Arcade Fire performed an intimate surprise show for fans in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti last week, on top of raising over $1 million for post-earthquake relief for the devastated country. Sources claim that the band, whose singer Regine Chassagne is the daughter of Haitian immigrants, performed their own hits “Keep the Car Running”, “Sprawll II (Mountains Beyond Mountains), and “Haiti”, as well as covers of Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Rolling Stones and Cyndi Lauper music. That was so amazing. I’m sure it meant a lot to not only their fans but the entire community. I’m extremely proud of Arcade Fire’s efforts. Everyone should be.
Just because Wyclef Jean cant be President of Haiti doesnt mean that hes giving up on being such a preachy person. Sources are confirming that the hip hop singer has accepted a position as a visiting fellow at Rhode Islands Brown University. For the upcoming school year, Wyclef will be enlightening minds in the African Studies department in a position he says will give him a chance to have a period of learning and reflection. Wyclefs primary objective is to talk about his work with the Haiti Initiative charity organization. Maybe he could enroll in some political science classes while hes at it so he can have some background for when he wants to run for the presidency again.
While some would think that the people of Haiti would be in love with the idea of having a high-profile president, Wyclef Jean has been receiving countless death threats from people insisting that he retract his bid for the presidency. The hip hop singer is dealing with it though, saying In the past couple of days we have received a few death threats. Just for our safety we came to an area we feel is secured – that is my town. We’re in an area where we’re comfortable, the area where we were at before, we weren’t comfortable. We know this situation we’ve embarked on, death threats come with the territory. But beyond that it’s not about all those negative information. Its a bust anyway as Wyclef was deemed ineligible to run by the electoral committee.
Haitis electoral commission is postponing its ruling regarding who will be allowed to run for President of the country. That means that Wyclef Jeans candidacy status is still in limbo. The hip hop singer turned wannabe politician said We await the CEP decision but the laws of the Haitian Constitution must be respected. In addition to the stress he must be feeling with this bit of news, Wyclef also disclosed that hes been receiving death threats. Do you think they will let him run for President or will they nix his candidacy due to his lack of any background in politics?
Simon Cowell’s charity record for Haiti is on schedule to hit the top spot in the charts for a second week.
The single, which features the voices of stars such as Susan Boyle, Rod Stewart, Cheryl Cole and Mariah Carey, has already sold 43,000 copies this week, just days after hitting number one in the UK.
Proceeds from the record, which is a cover of the REM hit Everybody Hurts, are being split between the Disasters Emergency Committee and the Helping Haiti Appeal.
Cowell, 50, put the record together with help from the UK newspaper The Sun and got a variety of celebrities to help out and lend their vocals.
Helping Haiti, the single released by Simon Cowell and The Sun, has become the century’s fastest-selling charity single.
The British newspaper reported that it had sold 206,000 copies in two days.
Cowell selected the REM tune Everybody Hurts for the single, which the paper forecasts will hit number one in the charts this weekend.
Cowell masterminded the track on the request of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who arranged for the VAT tax to be dropped on it.
Stars including Robbie Williams, Cheryl Cole and Susan Boyle have contributed to the song. Half the proceeds will go to the Disasters Emergency Committee and half to The Sun’s Helping Haiti Appeal.
Simon Cowell did a mighty fine job organizing and finding artists to sing on the cover of REM?s hit ?Everybody Hurts?. The cover features some of the biggest artists on the UK and US music scenes. The song will be available for download on Sunday, February 7, and released on CD the following day. The song features the voices of Leona Lewis, Mariah Carey, Jon Bon Jovi, Kylie Minogue, Miley Cyrus, Susan Boyle, Mika, Michael Buble and more. According to HMV, the single will split proceeds 50/50 between Disasters Emergency Committee and The Sun?s Helping Haiti appeal. Go out and buy the single and help the earthquake victims!
An impressive list of top stars have arrived in Los Angeles to record a charity single to raise money for the victims of the Haiti earthquake.
The singers and actors all met at the Jim Henson Studios in Hollywood on Monday afternoon to begin the recording of We Are The World.
Among those spotted entering the studio were: Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Justin Bieber, Vince Vaughn, Kanye West (pictured) and girlfriend Amber Rose, Julianne Hough, will.i.am, Wyclef Jean, T-Pain, Randy Jackson, Gladys Knight, Brandy, Keri Hilson, Faith Evans, Rob Thomas, Nancy Wilson, Nicole Scherzinger, Harry Connick jr, Katharine McPhee, Robin Thicke, Josh Groban and India.Arie.
Other stars rumoured to be participating included Miley Cyrus, Bono, Lady GaGa, and Sheryl Crow.
Producer Quincy Jones – the man behind the 1985 original version of the song that featured Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and many others – confirmed the remake.
He said: “It’s the 25th anniversary and it’s perfect timing. It’s not an accident, man. That’s God. It will be We Are The World for Haiti.”
Sources are saying that the Hope for Haiti compilation album is likely to take the number one spot on the HITS sales chart this week. That would give the album a place in history as it would be the first all digital album to hit the top spot. It?s already reached the top spot in iTunes. The numbers are expected to easily reach over 100,000 but it?s uncertain by how much. For me, that margin really isn?t important as each sale made means that you also help save a life in Haiti. So please, buy the album and share some goodness to the rest of the world. It?s for a great cause.
It has been 25 years since ?We are the World? was released and Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie are planning to record an anniversary edition of the song to benefit the victims of the Haiti earthquake. They already planned to perform on January 28 as part of the anniversary celebration but when the tragedy struck in Haiti, the project formed into a fundraiser for the country. Usher, John Legend and Natalie Cole have been invited and more performers are expected to join. A music video will accompany the new version as well. The original song featured Lionel, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Cyndi Lauper, Billy Joel and many others.
Rihanna performed a cover of Bob Marley?s ?Redemption Song? on Oprah this past Wednesday. The whole show was done for the benefit of the victims of the Haiti earthquake. The song is currently available on iTunes and all proceeds made in the sale of the song will help all of the victims of the unfortunate tragedy. Rihanna will be performing the song again from London later tonight on the Hope for Haiti telethon. Again, I urge all of you reading this to give what you can for our neighbors in Haiti. However little you may give may end up actually saving a life.
The music mastermind and talent show king is going to be doing his own part in helping the victims of the Haiti disaster. Simon Cowell will be making a single in which he will gather of bunch of famous voices from around the globe in order to raise money for Haiti. This is what Simon Cowell said on the matter: “It’s very, very short notice. We made the decision today, so I’ve got to get it all together in about 48 hours. It’s going to feature as many people as possible. I haven’t made up my mind on the song yet, I’ve got a couple of ideas. It will be a cover version, yeah.” Why donate yourself when you can make others do it for you? and maybe gather up a little extra for the effort. And if anybody can do that, then it?s most definitely Simon Cowell.
It seems that the fever of charity for the disaster that struck Haiti recently is gripping everyone. Lady GaGa is the latest to be added to the list as she has promised that all of the proceeds from her next New York show will go to Haiti. Lady GaGa tweeted the following for all her fans who will be attending: “Save your money. Help save a life.” It?s getting so as a nation could actually build an economy out of a natural disaster if this keeps up. Interesting that Lady GaGa chose the New York crowd for this? but why just one concert? There surely is much more where that came from.
