Aloe Blacc Returns with Stand Together – A Bold New Album Merging Music and Activism, Out Today

February 28, 2025 // Today, Grammy-nominated and multi-platinum artist Aloe Blacc releases his highly anticipated album Stand Together (Grand Scheme Productions via Vydia, a gamma. company), his first album of original music in five years. Created in partnership with the philanthropic community of the same name whose work inspired the LP, Stand Together is more than an album—it’s a movement, pairing each of its 12 tracks with a nonprofit organization, amplifying causes that drive social impact. With themes of unity, resilience, community, and collective progress, the album reinforces Aloe’s lifelong commitment to using music as a force for change.

With the album’s release, Aloe spotlights the focus track, “Love in Control”, co-written and produced by Grammy-winning duo Stargate. A soulful anthem about leading with love, the track serves as a reminder that life is short and we should prioritize love in our actions. With its smooth melodies and heartfelt lyrics, “Love in Control” underscores the album’s central theme—standing together in unity, empathy, and purpose.

“Music has always been a powerful tool for bringing people together, and I wanted this album to do more than just inspire—I wanted it to take action,” says Aloe Blacc. “Each song on Stand Together represents a mission bigger than myself, shining a light on the incredible organizations doing the work to uplift communities and create lasting change.”

The album includes previously released singles “Don’t Go Alone,” “One Good Thing,” and “Breakthrough,” each tied to a specific philanthropic cause. “Don’t Go Alone,” inspired by the African proverb “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,” aligns with The Phoenix, a national sober active community that provides free, meaningful programming to anyone impacted by substance use. “One Good Thing” was born out of a chance meeting with U2’s Bono and The Edge, where they shared a story about Harry Belafonte and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. working to build bridges with Bobby Kennedy. The song promotes the importance of finding common ground to create meaningful change. “Breakthrough,” the newest single, is a soaring anthem of personal transformation and resilience, inspired by the nonprofit by the same name, which provides in-prison education and reentry support for justice-impacted individuals, equipping them with the tools, skills, and mindset needed to succeed upon release.

Additional songs and nonprofits on the album include “Stand Together,” which inspires cooperation and civil discourse to address societal challenges; Bonton Farms, which promotes urban farming, food security, and economic success in underserved communities; Charity Navigator, which encourages accountability and impact assessment for charitable organizations; Café Momentum, which empowers justice-involved youth through an internship program that provides culinary training with essential life skills.; The Phoenix, which builds community-based addiction recovery support networks; and Big Brothers & Big Sisters of America, which inspires meaningful mentorship for young people.

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Last month, Harry Belafonte died at the age of 96. An EGOT-winning actor and singer of blues, folk, gospel, show tunes, and American standards (and singer on the first ever million-selling album), he was also a humanitarian and political activist throughout his life. He was also a close confidant of Martin Luther King, Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. The recent memoir Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story reveals a story Belafonte shared with fellow singer-activists Bono and Bob Geldof about one particular interaction he had with MLK in 1961, which might have something to offer each of us this week; it is worth reading in full.

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