Bob Geldof has defended the revival of Band Support 40 after backlash from critics who declare the ‘colonial’ Christmas single perpetuates dangerous stereotypes about Africa.
Ed Sheeran and Fuse ODG are amongst those that have criticised the track Do They Know It is Christmas?, which has been condemned for fuelling ‘pity quite than partnership’.
London-born Ghanaian-English rapper Fuse ODG spoke out right now, as he launched a response referred to as We Know It is Christmas and urged the BBC to not promote the track.
He instructed ITV‘s Good Morning Britain that treating the 1984 famine in Ethiopia – which initially impressed Band Support – as an Africa-wide challenge can be much like labelling all of Europe ‘war-stricken’ as a result of battle in Ukraine.
It comes after Sheeran revealed he would have ‘respectfully declined’ permission to be used of his vocals on the charity hit, whereas different critics have included Lily Allen and Damon Albarn.
However Bob Geldof hit again saying: ‘It is a pop track ffs. There IS endemic starvation as a result of unforgiving soil situations. Water IS scarce save for a scattering of unreliable wells. Rain IS more and more unreliable.
‘Local weather change impacts the poorest first and worst. Conflict exacerbates these situations. Xmas IS celebrated all through Ethiopia in keeping with their very own calendar i.e. two weeks after our vacation.’
‘This little pop track has stored lots of of 1000’s if not tens of millions of individuals alive. In truth simply right now Band Support has given lots of of 1000’s of kilos to assist these working from the mass slaughter in Sudan and sufficient money to feed an extra 8,000 kids in the identical affected areas of Ethiopia as 1984.’
Band Support is ready to return with a model new model to mark the charity monitor’s fortieth Anniversary (the celebrities of the unique 1984 recording are pictured)
Popstar Ed Sheeran (pictured proper) has spoken out in opposition to a brand new rerelease of the only, having featured on a 2014 recording of the monitor co-written by Sir Bob Geldof (left) – they’re pictured right here arriving on the studio to work on the Band Support 30 model in November 2014
London-born Ghanaian musician Fuse ODG has spoken out in opposition to the Band Support charity single Do They Know It is Christmas?, accusing the track of ‘dehumanising’ African folks
The musician, 33, initially featured on the 2014 model of the monitor – spearheaded by Geldof and Midge Ure – alongside the likes of Sting and Harry Types which aimed to boost cash for the Ebola reduction efforts.
But amid the upcoming launch of the 2024 Final Mixture of the track to its fortieth anniversary, Ed has instructed how he would have denied permission so as to add his voice to the brand new model had he been requested.
Taking to his Instagram tales on Sunday, Sheeran: ‘My approval wasn’t sought on this new Band Support 40 launch and had I had the selection I’d have respectfully declined using my vocals.
‘A decade on and my understanding of the narrative related to this has modified, eloquently defined by @fuseodg. That is simply my private stance, I am hoping it is a forward-looking one. Like to all x.’
Fuse ODG himself rejected a suggestion to participate within the 2014 model of Do They Know It is Christmas, which featured rewritten lyrics reflecting the Ebola disaster which was affecting nations in West Africa on the time.
He has now written on his Fb web page: ‘Ten years in the past right now, I stated NO to Bob Geldof’s Band Support – Do They Know It is Christmas undertaking as a result of truth it is a marketing campaign that dehumanises Africans and destroys our pleasure and identification within the identify of ‘charity’.
‘He has determined to launch one other model, which demonstrates how a lot he nonetheless has not discovered from the factors I made clear to him on the adverse affect of his undertaking on Africa and its diaspora.
‘The white saviour complicated is an extremely harmful factor which is now enjoying out on a person and company degree.
Fuse ODG, 35, instructed ITV’s Good Morning Britain right now that Do You Know It is Christmas?, first launched in 1984 in response to famine in Ethiopia, falsely ‘painted a complete picture of Africa’
He mentioned the charity single with presenters Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid, together with fellow visitor Gifty Enright, a author
Fuse ODG, seen right here acting at Kendal Calling Competition in July 2015, beforehand declined a suggestion to participate within the Band Support 30 monitor recorded and launched 10 years in the past
‘African issues needs to be solved by Africans. We welcome anybody genuinely making an attempt to help the continent however it must be a spirit of collaboration not patronisation.
‘In 2024, there isn’t a approach we would keep quiet and permit different folks to proceed to inform our story.’
He additionally instructed his Fb followers: ‘Tag @BBC to cease the discharge of their documentary celebrating Band Support…’
Fuse ODG insisted on GMB right now that he didn’t need ‘the general public to really feel responsible for making an attempt to assist’, including: ‘All I am making an attempt to do is give a distinct perspective.’
He instructed presenters Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid: ‘Sure, there was a difficulty and there have been good intentions to boost cash to assist however my drawback is the long run impact of making an attempt to assist this disaster. There was one disaster in a single nation, however it painted a complete picture of Africa.
