Look To The Stars News: Sinead O'Connor

Chimes Of Freedom: Stars Cover Bob Dylan For Charity

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 15:30:00 +0000

Two iconic forces that have impacted the past 50 years – the life-saving human rights activism of Nobel Peace Prize-winning Amnesty International and the incomparable artistry of Bob Dylan – are being saluted by 80 musicians who contributed new or previously unreleased recordings to Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International.

The collection is scheduled for physical (4 discs) and digital release in North America on January 24, 2012 through Fontana Distribution. It will be distributed internationally through Fontana International, a Universal Music company, on January 30.

Chimes of Freedom features a stellar and diverse group of artists across the generational and musical spectrum. The performers, including many of Amnesty International’s longtime supporters, range in age from teenage pop star Miley Cyrus, 19, to folk music legend Pete Seeger, who, at 92, records Dylan’s poignant “Forever Young,” with a children’s chorus.

Colplay's Chris Martin To Play Charity Show Tonight

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Coldplay’s Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland will be headlining a special charity show on Thursday 24 November, completing the line up for Little Noise Sessions 2011.

Manchester band Elbow last night kicked off this year’s Little Noise Sessions – a series of gigs in aid of Mencap.

The gig was the last of this year for the Mercury Prize-winning band. Frontman Guy Garvey said that it was the 20th year that the band had been performing together and led the audience in a sing-along of ‘Happy Birthday’ to Elbow.

Stars Honor Elizabeth Taylor At Inspiration Gala

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Last week’s amfAR Inspiration Gala in LA – “A Celebration of Men’s Style” – welcomed some of the biggest stars and honored the late Dame Elizabeth Taylor, who helped created amfAR in 1985.

Alek Wek, Reca Group’s Paolo Diacci and Colin Farrell

Stars To Attend amfAR Inspiration Gala In Los Angeles

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 13:45:00 +0000

The American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) will host its Inspiration Gala Los Angeles on Thursday, October 27, and will have plenty of celebrity support.

Hosted by Andy Cohen – and with performances by Sinead O’Connor and Deborah Harry – the fantastic evening will include a special tribute to Elizabeth Taylor presented by Sandra Bullock. Guests expected include Chelsea Handler, Kevin Huvane and Kenneth Cole.

amfAR launched the Inspiration series in 2010 with events in New York, Paris, and Los Angeles. Last year, the LA event was hosted by Kylie Minogue and featured performances by Courtney Love and Dita Von Teese, as well as fashion presentations by Dsquared2 and Jean-Paul Gaultier. This year’s Inspiration Galas in New York, Sao Paulo, and Paris have featured Fergie, James Franco, Jennifer Hudson, Marc Jacobs, Ke$ha, Heidi Klum, Michael Kors and Liza Minnelli.

Starbucks To Release Celebrity Charity CD For Maternal Health

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:30:00 +0000

Starbucks is to release an exclusive companion CD inspired by a new documentary produced and directed by Christy Turlington on April 12, featuring tracks by Madonna, Rosanne Cash, Sheryl Crow, the Dixie Chicks, Gwyneth Paltrow, Patti Scialfa and Bruce Springsteen, Martha Wainwright, Jennifer Lopez and others.

A portion of the sale of each CD sold will be donated to CARE and Every Mother Counts.

Sting To Feature On Celebrity Charity Album For Nuclear Disarmament

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 11:30:00 +0000

On May 10, Across the Universe Records will release Jonathan Elias’ ‘Prayer Cycle 2: Path To Zero,’ a collection of music produced by the celebrated composer that features a stunning array of world-renowned musicians and activists. Proceeds from the record will be donated to Global Zero, an international organization dedicated to nuclear disarmament. Contributors include Sting, Trudie Styler, Angélique Kidjo, Robert Downey Jr, Sinead O’Connor, Serj Tankian and more.

“‘Path to Zero’ is a classically influenced set of world prayers, inspired by the survival of hope in a world living under the shadow of the nuclear threat. As an artist leaving a legacy to my children, it’s my prayer that they will be able to succeed in recognizing and changing the path we have chosen for the world, even if we cannot,” says Elias.

The CD is an eclectic mix of music with a sweeping number of influences from all over the world and across multiple genres—classical prayer/devotional music, spoken word, vintage radio samples, rock and more. “Having worked on so many different styles of music, I feel it’s important to cross-pollinate in my own work,” says Elias. On ‘Prayer Cycle 2’ his commitment to this challenge is brilliantly displayed. The CD features over a dozen different artists, multiple languages and musical genres. Additional contributors include Jonathan Davis of Korn, Afro-pop singers Salif Keita and Angelique Kidjo, Jon Anderson of Yes, Lilli Elias and Pakistan’s Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.

Mary J. Blige's Perfect Charity Gift For Mother's Day

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Looking for a special Mother’s Day present? Sinead O’Connor and Mary J. Blige have the perfect answer.

This Is To Mother You is a single recorded to benefit GEMS, the largest organization in the US empowering girls and young women, ages 12-21, who have experienced sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking to exit the commercial sex industry and develop to their full potential.

Mary J. Blige And Sinead O'Connor Record Charity Song

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Mary J. Blige has joined Irish singer Sinead O’Connor and newcomer Martha B to record a special song to express a simple promise to vulnerable children in America and around the world: You may not see us, but we see you. And we will love and care for you.

Proceeds from the song will go to Girls Educational & Mentoring Services (GEMS), the largest organization in the US empowering girls and young women, ages 12-21, who have experienced sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking to exit the commercial sex industry and develop to their full potential.

Production on the song began in January 2009 when Sinead and GEMS began to assemble the creative and production team for the project. Sinead’s immediate choice for a vocalist to sing with her was the incomparable Mary J Blige, who responded immediately to Sinead’s invitation with an enthusiastic YES. With this settled, the project quickly added producers Martin ‘Doc’ McKinney (Sting, Alice Smith) and Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest), who spent three months developing the instrumental track for this new recording. On August 13th, Sinead entered the recording booth at the legendary Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin (also known as the ‘U2 Studio’) to lay her vocals for the song. In New York, GEMS and the producers waited with great excitement to get the ruff mix of O’Connor’s vocals, and then went to work scheduling Mary J Blige and newcomer Martha B to record at Germano Studios in Soho. On September 10th, Mary and Martha entered the studio to complete the vocal tracking for the song.

Irish Singers Unite For Charity

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:30:00 +0000

Two well known Irish singers have teamed up for charity.

Sinead O’Connor and former Moloko vocalist Roisin Murphy have laid down a version of Chaka Khan’s I’m Every Woman for ActionAid, a charity that reaches over 13 million of the poorest and most vulnerable people and helps them fight for and gain their rights to food, shelter, work, education, healthcare and a voice in the decisions that affect their lives.

“It’s a bit of a depressing version of the song, its more haunting and soulful but I think it represents what it’s about really well,” Murphy told the BBC.