‘My understanding of the narrative associated with this has changed:’ Ed Sheeran no longer wants to be part of Band Aid

Forty years ago, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure wrote a song to raise money for people affected by a famine in Ethiopia. This was Band Aid’s “Do You Know It’s Christmas” and while it did raise plenty of money, people have criticized the song and its creators for white saviourism.

The song lyrics, after all, come off as incredibly patronizing. One song verse describes Africa as being a place “where nothing ever grows/no rain or rivers flow.” This promotes a very inaccurate view of the continent—of course things grow there—and the line “Do they know it’s Christmas time at all?” is also wrong, seeing as Ethiopia has a majority Christian population.

The song has been re-released multiple times, and Ed Sheeran featured on the 2014 version. This version took out the “where nothing ever grows/no rain or rivers flow” line and replaced it with “why is comfort to be feared/why is to touch to be scared”, a reference to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

Now, a 2024 version, Band Aid 40, is being released. This combines vocals from the original track and all the re-releases. Trouble is, Ed Sheeran wasn’t asked permission to include his voice on the new track—and he wouldn’t have given it if asked, because he’s changed his mind about how much good Band Aid can actually do for Africa.

“My approval wasn’t sought on this new Band Aid 40 release,” he wrote on Instagram Stories, as reported by BBC News. “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 is a Ghanaian-British musician who Sheeran has worked with in the past, and he’s always been firmly against Band Aid. Sheeran linked to his post, which read (via Sky News), “I refused to participate in Band Aid because I recognized the harm initiatives like it inflict on Africa. 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.”

He went on, “By showcasing dehumanizing imagery, these initiatives fuel pity rather than partnership, discouraging meaningful engagement. My mission has been to reclaim the narrative, empowering Africans to tell their own stories, redefine their identity, and position Africa as a thriving hub for investment and tourism.”

In fact, Fuse ODG is releasing his own song to counteract the Band Aid one. This is the pointedly titled “We Know It’s Christmas” and he announced on Instagram that it was created in order to “celebrate our achievements and our collective progression over the past decade or so. It’s time to take BACK control of our narrative.” All the proceeds will go to “grassroots innovative projects that aim to better communities across Africa.”

Bob Geldof hasn’t commented on the Sheeran controversy yet—or offered to remove his voice from the new song—but we have a good idea of what he might think. Over the weekend he responded with anger to an article which criticized “Do They Know It’s Christmas” for having “colonial tropes.” Gedolf claimed that the money generated from the song had “kept hundreds of thousands if not millions of people alive,” and that “8,000 Tigrayan children will sleep safer, warmer and cared for tonight because of that miraculous little record … ‘Colonial tropes’ my arse.” Presumably, he is not going to take kindly to Sheeran and Fuse ODG’s words. They were still correct in saying them, however.