JLo, Taylor Swift, Springsteen, Bon Jovi join together for Covid-19 concerts

Los Angeles, Apr 14 (efe-epa).- Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lopez, Sam Smith, Celine Dion and Shawn Mendes are just some of the artists who have joined forces for a macro-concert in solidarity against the coronavirus under the slogan “One World: Together at Home” to be held this weekend with the support of the World Health Organization.

Lady Gaga has been tasked with coordinating the event along with the WHO, and it will be broadcast on assorted television channels around the world and on most of the social networks.

Also slated to provide Latino music for the concert will be Becky G, Juanes, Luis Fonsi, Anitta, J Balvin and Maluma.

The artists will participate and perform from their homes at the event to collect funds for the current world health crisis, although Lady Gaga and WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced last week that $35 million has already been collected for the cause.

The virtual concert will begin on Saturday, April 18, and will be divided into two parts, with an initial broadcast lasting six hours during which the artists will perform on the social networks and later a big two-hour concert starting at 8 pm ET on Saturday that will be accessible on TV in the US and on most online international music platforms.

Some European networks, like Britain’s BBC, have confirmed that they will rebroadcast the event on television on Sunday morning.

Lady Gaga said that organizers want to collect all the funds before going on the air, noting that the event is not supposed to be a fundraising telethon, but rather will focus on entertainment and messages of solidarity.

“Put your wallets away … and sit back and enjoy the show you all deserve,” she said at a press conference to announce the event.

Other artists participating in the concert include: Alanis Morissette, Andrea Bocelli, Billie Eilish, Billie Joe Armstrong, Burna Boy, Chris Martin, Elton John, John Legend and Kacey Musgraves, not to mention Lizzo, Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder.

During the six-hour pre-concert, performers like Michael Buble, The Killers, Kesha, Jessie J, Angele and Christine and the Queens will also participate.

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Yahoo, along with Apple, Amazon and Alibaba will also stream the event to their users.

Meanwhile, Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi, both of whom are from New Jersey, will join other figures from that state for another online concert to collect funds to fight the coronavirus.

The “Jersey 4 Jersey” concert will be held on April 22 and will include show business personalities such as Saquon Barkley, Tony Bennett, Danny DeVito, Whoopi Goldberg, Halsey, Chelsea Handler, Charlie Puth, Kelly Ripa, Jon Stewart and SZA appearing live from their homes.

“New Jersey has been hit especially hard by the coronavirus pandemic, and the people of New Jersey have always stepped up during difficult times,” Springsteen said in announcing the event. The state has suffered some 2,300 deaths from Covid-19 so far.

The funds raised from the broadcast event will go to benefit The New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund, which provides aid to workers on the front lines and grants to organizations that service hard-hit communities.

EFE