NEWS2022 Grammys Backs Ukraine In Touching Tribute Featuring John Legend & President Volodymyr Zelensky
April 3 2022, Published 11:09 p.m. ET
The 64th Grammy Awards made a touching tribute to Ukraine during the show on Sunday, April 3, amid the devastating Russian invasion.
In a special performance during the show, John Legend took the stage to sing his new song "Free" alongside Ukrainian singer Mika Newton and poet Lyuba Yakimchuk.
The touching moment featured video footage of Ukrainians and the war that is plaguing their nation playing on the big screens in the background. The video also displayed Ukrainian flags while the Grammy's stage was lit up in blue and gold to show support.
In addition to Legend's touching performance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made an appearance in a pre-recorded video to plead viewers to help his country in the midst of the ongoing invasion.
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“The war. What is more opposite to music? The silence of ruined cities and killed people. Our children draw swooping rockets, not shooting stars. Over 400 children have been injured and 153 children died. And we’ll never seem them drawing. Our parents are happy to wake up in the morning. In bomb shelters, but alive," Zelensky said in the video, per The Hollywood Reporter.
"Our loved ones don’t know if we will be together again. The war doesn’t let us choose who survives and who stays in eternal silence. Our musicians wear body armor instead of tuxedos," the president heartbreakingly continued. "They sing to the wounded in hospitals, even to those who can’t hear them. But the music will break through anyway.”
“We defend our freedom. To live. To love. To sound. On our land, we are fighting Russia which brings horrible silence with its bombs. The dead silence," Zelensky stated while urging viewers to "Fill the silence with your music! Fill it today to tell our story. Tell the truth about this war on your social networks, on TV. Support us in any way you can, but not silence. And then peace will come."
"To all our cities the war is destroying. Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Volnovakha, Mariupol and others. They are legends already. But I have a dream of them living. And free. Free like you on the Grammy stage," Zelensky concluded.
