Stars pay tribute to Michael Jackson
Written by admin on October 9, 2011 – 7:03 pm - |
Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight and Christina Aguilera were among the stars who paid tribute to Michael Jackson at the Michael Forever concert at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium last night. The controversial event proved a success, despite late withdrawals from performers and the abandoned Facebook stream. |
The show, hosted by Fearne Cotton and Hollywood star Jamie Foxx, featured a run through of some of Jackson’s biggest hits, opening with Ne-Yo’s well received versions of “Billie Jean” and “The Lady In My Life.” This was followed by performances from an eclectic mix of modern and vintage performers, including:
It was also a family affair, with performances from Jackson’s nephews, 3T, his sister, La Toya, and his brothers, Tito, Marlon and Jackie, who performed “Blame It On the Boogie” with boy band JLS.
Beyonce appeared via a pre-taped performance of “I Wanna Be Where You Are” that was introduced by Jackson’s children Prince, Blanket and Paris.
The evening concluded with many of the performers returning to the stage to sing “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough.”
The Michael Forever concert was organised by Michael’s brothers Tito, Marlon and Jackie. There was division within the family over the timing of the concert, with brothers Jermaine and Randy stating that the concert was inappropriate due to the ongoing trial of Jackson’s doctor. Commenting on this controversey, Tito, Marlon and Jackie told Sky News:
| “The trial was really tough for our mom last week. For her to get away and celebrate the legacy of her son and for us as brothers to do the same is quite pleasing to us. Everyone grieves differently so they have elected not to partake in this and we respect that. That’s their decision. We have wanted to do this for Michael and for our mom.” |
The Black Eyed Peas and Jennifer Hudson both withdrew from the show, citing “unavoidable circumstances” and “major production issues,” respectively.
A portion of the profits from the show will go to the AIDS Project Los Angeles and Prince’s Trust, which were both charities supported by Michael Jackson.
Tags: Alexandra Burke, Alien Ant Farm, Beyonce, Cee Lo Green, Christina Aguilera, Craig David, Gladys Knight, Michael Forever tribute concert, Michael Jackson, Pixie Lott, smokey robinson, Yolanda Adams
Posted in Motown |
