Elton John gives moving performance of I’m Still Standing for Lady Gaga’s One World concert
Elton John performing at this summer’s One World event/ (Screen capture via Periscope)
British musician Elton John delivered a spirited performance of “I’m Still Standing” – a song that now evokes the robust resilience of health care providers amid the coronavirus pandemic – as part of the One World: Together at Home concert.
John jumped in with a rhythmic rendition of the song from his back garden after a generous introduction by David and Victoria Beckham, who sat on a sofa and thanked National Health Service workers on the front line.
The 73-year-old played on a polished black piano next to, for some reason, a basketball court, before saying: “God bless you, thank you” to all medical professionals across Britain and beyond.
His address comes as the musician launched a fund to help people living with HIV during the COVID-19 crisis.
Heroes on the frontlines, this song is for you ❤️ Join @Eltonofficial in thanking frontline workers for protecting our communities during the pandemic. Do your part to help stop the spread of COVID-19 at https://t.co/26xVXSb0qy. #TogetherAtHome pic.twitter.com/WeClpDwwWs
— Global Citizen ⭕ (@GlblCtzn) April 19, 2020
Lady Gaga leads star-studded special One World: Together at Home.
It really did not get any bigger than this.
The anti-poverty charity Global Citizen special in support of the World Health Organization and regional charities’ fight against COVID-19 streamed to countless laptops and phones across the US Saturday night.
It began with a six-hour-long pre-show before the two-hour digital live stream, seemingly making its scheduled run time almost as long as its name: One World: Together at Home Special to Celebrate COVID-19 Workers.
Gaga curated and led a constellation of stars that included: Elton John, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Lopez, Oprah, Paul McCartney, Kacey Musgraves, Lizzo and dozens more for the event.
Lady Gaga kicked-off the cross-platform global concert seeking to raise funds for COVID-19 response efforts. (Screen capture via Periscope)
But it was no ordinary telethon, Gaga stressed, as she and hosts Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, and Jimmy Fallon urged viewers to put their wallets and PayPal logins away.
After all, Gaga and the Global Citizen team had already raised more than $50 million before the special even began airing.
Gaga herself kicked-off the evening with a rendition of “Smile”, playing on the piano in her home.
“It is so important to think globally and support the World Health Organization to curb the pandemic and prevent future outbreaks,” Gaga, who helped curate the all-star lineup, said at a news conference Monday.
“We want to highlight the gravity of this historical, unprecedented and cultural movement.”
