“Somos Una Voz” Disaster Relief Benefit Supported by Many Celebrities

By Cailyn Carr 10/16/17

The “Somos Una Voz” benefit concert was held on Saturday by Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, and Alex Rodriguez to raise money for victims of natural disasters. Hurricanes have recently stricken the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Caribbean nations. Dozens of artists performed pro bono, including Demi Lovato, Maroon 5, Mary J. Blige, DJ Khaled, and Bruno Mars, according to Billboard. Live performances took place in multiple locations; Jennifer Lopez performed from the NBC soundstage in Los Angeles while Marc Anthony sang at the Marlins baseball stadium in Miami.

Many of the artists performed tributes to their own cultural roots. Bruno Mars sang his famous “Just The Way You Are” in Spanish for the first time to pay homage to his father’s homeland. Marc Anthony gave a powerful rendition of “Preciosa,” which is dedicated to his native home of Puerto Rico.

Stars volunteered their time in more ways than just performing. Telephone operators for call-in donations included Jamie Foxx, Ellen DeGeneres, and Selena Gomez. Celebrities, such as Vin Diesel and Derek Jeter, appeared in between performances to share their support for those affected by natural disasters and urge viewers to donate. Stars also took to social media and used their followings to promote the telethon. Kim Kardashian West tweeted, “Hey everyone! We’re live at the telethon! Please call in and donate!”

The benefit made television history when Univision and Telemundo, two rival Spanish-language networks, teamed up to broadcast the performances simultaneously. NBC, VH1, MTV, and online streaming sites were among other platforms that screened the telethon, resulting in millions of viewers from around the world.

Courtesy of Creative Commons

Courtesy of Creative Commons