‘It is the identical with Ukraine – there’s one disaster in Ukraine, however think about the world seeing Europe as a war-stricken place due to one nation.’
The 35-year-old musician – actual identify Nana Richard Abiona – insisted: ‘African issues have to be solved by Africans – it is not about letting different folks kind out our issues.
‘We have to construct the following technology of leaders to unravel our personal issues and that is why we have launched our personal instructional app, to show these children about their historical past and perceive the leaders which have come earlier than them.
Ed Sheeran (left), pictured with Fuse ODG within the video for the latter’s 2017 single Boa Me, has credited his buddy with serving to change his considering on Do They Know It is Christmas?
Sheeran posted on Instagram on Sunday: ‘My approval wasn’t sought on this new Band Support 40 launch and had I had the selection I’d have respectfully declined using my vocals’
Do They Know It is Christmas? was co-written by Midge Ure (left) and Bob Geldof (proper) – the pair are seen right here on the recording of the Band Support 30 model in London in November 2014
‘It is essential that we’re the answer.’
He has stated proceeds from his new single We Know It is Christmas would go in direction of ‘grassroots progressive tasks that goal to higher communities throughout Africa’.
But Geldof has hit again at critics and insisted the track had helped hold ‘lots of of 1000’s if not tens of millions of individuals alive’.
An article printed on the web site The Conservation stated the lyrics of the unique launch ‘didn’t paint a full image of the famine’ in Ethiopia within the Nineteen Eighties, including: ‘They recycled lots of the previous colonial tropes of Africa as a barren land requiring western salvation.
‘On this case the famine was primarily the results of mass migration and destitution brought on by a battle involving Ethiopia and Tigre and a close to complete disregard for human life by the combatants.’
The article condemned Band Support’s affect, saying: ‘Cases of so-called ‘poverty porn’ have additionally develop into commonplace throughout the charity sector as organisations compete with one another for public consideration.
‘This describes movies whereby the recipients of charity – in opposition to the backdrop of unhappy violin or piano music – are diminished to mere ‘victims’ quite than full people on the lookout for company.’
Bob Geldof (left) has hit again at critics of the charity undertaking, which with the unique 1984 launch concerned the likes of Paul Weller, Robert Kool Bell, Phil Collins and Bono
Fuse ODG, seen acting at Indigo on the O2 in London in November 2015, has now launched a brand new single in response to Do They Know It is Christmas?, referred to as We Know It is Christmas
Fuse ODG insisted on GMB right now that he didn’t need ‘the general public to really feel responsible for making an attempt to assist’, including: ‘All I am making an attempt to do is give a distinct perspective’
Geldof described how ‘non secular and different conventional ceremonies had been deserted on the time of the Ethiopian famine and extra just lately in the identical areas, including: ‘These aren’t ‘colonial tropes’, they’re empirical information.H
He added: ‘These exhausted ladies who weren’t raped and killed and their panicked kids and any male over 10 who survived the massacres and people 8,000 Tigrayan kids will sleep safer, hotter and cared for tonight due to that miraculous little document.
‘We want that it had been different however it is not. ‘Colonial tropes’ my a***.’
Fuse ODG and Sheeran aren’t the one musicians who’ve distanced themselves from the Band Support initiative, nonetheless.
Popstar Lily Allen was outspoken about her causes for not collaborating when invited to affix the 2014 rerecording.
Lily Allen, seen right here on the Giorgio Armani RTW Spring 2025 style present in New York final month, didn’t take up an invite to participate within the Band Support 30 undertaking in 2014
Bob Geldof has defended and praised the Band Support efforts – he’s pictured right here on the recording of the unique single Do They Know It is Christmas? in 1984
She instructed the Mail On Sunday on the time: ‘I obtained an e-mail asking me to do it. It is troublesome to elucidate why I did not do it with out sounding like an entire c***.
‘I choose to do my charitable bit by donating precise cash and never being lumped in with a bunch of individuals like that.
‘It is just like the success membership and I am not likely in that membership. I do not assume I am above all of it – I am approach beneath it. However there’s one thing a bit smug about it.
‘I really do not thoughts Bob. He would not give a f*** and he is grumpy like me.’
That very same 12 months Geldof criticised Adele for showing to snub requires her to take part, although a spokesperson for her later stated she had determined to indicate her help with a charity donation.
It was revealed final month that Band Support would return with a model new model to mark the charity monitor’s fortieth Anniversary, with what has been referred to as the 2024 Final Combine due for launch subsequent Monday alongside a particular video.
Do They Know It is Christmas? has been recorded on three separate events – Band Support (1984), Band Support 20 (2004) and Band Support 30 (2014).
