Watch Andra Day + Common’s Rousing ‘Stand Up for Something’ Oscars Performance
Toward the tail end of an Oscars ceremony largely devoid of politics, Andra Day and Common teamed for a rousing rendition of their Marshall soundtrack song, "Stand Up for Something."
Common kicked things off with a powerful spoken word intro, name-dropping feminism, immigrants, and the NRA. "On Oscar night, this is the dream we tell. A land where dreamers live, and freedom dwells," he rhymed. "Immigrants get the benefits, we put up monuments for the feminists. Tell the NRA they're in god's way, and to the people of Parkland we say Ashay."
Day then joined in to deliver a goosebump-inducing call to arms, asking for audiences and viewers to stand up — as in the song — and bringing the entire crowd to their feet. A number of prominent activists stood behind her, including Alice Brown Otter (Standing Rock Youth Council); Bana Alabed (author and Syrian refugee); Bryan Stevenson (Equal Justice Initiative); Cecile Richards (Planned Parenthood Action Fund); Dolores Huerta (Dolores Huerta Foundation, United Farm Workers of America); Janet Mock (#GirlsLikeUs), José Andrés (ThinkFoodGroup); Nicole Hockley (Sandy Hook Promise); Patrisse Cullors (Black Lives Matter); and Tarana Burke (Me Too).
“What we hoped to convey is the essence of this song,” Day told Variety. “These are all people who have fought through their own personal pain to make things better for themselves and for others. "My prayer is that seeing these people and what they do is that catalyst to find the courage to stand up and to serve."
"Stand Up for Something," written by Diane Warren and Common, was nominated for Best Original Song. See video from the performance below.
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