Katy Perry, John Mayer, More Join Benefit Concert After LA Wildfires

Music’s biggest names are joining forces for a pair of FireAid benefit concerts to support those displaced by the recent and ongoing wildfires.

Katy Perry, John Mayer, Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish and Gwen Stefani were among the A-Listers tapped to perform at the two upcoming shows, according to a press release. Other included artists will be Dave Matthews, Earth, Wind & Fire, Gracie Abrams, Green Day, Jelly Roll, Joni Mitchell, Tate McRae, Rod Stewart, Sting and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The concerts will even be the first time that Mayer, 47, and Matthews, 58, have ever performed together.

The benefit shows will be held at California’s own Intuit Dome and Kia Forum venues on Thursday, January 30. The show will also be broadcast by select AMC Theaters and online via Apple Music, Max, Netflix, YouTube and more streaming platforms.

The one-night-only event will raise funds to help rebuild communities that were devastated in the natural disaster and help prevent similar incidents in the future.

“Contributions made to FireAid will be distributed under the advisement of the Annenberg Foundation, for short-term relief efforts and long-term initiatives to prevent future fire disasters,” a press release reads. “The Annenberg Foundation, with decades of philanthropic leadership in our community, including rapid response, will help coordinate a team to direct funds for the greatest impact. All proceeds from the FireAid benefit concert at Intuit Dome and Kia Forum will go directly to the event’s designated beneficiaries, as the LA Clippers will be covering the millions in expenses associated with the event.”

A string of wildfires broke out in Los Angeles earlier this month, rapidly ravaging thousands of acres of property and killing over 25 individuals. In addition, thousands of celebrities left the city limits under mandatory or voluntary evacuation orders.

“This is the most valuable thing I own. It’s a folder of photos of my father, spanning his life from being a baby, an educator, a husband and a father. It’s the only evidence of his life that will exist over time,” Mayer wrote via Instagram on January 9. “These are the ‘documents’ you read about people taking from their homes. When you hear someone say they’ve lost everything in a fire, this is much of that everything, if not all of it. Those who say they’ll be OK still have their folders and their albums. Those who are inconsolable have lost them. Just behind the immeasurable loss of life is the loss of the proof of life.”

He added, “I don’t practice prayer but tonight I will say one for everyone who no longer has these items. It’s not about the art and the collectibles. It’s the photos, the letters, the class rings, the eyeglasses and the things we keep to remind us that those we loved were here. May those who have lost so much find some semblance of hope and support from their family and friends. Stay safe, look out for yourself and for one another, and trust that humanity and all it entails, though sometimes hard to see, is alive and well. This is truly devastating.”

In regards to the benefit concert, Mayer wrote in an Instagram note that it was “an honor” to be included in the performance lineup.

“It’s an honor to be in a position to help a cause as important as rebuilding lives and communities that were devastated by wildfires,” he wrote on Thursday.

The FireAid Benefit Concert kicks off Thursday, January 30, at 6 p.m. PT and will air concurrently on multiple streaming platforms. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, January 22, at 12 p.m. ET via Ticketmaster.

Check the LAFD website for local wildfire alerts and click here for resources on how to help those affected.