Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Aug 02, 2025

Music for Myanmar: The charity gig with Laura Marling at the helm

Music for Myanmar: The charity gig with Laura Marling at the helm

Laura Marling is among headliners performing at the free fundraising event this month

Laura Marling doesn’t perform for free for just any fundraiser. But this summer the Brit Award-winning singer-songwriter is making a rare exception. Later this month, in a public garden in the shadow of The Shard, Marling will embark on one of her first live post-pandemic performances in a bid to raise money for the people of Myanmar.

The festival, organised by Burmese food writer, author and activist MiMi Aye, alongside artists’ collective Raise Three Fingers, broadcaster Helen Zaltzman and other volunteers, takes place on August 22 at Marlborough Sports Garden near Borough Market. Marling will headline with Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, alongside live comedy, photography exhibitions, artists’ workshops, craft fairs and a charity auction.

The name Raise Three Fingers is a nod to the physical gesture used by those who oppose the dictatorship in Myanmar, and the aim is to recreate the atmosphere of a family-friendly Burmese festival, known as a pwè, says Aye.

Aye wants to raise awareness of the increasingly dire situation in her home country. “Although the situation is even worse than it was at the start, [in February], Myanmar has fallen off most people’s radars,” she says, desperate to help. “No one involved with this event will be able to rest unless we’ve done as much as we can to end the nightmare that our loved ones are suffering.”


The political emergency there is growing critical. In February, the country’s elected government was overthrown by the Burmese army and since then more than 900 civilians have been killed, including more than 70 children.

The effects of the coup are continuing to wreak havoc across the country. More than 5,000 other people in Myanmar have been arrested and detained since February, including artists, writers, poets and comedians, simply for speaking out against the Burmese army’s brutality. The third wave of the pandemic is now also hitting the country - it is estimated that the population will be decimated by at least 10-15 million because of coronavirus. Aye’s uncle passed away from Covid in Myanmar last month.


Entry is free but donations will be encouraged, with all proceeds going to charities Mutual Aid Myanmar, Advance Myanmar and Myanmar Crisis Action. “We’re hoping as many people as possible will drop in and out all day.”

If you are dropping in, be sure to make it in time for the charity auction, which will include a guitar donated by Marling herself. “We’ve been overwhelmed by her kindness,” says Aye, hoping the singer’s gift will boost funds raised on the day.

For attendees, it’s a rare chance not only to see Marling in action, but to own a rare instrument played on by the singer-songwriter herself. Credit cards at the ready, say Aye and her fellow volunteers. After 200 days of catastrophe for the people of Myanmar, the least we can do is raise three fingers and show our support for one day.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
×