Artists Who Spoke Truth to Power on Economic Struggles

Artists have long stood at the forefront of truth-telling, amplifying realities that numbers alone cannot express.

From the streets of Accra to the hills of Appalachia, poets and musicians have challenged economic systems that fail ordinary people. But can verses and melodies truly rewrite economic injustice?

The world is changing rapidly, and the challenges are mounting. Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals is off track, climate disaster looms, and inequalities within and between countries persist. Despite years of ambition and hard work – through collaboration, education, volunteering, protesting, and investing – the gap between our goals and the financing needed to achieve them has only widened, now reaching $4 trillion per year.

This June in Seville, leaders from governments, financial institutions, businesses, and civil society will come together at the fourth Financing for Development (FfD4) conference to explore opportunities to reform financing at all levels, including to support reform of the international financial architecture. Yet discussions on financial justice rarely feature the voices of those most affected or acknowledge what it truly means to live through the crises we seek to solve.

Historically, poets and songwriters have illuminated economic struggles, bridging divides through verse. Whether addressing exploitation, debt crises, or everyday labor struggles, their words spotlight inequalities and inspire action. As we prepare for the upcoming FfD4 conference, the artistic legacy of economic resistance serves as both inspiration and urgent reminder: genuine financial reform must include voices from every corner of the globe.

A song that has been recognized for shedding light on societal and political issues in Africa, Stonebwoy’s track Run Go calls out leaders abandoning their countries after they’ve mismanaged them, leaving ordinary people to struggle with the consequences –  or with little choice but to leave their home country for survival.

Highlighting the fallout of poor leadership and the absence of good governance, the song remains just as relevant today as it was at its release nearly a decade ago, resonating with audiences grappling with similar challenges today.

By bluntly asking, "Who go fix am?", Stonebwoy reframes political neglect as economic betrayal. His words echo a still-urgent global reality: true leadership demands accountability, not escape. And when leadership fails, it is everyday people who suffer the most.

The same questions Run Go raises – about who bears the burden of economic mismanagement and who takes responsibility for fixing it – are central to the discussions at FfD4. If the world is serious about closing the financing gap, leaders must do more than acknowledge the problem; they must commit to real reforms that ensure ordinary people aren’t left behind.

A defiant celebration of self-determination, Somos Sur by Ana Tijoux and Shadia Mansour calls for economic and cultural liberation.

With sharp lyrics rejecting foreign interference and demanding sovereignty, the song is a battle cry for communities in the Global South fighting back against systemic economic inequality.

Its urgent, unapologetic energy resonates with movements across the world demanding financial justice, dignity, and control over their own futures. Like Miriam Makeba’s resistance songs against apartheid or Victor Jara’s revolutionary music in Chile, Somos Sur reminds us that power lies in collective resistance.

Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 isn’t just a catchy song – it’s a cry for worker rights.

Originally written for the 1980 film of the same name, the song became an anthem for labor movements, highlighting the struggles of workers trapped in cycles of low wages, long hours, and corporate exploitation.

Decades later, its message remains as relevant as ever, echoing the demands of workers in today’s gig economy and the fight for fair wages, job security, and dignity in work.

Dolly’s lyrics capture a reality familiar to workers worldwide – one where effort doesn’t always translate into fair compensation. Like Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A., which exposes economic hardship behind patriotic imagery, 9 to 5 reminds us that financial justice is about the people.

As FfD4 leaders debate the future of global finance, the question remains: how can financial systems ensure that economic growth benefits workers, not just those at the top? Fair wages, labor protections, and investment in decent work are essential to closing the global financing gap.

Emel Mathlouthi’s Kelmti Horra – which translates to My Word is Free – became an anthem of the Arab Spring, resonating with those demanding freedom, dignity, and economic justice.

Released in 2007, the song gained prominence during Tunisia’s 2011 revolution, as young people protested against high unemployment, government corruption, and economic hardship. Its soaring refrain, "I am those who are free and never fear," symbolized the call for both political and financial liberation.

Like Miriam Makeba’s resistance songs against apartheid or Victor Jara’s revolutionary music in Chile, Mathlouthi’s words capture the intersection of economic oppression and human rights. The Arab Spring was, at its core, fueled by economic discontent – frustration over joblessness, inequality, and financial systems that failed young people. These are the same concerns raised at FfD4: how can financial structures empower, rather than suppress, those fighting for economic security?

A decade later, Kelmti Horra remains a powerful reminder that financial justice is about more than numbers – it’s about freedom, dignity, and the ability to build a future.

Dee-1’s Sallie Mae Back turns the weight of student debt into a moment of victory.

Unlike protest songs that call out injustice through anger or sorrow, this track celebrates financial freedom – a rare moment where economic struggle ends in triumph. By openly sharing his journey of paying off student loans, Dee-1 highlights deeper issues of accessibility, fairness, and the long-term impact of debt on young people’s futures.

Much like Woody Guthrie’s songs about working-class struggles or hip-hop’s long history of exposing economic inequality, Sallie Mae Back makes financial justice personal and relatable. It resonates with millions who face the burden of student debt, reminding us that education – meant to be a pathway to opportunity – often becomes a financial trap.

At FfD4, this global challenge is under scrutiny: how can global financial systems ensure that education leads to empowerment, not lifelong debt? As policymakers debate solutions to economic inequality, Dee-1’s song highlights a simple truth – financial freedom shouldn’t be a privilege, but a right.