A popular rock band now fighting against the Russian invasion asked Ed Sheeran to perform from Kiev in the “Concert for Ukraine”

On March 29, the “Concert for Ukraine” will be held in Birmingham, England, whose objective is to raise funds to help those affected by the war. Ed Sheeran, one of the greatest stars of music, confirmed his presence, and in the last few hours he received a touching request. The popular Ukrainian band Antytila, who is in their country fighting against Vladimir Putin's troops, asked the singer to perform remotely from Kiev.

“Hello, Ed, greetings from Kiev. We are Ukrainian musicians of the band Antytila, one of the most popular bands in Ukraine, with many fans in Ukraine and around the world. In moments of peace our concerts filled stadiums. The war has changed our lives. And now we fight with our weapons against Russian invaders,” begins the message of Ukrainian musicians sent to Ed Sheeran via Facebook.

In the video you can see three members of the band, dressed in military clothing.

“We offer to do a live broadcast between Kiev and Birmingham (...) Our band will play their music in Kiev, a city that has not given up and will never surrender to Russian invaders,” adds one of the musicians in his message.

With a building visibly destroyed in the background, the young man assures that they will not be afraid “to play under the bombs”: “Through music we want to show the world that Ukraine is strong and that it will not be conquered”.

“We will fight and sing for victory in front of everyone who supports us. On March 29 we will be ready”, he concludes.

Ed Sheeran, Camila Cabello, Emeli Sandé, Gregory Porter, Snow Patrol, Nile Rodgers and Chic, Manic Street Preachers, Tom Odell, Becky Hill and The Kingdom Choir are some of the artists and groups that have already confirmed their presence at the charity show.

Camila Cabello used her social media to express her grief over what happened in Ukraine: “Let's take a moment to pray for peace.”

“My heart is breaking for the people of Ukraine. As refugees from Ukraine join millions of other displaced persons around the world, we all have a responsibility. One of the greatest needs is to obtain funding for organizations that can serve these communities directly, so we are focusing our efforts on doing so as quickly as possible,” he added.

The event, promoted by the British TV channel ITV, STV and Livewire Pictures together with the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) and the Global Entertainment Group, will be televised and all proceeds will go to the DEC fund. The organizers expect to raise nearly three million pounds (almost four million dollars).

“It is heartbreaking to see the crisis unfolding in Ukraine deepening as more refugees cross borders every day with nothing but what they can carry. The situation of those within the country is increasingly precarious. But there is something we can all do to bring hope. The funds raised by this concert will make a real difference for those affected by the conflict, sending a strong message of love and allowing DEC charities to help now with urgent help and help rebuild lives in the months and years ahead,” said Saleh Saeed, executive director of DEC.

Bobby Hain, STV's general director of broadcasting, also spoke about the charity event: “We have seen time and time again that the generosity of STV's viewers knows no bounds. As the crisis in Ukraine continues to escalate at an alarming rate, this event will be an opportunity for our audience to gather through the power of music, show our unconditional support for Ukraine, and help make a difference for those affected through the work of DEC charities.”

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