First Band Aid – now Adele snubs Glasto album for refugees
ADELE was the undisputed queen of this year’s Glastonbury festival and her showstopping performance propelled her latest album back to the top of the charts.
But the Oscarwinning Skyfall superstar, who is reportedly worth £85million, has declined to donate a song from her performance to a new charity album which will raise funds for refugees.
The album, Oxfam Presents: Stand As One – Glastonbury Live 2016, features tracks from 18 artists who performed at this year’s festival, including Coldplay, Muse, Madness and Jess Glynne
It is designed to raise awareness of the plight of refugees from Syria and all profits generated will be split between Oxfam and the Jo Cox Fund which was set up in the memory of the murdered Labour MP and former Oxfam activist.
The producers were keen to enlist Adele because she is one of the world’s biggest singers. But the 28-year-old, best known for hits such as Hello and Rolling In The Deep, turned them down.
A spokesman for the singer last night confirmed she had been asked. He said: ‘Yes she was approached but Adele chose to support the cause by donating privately to refugee charities and privately to one of Jo Cox’s chosen charities.’
It is not the first time that mother-of-one Adele has been at the centre of a controversy involving a charity record. In 2014 she was criticised for not participating in Band Aid 30, set up by Sir Bob Geldof to raise funds to fight Ebola.
Asked at the time why she was not on the record, Geldof said: ‘Adele is doing nothing. She’s not answering the phone, she doesn’t want to be bothered by anyone.
‘She won’t even pick up the phone to her manager, she’s bringing up a family, you know. Some people just don’t want to do it.’