Eddie Vedder Debuts Emotional New Song at the Obama Presidential Center Opening - for a Meaningful Cause

Pearl Jam's frontman Eddie Vedder wowed the crowd at the Obama Presidential Center Grand Opening Ceremony on Thursday. And if you were expecting to see one of the musician's iconic songs, you're in for a surprise-in the best way possible.

Instead of the usual set list, Vedder debuted a brand-new song he created (with some help) just for the event. Titled ‘Better Believe,' the soon-to-be hit is a collab with the young students of Chicago's Guitars Over Guns program and the audio arts students and alumni from Columbia College Chicago.

Who did Eddie Vedder record his new song with?

So, what exactly is Guitars Over Guns, and how did Vedder get involved with these musical kids? Reportedly, former POTUS Barack Obamaconnected him with the group. Back in 2023, the organization was awarded a $15,000 grant from the Obama Foundation. Instead of just sending a check, Obama went to the Guitars Over Guns South Side music studio for a meet-and-greet.

The song also features (and was co-written by) Regional Director of Guitars Over Guns and Colombia adjunct professor Andre "Add-2" Daniels (who helped to facilitate the collab between the organization and the audio students) and local Chicago musicians Mark Anderson, Giselle Castro, Jeremiah Fristoe, Michael "Myskie" Hightower,Cassidy Lee, Naomi Owens, Isabella Santillan, and Joy Viltz.

Per the group's website, Guitars Over Guns' mission is "Empowering youth through music, mentorship, and the arts." The nonprofit works with area schools and the community to give students who might not otherwise have access to the arts the chance to learn from musical mentors, read/write music, play instruments, and perform.

How can fans listen to Eddie Vedder's new song ‘Better Believe'?

While the live event is over, fans can still watch Vedder's performance with the young musicians of Guitars Over Guns on the Obama Presidential Center's website here. You can also download/play the song on all major streaming platforms. All royalties earned will go to benefit Guitars Over Guns.

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This story was originally published June 18, 2026 at 8:32 PM.