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Cowell records Haiti single

By CMU Editorial | Published on Wednesday 27 January 2010

So, it’s been almost like 1984 all over again at Trevor Horn’s Sarm Studios this week. Kind of. The studio where the original ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ was recorded (that time in a day) has seen a line of today’s pop stars shuffle through the doors since the weekend to sing a bit for Simon Cowell’s Haiti-supporting charity single, a cover of REM’s ‘Everybody Hurts’.

Leona Lewis, JLS, Cheryl Cole, Joe McElderry, Alexandra Burke, Mika, James Morrison and Rod Stewart all graced the studio to add their own contribution, while Michael Buble recorded a bit in a studio in New York and emailed it over. Robbie Williams and Take That are due to add their own vocals later this week. Mika played some piano, too.

Mariah Carey and Kylie Minogue are also rumoured to be taking part, although the BBC entertainment reporter Natalie Jamieson, who is sitting at Sarm keeping an eye on things, makes no mention of them in her report.

The song is expected to be released on 7 Feb, with Cowell and co trying to get everyone who appears on it together to perform the song at the BRITs on 16 Feb, according to The Sun. If that doesn’t come off, they’ll just show the video, Top Of The Pops style.

In other Haiti charity single news, Justin Timberlake and Matt Morris’ cover of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ has shot to the top of the US iTunes chart, after they performed it at the Hope For Haiti telethon last Friday. The track is taken from a compilation of all the live performances on the George Clooney-organised TV fundraiser, which also includes tracks by Alicia Keys, Coldplay, Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Shakira, Beyonce, Christina Aguilera, John Legend, Mary J Blige, Madonna, Jay-Z, Bono & The Edge, Rihanna and more.