Band Aid 40: Where the original singers are now as Do They Know It's Christmas? returns for 2024

It has agelong been considered a classical Christmas opus and present Do They Know It’s Christmas? is receiving a refresh to people its 40th anniversary.

Originally released successful 1984, the opus – and the spot formed to administer the funds raised from it – person raised implicit £140 cardinal to tackle poorness successful Africa.

The caller mentation of the foundation azygous volition blend the voices of the stars featured connected 3 erstwhile editions of the song. A 2nd mentation of the deed featured Kylie Minogue and Bananarama successful 1989; however, the upcoming mentation volition diagnostic the audio of the archetypal song, the 20th-anniversary mentation released successful 2004 (which included Dizzee Rascal, Robbie Williams and the Sugababes) and the Band Aid 30 mentation released successful 2014 (which the likes of Ed Sheeran, Rita Ora and One Direction contributed to).

However not everyone is blessed with the plans for the song, which is owed to beryllium released connected November 25. In an Instagram communicative posted connected November 17, Sheeran wrote: “My support wasn’t sought connected this caller Band Aid 40 merchandise and had I had the prime I would person respectfully declined the usage of my vocals,” the Grammy Award-winner wrote.

“A decennary connected and my knowing of the communicative associated with this has changed, eloquently explained by @fuseodg. This is conscionable my idiosyncratic stance, I’m hoping it’s a forward-looking one. Love to each x.”

The singer’s connection was featured successful a repost of a communicative by rapper Fuse ODG, who said that helium “refused” to beryllium a portion of the Band Aid 30 mentation arsenic helium feels the opus perpetuates “damaging stereotypes that stife Africa’s economical growth, tourism and investment”.

As we cogwheel up for yet different mentation of the song, wherever are the singers that featured connected the archetypal 1984 deed now?

The stone fable was 1 of the organisers of the archetypal supergroup, though his precocious ex-wife Paula Yates was said to person rallied galore of its celebrated members. The 73-year-old, who came to prominence successful the 1970s arsenic the pb vocalist of the Boomtown Rats, has worked down the scenes connected each mentation of the opus released since, but has different kept a debased illustration successful caller years, focusing connected his activism and foundation enactment dedicated to causes including the Africa Progress Panel and Ukrainian refugees.

Geldof has suffered nonaccomplishment galore times successful his life, including losing ex-wife Yates to a heroin overdose successful 2000 and 25-year-old girl Peaches to the aforesaid destiny successful 2014.

The U2 frontman and activistic has featured connected each mentation of the opus released truthful acold and volition beryllium arsenic a vocalist connected the upcoming version.

Aside from touring the satellite and collecting a trophy furniture worthy of Grammy Awards (22) with the band, successful caller years the 64-year-old has immersed himself successful HIV activism, enactment drawing, movie and successful 2022 released a best-selling memoir, Surrender. His girl is histrion Eve Hewson.

These days, the 73-year-old In The Air Tonight hitmaker is inactive performing, contempt suffering from a fig of wellness conditions including pancreatitis. In 2021 helium reunited with his Genesis bandmates for a circuit of the United States and Europe and successful 2017 performed his biggest solo performance astatine London’s BST Hyde Park. His daughter, Lily Collins, stars successful Netflix bid Emily successful Paris.

First gaining designation for his vocation successful popular duo Wham! and aboriginal for his solo career, George Michael was 1 of the astir palmy signaling artists of each time, with 13 UK No 1 singles to his name.

An LGBTQIA+ rights campaigner and cheery icon, his tumultuous idiosyncratic beingness made headlines successful the precocious Nineties earlier helium made a philharmonic comeback with his critically and commercially palmy (and final) workplace medium Patience successful 2004. Michael died connected Christmas Day successful 2016 owed to earthy causes aged 53.

With Geldof, Midge Ure was 1 of the archetypal organisers of Band Aid, aft enjoying occurrence successful Ultravox, Slik and Thin Lizzy. A trustee of the Band Aid Trust, helium celebrated his 70th day with a special show astatine the Royal Albert Hall past twelvemonth and has opened up astir the idiosyncratic struggles helium experienced aboriginal successful life, including alcoholism, which helium elaborate successful his 2005 memoir If I Was.

George, 63, embarked connected a solo vocation aft Culture Club disbanded soon aft the merchandise of Do They Know It’s Christmas? After serving a four-month situation condemnation for imprisoning a antheral escort successful the precocious Noughties, George has appeared connected a fig of tv programmes, including a stint arsenic a justice connected BBC’s The Voice UK, arsenic an I’m a Celeb campmate and cameos successful The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.

The Beatles fable continued his precise palmy solo vocation aft the single’s release. In 2005 helium headlined the Super Bowl XXXIX, successful 2022 helium headlined Glastonbury (becoming the oldest solo headliner successful the festival’s history) and aboriginal that twelvemonth helium won a Primetime Emmy Award arsenic a shaper of the documentary The Beatles: Get Back.

David Bowie is of the astir acclaimed of each philharmonic artists. The shapeshifting creation stone icon announced an extremity to his unrecorded performances successful 2006 but helium continued making euphony until his decease from liver crab successful 2016, including his critically acclaimed last album, Blackstar, which was released 2 days earlier his death. The medium won 3 Grammys and medium of the twelvemonth grant astatine the 2017 Brit Awards.

Once a trio and present a duo, the popular radical enjoyed continued illustration occurrence aft performing connected Band Aid’s archetypal and 1989 versions. Siobhan Fahey, who near the radical successful 1988, rejoined successful 2017 for the band’s sold-out UK and US tours. Although she has since departed, founding members Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward released the band’s astir caller album, Masquerade, successful 2022.