Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Ed Sheeran, Camila Cabello perform at fundraising concert for Ukraine

FILE - Ed Sheeran on stage after winning songwriter of the year at the Brit Awards 2022 in London Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP) FILE - Ed Sheeran on stage after winning songwriter of the year at the Brit Awards 2022 in London Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)
Share
LONDON -

Chart-toppers Ed Sheeran and Camila Cabello were among music stars who took to the stage on Tuesday night at a televised concert aiming to raise funds for a Ukrainian humanitarian appeal.

The line-up for the two-hour "Concert for Ukraine" in Birmingham also featured Ukrainian singer Jamala, who won the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest, music veteran Nile Rodgers & Chic as well as groups Snow Patrol and Manic Street Preachers.

"It's such an important cause, I'm so honored to be here," said Sheeran during his segment. He then performed with Cabello, who also sang a version of Coldplay's "Fix You."

"We are all praying tonight for the peace and the safety of the people in the Ukraine," Cabello said.

A poignant moment in the evening was a performance by young virtuoso violinist Illia Bondarenko who played the Ukrainian folk song "Verbovaya Doschechka" from a basement shelter in Kyiv along with 94 violinists from around the world.

Singers Emeli Sandé and Gregory Porter, violinist Nicola Benedetti as well as the gospel Kingdom Choir also performed.

Unable to attend in person, singer Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas sent their support in a video message.

"We still wanted to offer all of our love and support to everyone performing and most importantly to express the support and solidarity with the millions of people who have been forced to flee their homes and leave everything behind," said Eilish.

The show, broadcast on ITV and STV channels during which viewers could make donations, also featured films showing relief efforts in Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion more than a month ago. Moscow has called its actions a "special operation."

Organizers said the concert had raised £12.2 million (US$16 million) which will be donated to the Disasters Emergency Committee - an umbrella of British charities - for the humanitarian appeal in Ukraine.

Writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Karishma Singh and Stephen Coates

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

DEVELOPING

DEVELOPING Debate gets testy as MPs consider confidence motion in PM Trudeau

MPs debated the first non-confidence motion of the fall House of Commons sitting today, seeing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre push once again for a snap election. But with votes secured to keep them afloat, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberals were quick to turn the discussion into a referendum on the Conservative alternative.

We've all had neighbours we didn't like, but two people from Sault Ste. Marie have been awarded more than half a million dollars for the 'extreme' behaviour of the people who lived next to them.

An 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in a caught-on-video incident in Mississauga earlier this month is now facing auto theft charges in Toronto.

Premier Danielle Smith says she plans to reinforce the right to decide whether to receive a vaccination or other medical procedure in changes to the Alberta Bill of Rights.

Local Spotlight

An ordinary day on the job delivering mail in East Elmwood quickly turned dramatic for Canada Post letter carrier Jared Plourde. A woman on his route was calling out in distress.

Fire has destroyed a barn and 17,000 plants at a family-owned business in Lower Coverdale, N.B.

Before influencers on social media, Canada’s Jeanne Beker was bringing the world of high fashion down to earth and as Calgary’s Glenbow Museum gets a major make-over, it will include a new exhibition showcasing the pop culture icon.

A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.

A Nova Scotian YouTuber has launched a mini-truck bookmobile.

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.