Despite everything, as the COVID-19 crisis continues, the virus has not prevented artists within the music industry from fighting back. Elton John has launched a $1 million emergency fund to protect those suffering from HIV during this worldwide pandemic.
Set up his non-profit organization, the Elton John Aids Foundation, it is currently open to applications. The fund seeks “solutions that have strong potential to address specific challenges that have arisen for people already living with or at severe risk of HIV/AIDS and who are now at heightened risk as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Elton made the announcement of the fund via Twitter. He said: “For almost 30 years my foundation has prioritised the most vulnerable people to HIV, to end the AIDS epidemic and we’re committed to this during the COVID-19 crisis too.”
Later, the ‘Rocketman’ vocalist said that the fans would “help frontline partners to prepare for and respond to the pandemic and its effects on HIV prevention and care for the most marginalised communities.”
He added: “We must keep up momentum or else the results could be disastrous for people living with HIV and other infectious diseases. We are with you, we are thinking of you, we will not leave anyone behind.”
Today, I’m proud to announce that my Foundation @EJAF is launching a $1million COVID-19 Emergency Fund to make sure that our frontline partners can respond to the effects of COVID-19 on HIV care for the most marginalised communities around the world. pic.twitter.com/g4wh9dnd3d
— Elton John (@eltonofficial) April 4, 2020
On March 29, Elton John hosted the iHeart Living Room Concert For America. The concert raised funds for support in the US against COVID-19. An hour-long programme aired across FOX and iHeartRadio stations.
The event saw performances from Billie Eilish and brother Finneas, Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, The Foo Fighters Dave Grohl and Alicia Keys. Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes also performed. The Backstreet Boys went back in time with their 1999 hit, ‘I Want It That Way’.
So, to summarise it best, Elton John was hailed by Lady Gaga as “the host with the biggest heart”. Plus, Billie Joe Armstrong deemed it “an honour”, as he performed an acoustic version of ‘Boulevard Of Broken Dreams’.
