Lionel Richie Ready To Re-Record We Are The World To Help COVID-19 Victims

Lionel Richie (Twitter @LionelRichie)

JAKARTA - In the midst of the issue of COVID-19 or the corona virus which is becoming the news every day, actress and activist Gal Gadot took the initiative to make a video with friends of her public figures singing We Are The World. The virality of the video made the original singer, Lionel Richie, plan to release a new version of We Are The World to raise funds related to this pandemic.

Richie did not think that this song could be a meaningful message in the midst of the corona virus pandemic. The song he co-wrote with Michael Jackson as a charity song originally recorded by USA for Africa in 1985. He had time to think about this song long before the viral was made by Gal Gadot, who sang with Jamie Dornan, Jimmy Fallon, Natalie Portman, Sia, Mark Ruffalo, Norah Jones and others.

“Two weeks ago, we said we didn't want to do anything (with the song We Are The World) because this was not the time to celebrate. But the message is true, "said the 70-year-old singer. Launched NME, Tuesday, March 24.

He reminisces about the time the songwriting process was with Michael Jackson where they thought of the lyrics "I'm saving my life or We're saving our lives".

“What's happening in China, in Europe, here. So if we don't save our brother there, it will return to its home. This is us. We are here together, "

When raising funds with this song, they managed to get 63 million United States dollars (US). The song also achieved sales of more than 20 million US dollars. We Are The World sung with Richie and Jacko's friends such as Stevie Wonder, Kenny Rogers, Jackson 5, Daryl Hall, and many others.

We Are The World was also sung during Michael Jackson's final funeral in June 2009. The performance has brought the song to the charts since 1985.

Currently, Richie is in self-isolation with his family in order to fight the corona virus. The United States reported 46,332 cases of corona virus with New York as many as 21,689 cases and 157 people were declared dead.