Stars unite in solidarity: Inside Mustafa the Poet's Artists For Aid benefit concert for Gaza and Sudan

Solidarity for Gaza and Sudan filled every atom of East London’s Troxy earlier this month, as Artists for Aid held a star-studded fundraising concert at the venue, hosting around 3,000 passionate supporters.

Sudanese-Canadian singer-songwriter Mustafa, who goes by Mustafa the Poet on social media, founded Artists for Aid as a “humanitarian aid collective consisting of young artists and musicians”, to create a “moment of solidarity for those in critical need of aid”.

The collective raised over £230,000 from the one-night-only benefit concert, according to the venue, where headliners including Canadian singer-songwriter Daniel Caesar, Egyptian-American comedian Ramy Youssef, and British singer-songwriter FKA twigs, took to the stage in the name of “freedom” and “humanity”.

“The one constant that flows in both nations is hope and it is our responsibility in the comfort and space and contradiction that we’re living in, to share that hope with them,” Mustafa shared as he introduced the evening – all proceeds from which will go to War Child UK’s humanitarian response plan in Gaza and Sudan.

Israel’s current war on Gaza has killed over 38,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry. The Sudan crisis, which erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has claimed up to 150,000 lives, according to estimates shared by the US envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello.

As performers emphasised the sombre reality of human suffering, using their art and creativity as a vehicle for solidarity, Artists for Aid adopted a ‘no alcohol served’ policy, deemed “respectful and inclusive” by concert goers.

Human-centred performances light up London’s Troxy

The performances began with a chilling collaboration between Palestinian Sound Researcher Bint Mbareh and Palestinian Choir Makharej Al-Hurouf, before Bint Mbareh discussed the “dehumanisation” of Palestinian and Sudanese populations, emphasising an ongoing Israeli rhetoric which deems Palestinians as “human animals”.

“What I wish for my Sudanese brothers and sisters… and my Palestinian people, is to never yearn for that kind of humanisation that is based on exclusion, and that what we turn to instead is our kin in nature… rather than yearning for this medal to be called a human by a dehumanising system,” she shared on stage.

Sudanese-American Poet Safia Elhillo also performed a raw, painful piece on the “cruelty” of dehumanisation, her poem read:

“Referred to when alive as animal. Human animals. Bodies ineligible for defensible grief, and bleeding into our gone lands as if it were the natural order of things.”

When Grammy Award winner Daniel Ceaser took to the stage, the crowd echoed his fan-favourite singles Best Part and Get You, as thousands of voices harmonised to the laid-back, captivating tracks.

The artist shared he was “very proud to have been a part of” the concert, as Mustafa highlighted the important role Daniel played in the creation of Artists for Aid.

“This is the friend that I consulted before anyone else for artists for aid and it was because of our companionship that I had the motivation to organise this,” Mustafa shared.

Mustafa himself also performed a capella version of his song Gaza is Calling, which was released on June 11.

Upon the release, his supporters were particularly excited to find that Palestinian-Dutch Supermodel Bella Hadid featured in his music video for the single, praising the duo for their efforts to raise awareness for Palestine.

In a comedic portion of the evening, Golden Globe Award winner and Comedian Ramy Youssef shared a series of gags and anecdotes, after describing the evening as a “surreal” experience for him, particularly due to his experience in the entertainment industry.

“This is a crazy cultural moment in history, the amount of artists that we have here for Sudan and Palestine… it’s like what? Most People don’t want to talk about stuff… artists famously. We’re in a totally different era. This is amazing,” he said, telling the audience he was “taking it all in”.

Artists performing on the evening also included Clairo, Yasiin Bey, King Krule, Earl Sweatshirt, Nicolas Jaar and Blood Orange.

Existing is ‘radical’

Despite the outpour of solidarity that spread across the Troxy, Mustafa revealed that bringing the Artists for Aid experience to London wasn’t so smooth sailing, as he had trouble finding a venue to host the evening, due to his use of the words ‘Palestine’ and ‘Gaza’.

“When I was searching for a venue in London, most of the venues rejected me because they didn’t want me to use the words Palestine or Gaza. They were rejecting someone’s home. I don’t even know how it is that someone wanting to just exist and be in a space could be so radical,” he shared.

A ‘safe space’ for people who ‘really care’

As the evening unfolded, a collective ache for human suffering among attendees was apparent, and it revealed the significance of creating 'safe spaces' for people to support human rights.

More than 50 students who participated in university encampments demanding divestment from Israel were invited to the concert for free.

Mustafa praised them for “sitting and sleeping on fields despite the threats to their education, livelihood and freedom”, as thousands in the crowd clapped and cheered for their efforts.

Members of the audience highlighted the impact of being surrounded by people who were aligned with their value system, and who “really care” for humanity.

“The concert felt really wholesome. I loved the mix between poetry, music and the overall solidarity… it was so nice to see something like this in London and to see a huge turnout. Knowing I was surrounded by an audience that cares felt really safe,” Nour, who travelled from the Midlands to attend the concert, told The New Arab.

“It’s so heartwarming to see mainstream artists like Daniel Caesar on the right side of history and not afraid to speak up. It’s also super nice to see Arab artists such as Bint Mbareh on stage. Their performance gave me chills!” she added.

Nour’s sentiments were held by many other attendees, who labelled the concert “an incredible experience” and a “true celebration of solidarity”.

“It was heartwarming and inspiring to see such a large and diverse crowd coming together to support Sudan and Palestine. The unity and passion in the venue were palpable, and it was a powerful reminder of the strength of collective action and solidarity,” Aya told The New Arab.

After a night full of human-centred performances, chants for a “Free Palestine” filled the venue and its exit halls, as the audience departed with wide smiles and empowered expressions, charged with hope and solidarity for the nations they came to support.

Main image credit: Ollie Adegboye

Aisha Aldris is a London-based journalist who writes on social and humanitarian issues alongside culture and the arts

Follow her on Twitter: @aishaaldris