC has enjoyed a relationship with the heirs of Saint-Exupéry for many years, and in 2009 became a partner of the Antoine de Saint Exupéry Youth Foundation, which works to preserve the humanist values of the famous French aviator and author.
CODY LOVAAS
Cody Lovaas is a Californian singer-songwriter and guitarist. After being spotted at age 14 by fellow artist Jason Mraz, while performing at an intimate open mic in his beachside hometown of Carlsbad, Lovaas became Mraz’s protégé and quickly emerged as an intuitive and prolific songwriter. Before the age of 20, he had written hundreds of songs, all of which ground his simple and confessional lyrics in soulful vocals, melodic acoustic performances, and smooth pop production. In 2017, he released his debut single, “Lie,” which garnered over 5.4 million plays and appeared on Spotify’s Chill Vibes and Pop Chillout playlists, and 2018’s “Find,” reached 28.3 million streams. Lovaas released his second EP, “Pull Out Couch”, on May 15th: https://smarturl.it/PullOutCouch
ABOUT TIME WELL SHARED
As the world faces a health crisis, the global IWC family stands together for the launch of “TIME WELL SHARED”. Through this initiative, IWC employees, brand ambassadors and partners will share their time, knowledge, experience and passion through digital channels. They aim to inspire people to make the most of their time, and entertain and support them by keeping them connected and engaged. All contributions are accompanied by a link to make voluntary donations, with IWC making the first donation. With the funds raised, IWC will support Save the Children, an organisation which aims to strengthen its programmes that protect children and families in countries that are hit by the virus, increase support for national health systems, and raise awareness among parents and caregivers on how to provide psychosocial support to children.
Another crucial pillar of “TIME WELL SHARED” is a personal volunteering programme via the website Good Tutors Finder, to support schoolchildren and their parents. In their own free time, and on an individual voluntary basis, IWC employees are encouraged to offer online tutoring support for schoolchildren in basic subjects http://goodtutorsfinder.ch/iwc-time-well-shared
Please find more information about the TIME WELL SHARED initiative on https://press.iwc.com/global-iwcfamily-unites-for-time-well-shared
ABOUT THE ANTOINE DE SAINT EXUPÉRY YOUTH FOUNDATION
The Antoine de Saint Exupéry Youth Foundation (www.fasej.org), operating under the aegis of the Fondation de France, was created by the family of the famed French writer and pilot and his admirers from across the literary, scientific and aerospace spheres. The Foundation honours Saint-Exupéry’s memory and continues his work, by passing on his universal humanist values and broadcasting his messages of peace and solidarity, the challenge to better oneself and his pioneering approach to the environment, to the youngest members of the community, both in France and internationally. The Foundation is faithful to the spirit of the author and aviator when he encouraged us to build a society based on respect for our fellow human beings, cultural diversity, solidarity, fraternity, commitment and personal responsibility. Its philanthropic actions in the fields of education and culture, and its aim to combat illiteracy are undertaken to improve the daily lives of young people, helping them gain skills for a more successful future.
In 1868, the American watchmaker and entrepreneur Florentine Ariosto Jones travelled from Boston to Switzerland and founded the ‘International Watch Company’ in Schaffhausen. His visionary dream was to combine advanced American manufacturing methods with the craftsmanship of Swiss watchmakers to make the best pocket watches of his time. In doing so, he not only laid the foundation for IWC’s unique engineering approach but also established the centralised production of mechanical watches in Switzerland.
Over its 150 year history, IWC Schaffhausen has developed a reputation for creating functional complications, especially chronographs and calendars, which are ingenious, robust, and easy for customers to use. A pioneer in the use of titanium and ceramics, IWC today specialises in highly engineered technical watch cases manufactured from advanced materials, such as titaniumaluminide and Ceratanium®. Preferring the principle of “form follows function” over decoration, the Swiss watch manufacturer’s timeless creations embody their owners’ dreams and ambitions as they journey through life. IWC sources materials responsibly and takes action to minimise its impact on the environment, creating intrinsically sustainable timepieces that are built to last for generations. The company prides itself in training its own future watchmakers and engineers, as well as offering an excellent working environment for all employees. IWC also partners with organisations that work globally to support children and young people.