Instagram/@bellahadid
Supermodel Bella Hadid opened up about her major charity concert in Los Angeles, which will give away all its profits to humanitarian aid in Sudan and Palestine. The event, known as ‘Artists for Aid’ is scheduled for January 10th and is expected to be a great concert with a big list of performers.
Advertisement
Bella Hadid is doing what she can to use her celebrity status for good through her charitable actions. The model who also supports women’s rights is quietly arranging for the concert next January in Los Angeles where she will gather a bunch of musicians to support the causes that cry the loudest for help. With her Instagram post sharing the news as ‘proud and elated’, Bella Hadid acknowledged that the process to get everything sorted was not a smooth one.
The net income generated from the concert will be equally distributed between the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund and the Sudanese American Physicians Association. Bella Hadid invited her followers to visit Artistsforaid.org to sign up for the pre-sale tickets, beginning next week, and to receive updates on it. Moreover, she added that she was ‘sincerely grateful’ to all the musicians who have agreed to give their time and skills for the cause.
The announcement was met with a huge response from the public, where many praised the purpose of the concert. One comment was particularly touching as it read: ‘I’m from Gaza and feel very proud of you our beautiful angel’, which was similar to the emotional connection that the majority of people still suffering have. Another comment just as clear-cut stated: ‘Free Sudan, Free Palestine’, which pretty much summed up the main reason for the concert.
Amazingly enough, the reactions to the concert were not all of the same nature. Almost immediately, the thread became a forum to discuss broader issues such as motives of the activist and the celebrity’s impact. Several commentators indirectly pointed to Hadid’s recent business travels illuminating the great disparity between praises and criticisms.
A user asked the star in question, ‘Hi Bella! We all know you went to Dubai to promote your brand right after your trip to Kuwait, although the UAE is backing and equipping the genocide in Sudan. Is Tel Aviv your next business trip?’, emphasizing on how public figures are always under scrutiny with regards to their stance on such sensitive geopolitical issues.
The sentiment was shared by a number of users. One of the most upvoted comments read, ‘Stop going to dubai bella love u but …..’ which opened up a long discussion thread. The responses varied, from defensive to equally critical, with one person declaring, ‘no amount of activism is good enough for yall is it,’ while another replied, ‘it’s the basics that she can’t even do. The bar is low.’
In the meantime, some other supporters defended the critics. An especially perceptive reply to a negative comment said, ‘If having a business engagement where she can’t detach is crossing the picket line, then you’ve crossed it too by using Zionist Instagram, and please don’t tell me you’re living in the USA or Europe because then you have just as much “hypocrisy”.’ This dialogue exemplifies the complicated and often cyclical nature of online activism discussions.
On the other hand, the users were also practically supportive and excited. A user was inquiring about the merchandise, ‘Can we do the merch for this?’ was the question that prompted another user to ask whether such things would be available to the supporters in South America. Still, others just expressed their thanks, one of whom said, ‘I am so thankful to you… can’t express how strong it is to see such powerful support and love for our people.’
The announcement also served as a very heart-wrenching reminder of the human cost that has to be considered in the fundraising process. A very sorrowful message which came from a user who identified himself as the ‘Ahmed family from Gaza City’ lamented, ‘We are totally devastated: we lost our home, our lives, everything. We only plea for your support and donations. Please help us.’ This very poignant revelation that mirrored the marketing jargon brought the celebrity-backed charitable acts to an unmerciful reality.
Advertisement
Bella Hadid’s concert dubbed ‘Artists for Aid’ is a clear-cut case of Hollywood pulling its clout for the benefit of the disaster-stricken people. However, the very polarized reactions to the announcement of the concert indicate the untenable position of a celebrity trying to navigate through the maze of different political opinions and business decisions that might not even be aligned with his/her personal beliefs. The money collected for the selected NGOs will be the final criterion for the success of the concert; nevertheless, the buzz around it shows the complexity of the conditions that modern-day advocates have to fulfill. Her recent fragrance launch and birthday celebration with friends like Hailey Bieber show other facets of her life. Fans also got an intimate behind-the-scenes look at her favorite scents and a glimpse of an intimate night cap moment with her Orebella fragrance.
