In a charity concert, some of the world's top pop stars came together to raise money for Ukrainian refugees. However, in the end, it was violinist Nicola Benedetti's performance, which was merged with a pre-recorded performance by a virtual orchestra, which moved all online. Pop superstars such as Ed Sheeran, Camila Cabello and Emeli Sande and Snow Patrol were among the artists at the Concert For Ukraine held in Birmingham on Tuesday. The unique concert organised by ITV, Livewire Pictures and the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), supported by Classic FM, managed to raise a whopping £12.2 million for the humanitarian crisis, BBC News reported. While Sheeran and Cabello performed hit songs, including 'Bam Bam' that was performed live for the first time, Cabello presented the audience with a soulful cover of Coldplay's 'Fix You'. However, it was a special video showing a montage of 94 violinists from 29 countries performing the traditional Ukrainian folk song ‘Verbovaya Doschechka’ that created a buzz online. The breathtaking performance began with Illia Bondarenko, who played his instruments while hiding in a bomb shelter in Kyiv. Then it zoomed out to show other violinists from his country who manage to cross the border, before further opening out to show other musicians from across the globe. The poignant performance culminated into a solo segment played by Benedetti, who was accompanied by actors Tamsin Greig and Eddie Marsan. As the Scottish virtuoso played, the two actors delivered harrowing accounts of Ukrainians whose life was in a topsy-turvy owing to the Russian invasion. With some staying back in the country to defend it, others had to completely uproot their lives and leave families behind. That segment left many teary-eyed online, with people claiming it provided the much-needed perspective. #ConcertForUkraine Violin and narration by #TamsinGreig exquisite. Devastating 💔 pic.twitter.com/1t92goQqWF — Birmingham Live (@birmingham_live) March 29, 2022 This violin piece is stunning. Beautiful and poignant. Absolutely wonderful. Music can be so powerful 💔#concertforukraine #aconcertforukraine pic.twitter.com/QVg6hJKlYO — Karl Cunliffe (@KDCunliffe) March 29, 2022 This violin piece accompanied by words of people that have fled Ukraine.. simply stunning yet heartbreaking #ConcertForUkraine — Dave (@DavidMackayy) March 29, 2022 Violinists playing alongside a Ukrainian violinist who had to wait 4 gaps between bombing hit me hard. Then stories of two parents fleeing & effect on children-gone. Mum’s first instrument is violin so it gets me emotional anyway bt that was beyond powerful #ConcertForUkraine — Rachel Honey-Jones MScEcon🇪🇺🏳️🌈🏴 (@RHoneyJones) March 29, 2022 That violin performance with the stories on #ConcertforUkraine genuinely had me weeping by the end Heartbreaking 💔 — Rebel. 🟥🟨 (@rebelofeurope) March 29, 2022 A haunting Ukrainian folk song played by the violin ensemble. Such beauty from bomb shelters. #hope #music #concertforUkraine — Tracey Gemmell (@TraceyGemmell17) March 29, 2022 Nope ..those actors reading Ukrainian refugee accounts over hackneyed violin music made these accounts a thing of the distant past for me. These people are alive and of our times… back to the music of today and vitality and hope please. Gregory porter…YES. #concertforukraine — Esjay🇺🇦 (@sallyjanesally1) March 29, 2022 Just listening to the violin piece in the concert for Ukraine. Hauntingly beautiful music. It’s a complete contrast to the privations being inflicted on innocent people by this unjustified, murderous war. — Grant Williams (@GWilliamsLLM) March 29, 2022 The event also saw Ukrainian singer and winner of the 2016 Eurovision competition, Jamala, performing for her homeland as she sang her Eurovision-winning track 1944. The singer received one of the loudest cheers of the night as she held up the Ukrainian flag throughout her performance. The concert was personal for her as well, as she herself had to run away with her children at the start of the war. "It was really hard, but I am here," she told ITV prior to the show. Despite their struggles, people have turned to music amid the crisis, where musicians have taken social media by storm using their art as an act of defiance. Amid all the chaos, music has offered some solace to people.
