Sign up for Roisin O’Connor’s free weekly newsletter, Now Hear This, for the inside scoop on all things music
Get our free Listen to this Email Now
The star-studded line-up for the London edition of Artist Aid has been revealed.
The charity concert series is held in partnership with War Children UK and aims to raise funds for humanitarian work in Gaza and Sudan.
The event was a huge success in New York earlier this year and the upcoming London event at Troxy on July 4th will feature a number of well-known artists.
Mustafa the Poet, a Toronto poet and singer known for his outspoken stance on social issues, recently announced the lineup in a post on Instagram.
“London! Sudan is calling. Gaza is calling,” he wrote. “Every artist here is a hero of empathy and thank you for answering our call. Tickets on sale at Artist Forum Today at 5pm. There is a war that resonates and cries for answers.
Cobbled together in a short time as an emergency response to the ongoing crises in Sudan and Gaza, the campaign is the second edition of the initiative, which first launched in New York in January. Rapper Stormzy, poor thing Star Ramy Youssef, musician 070Shake and singer 6lack all attended the US event.
Singer-songwriter Blood Orange is expected to return to London for the event, and American singer-songwriter Clairo, rapper Earl Sweatshirt, electronic producer Nicolas Jaar and hip-hop king Yasiin Bey will also attend.
King Krule will perform hometown songs and perform with Canadian singer Daniel Caesar, poor thing Starring Ramy Youssef and Bint Mbareh.
The event will take place at London’s Troxy on Thursday (July 4), with tickets going on sale from Thursday (June 27), giving fans just one week to get their seats.
Aid Artists, a collective of young artists and musicians, said it seeks to use “the power of music to create global change and 100% of all proceeds from this event will be donated to War Child UK’s response programs in Gaza and Sudan”.
Get unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music
Sign up now for a 30-day free trial
Sign up
Get unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music
Sign up now for a 30-day free trial
Sign up
The concert comes amid ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza, with the entertainment industry facing increased scrutiny, with artists blocked by fans amid the #Blockout 2024 movement and musicians accusing each other of staying silent about the crisis .
Both Kehlani and Macklemore have released songs to raise awareness about the crisis in Gaza.
The issue reached Hollywood earlier this year, with many actors wearing pins to show their solidarity and support for the ceasefire.
Oscar winner Jonathan Glazer’s acceptance speech at the awards ceremony sparked comments both for and against his support for the people of Gaza, dividing the industry.
Tickets for the event can be purchased here.
