News | Entertainment
8 Nov 2025 10:34
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Julian Lennon plans to release 'Imagine' as a single in aid of Ukrainian refugees

    The 59-year-old singer - who is the son of Beatles icon John Lennon and his first wife Cynthia - performed his dad's song for the first time ever in April, after being asked to do something by the refugee charity Global Citizen, and Julian now plans to donate the money from the single amid Ukraine's ongoing war with Russia


    During an appearance on 'Elton John's Rocket Hour On Apple Music 1', Julian shared: "Since I've been in the business, I've kind of been dreading the day that I'm ... Because I'd always said that I would only actually sing it if it felt like it was the end of the world, in many respects. And after watching what's been going on over the past couple of years, and especially recently with Russia and Ukraine, the people of Global Citizen said, 'Got anything up your sleeve?' And I've been watching the horrors on TV, as we all have. I just felt, this is it.

    "And once I'd said yes, if you think I had anxiety before, once I'd said, yes, I went, 'Oh my God, how am I going to do this, that honours it, and is different and is my own take, but still respects it in every way, shape or form?'

    "For me, the only way I could do that was take it away from the piano, the plunky piano, and do it as raw, as un-produced as possible and as heartfelt as possible. For me, that was the way to do it."

    'Imagine' was originally released in 1971, and is now one of the most covered songs in music history.

    Julian ultimately hopes that his own effort will help the people of Ukraine.

    He said: "I have to tell you that we will be releasing that as a single in some way, shape or form very soon with all donations going to refugees in Ukraine and around the world. That's on the cards."

    © 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     08 Nov: Seth Meyers has hit back at Donald Trump after the U.S. president attacked him on social media
     08 Nov: Macaulay Culkin has stepped back into his Kevin McCallister role for a new Christmas advertising campaign with a message about family and ageing
     08 Nov: Patti Smith has revealed how she discovered the man who raised her was not her biological father
     08 Nov: Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been photographed spending time with former NBA player Sebastian Telfair inside FCI Fort Dix
     08 Nov: Sir David Beckham paid tribute to his wife Victoria Beckham with his knighthood ceremony outfit
     08 Nov: Tori Spelling has formally concluded her marriage to Dean McDermott
     07 Nov: Guillermo del Toro says his long-awaited adaptation of Frankenstein feels deeply "autobiographical"
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    A former New Zealand-born, Scottish international believes Scotland's backline is the x-factor in tomorrow morning's test against the All Blacks at Murrayfield More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    A construction company will use repeatable designs to churn out new hospital wards across the country More...



     Today's News

    Business:
    A construction company will use repeatable designs to churn out new hospital wards across the country 10:27

    Living & Travel:
    Fog is continuing to cause major disruption at Auckland Airport this morning with 25 regional flights cancelled and others delayed 10:16

    Business:
    How colourism and social media abuse have roiled Pacific beauty pageants 10:06

    Living & Travel:
    History beckons at Riccarton Racecourse this afternoon as Cup Week begins in Christchurch 10:06

    Politics:
    One Piece defines gen Z protests from Madagascar to Indonesia 9:36

    Politics:
    Hundreds of US flights cancelled as government shutdown drags on 9:26

    Cricket:
    The ICC is heralding the success of the recent women's O.D.I Cricket World Cup in India and Sri Lanka 9:26

    Rugby:
    A former New Zealand-born, Scottish international believes Scotland's backline is the x-factor in tomorrow morning's test against the All Blacks at Murrayfield 9:16

    Entertainment:
    Seth Meyers has hit back at Donald Trump after the U.S. president attacked him on social media 8:37

    Politics:
    Auckland's mayor says he welcomes any law change to forcibly move homeless people out of the city centre 8:27


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd