Madonna provided one of the few upbeat moments with her choir-backed performance of “Like A Prayer.” John Legend sang “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child.” Kid Rock, Keith Urban and Sheryl Crow sang “Lean On Me.” Beyonce, with Coldplay’s Chris Martin backing her on piano, revised her hit “Halo” with new lyrics: “Haiti we can see your halo, we pray you won’t fade away.” Most of the musical performances were downcast, emotional songs. Some stars like Matt Damon and Clint Eastwood recounted tragic moments from the quake others like Denzel Washington offered inspirational words. Officials did not have an immediate total for the relief funds raised by the telethon. John Mayer called in a $500,000 donation before the telethon began, according to a representative for MTV. “Hey Steven Spielberg, it’s really cool to talk to you,” one woman said to the Academy Award-winning filmmaker. Luminaries like Steven Spielberg worked the phone banks, talking to donors. The list of participating celebrities rivaled any top awards show: Justin Timberlake, Brad Pitt, former President Clinton, Muhammad Ali, Beyonce, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Halle Berry, and many more. The telethon, shown on all the major networks and streamed live on many Web sites, was quickly put together by George Clooney and MTV Networks, along with the help of others, to raise millions of dollars for the Caribbean country. 12, a powerful earthquake struck the already impoverished country, killing an estimated 200,000 people, displacing many more and reducing much of Haiti to ruins. Jean showcased the resilient spirit of a nation in the midst of catastrophe. He segued into the joyful tune “Yele” with an island beat, as musicians danced around him, singing the refrain: “Earthquake, we see the earth shake, but the soul of the Haitian people will never break!” “Enough of this moping, man, let’s rebuild Haiti, let’s show ’em how we do it where we come from!” Wyclef Jean, the singer and producer, shouted after singing the downbeat “Rivers of Babylon,” with a Haitian flag around his neck. It took Haiti’s own native son to lift Friday evening’s despairing tone to one of hope and even revival. NEW YORK – Though the all-star telethon was titled “Hope for Haiti Now,” for most of its two hours, it was filled with tear-jerking, depressing moments, from mournful songs and grim-faced pleas from celebrities to the suffering faces of the quake-battered victims themselves. It has received over ten certifications including a seven-times platinum certification from Australia and a double-platinum from Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, AP Music Writer Nekesa Mumbi Moody, Ap Music Writer Sat Jan 23, 1:59 pm ET "Halo" topped the singles charts of Brazil, Norway, and Slovakia, and reached the top five on the singles chart of Australia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the US. It won Best Song at the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards. "Halo" was nominated for Record of the Year and won Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards. The song faced a controversy when Kelly Clarkson claimed that Tedder had reused the musical arrangement in her own 2009 song "Already Gone." "Halo" received positive reviews from music critics, who made comparisons with Lewis's 2007 song "Bleeding Love." Its production and Beyoncé's emotional vocals also received critical praise. It features drum, piano, keyboard, string, synthesizer, and percussion instrumentation. "Halo" is a pop power ballad, the lyrics of which describe a sublime love. It was conceived by Tedder and Nealante specifically for Beyoncé, although there was media speculation that it had been intended for Leona Lewis. Inspired by Ray LaMontagne's 2004 song "Shelter," "Halo" was written and composed by Ryan Tedder, Evan Bogart, Eric Nealante Phillips. Columbia Records released the song, the album's fourth single, to mainstream radio in the United States on January 20, 2009, and to international markets from February 20. disc, it was intended to give a behind-the-scenes glimpse of Beyoncé's life, stripped of her make-up and celebrity trappings. "Halo" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for her third studio album, I Am.
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