Publication : Lyrical Muse
By : Khushboo Malhotra
Date : September 22, 2026
Ute Lemper has released “MOTHERS,” a new song recorded in 17 languages and released on September 21 to coincide with the International Day of Peace.
The song centres on motherhood, the fear of raising children amid war and political conflict, and the kind of world they will inherit. Lemper has recorded versions in English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian, Hebrew, Arabic, Ukrainian, Russian, Turkish, Hindi, Chinese, Japanese, Swahili, Farsi, French and Kurdish, carrying the same lyrics into different languages and musical settings.
The accompanying video pairs hopeful imagery with footage from protests and demonstrations, keeping the song connected to the realities it addresses. Its lyrics move from the instinct to protect children towards calls for equality, freedom, dignity and peace.
Lemper originally wrote “MOTHERS” while hosting a European television series of the same name, where she interviewed women about motherhood. The song was ultimately left out of the programme, but she held onto it. She returned to the recording years later as wars, political division and uncertainty about her children’s future gave the song new urgency.
The new versions also use AI-assisted production to adapt the original composition to different musical traditions. Lemper has stressed, however, that the songwriting, melodies and structure remain entirely her own.
“What unites us is a lot more important than what separates us. No mother wants to lose her child in a war, as a soldier, as a victim of war, as a victim of a humanitarian crisis that is created by war. We are worried about tomorrow, and also outraged about the present… I’m certainly a lot more worried now than I was six years ago. It’s a perfect moment in my life, in this world, to make a statement.”
Ute Lemper
With “MOTHERS,” Lemper takes the same composition cross borders without changing its central question: what kind of world will the next generation inherit?
Click here to listen to “MOTHERS” in your preferred language.
Click here to read the original article online.