World
Zelensky speaks to Grammys audience in a prerecorded video.
“Assist us in any method you may,” he added. “Any, however not silence.”
After Zelensky’s deal with, John Legend carried out his tune “Free,” that includes a Ukrainian singer, Mika Newton, and a poet, Lyuba Yakimchuk, who fled the nation days in the past.
Right here is Zelensky’s full speech:
The warfare. What’s extra reverse to music? The silence of ruined cities and killed individuals. Our youngsters draw swooping rockets, not taking pictures stars. Over 400 kids have been injured and 153 kids died. And we’ll by no means see them drawing. Our dad and mom are completely happy to get up within the morning in bomb shelters. However alive. Our family members don’t know if we will likely be collectively once more. The warfare doesn’t allow us to select who survives and who stays in everlasting silence. Our musicians put on physique armor as a substitute of tuxedos. They sing to the wounded in hospitals, even to those that can’t hear them. However the music will break by means of anyway. We defend our freedom to dwell, to like, to sound on our land. We’re combating Russia, which brings horrible silence with its bombs. The lifeless silence. Fill the silence together with your music. Fill it right this moment to inform our story. Inform the reality concerning the warfare in your social networks, on TV. Assist us in any method you may. Any — however not silence. After which peace will come. To all our cities the warfare is destroying — Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Volnovakha, Mariupol and others — they’re legends already. However I’ve a dream of them dwelling and free. Free such as you on the Grammy stage.
Many within the music trade have made public statements opposing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and displaying help for the Ukrainian individuals. On Sunday evening on the Grammys, the Recording Academy teamed up with International Citizen to focus on its “Stand Up for Ukraine” initiative.
The three main document conglomerates — Sony, Warner Music and Common Music — have all suspended operations in Russia in response to the warfare, together with the touring behemoth Stay Nation, which launched a press release saying the corporate will “stop work with any and all Russian-based suppliers.” Spotify suspended its streaming service in Russia and closed its workplace in Moscow.
How the Ukraine Struggle Is Affecting the Cultural World
Valentin Silvestrov. Ukraine’s best-known dwelling composer, Mr. Silvestrov made his method from his dwelling in Kyiv to Berlin, the place he’s now sheltering. In current weeks, his consoling music has taken on new significance for listeners in his war-torn nation.
Musicians have additionally pledged solidarity with Ukraine, canceling reveals and talking out on social media. Inexperienced Day, My Chemical Romance, Björk, the Killers, AJR, Iggy Pop and others pulled out of reveals within the area. Pink Floyd and David Gilmour yanked a few of their music off digital suppliers in Russia and Belarus, writing in a statement on Twitter that the transfer was an effort “to face with the world in strongly condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”
And artists have hosted profit concert events throughout the globe. Arcade Fireplace held a last-minute profit present in New Orleans in March, donating all proceeds of the pay-what-you-can occasion to a aid fund for residents in Ukraine. Days later, the band stated it raised over $100,000 after donating the proceeds from further reveals in New York. Ed Sheeran, Camila Cabello, Nile Rodgers and others performed a profit live performance in England final week. At a New York fund-raiser the place she carried out alongside Gogol Bordello, a band with Ukrainian roots, Patti Smith introduced a $50,000 donation to Medical doctors With out Borders on behalf of Yoko Ono and Sean Ono Lennon.
Rachel Sherman contributed reporting.