Mustafa, Shawn Mendes, Daniel Caesar and more raise $5.5 million for Sudan and Palestine aid

Juno-winning folk singer Mustafa put on the third edition of his Artists for Aid benefit concert on Jan. 10 in Los Angeles, raising $5.5 million for the Sudanese American Physicians Association and the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.

The civil war in Sudan has killed more than 40, 000 people according to several aid groups, while more than 20,000 Palestinian children have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war, according to estimates by Save The Children.

“Yesterday, we raised 5.5 million dollars for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and the Sudanese American Physicians Association, a historic victory for people being buried at the hands of hells that are subsidized by us,” Mustafa wrote on Instagram on Jan. 11.

“I am forever indebted to every artist, every organizer, every believer,” he continued. “I am nothing but a bridge and if all I’ve done in this life is walk artists to each other, and walk artists to people whose voices are missing, then I’ve lived a life worth dying for. “

In an Instagram story, Mustafa shared that a limited edition zine featuring images and poems would be released to commemorate the show.

A screenshot of Mustafa’s Instagram story. (@mustafathepoet/Instagram)

Canadian musicians Daniel Caesar and Shawn Mendes performed at the event. Also on the lineup were Geese, Alex G, Blood Orange, Clairo, Chappell Roan and more, who took the stage, while model Bella Hadid and actor Pedro Pascal served as hosts.

Daniel Caesar has performed at previous Artists for Aid concerts, and this time he sang Who Knows, Superpowers and Toronto 2014, which he performed with Mustafa.

Shawn Mendes made his Artists for Aid debut and brought out Maggie Rogers to sing Youth with him. He later performed his hit song Stitches.

Mustafa’s previous Artist for Aid benefit concerts took place in London in 2024, and Newark, N.J., in 2023.