While Colombia grapples with the aftermath of its highest-magnitude earthquake recorded in the 21st century, the music industry is mobilizing to support relief efforts.
Artists in the United States and Colombia are joining forces, using their influence and music to raise funds for organizations and communities that need support in rebuilding cities and assisting families in need.
Colombian artists including Maluma, Karol G, Feid and Carlos Vives and artists from other countries such as Puerto Rico, Cuba and Venezuela are participating in events and fundraisers, or simply using their nonprofits and social media for visibility and assistance as Colombia and Venezuela recover from devastating earthquakes.
On Monday, just six weeks after Venezuela was struck by two earthquakes of 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude in June, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake shook Colombia’s Pacific Coast, with the epicenter in San José del Palmar, a city in the department of Chocó, 150 miles west of Bogotá. According to The Associated Press, as of Thursday, at least 281 people had died, 348 had been rescued, more than 3,900 had been injured, and nearly 400 remained missing. Civilian databases listed more than 4,200 people as missing. The earthquake destroyed 10,600 homes and damaged another 65,800. Rescue efforts continued Friday, though the likelihood of finding survivors was declining.
Following Monday’s earthquake, Colombian artists including Shakira, Camilo, Greeicy and Maluma spoke out on social media platforms to offer their support and raise awareness about the devastation of the earthquake.
Here are the events and initiatives underway to support earthquake relief efforts in Colombia and Venezuela.
Unidos Por Los Nuestros
Taking place on Sunday (Aug.16) at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Unidos Por Los Nuestros — previously promoted as Unidos por Venezuela, before Colombia’s earthquake disaster took place on Monday — the benefit concert will bring together more than 30 artists. Marc Anthony, Jay Wheeler, Ricardo Montaner, Luis Fonsi and Gilberto Santa Rosa are among the biggest names in the lineup.The benefit concert, along with an international telethon and a global fundraising campaign, aims to raise funds for key programs such as food assistance, health care, shelters, housing, child protection, mental health, education and infrastructure reconstruction. The concert will be available at 6 p.m. ET and PT/ 5 p.m. CT across various platforms, including Univision and ViX.
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Karol G Raises Funds at Los Angeles Shows
Karol G launched an initiative during the Aug. 14-16 dates of her Viajando Por El Mundo Tropitour at SoFi Stadium to raise funds for people affected by the earthquakes in Venezuela and Colombia. A QR code displayed on the concert screens invites fans to scan and donate. La Bichota promises to match every contribution through her nonprofit organization, the Con Cora Foundation. Following the disaster earlier this week, Karol announced on social media that the foundation was actively working to deploy emergency resources and find the best ways to support affected families, while also sharing information about the Colombia Se Levanta fund and the citizen-led Colombia Te Busca platform, which supports recovery efforts to locate missing people.
Colombia, Medellín Te Quiere
On Saturday (Aug. 15), more than 25 artists will come together at Centro de Eventos La Macarena in Medellín, Colombia, for a benefit concert called “Colombia, Medellín Te Quiere,” or “Colombia, Medellín Loves You.” The lineup includes Kapo, Pipe Bueno and Juan Duque.The event will collect monetary donations and supplies for families affected by the earthquake. One-hundred percent of ticket proceeds will go directly to disaster victims. Doors will open at 11 a.m., and the event will run from noon to 8 p.m.
Si Nos Organizamos, Cabemos Todos
“Si Nos Organizamos Cabemos Todos” is a marathon of interviews featuring comedian and actor Alejandro Riaño and some of Colombia’s biggest music stars. Riaño, host of The Juanpis Live Show, will appear as his character Juanpis González, a satirical portrayal of a member of Colombia’s upper class, at Movistar Arena on Aug. 29 from 4 to 11 p.m. The lineup includes Feid, Carlos Vives, Piso 21, Manuel Turizo, Kapo, Mike Bahía, Monsieur Periné and ChocQuibTown, among others. The event will feature both performances and interviews.
Nicky Jam launches “Adopta Un Hogar” initiative
Nicky Jam and Grupo Empresarial Argos have launched “Adopta Un Hogar (Adopt a Home),” a campaign supporting the reconstruction of homes in Colombia’s hardest-hit regions. The partners will donate COP 13 billion in cement and concrete and match public contributions peso for peso, with a goal of raising COP 26 billion to rebuild or repair homes in Chocó, the Coffee Region and Valle del Cauca.
“Colombia, my people, my heart is with you,” Nicky Jam said in a press release.“To all the artists and everyone who can join us, I’m calling on you: Let’s adopt homes and stand with those who are losing everything in this tragedy. Together, we are stronger. Colombia is not alone.”
Morat partners with UNICEF
Morat is turning its six-concert Bogotá residency into an opportunity to support Colombia beyond the stage. During their shows, which take place at the Movistar Arena on Aug. 14, 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23, there will be donation points available for fans who want to contribute to the cause. They also announced that part of the proceeds will go to UNICEF, with a focus on rebuilding schools in the areas most affected by the earthquake, including Chocó, Quindio, Valle del Cauca and Antioquia.
La Magdalena Fest
La Magdalena Fest will take place this weekend (Aug. 15-16) in Honda, Colombia, to support families and communities affected by the recent earthquake. Artists, partners, vendors and attendees are looking to turn the festival into a benefit to bring aid to those most in need. There will be collection points throughout, and the proceeds from the festival’s official store will also go to communities impacted by wildfires in Tolima.
