Liberia: ‘Uniting People Through Music’

The Harmonizers Entertainment Group, a well-known Liberian musical band based in Monrovia, embarks on a five-day musical expedition to Sierra Leone, beginning August 5. This trip is aimed at sharing and creating insight on the band’s original music and the rich culture of Liberia. 

Under the leadership of award winning Liberian musician, James Coco Chea, the Sierra Leone tour will be the Harmonizers’ first ever expedition beyond the borders of Liberia. The theme of the tour, “Uniting People Through Music in The MRU Basin”, is literally the key signature of the band’s work over the last decade and a half. 

Since 2008, this Liberian band has traveled the length and breadth of their homeland with their captivating and inspirational sounds. For a bit of perspective, musical bands in Liberia — outside the walls of the church — are few and far between. When you finally find a good one (like the Harmonizers) it’s worth the moment — and the money. 

In a few short years after it was founded, the Harmonizers captured the attention of the Public Information Office (PIO) of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), and a partnership was formed between the two, which put the band’s alluring effect to good use.

Through that partnership, UNMIL’s PIO and the Harmonizers toured every corner of the post-war country, sharing awareness messages through the sound of music on a variety of issues and causes, including sexual and gender-based violence, public safety, disarmament, rule of law, and ebola awareness. 

The band also helped birth the professional careers of numerous young Liberian recording artists through UNMIL’s “A Star Is Born” talent hunt — the likes of the late Moses Swaray, Princess (Pittman) Osborn, Nicholas Buigar, to name a few. 

Through the partnership with UNMIL, the Harmonizers also produced several original hit songs including, “Even Wars Have Limits”, “Master Plan”, “Show Some Love”, as well as “You Know Today (You Don’t Know Tomorrow)”, among other songs that contributed to the peace process in Liberia. 

Since the partnership with UNMIL ended, the band has remained actively together — even experienced a bit of growth — and is ready to take on the world. 

Having developed a track record for using music as a tool for social cohesion, the Sierra Leone tour “also creates new avenues of partnership with our cross-border counterparts that will enhance cultural ties between our two countries,” Chea said. 

The Harmonizers Entertainment Group comprises a 22-member team of instrumentalists, dancers, singers, coordinator and videographer, bringing their signature sound — a fusion of contemporary afrobeat, jazz, reggae and the rhythm & blues.

While in Sierra Leone, Harmonizers Entertainment Group will perform in other towns and districts such as Tienne, Kenema, Sulima and Bo. 

Founded in 2008 and incorporated in 2012, Harmonizers Entertainment Group is a Liberian-owned nonprofit organization whose aim is to promote peace, security, development, gender equality, respect, healthy living, and respect for nature through outreach activities using music as a tool to create awareness, sensitize, and encourage Community partnership.