Michelle Obama Has Released A Charity Single

The First Lady collaborated with Kelly Rowland and Missy Elliot on This Is For My Girls

Michelle Obama has released a single to empower young women and raise money for her Let Girls Learn initiative.

With 62 million girls around the world currently out of education, they face diminished economic opportunities and are more vulnerable to forced marriage, violence and poverty. The campaign aims to raise awareness, encourage change and provide opportunities.

Unfortunately we won’t be hearing Michelle singing on the track, but Missy Elliot and Kelly Rowland have leant their vocals, as well as Zendaya, Lea Michele and Kelly Clarkson - to name just a few.

Written by Grammy-winning songwriter Diana Warren, the song includes the lyrics, ‘This is for my girls, all around the world/ Stand up, put your head up, don't take nothing from nobody.’

‘It's kind of like We Are the World meets Lady Marmalade,’ says Diana. ‘We haven't had an anthem like this in a while. With Kelly Rowland on it, it's almost like an updated Destiny's Child record. I think it can be a huge worldwide anthem."

The single was released earlier this week during SXSW where Michelle was joined by Missy Elliot and actress Sophia Bush to speak about the campaign. It has already sparked a huge reaction reaching the top spot on the Billboard + Twitter Trending 140 chart.

'I’ve travelled the world as First Lady,' says Michelle. 'I have met these girls, and they are so smart and hardworking, and so hungry for an education. I’ve met girls who make long, dangerous journeys each day to school and then come home and study for hours each night. I’ve met girls studying at rickety desks in bare concrete classrooms who are raising their hands so hard they’re almost falling out of their chairs. I see myself in these girls – in their ambition and their determination to rise above their circumstances.'

This Is For My Girls is available for purchase on iTunes now. The artists involved waived all royalties and fees to participate in the song with all proceeds going towards the Let Girls Learn initiative.