Pop star Lily Allen is well known for being outspoken, she held nothing back when speaking on why she chose not to participate with Band Aid 30’s charity single for Ebola, which is a modern take on “Do They Know”, a song which was originally recorded for the Ethiopian famine in 1984.
In speaking with the Daily Mail, Allen shared her thoughts on what she thought of the single itself, those who participated in it, and on Band Aid 30 founder and songwriter Bob Geldof.
‘I got an email asking me to do it,’ Allen said about the offer to join. ‘Well… I’m not on it, am I? It’s difficult to give an explanation why I didn’t do it without sounding like a complete c##t!,” she said.
‘I prefer to do my charitable bit by donating actual money and not being lumped in with a bunch of people like that. It’s like the “Success Club” and I’m not really in that club. I don’t think I’m above it all – I’m way below it. But there’s something a bit smug about it.’ she explained.
And on Bob Geldof she says, ‘I don’t care if Bob’s got the hump with me, I actually don’t mind Bob. He doesn’t give a s##t and he’s grumpy, like me.’ Allen says
She is not alone on her criticism. Other celebrities, politicians and charitable organizations have spoken out against it, describing it as patronizing with offensive lyrics. It is reported that chart-topper Adele and rapper Fuse ODG also turned down the offer to participate.
Despite all this, the song had momentum and still managed to hit no.1 in the UK charts and has become the best selling single of 2014. Whether that would be good for the continent of Africa as a whole remains to be seen.
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