Elton John Impact Award Recipient Brandi Carlile, Adam Lambert, Big Freedia and Ciara, Billy Porter, FLETCHER, Hayley Kiyoko, Kesha and Kelsea Ballerini Among All-Star Performers
Brandi Carlile Honored with Elton John Impact Award For Her Humanitarian Work With The Looking Out Foundation
With Notable Appearances from from Belinda Carlisle, Bonnie Tyler, Corey Rae, Durand Bernarr, Elton John, Jeff Hiller, Jillian Mercado, Katy Perry, Kim Petras, Kylie Minogue, Leo Sheng, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mariah Carey, Maybelle Blair, Melissa Etheridge, Peppermint, Raven-Symoné and Miranda Maday, Ross Mathews, Ricky Martin, Sasha Colby, Stephanie Beatriz, Wilson Cruz and More
“Can’t Cancel Pride” Streamed on iHeartRadio’s YouTube and Facebook Pages, PrideRadio.com, Revry, The Roku Channel and The Advocate Channel
NEW YORK - June 16, 2023 – iHeartMedia and Procter & Gamble (P&G) today announced this year’s “Can’t Cancel Pride 2023 – The Future Starts Now,” streamed on June 15 on iHeartRadio’s YouTube and Facebook Pages, PrideRadio.com, Revry, The Roku Channel and The Advocate Channel. Hosted by JoJo Siwa, the event featured performances from Elton John Impact Award Recipient Brandi Carlile, who was honored for her humanitarian work with the Looking Out Foundation, Adam Lambert, Big Freedia and Ciara, Billy Porter, GLAAD Media Award Recipient FLETCHER, Hayley Kiyoko, Kesha, Kelsea Ballerini and more. “Can’t Cancel Pride 2023 – The Future Starts Now,” an evening recognizing the LGBTQ+ community and celebrating organizations creating a more inclusive and equal world, will be available on-demand throughout Pride Month until Friday, June 30.
In addition to music, “Can’t Cancel Pride 2023 – The Future Starts Now,” included special appearances from members of the LGBTQ+ community and advocates including Belinda Carlisle, Bonnie Tyler, Corey Rae, Durand Bernarr, Elton John, Jeff Hiller, Jillian Mercado, Katy Perry, Kim Petras, Kylie Minogue, Leo Sheng, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mariah Carey, Maybelle Blair, Melissa Etheridge, Peppermint, Raven-Symoné and Miranda Maday, Ross Mathews, Ricky Martin, Sasha Colby, Stephanie Beatriz, Wilson Cruz and more.
“Can’t Cancel Pride” was started during the COVID-19 pandemic when so many Pride events were forced to cancel around the world and has raised over $14 million for six participating LGBTQ+ charitable organizations including, GLAAD, The Trevor Project, National Black Justice Coalition, SAGE, CenterLink and Outright International. In 2022 alone, Can’t Cancel Pride reached 20 million viewers and listeners.
The benefit special included these special moments:
- Host JoJo Siwa kicked off the celebration at the iHeartRadio LA theater: “it is my second time hosting and it is my second year as an out and very proud gay.”
- Big Freedia and Ciara brought the crowd to their feet with their performance of “$100 Bill” and “Winning.”
- Mariah Carey made a special appearance thanking the LGBTQIA+ community for all of their support over the years.
- Kesha delivered an electric performance “Only Love Can Save Us Now.”
- Sasha Colby, winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 15, took the stage to give a special message on the future of drag.
- Katy Perry partook in the festivities from Las Vegas: “as a Mom and an ally I am committed to the safety and the future of the LGBTQ community” and introduced the important resources that the Trevor Project provides for the LGBTQ community.
- Kelsea Ballerini brings “a little yeehaw to the show” with a special performance of “If You Go Down” from Nashville, TN.
- Bonnie Tyler shows her support for the community while introducing Adam Lambert, who took the stage for an epic performance of “Holding Out For A Hero.”
- Trailblazing pop star and #1 New York Times Bestselling author, Hayley Kiyoko rocked the stage with her latest single “Greenlight.”
- Stephanie Beatriz and Lin-Manuel Miranda expressed their support for the Hispanic LGBTQ+ community and introduced Ricky Martin who shared a special message on the importance of family: “I hope that you always find yourself surrounded by those who support your dreams and your choices and your life whether that is the family you were born into or the ones you choose for yourself. We are all family and we are here for you.”
- GLAAD Media Award Recipient FLETCHER joins Can’t Cancel Pride from Asbury Park, NJ, opening by thanking her fans for their love and support. She put on an exciting performance of her hit “Girls, Girls, Girls.”
- Melissa Ethridge celebrates the 30th anniversary of her album Yes I Am, which she says was her way of saying “yes, I am out and proud, back when very few LGBTQ+ artists felt like they could be themselves.” She goes on to introduce Maybelle Blair who joined JoJo on stage to share her pride story, of how she just came out at 95 years old and invites others to “come on out of the closet and join [her].”
- Billy Porter brought the energy up with an incredible performance of “Baby Was a Dancer,” then gives an inspirational message of how he is living a “full and joyous life with HIV” and shares he is hopeful for the future of those living with HIV.
- Elton John presents the Elton John Impact Award to Brandi Carlile for her humanitarian work with the Looking Out Foundation. Brandi thanks Elton John: “there is no one more important to me as a mentor and a soulmate than you, Elton.” She goes on to deliver a powerful speech culminating with “thank you for this honor, I promise to make something of it and to make you proud.”
- Brandi Carlile closes out the show with an emotional performance of “Hallelujah.”
Proud partners of this event include P&G brands: Always®, Bounty®, Cascade®,, Charmin®, Dawn®, Downy®, Febreze®, Gillette® Intimate, Metamucil®, Pantene®, Swiffer®, Tide®, and OLAY®. Additional proud partners of “Can’t Cancel Pride” include Harris Teeter, Native, OLAY®, Walmart and Vicks®, with more to be announced.
Executive Producers for “Can’t Cancel Pride” are John Sykes, Tom Poleman, Bart Peters and Gayle Troberman of iHeartMedia; “Can’t Cancel Pride” Co-Founder Brent Miller of P&G; David Collins, Michael Williams, Rob Eric, Renata Lombardo and John Wehage of Scout Productions and Executive Producer and Showrunner Larissa A.K. Matsson of Scout Productions.
To access photos and b-roll from the event, please use the links below:
B-roll:
Photos:
Performances:
PW: CCP_2o23
Backstage:
PW: CCP_2o23
Press Room: https://iheartradio.photoshelter.com/galleries/C00002.t.Hm8Tm8Q/G0000SpC_b3aMbq4/Press-Room
Roam: https://iheartradio.photoshelter.com/galleries/C00002.t.Hm8Tm8Q/G0000ZFOzMOLo09A/Roaming
Photo Credits:
Monica Schipper/Getty Images (@gettyentertainment) for iHeartRadio, Adrianna Casiano for iHeartRadio (@casianoadrianna), Wes and Alex for iHeartRadio (@wesandalex), Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images (@gettyentertainment) for iHeartRadio.
