On Saturday, April 18, ABC aired One World: Together at Home, a virtual concert organized by Lady Gaga in partnership with Global Citizen. The goal of the concert was raising awareness about COVID-19, encouraging people to stay home whenever possible, and showing support for healthcare workers and other essential employees who are keeping everyone alive during this moment.
Starting at 2 p.m, various artists were featured performing songs on Global Citizen’s YouTube channel. Artists included Kesha, Sebastian Yatra, Jessie J, and Christine and the Queens. Between songs, clips of various aspects of the crisis were aired.
At 8 p.m, ABC started airing the concert both on television and on YouTube. This segment was hosted by late-night talk show host Stephen Colbert and “The Jimmys:” Fallon and Kimmel. They took turns introducing artists and giving background on what various groups of scientists or organizations are doing to help during this crisis.
During the nighttime segment, bigger names such as Keith Urban, Paul McCartney, Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga and Billie Joe Armstrong performed. Closing out the night was Taylor Swift, who delivered an emotional performance of “Soon You’ll Get Better,” which she originally wrote about her mom’s battle with cancer.
Global Citizen made it clear that this concert was not meant to guilt people into donating. In fact, the segment started with Lady Gaga saying “We want to raise the money before we go on air. When we do go on air, put your wallets away, your credit cards away, and enjoy the show.” Even so, the audience was made aware of Global Citizen’s website, which allows people to pledge that they will do their part to slow the spread of the virus.
The broadcast did not shy away from heavy topics. Various celebrities discussed mental health and reminded viewers that regardless of the situation, everyone is having a rough time and everyone’s feelings and concerns are valid. There were also frequent calls to action, reminding viewers that testing and healthcare during this crisis should be equal and accessible. Beyonce and Alicia Keys discussed the disproportionate effect that the virus is having on the black community. Melinda and Bill Gates also highlighted their effort in funding a vaccine and ensuring access to it is equitable.
The entire concert was truly touching; a heartwarming instance of some of the most well-loved celebrities using their platform to bring attention to what is important while bringing joy into people’s homes through music. Twitter even seemed to reduce the distance between viewers, allowing people to interact as if they were all together instead of sitting in their living rooms. Meanwhile, while the famous names enticed people to watch, the praise for scientists, activists and essential workers was the main event throughout.
This album was created on Spotify, to allow people to stream all the performances from the concert. It is also available on Amazon Music and Apple Music.