Artists for Haiti is a charity project for the benefit of the victims of the earthquake disaster on January 12, 2010 in Haiti . 85 predominantly American musicians joined forces for this and recorded the song We Are the World 25 for Haiti . The song is a cover version of the 1985 song We Are the World , which was written by the American musicians Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and was released under the name USA for Africa as a benefit song for the famine in Africa. It is not known whether and - if so - how the proceeds from We Are the World 25 for Haiti benefited the earthquake victims in Haiti.
Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones originally wanted to release a revised version of the original song under the title Live 25 at the end of 2009, 25 years after the Africa project, but they agreed to set the song to music with new artists in the hope that he would also reach the younger generations and thus help the people of Haiti.
The song was recorded on February 1, 2010 in fourteen hours and with over eighty artists in the same studio where the original was recorded. The recordings took place after the Grammys were awarded, when the music world gathered in Los Angeles for the occasion. The song was released on February 12, during the opening of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver . We Are the World 25 for Haiti was released as a CD single and as a download.
We Are the World 25 for Haiti has a very similar musical structure to We Are the World , but besides auto-tune effects it also contains various rap verses that were written by some of the hip-hop artists involved. Michael Jackson died months before the song was released, but the material from 1985 was cut into the song and especially the music video at the request of his mother Katherine . His younger sister Janet sings in two voices with his 1985 recording, and his nephews Taj, TJ and Taryll (collectively known as 3T ) accompany Jackson's voice in the chorus.
We Are the World 25 for Haiti received very mixed reviews from contemporary music commentators. In addition to criticism relating to the added parts of the song, the lack of many stars was also criticized. Ironically, the biggest stars of the Grammy Awards, Beyoncé , Kelly Clarkson , Katy Perry , Lady Gaga , Rihanna , Taylor Swift , Jay-Z , Alicia Keys and Justin Timberlake , did not participate in the project out of respect for the original, as it is said. This is probably one of the reasons why the song, unlike the original 25 years earlier, only reached number 2 in the US charts and had already dropped out of the top 10 after two weeks. With a few exceptions, the song also received far less attention internationally than the version by USA for Africa . In addition, there have also been aid projects with national artists in many countries, for example Helping Haiti in Great Britain or Young Artists for Haiti in Canada, which were more successful there.
Contributors
Lionel Richie key figure in the implementation of the project
Janet Jackson sang in two voices with her older brother Michael
Somos el mundo 25 por Haiti is the Spanish-language version of the song We Are the World 25 for Haiti . The song was recorded by Spanish and Latin American artists. The Spanish version was written by Emilio Estefan and his wife Gloria Estefan .
background
Emilio and Gloria Estefan wanted to record a Spanish version of “ We Are the World ” with Quincy Jones and other artists in order to donate money for the earthquake victims in Haiti. The Spanish version was released in March 2010. It was recorded on February 19, 2010 at the American Airlines Arena in Miami . Olga Tañón was the first to start singing on February 17th. She sang the part that Cyndi Lauper sang in the original 1985 version .
The Best of Both Worlds • Nobody's Perfect • Make Some Noise • Life's What You Make It • Let's Get Crazy • I Wanna Know You • Ice Cream Freeze (Let's Chill) • He Could Be the One • Supergirl • Ordinary Girl • I'm Still good
Ready, Set, Don't Go • Just Stand Up! • Send It On • Everybody Hurts • We Are the World 25 for Haiti • Nothing to Lose • Decisions • Ashtrays & Heartbreaks • Fall Down • 23 • Feelin 'Myself • Come Get It Bae • Teardrop • We a Family • Nothing Breaks Like a Heart
Motown Superstars Series, Vol. 7 • The Best of Michael Jackson • Great Love Songs of Michael Jackson • Ain't No Sunshine • Anthology • Original Soul • Michael Jackson Story • Greatest Hits - HIStory Volume I • Number Ones • King of Pop • Michael • Icon • Xscape
Mýa • Fear of Flying • Moodring • Liberation • Sugar & Spice
Extended plays
Mýa and Friends Presents… Best of Both Worlds • Beauty and the Streets
Compilation albums
Exclusive 2000-2010 Decade Best
Singles
It's All About Me • Movin 'on • My First Night with You • The Best of Me • Case of the Ex • Free My Love Is Like… Wow • Fallen • Bye Bye • Fear of Fling • Ride & Shake • Free Fallin' • Lock You Down • Ayo! • Ridin '• Paradise • Wish You Were Here • Shy Guy • Show Me Something • Blackout • Alive
Featurings
Ghetto Supastar • Take Me There • Girls Dem Sugar • Lady Marmalade • We Are the World: 25 for Haiti • Somebody Like Me • JOB • Best of Me Pt.2 • Fair Xchange • Come Together Now Sugar Daddy • Close to You • No Matter What They Say • I'll Give It All to You
Missundaztood / Can't Take Me Home • Pink Box • Greatest Hits… So Far !!! • The Album Collection • The Albums… So Far!
Video albums
Pink: Live in Europe • Live from Wembley Arena, London, England • Funhouse Tour: Live in Australia • Greatest Hits… So Far !!! • The Truth About Love Tour: Live from Melbourne
Classic (Better Than I've Ever Been) • Christmas in Harlem • FourFiveSeconds • All Day • Lift Yourself • Ye vs. the People
Featurings
Slow Jamz • Talk About Our Love • The Food • I Changed My Mind • The Corner • GO! • Number One • Extravaganza • Number One • Wouldn't Get Far • I Still Love HER • Classic (Better Than I've Ever Been) • Pro Nails • Finer Things • American Boy • Put On • Stay Up! (Viagra) • Swagga Like Us • Go Hard • Knock You Down • Kinda Like a Big Deal • Walkin 'on the Moon • Ego • Supernova • Maybach Music 2 • Make Her Say • Run This Town • Forever • Whatever U Want • Teriyaking • We Are the World 25 for Haiti • Erase Me • Start It Up • Hurricane 2.0 • ET • Marvin & Chardonnay • Birthday Song • I Wish You Would
Love Me • Favorite Girl • Never Let You Go • The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) • All I Want for Christmas Is You (SuperFestive!) • Die in Your Arms • I'll Show You
Usher • My Way • 8701 • Confessions • Here I Stand • Raymond v. Raymond (Deluxe Edition) / Versus / Raymond v. Raymond • Looking 4 Myself • Hard II Love
Live albums
live
Singles
Can U Get wit It • The Many Ways • Think of You • You Make Me Wanna • Nice & Slow • My Way • Bedtime • Pop Ya Collar • U Remind Me • U Got It Bad • U Don't Have to Call • U -Turn • Yeah! • Burn • Confessions (Part II) • My Boo • Caught Up • Love in This Club • Love in This Club, Part II • Moving Mountains • Trading Places • Papers • Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home) • There Goes My Baby • Lil Freak • More • OMG • Somebody to Love (Remix) • DJ Got Us Fallin 'in Love • Hot Tottie • Dirty Dancer (Remix) • Climax • Scream • Lemme See • Numb • Dive • Good Kisser • She Came to Give It to You • I Don't Mind • No Limit • Crash
Tha Block Is Hot • 500 Degreez • Tha Carter • Tha Carter II • Tha Carter III • Rebirth • I Am Not a Human Being • Tha Carter IV • I Am Not a Human Being II • Free Weezy Album • Tha Carter V • Funeral
Get Something • You Ain't Got Nothin '• Mr. Carter • Hot Revolver • Knockout
More songs
I'm Goin 'In • Blunt Blowin
Featurings
Back That Thang Up • Bling Bling • # 1 Stunna • Neva Get Enuf • Soldier • Don't Trip • Gimme That • Holla at Me • You Know What • Where da Cash At • Make It Rain • Hollywood Divorce • You • We Takin 'Over • Lock U Down • Pop Bottles • Speaker / 9mm • Duffle Bag Boy • Uh-Ohhh! • Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill) • 100 Million • Push • Love in This Club, Part II • Girls Around the World • I Run This • My Life • Can't Believe It • Let It Rock • Shawty Say • Official Girl • Swagga Like Us • Cuddy Buddy • I'm So Paid • All My Life (In the Ghetto) • Turnin Me On • Unstoppable • Always Strapped • Respect My Conglomerate • So Good • Maybach Music 2 • Down • Successful • Money to Blow • Forever • Heard 'em All • I Can Transform Ya • Give It Up to Me • 4 My Town (Play Ball) • Revolver • Women Lie, Men Lie • I Made It • Miss Me • Loyalty • No Love • Fire Flame • Welcome to My Hood • Roman's Revenge • Look at Me Now • Bow Chicka Wow Wow • Hit the Lights • Someone to Love Me (Naked) • This Is What Rock n 'Roll Looks Like • I'm Into You • Motivation • Red Nation • Hustle Hard • Dirty Dancer • Ballin '• I'm On One • Love U Right • Dedication To My Ex (Miss That) • YU Mad • Strange Clouds • The Motto • Martians vs. Goblins • Faded • Roman Reloaded • Take It to the Head • HYFR (Hell Ya Fucking Right) • I Can Only Imagine • Light My Body Up • Love in This Club Part II
Hey Now (Mean Muggin) • The Way I Are • Scream • Hero • Superhuman • Numba 1 (Tide Is High) • Number One • Everything, Everyday, Everywhere • Medicine • Oh Africa • Million Dollar Girl • Got Your Back • In the Air • Never Let Go • She Got That • Beautiful
Mýa • Fear of Flying • Moodring • Liberation • Sugar & Spice
Extended plays
Mýa and Friends Presents… Best of Both Worlds • Beauty and the Streets
Compilation albums
Exclusive 2000-2010 Decade Best
Singles
It's All About Me • Movin 'on • My First Night with You • The Best of Me • Case of the Ex • Free My Love Is Like… Wow • Fallen • Bye Bye • Fear of Fling • Ride & Shake • Free Fallin' • Lock You Down • Ayo! • Ridin '• Paradise • Wish You Were Here • Shy Guy • Show Me Something • Blackout • Alive
Featurings
Ghetto Supastar • Take Me There • Girls Dem Sugar • Lady Marmalade • We Are the World: 25 for Haiti • Somebody Like Me • JOB • Best of Me Pt.2 • Fair Xchange • Come Together Now Sugar Daddy • Close to You • No Matter What They Say • I'll Give It All to You