Christian Aid has launched its Christmas appeal with a new single by Jords, a London rapper, and the help of agency, Impero. The song, ‘Hold on to Hope’, joins the race for Christmas number one whilst raising money for emergency aid which will go to communities affected by conflict, and towards peacebuilding initiatives.

Royalties from the single will go to civilians in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as refugees who have fled violence in Sudan. At the same time, the project is intended to raise awareness of these communities.

Aimed at the nation’s changemakers, as branded by Christian Aid, an audience of 18-35 year-olds, ‘Hold on to Hope’ comes from Jords, an artist whose music fuses grime, jazz, R&B, and drill. The single is accompanied by a music video, intended to connect with a younger audience.

With the perspective that music is a great unifier, the single and video are intended to create a sense of unity and hope. Reinforcing this idea, the work features the Insignia choir, a North London-based chorus group.

The music video juxtaposes the artists with scenes of conflict, destruction, and its consequences. Toward the end of the video, audiences see instances of hope and change; the impact that aid and supporting peacebuilding initiatives can have.

Copy reads ‘The world is facing the highest number of conflicts since the Second World War’ and ‘One in four people are now living in places affected by conflict’, emphasising the urgent need for support.

Nick Georgiadis, Christian Aid’s Director of Fundraising and Supporter Engagement, said: “Christian Aid was born out of the need to respond to the effects of violence and conflict after World War Two. For nearly 80 years, we have worked through local partners, standing together in solidarity with our most marginalised global neighbours, of all faiths and none. This Christmas, we are thrilled to have worked alongside Impero to launch this exciting project, with Jords and the iNSIGNIA choir. We urge people to download Hold On To Hope and support the efforts of all those working to bring aid and hope to people living through conflict”.

This is not the first time Christian Aid has produced a song to raise money. In 1965, the organisation partnered with Sydney Carter for the single, ‘When I Needed a Neighbour’, for its 20th anniversary.

‘Hold on to Hope’ is available on streaming services, including Spotify and Apple Music, as well as the Christian Aid website. To support the rollout, ads are running across Meta, TikTok, and Spotify.

Alastair Mills, Joint Executive Creative Director at Impero, said: “Conflicts are becoming more drawn out and complex, trapping communities in poverty through repeated cycles of violence and exclusion. It’s easy to feel powerless – so helping Christian Aid and Jords harness the power of music and put out a message of hope, raising money for local partners working in areas of conflict is something we’re all immensely proud of at Impero”.

During the season of giving, Christian Aid highlights the importance of generosity and promotes taking action to make change for the people who need it the most. With a simple and clear message, the single, ‘Hold on to Hope’, raises money, awareness, and hope for those afflicted by conflict.