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Ed Sheeran has said he would have “respectfully declined” the use of his vocals on the new Band Aid song had he been asked.
The popstar sang alongside the likes of Coldplay, One Direction, Sam Smith, Bastille and Paloma Faith on the 2014 version of the song ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’, which raised money to fight the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
This year a new version of the song will be released to mark the 40th anniversary of the original Band Aid. This will blend the vocals of the stars from both the 1984 and 2014 versions.
On the new record, which will premiere on British radio stations next Monday morning (November 25), Sheeran’s vocals are combined with those of Sting.
However, Sheeran has since taken to Instagram to make clear that he was not asked for permission for his vocals to be used this time round. He said that if he had been asked, he would have “respectfully declined.”
Sheeran said his “understanding of the narrative” associated with Band Aid and ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ has changed, citing a post from British-Ghanaian rapper Fuse ODG.
The Castle On The Hill singer wrote: “My approval wasn’t sought on this new Band Aid 40 release. Had I had the choice I would have respectfully declined the use of my vocals.”
“A decade on and my understanding of the narrative associated with this has changed, eloquently explained by @fuseodg.
“This is just my personal stance, I’m hoping it’s a forward-looking one. Love to all x.”
Fuse ODG revealed he turned down an invitation to appear on Band Aid 30 because of the “harm initiatives like it inflict on Africa.”
In his own post on Instagram, he explained: “While they may generate sympathy and donations, they perpetuate damaging stereotypes that stifle Africa’s economic growth, tourism, and investment, ultimately costing the continent trillions and destroying its dignity, pride and identity.”
Speaking to BBC Radio 1’s Newsbeat, he said ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ perpetuates the idea that the entire continent of Africa is plagued by “famine and poverty.”
He said the song and Band Aid videos had made him want to “disassociate myself from being African.”
Band Aid was organised by Bob Geldof to help raise money to tackle the devastating Ethiopian famine of 1984. Geldof co-wrote ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ with Midge Ure, but in recent years the song has been criticised for its lyrics.
Some argue the song portrays Africa as a barren land of poverty which can only be saved with the money and intervention of the West.
A recent article published in The Conversation, Colin Alexander from Nottingham Trent University said the song’s lyrics “recycled many of the old colonial tropes of Africa as a barren land requiring western salvation.”
Responding to the article, Geldof defended the song, saying it has “kept hundreds of thousands if not millions of people alive.”
He pointed out that Band Aid recently gave “hundreds of thousands of pounds” to help those fleeing civil war in Sudan.
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