Harry Styles and Rita Ora join Band Aid for a new version of “Do they know it's Christmas”

Bob Geldof relaunches Band-Aid, the charity supergroup created in 1984, and the song Do they know it’s Christmaswith old stars and new voices like Rita Ora, Harry Styles and Sam Smith.

Band Aid is back with new voices to celebrate 40 years of Do they know it’s Christmas. The supergroup brought together by Bob Geldof in 1984 to raise funds for the children of Ethiopia, hit by a terrible famine, is reforming for a new version.

Every decade since 2004, the project has been relaunched, with the major British and Irish groups of the time.

This year, Sting, Ed Sheeran, Boy George, Sugababes, Sam Smith, Bono and Chris Martin will sing with Harry Styles, Rita Ora, Seal, Robbie Williams, Kool and the Gang. We will also hear the voice, from previous recordings of George Michael, who died in 2016, and Sinéad O'Connor, who died in 2023.

Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Roger Taylor (Queen), Thom Yorke (Radiohead), Damon Albarn (Blur), will play the instrumental part. The song will appear on a compilation, available on November 29. It will be accompanied by a music video.

Culture Club, Duran Duran et Bananarama

In 1984, George Michael (Wham!), Boy George (Culture Club), Paul Young, Sting (The Police), Banarama, Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran, Bono (U2) and Phil Collins (Genesis) answered the call .

In 2014, Ed Sheeran, One Direction, Rita Ora, Sam Smith, Chris Martin, Seal, Ellie Goulding and Sinéad O'Connor joined Bono, one of the rare veterans of Band Aid in 1984. Bob Geldof then explained that he had changed the lyrics to stick to the ills of the time such as the Ebola virus epidemic. Critics have also criticized the song for its condescending and insulting tone towards Ethiopians and Africa, presented in a caricatured manner.

In four decades, Band Aid has raised, between singles and concerts, 140 million pounds (around 168 million euros), indicates BBC News.

Do they know it’s Christmas gave the idea to American singer and actor Harry Belafonte to launch a similar project in the United States. Thus was born We are the worldwritten by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson and produced by Quincy Jones.

France also released its charity song entitled Ethiopiaon the initiative of Valérie Lagrange and Renaud.