Canadian singer Shawn Mendes, who previously backed petitions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and an "end to the occupation," performed Saturday night in Los Angeles at a publicized fundraiser for Palestinians and Sudanese citizens, alongside a long list of prominent alternative indie artists.
The event, titled "Artists for Aid," took place at a private location in the city, against the backdrop of what organizers described as the destruction in Gaza following the end of the war there and the severe humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
All proceeds from ticket sales were directed to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund and the American Sudanese Physicians Association as part of an effort to provide urgent aid to affected communities. The evening was initiated by Mustafa Ahmed, a 29-year-old Canadian artist of Sudanese descent known by his stage name "Mustafa the Poet," who had already organized similar events this year in New Jersey and London to raise direct aid without explicit political involvement.
Shawn Mendes and Maggie Rogers performing Youth in support of Palestine and Sudan https://t.co/RfKuZx9iSw pic.twitter.com/oLFckMHt7P
— raya - shawn mendes (@ShawnFansRaya) January 11, 2026
The show was hosted by model Bella Hadid, who is known along with her family members for her pro-Palestinian positions and calls for a ceasefire while accusing Israel of war crimes, and actor Pedro Pascal, who called for a ceasefire in December 2023 through support for Doctors Without Borders and in 2025 published calls for aid to women and children in Gaza and spoke out against Hollywood's silence on Israel's actions.
Besides Mendes, additional names who took part in the show included figures such as Clairo, who recently blocked access to her music in Israel as part of the No Music For Genocide campaign, Blood Orange, Rex Orange County, Alex G, Daniel Caesar, Faye Webster, Lucy Dacus, rapper Noname, Omar Apollo, Raphael Saadiq, Snow Allegra, Tamino, and 070 Shake, with an emphasis on alternative indie works, parts of which were streamed on social networks.
Mendes himself signed a 2024 petition calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and an "end to the occupation," published posts against violence from both sides with an emphasis on Palestinian suffering, and participated in videos of Palestinian poets' poetry, making his participation in the show a natural continuation of his positions perceived as pro-Palestinian. Initial reports indicate the show was a major success, with fundraising of hundreds of thousands of dollars from the audience at the venue and from the network, with potential for additional donations that will be transferred directly to field organizations, according to organizers' statements.
