Federal Government Whistleblower Edward Snowden Featured on Jean-Michel Jarre’s New Track “Exit”

Ever since 2013, when his name emerged in the public eye for revealing federally classified information, Edward Snowden has been called a myriad of names: whistleblower, traitor, hero, activist, etc.

Now, Snowden can add one more notch in his belt: electronic dance music collaborator.

That’s right, the former National Security Agency employee has now transcended into the EDM culture, thanks to his collaboration on French music producer Jean-Michel Jarre’s newest album.

Snowden is featured on “Exit” on the album, which is called “Electronica Volume II: The Heart Of Noise.” Snowden, featured on the track as “ES,” gives a spoken statement about being a modern-day hero.

The Story behind “Exit” || Jean-Michel Jarre & Edward Snowden

In an interview with The Guardian, Jarre said he chose Snowden to collaborate on the album, which features the Pet Shop Boys, Gary Numan and Peaches, because he reminded Jarre of his own mother.

“(My mother) joined the French resistance in 1941, when people in France still thought they were just troublemakers,” he said. “She always told me that when society is generating things you can’t stand, you have to stand up against it.”

Jarre describes the track as a techno track that invokes the “constant and hectic production of data and the obsessive quest for more information.”

Exit

The pair was connected after an earlier interview with The Guardian, when the techno music giant asked the publication how he could be connected with Snowden.

Soon after, Jarre traveled to Moscow, where Snowden is currently seeking asylum, to film a 3-hour interview with him to show on stage.

In a video shot by Jarre, Snowden said he was not expecting to be a part of this project.

“As an engineer, someone who’s not really cool, it was something of a treat to collaborate on a big cultural project,” he said.

You can pre-order the album here.