Ed Sheeran REACTS To His Vocals Being Used On Charity Single Without Permission; Says He Would Have ‘Respectfully Declined’

As a follower who grew up listening to the powerful music of Band Aid and its mission to help those in need, I was initially thrilled about the latest iteration, Band Aid 40. However, my excitement quickly turned into dismay when I learned that my favorite artist, Ed Sheeran, had been used without his permission.


Ed Sheeran has shared his thoughts on an organization using his voice without consent for their cause, stating he would have politely refused if asked. Notably, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure established the Band Aid music group to generate funds for Ethiopian famine relief efforts.

As a devoted admirer, I had the privilege of joining forces with musical legends like Paul McCartney, Sting, George Michael, and Bono from U2 to record an initial version of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” This collaborative effort was nothing short of phenomenal, resonating globally, selling over 2 million copies, and raising a staggering $24 million for Africa’s aid.

In 2004, the band re-emerged to celebrate its 20th anniversary, with Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Snow Patrol’s Jonny Quinn, and others joining forces. Bananarama and Wet Wet Wet were among the new members added when the song was re-recorded in the same year. In 2014, the band reformed as per their tradition of releasing a new version of the Christmas song every decade. For the 2024 rendition, music producer Trevor Horn chose to blend past versions rather than adding fresh musicians.

As stated in the official announcement, “The Ultimate Mix” will feature the voices of a youthful Sting paired with a youthful Ed Sheeran, a youthful Boy George combined with a youthful Sam Smith, and a youthful George Michael alongside a youthful Harry Styles.

It appears that the initiative was carried out without the knowledge or consent of those directly involved. The singer Halsey, known for her song “The Photograph,” expressed disapproval regarding this action and publicly criticized the charity on her Instagram story. African rapper Fuse ODG also voiced his disagreement with the charity in a social media post, alleging that it fosters pity rather than collaboration within the community by using stereotypical and “demeaning” visuals.

Sheeran resonated with his sentiment and reposted his story, revealing that his permission was not sought before using his vocals in the new Band-Aid 40 release. “And had I had the choice, I would have respectfully declined the use of my vocals,” he added.

Over the years, Sheeran shared that his perspective on the charity’s story has evolved, and he acknowledged Fuse for clearly expressing what needed improvement within the project. He further stated, “This is simply my personal viewpoint, I hope it looks towards the future.” He concluded with a warm message, “Wishing everyone well.

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2024-11-19 19:38