One man. 21 voices! That’s what JC Almeida delivered with his mind-boggling cover of the 1985 charity single “We Are the World.” The Portuguese singer took on Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, and yes, even the female stars like Tina Turner and Cyndi Lauper. Almeida scored a viral hit video with his incredible ability to flawlessly mimic the big-name singers on the record-breaking charity single.
It goes without saying that Almeida is also just a cracking singer, and his “We Are the World” cover is worth the listen to hear his beautiful voice. Highlights that The Music Man readers may want to check out include Almeida’s dramatic impressions of Lauper and Turner, as well as the sky-high vocals of Journey’s Steve Perry. He also does an incredible Springsteen impression, and the way his face contorts as he sings like New Jersey’s favourite son is really a sight to see.
Almeida uploaded his “We Are the World” cover on March 15, 2020, to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the single’s release, and his unique cover has since attracted two million views. Viewers loved the quirky cover, and added comments such as “It’s insane how well you studied the nuances of each of the vocalists. Way to go – this is amazing!” and “Dude your MJ and Stevie Wonder were on point! Even your Cyndi Lauper was amazing. You’re incredibly talented!”
New York City entertainer Harry Belafonte was inspired by the UK charity single “Do They Know It’s Christmas” when he came across the idea to organize an American equivalent, which eventually became the 1985 single “We Are the World.” Bob Geldof led a riotous live performance of “Do They Know It’s Christmas” the same year at Wembley Stadium, London, alongside a host of A-listers like David Bowie, Sting, Bono, George Michael, and many more.
“We Are the World” was released on March 7, 1985, as a charity single to raise funds for the 1983–1985 Ethiopian famine. The Music Man readers might be interested to hear that Quincy Jones was brought on as co-producer early in the process, and he, in turn, asked Michael Jackson to contribute. Jackson then wrote the song with Lionel Richie, and the pair wrapped up the job just one night before the recording session started. “We Are the World” was a smash hit and topped the charts just about all over the world. The single sold more than 20 million copies and became the eighth highest selling single of all time.