Ed Sheeran has spoken out about the new Band Aid 40 charity single, saying he would have said no if he was asked for permission to be part of it. Ed Sheeran is also proud of Harry Styles’ success.
A new version of Do They Know It’s Christmas? is being released to mark the song’s 40th anniversary. This version combines vocals from the original 1984 version and later versions from 2004 and 2014, with artists like Sting, Boy George, Harry Styles, Chris Martin, and Rita Ora taking part.
Ed Sheeran, who was in the 2014 version, shared on Instagram that he wasn’t asked if it was okay to use his vocals in the new mix. He said, “If I had the choice, I would have said no. Over the years, I’ve changed my view on this, and Fuse ODG explained it well.”
Fuse ODG is another artist who turned down the chance to be in the 2014 version of the song. He explained that while the charity raised money, it also showed harmful stereotypes about Africa. He said these types of charity efforts hurt Africa’s image and future growth. Instead, Fuse ODG wants Africans to tell their own stories and control how they are seen in the world.
Do They Know It’s Christmas? was first released in 1984 to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia. It raised £8 million and became a huge hit. However, in recent years, it has faced criticism for how it portrays Africa.
In defense of the song, Bob Geldof, who helped organize it, said that the song has saved many lives. He pointed out that Band Aid donations are still being used to help people in Sudan and Ethiopia.