To mark this anniversary, producer Trevor Horn has taken the three recordings and blended all of the voices of these separate generations into one seamless monitor.
Harry Types featured on Band Support’s 2014 re-recording, alongside his One Route bandmates
The track was initially created by Sir Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in a bid to boost funds for anti-famine efforts in Ethiopia, and went onto prime the charts and lift tens of millions
This implies a younger Sting will probably be heard alongside a younger Sheeran, a younger Boy George with a younger Sam Smith, a younger George Michael beside a younger Harry Types.
Additionally that includes will probably be a younger Bono with an older Bono, Chris Martin with Man Garvey, the Sugababes and Bananarama, Seal and Sinead O’Connor, Rita Ora and Robbie Williams, Kool and the Gang and Underworld.
Different stars on the monitor embody Paul McCartney, Sting, John Taylor, Phil Collins, Roger Taylor, Paul Weller, Damon Albarn, Midge Ure, Johnny Greenwood, Gary Kemp and Justin Hawkins.
But Blur frontman Albarn has additionally been amongst these showing to criticise the undertaking up to now, having performed guitar on the 2004 monitor however talking out in opposition to the later model 10 years later.
He stated in 2014: ‘Having been to many nations and gotten to know many individuals, it all the time appears that we’ve just one view of it.
‘Our perspective and our concept of what helps and our concept what’s incorrect and proper aren’t essentially shared by different cultures.
‘There are issues with our concept of charity, particularly this stuff that instantly balloon out of nothing after which create a media frenzy the place a few of that important communication is misplaced and it begins to really feel prefer it’s a course of the place in the event you give cash you clear up the issue, and actually typically giving cash creates one other drawback.’
Blur frontman Damon Albarn, pictured performing on the Coachella competition in Indio, California in April this 12 months, expressed reservations in regards to the Band Support undertaking in 2014
Ed Sheeran has claimed he wasn’t requested permission from Band Support 40 organisers to make use of his vocals on the a brand new model of the charity single Do They Know It’s Christmas?
![Sheeran, 33, originally featured on the 2014 version of the track - spearheaded by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure [pictured in 2004] - alongside the likes of Sting and Harry Styles, with the lyrics rewritten to reflect efforts to provide Ebola relief in West Africa](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/11/19/12/92193943-14100231-The_musician_33_originally_featured_on_the_2014_version_of_the_t-a-86_1732017684395.jpg)
Sheeran, 33, initially featured on the 2014 model of the monitor – spearheaded by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure [pictured in 2004] – alongside the likes of Sting and Harry Types, with the lyrics rewritten to replicate efforts to supply Ebola reduction in West Africa
Midge Ure, who co-wrote the charity single, revealed final 12 months that Sir Bob initially claimed ‘It is s***, however it’ll do’, when he performed him the tune on a toy keyboard.
The Boomtown Rats frontman, 73, additionally instructed Ure he thought it sounded just like the theme tune to the Nineteen Sixties British police TV drama Z-Automobiles.
Ure, 71, stated the pair then went to work on the monitor that has gone on to boost greater than £200million to assist struggle famine in Africa since its launch in 1984.
The Ultravox singer instructed the The best way to be 60 podcast they’d considered ‘ridiculous’ methods to provide you with cash however settled on making music.
He added: ‘We spent two hours making an attempt to think about ridiculous methods of making an attempt to boost some cash then lastly succumbing to the very fact we had been garbage at all the things besides possibly writing a track.
‘We [thought] if we wrote a Christmas track and obtained all of our mates concerned, we may elevate £100,000.
‘Then fortunately I had simply completed constructing my studio and despatched Bob and cassette of this little factor I did on a toy keyboard. He stated, “It is s***, it seems like Z-Automobiles, however it’ll do”.
‘Then he came visiting to mine with a right-handed guitar the other way up as a result of he is left-handed, hardly any strings on it, and began singing.
The unique 1984 recording of Do They Know It is Christmas? featured stars embody Paul Younger, Bono, Sting, George Michael, Bananarama and Spandau Ballet
The twentieth anniversary model recorded at Air Studios in Hampstead, north London, in November 2004 included acts resembling Ms Dynamite, Natasha Bedingfield and Keane
‘I stated “OK, simply go away me”. I recorded them on a cassette and I spent 4 days enjoying all of the devices and doing the association for the track whereas he bludgeoned all our mates to come back alongside and had a power in identify and fanbase which was extremely essential. Then after all the entire thing went mad.’
The only initially launched in 1984 topped the charts for 5 weeks and was that 12 months’s Christmas primary.
It was adopted by large Reside Support star-studded concert events at Wembley Stadium in London and John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadephia in July 1985.
MailOnline has approached the BBC in addition to representatives of Bob Geldof and Fuse ODG for remark, whereas a spokesperson for Ed Sheeran stated he wouldn’t be saying extra.