First of all, we may have found the granddaughter of “Dream a Little Dream of Me” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” All universal gifts to the world. But, there is something quintessentially joyful about the ukulele. Above all, this track is joyful from beat one.

“I Am Free” is the debut single from Far North Queensland ukulele duo, The Jazzuleles (Shirley-Ann Rowley and Alison Skardon). This song was written in I Heart Songwriting Club in late 2019 to the theme of “I Am.” With the additional constraint of using only 20 words in the song, this economy of lyrics creates a happy, uncomplicated lift of the human spirit, inspiring hope.

Songwriter Shirley-Ann Rowley shares her insight into the song: “I wrote I Am Free as a celebration song; a personal anthem acknowledging my journey through some of life’s big-ticket items – childhood poverty, domestic violence, racism, sexism, cancer and chemotherapy”.

Above all, “I Am Free” whisks us away to a beach-side bar where the days are long, the ocean is warm, and the music makes us smile. Given that the entire world has been quarantined, this song demonstrates the power of music to transport and transform.

Shirley-Ann says, whilst “life is not always fair or easy, we all have the power to choose how we’re going. As a result, we choose to live it cheerfully or fearfully.”

“I Am Free” is available on all digital streaming platforms from May 29, 2020.