Global Citizen Festival 2024

Ed Sheeran and Coldplay’s Chris Martin surprised fans with an unannounced performance

Ed Sheeran & Coldplay's Chris Martin

Some 60,000 New Yorkers in the Great Lawn of Central Park and countless more viewers on electronic devices watched musical performances and speeches that were meant to change the world. Global Citizen’s free six-hour concert and rally raised $1 billion in commitments to defeat poverty, defend the planet and demand equity for many of the world’s most marginalized communities.

Following an inspirational speech by Dr. Jane Goodall, Ed Sheeran and Coldplay’s Chris Martin performed a surprise four-song set, alternating between Coldplay and Sheeran hits. With Sheeran on microphone and acoustic guitar, Martin on both microphone and electric piano, the unaccompanied duo opened with a duet on Coldplay’s “Yellow.” They followed with a duet on Sheeran’s “Shape of You.” Both Sheeran and Martin then both played acoustic guitars and sang Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida.” The mini-set concluded with Sheeran singing his “Thinking of You” with Martin on piano.

During “Viva la Vida,” Martin imitated Goodall’s chimpanzee calls. A longtime Global Citizen supporter, Martin spoke to the rain-soaked attendees as the duo’s twin guitars continued strumming. “I’d like to say how impressed I’ve been all day watching you be an incredible audience in the most challenging of circumstances... Thank you for being here in the rain and giving it your all. And thank you to our young brother, superstar Ed Sheeran. And thank you to Post Malone for letting us open for him. I hope we get the gig.”

Sheeran and Martin have performed together in the past, as at O2’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire in 2021 in London, England. For the New York event, Global Citizen had announced Martin as a speaker, not a performer. Sheeran was not listed in the lineup at all.

Post Malone

Rauw Alejandro

Post Malone, Doja Cat, Blackpink’s Lisa, Rauw Alejandro, Raye, Jelly Roll with a guest appearance by Jessie Murph, Benson Boone, Alok, and a Pacific Island choir named This Is Our Home also provided well-received musical performances. Rauw Alejandro told the audience, “Now is the time for leaders to really commit to protect and restore our planet before it’s too late.” Doja Cat told the audience, “Right now, millions of men, women, and children — in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, the Congo and all across the world are suffering… I joined forces with Global Citizen to help people in areas of conflict and crisis, and I know so many of you joined me in taking action to earn your tickets to be here tonight.”

Host Hugh Jackman, Gayle King, Bill Nye, Game of Thrones actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, actress and activist Danai Gurira, and other celebrities made appearances at the festival. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Amina J. Mohammed and other activists spoke. Dr. Jane Goodall was one of the last speakers.

The European Commission committed more than $500 million for vaccinations and humanitarian aid. Denmark, the United Kingdom and Spain stepped up for 77 of the world’s poorest countries, and called on more governments to do the same. Brazil, Micronesia, and Colombia committed to protecting oceans and forests.

Lisa

Raye

During this year’s event, Global Citizen announced a four-year partnership with FIFA, including Global Citizen sponsoring the first-ever FIFA World Cup final half-time show, to be held at MetLife Stadium on July 19, 2026. FIFA and Global Citizen will join forces to help end extreme poverty and to improve access to sport and quality education for children worldwide. The announcement was made on stage by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans and Global Citizen Ambassador Hugh Jackman.

This was Global Citizen’s 12^th concert and rally in New York City. To earn tickets to the event, attendees had to act on the biggest issues facing humanity and the planet. This year, the citizens took a record 3.4 million actions to defeat poverty, defend the planet and demand equity.

“We are so grateful to this city for letting us call the Great Lawn home for the last 12 years, and to you – you are the engine of this movement, said Hugh Evans, Co-Founder & CEO, Global Citizen Festival. “From calling on G20 nations to increase their funding to the World Bank to enable loans for 75 of the world’s poorest countries, to advocating to protect and restore the Amazon, the actions you took to be here tonight have a huge impact.”

Jelly Roll

Dr. Jane Goodall

The 2024 Global Citizen Festival was broadcast and streamed to the world on Amazon Music, Amazon Music channel on Twitch, Apple Music and the Apple TV app, Brut, Facebook, iHeartRadio, TikTok, Veeps, YouTube, the Global Citizen app and www.globalcitizen.org. It will also stream on ABC News Live on Disney+, Hulu, Samsung TV+, Amazon Fire TV devices, Roku, Tubi, and YouTube.

Global Citizen is the world’s leading international advocacy organization on a mission to end extreme poverty NOW. Powered by a worldwide community of everyday activists raising their voices and acting, the movement is amplified by campaigns and events that convene leaders in music, entertainment, public policy, media, philanthropy and the corporate sector. Over the past 10 years, $43.6 billion in commitments announced on Global Citizen platforms has been deployed, impacting nearly 1.3 billion lives. Established in Australia in 2008, Global Citizen’s team operates from New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Berlin, Melbourne, Toronto, Johannesburg, Lagos and beyond. Join the movement at globalcitizen.org, download the Global Citizen app, and follow Global Citizen on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Benson Boone

Alok

All photographs by Getty Images

Setlists

Post Malone

1. Wrong Ones
2. Chemical
3. Better Now
4. White Iverson
5. I Fall Apart
6. Circles
7. I Had Some Help
8. Rockstar
9. Congratulations
10. Sunflower (Post Malone & Swae Lee song)

Ed Sheeran & Chris Martin

1. Yellow
2. Shape of You
3. Viva la Vida
4. Thinking Out Loud

Doja Cat

1. WYM Freestyle
2. Demons
3. Tia Tamera
4. Get Into It (Yuh)
5. Say So
6. Need to Know
7. Streets
8. Agora Hills
9. Paint the Town Red

LISA

1. LALISA
2. MONEY
3. Moonlit Floor
4. New Woman
5. Rockstar

Rauw Alejandro

1. Tú con él
2. Déjame Entrar
3. Santa
4. Pasaporte (Rauw Alejandro & Mr. NaisGai song)
5. Touching the Sky
6. Todo de ti

RAYE

1. Oscar Winning Tears.
2. Genesis.
3. It's a Man's Man's Man's World (James Brown cover)
4. Escapism.

Jelly Roll

1. Halfway to Hell
2. Son of a Sinner
3. Wild Ones (Jessie Murph song, with Jessie Murph)
4. I Am Not Okay
5. Need a Favor
6. Save Me

Benson Boone

1. Coffee Cake
2. Drunk In My Mind
3. Slow It Down
4. Beautiful Things

Alok

1. Yube Mana Ibubu
2. Rap Nativo
3. JARAHA
4. Pedju Kunumigwe

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The Manhattan Beat reports on New York City's live music circuit. All articles are written by Everynight Charley Crespo. All photographs are taken by Everynight Charley Crespo, except when noted otherwise.

For a list of Manhattan venues that are presenting live music regularly, swing the desktop cursor to the right of the The Manhattan Beat home page and click on the pop-up tab "Where to Find Live Music."

For a more complete listing of upcoming performances in the New York City area, visit The Manhattan Beat's September and October calendars.