Ed Sheeran recently opened up about a charity using his vocals for their own benefit without seeking permission. However, the singer emphasized that he would have “respectfully declined” even if they had asked. Geldof and Ure founded a band-Aid music group to raise money for anti-famine efforts in Ethiopia.
Many big musicians, including Paul McCartney, Sting, George Michael, and Bono of U2, joined the band to record the first rendition of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” The initiative was a massive success, selling more than 2 million copies around the world and raising $24 million for Africa.
The song was re-recorded with new additions to the band, including Bananarama and Wet Wet Wet. The was revived in 2004 for its 20th anniversary with Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Snow Patrol’s Jonny Quinn, and others on board. The band was reformed in 2014, maintaining its tradition of recreating the Christmas song every 10 years. However, for the 2024 version of the song, music producer Trevor Horn blended the previous versions instead of adding new musicians to the mix.
According to the official press release, the “Ultimate Mix” will have vocals of a young Sting with a young Sheeran, a young Boy George with a young Sam Smith, and a young George Michael beside a young Harry Styles.
It turns out that the initiative was conducted without the acknowledgment or permission of those involved. The Photograph singer took offense to the action and called out the charity on his Instagram story. African rapper Fuse ODG shared a story against the charity, claiming that it fuels pity for the community instead of partnership by showcasing stereotypical and “dehumanizing” imagery.
Sheeran resonated with his sentiment and reposted his story, revealing that his permission was not sought before using his vocals in the new Band-Aid 40 release. “And had I had the choice, I would have respectfully declined the use of my vocals,” he added.
Sheeran explained that his understanding of the charity’s narrative has changed over the years and credited Fuse for articulating what was wrong with the initiative. “This is just my personal stance, I’m hoping it’s a forward-looking one. Love to all,” he added.
