You’re in my heart
Sir Rod sings his tribute to the people of Ukraine
PROUDLY wearing the colours of the Ukrainian flag, Sir Rod Stewart pays tribute to the war-ravaged country.
On the first night of his UK tour, the 77-year-old singer, who the Mirror last month revealed was housing a family of Ukrainians, sang his “anti-war song”.
He previously told us: “I have a song called Rhythm of My Heart which is actually about the Vietnam War and how pointless it is. But it is relatable to any war. I will dedicate it to the Ukrainians. It’s the least I can do.”
Sir Rod looked emotional as he saluted Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, whose image flashed up on a screen at the back of the stage. Harrowing images of war and children affected by the conflict were also shown during the song, which he sang towards the end of his set on Wednesday night in Nottingham.
Speaking to the Mirror before the show, Sir Rod said he was determined to pay tribute to the spirit of the Ukrainian people on his tour.
He told last month how he was renting a house in Berkshire, as well as paying all the bills, for Ukrainian couple Rostyslav and Olena and their five children, who had fled the war.
He has also given two other refugees jobs at his Essex mansion, as a gardener and housekeeper, and has vowed to pay for even more homes for refugees.
Rod and wife Penny, 51, acted after seeing footage of the war on the news.
He said: “Words couldn’t describe what we were watching. The bombing of innocent children, the bombing of hospitals and playgrounds.
“Like everyone else, we were completely beside ourselves. I don’t wish that on anyone. This is evil, pure evil.”
Rhythm of My Heart is about Vietnam. It is relatable to any war
SIR ROD STEWART ON ANTI-WAR ANTHEM