Watching ‘One World: Together At Home’ Separately

These are different times happening in the world today. Events have been cancelled and citizens are encouraged to stay in their homes to avoid spreading or catching the COVID-19 virus. In an effort to share hope during this troubling time, Lady Gaga organized a virtual concert titled, “One World: Together At Home Virtual Concert” with the help of Global Citizen and the World Health Organization (WHO). The purpose of this concert was to raise awareness for WHO’s Solitary Response Fund and to celebrate health care workers.

The concert was meant to “tell the stories of and celebrate the frontline communities, healthcare workers and their acts of kindness,” Lady Gaga said.

This two-hour virtual concert took place April 18, starting at 8 p.m. Prior to the concert, there was a six hour pre-show that started at 2 p.m.

Although the concert was not actively asking for donations, any donations made went to WHO’s Solitary Response Fund. Before the concert even began, Lady Gaga raised $35 million for this fund. The money raised will go to those hit hardest by the virus and to scientific research for a cure to the virus.

She asked Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, and Stephen Colbert to be the hosts for this historical concert. Lady Gaga also asked a plethora of different artists to perform from all different musical styles. They varied from music genre, age, and ethnicity. It was important that they did this because it showed that we are all together throughout the world fighting the virus. Some of these artists included Taylor Swift, Elton John, and Billie Eilish.

Throughout the concert, there were a few performances that were more memorable than others. One of these was Elton John’s performance of “I’m Still Standing.” It stood out to me because during this time of uncertainty, we need to remember that we are still facing the virus. We haven’t lost the fight yet.

Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello delivered another great musical moment. They performed a cover of “What A Wonderful World.” For me, it was a good reminder that even though we are supposed to be inside, there are still people in this world working with COVID-19. Those kind people are what makes our world so wonderful.

Sam Smith and John Legend also performed a cover of “Stand By Me.” This served as a powerful reminder that even though we are all separated, we can still show support for each other and stand by each other through this difficult time.

The final performance I found memorable was done by Taylor Swift. She sang “Soon You’ll Get Better.” This was the first time she performed this song live. It was important because she wrote this song for her parents, specifically her mother, in reference to their battles with cancer. Having her perform this song as a reminder that the world will get better gave me a lot of hope.

Other performances were done by Jennifer Lopez, Billie Eillish, and Niall Horan. Lady Gaga also performed the grand finale with Andrea Bocelli, John Legend, Celine Dion, and Lang Lang.