The Weeknd is donating $1 million to various groups associated with helping those affected by the devastating wildfires in Southern California.
Friday, a rep for the Hurry Up Tomorrow artist confirmed that the funds would go toward the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, GoFundMe’s Wildlife Relief Fund, and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. Per a press release, these newly announced efforts may a partnership with World Food Program USA and The Weeknd's own XO Humanitarian Fund.
As previously announced, in light of the tragedy, Abel has called off a Rose Bowl show originally announced in tandem with the rollout of his new album, the release of which has also been delayed.
Friday's donation comes after similar efforts from Beyoncé, whose foundation announced a $2.5 million relief fund donation, and Leonardo DiCaprio, who put up $1 million in partnership with Re:wild.
As of this writing, at least 27 people had been confirmed to have died in the fires, with tens of thousands in the region still under mandatory evacuation orders.
In a recent statement, outgoing POTUS Joe Biden said his administration was “laser-focused on helping survivors” in the area, adding that “every tool available” would be put toward battling the fires. More recently, in a farewell address, he briefly touched on the situation in Southern California while discussing climate change.
“So much is at stake. Right now, the existential threat of climate change has never been clearer,” Biden said.
