From Paris to New York via Mumbai: Global Citizen concerts are full of stars and surprises

The engagement musical world tour has taken place. A series of global concerts resonated across the globe this Saturday: Elton John in Paris, BTS in Seoul, Kylie Minogue in London, Stevie Wonder in Los Angeles, Billie Eilish in New York - where Prince Harry and Meghan are also mounted on stage. The elite of the recording industry was there to raise awareness of threats on the planet, under the aegis of the NGO Global Citizen. A success, after 18 months of pandemic, which marks the great return of charity shows.

Performer of "Rocket Man" in Paris, Elton John - alone at the piano on the Champ-de-Mars stage, in his green suit, with the Eiffel Tower in the background - set the tone for this event day by alternating hits ("Tiny Dancer", "This Is Your Song", "Rocket Man", as well as a duet, "After All", with Charlie Puth, single from his future album) and humanitarian messages.

Sir Elton, 74 (who will soon have hip surgery and will postpone his world tour), pleaded at the microphone for "no one to be left by the wayside" in this time of health crisis, calling for "a equitable access ”to vaccines everywhere. Elton John, an impeccable voice behind his pink tinted glasses, performed in front of nearly 20,000 people in Paris who obtained free tickets by pledging to relay messages from Global Citizen on social networks.

"I've been a Global Citizen for a while, I signed up but given the expected world I had few hopes, but I got my ticket because I already had the necessary number of points, by taking actions for the planet and actions against poverty, I notably signed petitions, ”

23-year-old Ewan Cardoso told AFP.

To be at the concert in Paris, Tani, 26, sent emails and tweeted "for equitable access to education and in favor of equality for women".

She and her three friends came for "Ed Sheeran and especially Elton John".

The Parisian crowd could also hear Chistine And The Queens and Black Eyed Peas.

In the tradition of Live Aid of 1985

As for Live Aid, a charity show given in 1985 from several cities around the world at the then initiative of Bob Geldof to fight against famine in Ethiopia (and in which Elton John was already participating), the megalopolises took turns. After Paris, New York lit fire in front of 60,000 people with Billie Eilish, Coldplay, Jennifer Lopez and Lizzo who recalled that in nineteenth century Central Park, the concert venue was home to a thriving African-American community that real estate developers had hunted.

19-year-old prodigy Billie Eilish electrified the crowd with her showcase of seven tracks including 'Bad Guy', 'My Future' and 'Happier Than Ever'.

“Let's try to help the world and do what we can.

I don't even know where to start myself.

Let's make an effort, ”she urged.

Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas, who is her collaborator, are at the end of the concert back on stage to join Coldplay on "Fix You".

The frontman of the British group was to close the evening but, instead, announced the arrival of a surprise guest of size Paul Simon of Simon & Garfunkel who interpreted the hit “Sound of Silence”, forty years after the historic performance of the group at the same location that had attracted 500,000 fans.

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan also spoke in Central Park, calling for access to vaccines to be seen as

"a basic human right". “My wife and I believe that how you were born shouldn't dictate your ability to survive,”

the Duke of Sussex said, to applause. The couple took over from Alessia Cara and pop veteran Cyndi Lauper, who dedicated her rendition of "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" to Afghan women.

Funding announcements punctuated the services. The administrator of the American International Aid Agency (USAID), Samantha Power, notably announced in a recorded message that the United States "would contribute more than 295 million dollars" to the fight against famine in the world , gender-based violence and “respond to urgent humanitarian needs” linked to the pandemic. French President Emmanuel Macron made a similar announcement by videoconference.

The New York concert ended, the show continued in Los Angeles, with the group 5 Seconds of Summer opening at the Greek Theater, which also hosts Adam Lambert, Stevie Wonder, Demi Lovato and ONEREPUBLIC.

All continents are covered.

From his country, Brazil, DJ Alok launched messages on the networks of Global Citizen, alerting to the situation in the Amazon.

The performances, live or recorded, are visible on Apple Music, Apple TV App, YouTube, Twitter, as well as via various broadcasters (TF1 / TMC in France, TV Azteca in Mexico, the BBC in the United Kingdom, ABC, ABC News Live, iHeartRadio, Hulu, The Roku Channel, FX and Time in the US, etc.).

Behind this event is therefore Global Citizen, an NGO which describes itself as a “movement of engaged citizens”.

This is the baby of Hugh Evans, an Australian portrayed as a "prodigy in the world of philanthropy", by the New York Times.

Global Citizen is used to major events, such as its “Vax Live” in the spring in Los Angeles, a concert in favor of vaccination against Covid-19 (and against disinformation).

Jennifer Lopez or the Foo Fighters were on stage while US President Joe Biden, the Pope, actors Ben Affleck or Sean Penn delivered video messages.