Key Takeaways
- Ms. Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean launched Fugees Hopeline with CIRCA, giving callers a first listen to new a new Fugees medley through an experience narrated by Hill’s daughter Selah Marley.
- Fans can record stories and reflections on hope through December 31, with selected contributions joining a Hill-curated exhibition at Miami Beach's Faena Forum on December 4–5.
- The project also includes three original Hill collages and arrives as she and Jean tour the U.S. to celebrate 30 years of The Score.
Ms. Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean have opened a phone line to the world — and it includes a first listen to a newly created medley of Fugees hits.
On Thursday (November 5), the pair launched Fugees Hopeline, a global interactive sonic artwork project they built with the public art platform CIRCA. Hill's daughter, Selah Marley, narrates the call, which gives fans the opportunity to hear personal messages from her mother and Jean, as well as an exclusive listen to a what a press release calls "a medley of Fugees hits."
As the track starts, Jean can be heard delivering a call to action. "No one should be sitting down right about now," he shouts, before adding: "They’re coming!"
Hill then delivers beautiful rendition of Michael Jackson's "I Wanna Be Where You Are," after which a beat enters the frame and Clef begins the first verse: "Behind every strong man, there's a strong woman."
Callers can also record their own stories and reflections on hope, which go into a growing international audio archive billed as a "collective sonic portrait of life in 2026."
In the US, the number is +1 (424) 7-FUGEES (7-384337). Callers in other countries can reach the same line through WhatsApp with no international charges. Contributions are open through December 31, and after that the line stays live for listening only.
Ms. Hill also made three original collages for the project. They layer photography, typography and archival imagery from the past three decades, including photos by B+, Jonathan Mannion and others, and are sold only at circa.art/fugees.
The A2 editions are hand-signed by Hill and Jean and limited to 500 per design. They cost £1,000 each or £2,500 for all three. The A4 stamp-signed versions are £200 each or £500 for the set.
In a joint statement, Hill and Jean said the hotline is about listening: "We've been able to connect with people from around the world through our music. We've shared stories from our lives, and visions for the future. With Fugees Hopeline, we want to hear everyone else's stories.
"Hope means something different to everyone. Sometimes it's finding beauty in a difficult moment, sometimes it's choosing kindness, and sometimes it's simply knowing that your voice matters."
The launch comes a day after Ms. Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean opened their US shows celebrating 30 years of The Score at Berkeley's Greek Theatre on Wednesday (November 4). Next up are Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas on Friday (November 6), Los Angeles' Hollywood Bowl on Sunday (November 8) and Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena on Tuesday (November 10), with more dates to come.
Selected Hopeline recordings will be shown at Miami Beach's Faena Forum on December 4-5 during Art Basel, in an exhibition Hill is curating with Saint & Citizen. Artnet reports the show will put fan contributions next to "artwork and set design from the current tour."
