By Dasha Afanasieva
LONDON, June 1 (Reuters) – U.S. singer Beyonce performed a
set full of female anthems on Saturday at a London concert to
raise funds for women’s health, education and justice.
The concert, which organisers hoped would reach a billion
viewers, was staged by Chime For Change, a charity started by
Italian fashion house Gucci which crowdfunds donations for
projects to advance gender equality in more than 70 countries.
The “If I Were A Boy” singer was joined on stage by husband
and rapper Jay-Z for “Crazy In Love”, but sang stirring anthems
of female empowerment for which she is best known alone.
She told the audience that the charity gig had already
raised $4 million dollars, and urged them to go online and do
more during a set lasting 40 minutes that also included short
films about women’s issues starring Beyonce.
Performances from Florence + The Machine, John Legend and
Jennifer Lopez with a surprise duet with Mary J Blige,
entertained the audience of more than 50,000 at Twickenham
stadium, west London.
Beyonce walked on stage wearing a black leather body suit
with sequin shoulders as the crowds chanted her name, and an
all-female troupe of violinists played the opening chords of “A
Change Is Gonna Come”.
Tearful but smiling, she then sang “At Last”, originally by
Etta James, and pleased a dancing crowd with an energetic
performance of “Run The World (Girls)”.
The Song For Change concert was broadcast live to 150
countries, and on primetime TV in the United States the
following day, organisers said.
Promoting gender equality and empowering women is one of the
eight goals set out by the United Nations at the turn of the
millennium, yet inequality remains with just 21 percent of seats
in national parliaments held by women, according to the Chime
For Change website.
Leading human rights activist and anti-apartheid campaigner
Desmond Tutu appeared in a video message and called for men to
stand up for girls and women.
“This is the time for a revolution for women and girls,” the
81-year-old said. “And we each must play a part. Empowering
girls and women is the challenge of our time.”
Artists including Jessie J, HAIM, Iggy Azalea, Legend, Rita
Ora and Timbaland all performed, but Beyonce was the big
attraction for performers and fans alike.
“She’s the perfect role model for anyone: she’s got a
business mind, her body’s amazing!” said 26-year-old Sophie
Kalaichakis, who was wearing a T-shirt from the singer’s last
tour.
Gucci is underwriting the event to allow all ticket sales to
go to the charity, after taxes and transaction fees.
Each one of the 52,000 tickets sold at prices ranging from
55-95 British pounds each ($85-$150) entitle the buyer to choose
which cause their ticket will fund in what organisers said was a
first for such a venture.
“They want people not just to enjoy the concert but also
follow it through,” Harvey Goldsmith, producer of the 1985 Live
Aid concert staged to raise funds for Ethiopian famine relief,
told Reuters before the gig.
“The idea is to get the audience more engaged in what’s
going on so that they can actually see and feel where the money
is going.”
Projects include helping provide 50 Haitian girls with a
safe space to learn and lead in their communities and fighting
female genital mutilation in Mali.
(Editing by Mike Collett-White)
