Lessons Come to Life: ICS Music Teacher Releases New Single

At ICS Addis, our students are surrounded every day by educators who don’t just teach their craft—they live it.

ICS Music Teacher Janine Plunkett released a new single, “‘Cause It’s Christmas,” now streaming on Apple Music and Spotify. The song is already resonating widely, reaching nearly 3,000 streams on Spotify in the first weeks since its release!

Inspired by the experience of being far from home—as so many in our international community understand—the song captures the quiet, heartfelt side of the holiday season. 

“‘Cause It’s Christmas” paints the journey home through a city glowing red and green, before settling into the warmth of being with loved ones: sitting by a fire, holding hands, sharing calm moments, and finding peace after a long year. The bridge reflects on the harder seasons of life and the comfort of knowing that hearts always find their way home at Christmas time.

Listen here:
🎧 Apple Music
🎧 Spotify Artist Page

For our students, this release is more than just a new track to enjoy. It is a powerful example of the many ways a career in music—and in the arts more broadly—can grow and evolve over a lifetime. By seeing their teachers compose, produce, perform, publish, and share their own creative work, students learn that music is more than something to study at school. It is a lifelong opportunity to play, create, and connect.

“There are so many careers in music,” Janine said. “Hopefully by seeing their teachers diversify their musical output, students will be inspired to do the same: to realize that music is not only an extracurricular, but a life-long opportunity to explore their creativity.”

And there is more to come.The next single, “Feel the Rhythm,” is a Latin/African-inspired party song set to be released soon.

Congratulations to our talented music teacher, Janine, for this milestone. And thank you for showing our students what it means to live creatively, courageously, and with passion!