Idris Elba, FKA Twigs, Benedict Cumberbatch and more were present at the KOKO Foundation’s Letters Live fundraiser event in London last night (November 7), where each of them performed in one way or another. Find out more below.
In early October, Benedict Cumberbatch was announced as the newest global ambassador for environmental advocacy as part of the KOKO Foundation, the registered charity of London’s iconic venue KOKO. At the time, FKA Twigs was also announced as the ‘A Night In The Theatre’-themed event’s first performer, where she would read a historical or personal letter.
Over the course of the past couple of weeks, more celebrities including Cate Blanchett, Ghetts and Wyclef Jean were announced for the Letters Live event. However, once the event began, the likes of Idris Elba, Minnie Driver, Celeste, Riz Ahmed and more were unveiled as special guests.
(L to R) Damian Lewis, Cate Blanchett, Minnie Driver, FKA Twigs, Richard Gadd, Marisa Abela, Taika Waititi at the KOKO Foundation’s Letters Live 2024 fundraiser. Credit: Dave Benett.
Throughout the night, Cumberbatch, Blanchett, FKA Twigs, Elba, Driver, Richard Gadd, Ahmed, Taika Waititi, Marisa Abela and Damian Lewis read letters to those in attendance, while Celeste, The Cavemen and Wyclef Jean put on musical performances.
At the end of the night, the majority of the fundraiser’s performers joined Wyclef Jean onstage to dance as the Fugees icon rapped along to ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ and a medley of his biggest hits. You can see footage of the all-star dance party below.
This is a mad sight. Wyclef Jean onstage, backed by Cate Blanchett, Damian Lewis, FKA Twigs, Richard Gadd, Idris Elba, Minnie Driver, Marisa Abela, Taika Waititi, Ghetts, Riz Ahmed, Celeste, and more at KOKO in London tonight. pic.twitter.com/kk5ZzoQvf1
— Greg Wetherall (@GregWetherall) November 7, 2024
In theme with the Letters Live concept, Cumberbatch read a 1986 letter from 1986 from American novelist and environmentalist Edward Abbey. Minnie Driver read a 2016 letter from BAFTA award-winning writer Sharon Horgan directed at her former lovers, and Baby Reindeer’s Richard Gadd read a letter from Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh to the film adaptation’s producer Andrew McDonald.
FKA Twigs performed a letter penned by Cuban diarist Anaïs Nin, and Blanchett read Helen Keller’s 1924 letter to the New York Symphony Orchestra thanking them for their impressive performance of Beethoven’s ‘Ninth Symphony’.
Riz Ahmed at the KOKO Foundation’s Letters Live 2024 fundraiser. Credit: Dave Benett.
Idris Elba read a letter by legendary American saxophonist John Coltrane, Damian Lewis read a letter by crime novelist John le Carré to his wife, and Ghetts displayed a spoken word performance of his song ‘Double Standards’.
The KOKO Foundation has also launched a special online charity auction that is running from now until 5pm GMT on Friday November 8. The auction includes a personal set visit and lunch with Cumberbatch, a guitar lesson from Wyclef Jean and more. You can find more auction listings here.
In other news, FKA Twigs recently shared two new songs, ‘Room Of Fools’ and ‘Girl Feels Good’ from her upcoming third album ‘EUSEXUA’. FKA Twigs shared the first taste of ‘EUSEXUA’ in September with the title track and an accompanying music video directed by Jordan Hemingway. She also confirmed that the record will be released on January 24 via Young. You can pre-order it here.
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