Simon Ådahl, widely known for winning the Swedish Melody Festival with his band Edin-Ådahl, has teamed up with Peo Thyren from Noice, a classic rock band, to release the duet “I Intend to Pray for Ukraine.” All proceeds from this collaboration will support the charitable work of Star of Hope in Ukraine.
The roots of this powerful song trace back to 2004 when it was originally named “I’m Thinking of Praying for Sweden.” Its impact grew exponentially, reaching churches and eventually spanning continents with English and Korean versions. The lyrics, originally focused on the reunification of North and South Korea, took Simon and his brother Frank Ådahl to a significant performance in Jakarta Stadium, Indonesia, witnessed by 120,000 attendees and broadcast to 15 million TV viewers.
Fast forward to 2022, and a pastor named Petter Edin from Smaland, Sweden, approached Simon Ådahl with a modified version of the song, now titled “I’m Thinking of Praying for Ukraine,” to be sung in his congregation. This interaction led to Star of Hope’s Lennart Eriksson proposing a new recording specifically titled “I Intend to Pray for Ukraine.” With a pre-existing theme, Simon and Peo quickly entered the studio. Peo Thyren’s involvement in the recording was a serendipitous connection, and together, they created both Swedish and English versions of “Pray for Ukraine” in January. A music video was also produced.
Translations into Ukrainian and Romanian are underway, with the release scheduled for February 24, marking the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“We did not plan for this recording to happen; it just unfolded in a way that feels supernatural, with puzzle pieces falling into place,” remarks Simon Ådahl.
Peo Thyren adds, “When so much misery is happening globally and at home in Sweden, it is crucial not to forget Ukraine. With this song, we aim to remind people of the unimaginable hardships faced by the people of Ukraine.”
