07 April 2020

Lady Gaga raises $35 million for WHO and announces TV concert with Sir Elton John and Billie Eilish

Singer and actress Lady Gaga has announced a TV concert which will feature stars such as Sir Elton John, Billie Eilish and Sir Paul McCartney.

The star has curated the concert to celebrate health workers during the coronavirus crisis and it will air on the BBC as well as stations in the US.

The news comes after Gaga, real name Stefani Germanotta, alongside Global Citizen raised $35 million for the World Health Organisation.

The money will go towards funding protective equipment for health workers and to support the search for a vaccine.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Gaga said: "My heart is very achy and warm for those who are ER doctors as well as nurses who are sleeping in cars to make sure they don’t infect their families or their patients.

"What you are doing is putting yourself in harm’s way to help the world and we all salute you.

"What’s very important is three things happening for all of us. That we celebrate and we highlight the singular kind global community that is arising right now.

"Two, we want to highlight the gravity of this historical, unprecedented cultural movement. And three, we want to celebrate and encourage the power of the human spirit."

The concert, One World: Together at Home, will be hosted by US talk show presenters Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert on April 18.

Due to social distancing rules, all the acts and hosts will appear virtually but the logistics of how this will work have not yet been confirmed.

Other celebrities said to be involved are: David Beckham, Priyanka Chopra, Idris Elba, the Sesame Street cast and John Legend.

Sir Elton John last month hosted a virtual concert, also in aid of coronavirus frontline staff.

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