Global concert raises more than $127M for WHO
Celebrities and musicians took part in the eight-hour show called “One World Together at Home.”
Some of the world’s top stars helped to raise more than $127 million for the World Health Organization during the coronavirus pandemic by performing in a concert broadcast globally Saturday night.
Celebrities and musicians including Lady Gaga, who curated the all-star event, Stevie Wonder, the Rolling Stones and Taylor Swift took part in the eighthour show called “One World Together at Home.”
Global Citizen, an international advocacy group that organized the event, said early Sunday on Twitter that $127.9 million had been pledged in donations.
“I am so humbled to have been a part of this project,” Lady Gaga responded to the tweet.
The proceeds will be given to the WHO’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.
Gaga, Wonder, Lizzo, Shawn Mendes and others sang classic songs brimmed with messages of hope and change during the TV special, while Beyonce and Alicia Keys spoke passionately about how the virus has disproportionately affected black Americans.
Beyonce made a surprise appearance, thanking “delivery workers, mail carriers and sanitation employees” for their hard work during the pandemic.
“Black Americans disproportionately belong to these essential parts of the workforce that do not have the luxury of working from home,” she said. “And African American communities at large have been severely affected in this crisis. Those with pre-existing conditions are at an even higher risk. This virus is killing black people at an alarmingly high rate here in America.”
African Americans account for more than one-third of COVID-19 deaths in the United States where the race of victims has been made public. Data from states, cities and counties show black people are regularly over-represented compared to their share of the population.
Gaga kicked off the event by urging people weathering the coronavirus pandemic to find a way to smile through the pain with a performance of Nat King Cole’s version of the song “Smile.”
Wonder performed “Lean On Me” by Bill Withers — who died on March 30 — while playing piano. John Legend and Sam Smith, each from their own homes, duetted on “Stand by Me”; Lizzo sang “A Change Is Gonna Come” with passion; and Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello, sitting together, performed “What a Wonderful World.”
Paul McCartney sang the Beatles’ “Lady Madonna” and talked about the work his mother did as a nurse. The members of the Rolling Stones — from four different locations — joined forces to perform “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” And Taylor Swift sang “Soon You’ll Get Better” while playing piano.