So last night I indulged my inner night-owl by staying up to watch the Hope For Haiti benefit. The circumstances that bring about these type of programs are tragic, but charity events are a rare reminder of how people can come together to champion a cause.
The foundation brought a star studded line-up together in record time for the two hour broadcast, with well over 100 celebrities manning the phones. Many bicker about the ’self-promotion’ aspect of these shows, but these thoughts need to be put to bed; George Clooney opened the show, donating $1 million to the foundation. Leonardo di Caprio gave the same amount, whilst Brad Pitt and Madonna made similar donations.
The night saw some epic performances and collaborations, and raised more than $30 million in aid of the cause. Madonna performed “Like A Prayer”, backed by a gospel choir and putting on an energetic (if shaky) performance. Jay-Z teamed up with Bono and Rihanna for “Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)”, which can be streamed below. Justin Timberlake performed “Hallelujah”, whilst the Roots played backup band for Sting. The best performances came from Jennifer Hudson, Christina Aguilera and Beyonce, who performed “Halo”, even switching up the lyrics: “Haiti, we can see your halo…”. I had a double take about 10 seconds in when I realised ‘that guy’ on the piano was Chris Martin of Coldplay.
An album of the live performances can be purchased through iTunes at iTunes.com/Haiti. Donations can be made at HopeForHaitiNow.org. Listen to “Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)” below:
Listen On Hype Machine (Buy on iTunes)