Adele and One Direction have been confirmed for the Band Aid 30 single.
Sir Bob Geldof and Midge Ure announced details of the charity project today, with Bob joking it was one of the worst kept secrets of the year. There has been a lot of speculation about who will be involved in the project, with Bob unveiling some of the names.
One Direction’s Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Niall Horan will all pick up their mics, as will Adele. That confirmation is particularly exciting for fans as she hasn’t released any new music since her son Angelo was born two years ago.
Joining them on the new recording of classic track Do They Know It’s Christmas? will be Ed Sheeran, U2, Coldplay, Ellie Goulding, Emeli Sandé, Paloma Faith and Sam Smith, amongst others.
Bob and Midge first released the song in 1984, getting some of the biggest names in music to contribute to the song. The likes of Spandau Ballet, Phil Collins, Duran Duran, Sting and Culture Club all laid down lyrics and proceeds went to those affected by the 1983 – 1985 famine in Ethiopia.
This time around the money raised will be used to fight the Ebola crisis, with the lyrics of the song changed to reflect this. Midge explained they want it to have a modern feel so it is more fitting on the times, with Bob claiming it is nothing to do with “nostalgia” and all about helping people.
The stars will begin recording the song on December 15, with a Chris Martin fan page already drumming up support. “Single is being recorded on 15 Dec and released on 17 Dec. Make sure you all buy it so it gets Christmas No 1, not the X Factor! #BandAid30 (sic),” its Twitter message read. However, other reports suggest the stars will hit the studio on Saturday, with the track out on November 17. Other versions will be released by stars in America and singers in Europe.
The original Band Aid song raised £8 million, with a new version recorded in 2004.
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