Artist News

We Are The World 25th anniversary single planned

By | Published on Friday 22 January 2010

Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie and AEG Live are planning a new recording of charity single ‘We Are The World’ for the song’s 25th anniversary, reports Roger Friedman. The original version, recorded in 1985, was put together by Richie, music manager Ken Kragan and Michael Jackson.

Stars, including Usher, Natalie Cole and John Legend, have been asked to stay in LA for one extra day after next week’s Grammy Awards to record the song at the Nokia Theatre on 1 Feb. With so many big name singers in town anyway, it’s expected that the finished song could turn into quite a star-studded affair. Profits will go to the Haiti relief effort, even though plans for the 25th anniversary re-record preceded the earthquake there.

According to Friedman, plans are a little sketchy at the moment, but organisers hope to “invoke” Michael Jackson in some way on the recording. Rumours that they’re flying Derek Acorah over for another séance are completely made up. By me. Just now.

In other charity single news, Simon Cowell’s song for Haiti, which, as previously reported, he is putting together at the request of Gordon Brown, will be a cover of REM’s ‘Everybody Hurts’. So far, Rod Stewart, Leona Lewis, JLS and Michael Buble are all on board. According to The Sun, Robbie Williams, Coldplay, Take That and Paul McCartney have also been approached to appear on the song.



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