As the final artist to take the stage at Thursday night’s (Jan. 30) FireAid benefit concert, Lady Gaga left her mark by debuting a brand-new song written with her fiancé, Michael Polansky, for the victims of the Los Angeles wildfires.

“Me and my friend Michael — my fiancé, my love — we wrote this song for you,” Gaga said to introduce her final song of the night. “It’s just for tonight. It’s just for you. I think we all need a lot of things right now, but I think something we may also need is time. Time is a healer.”

The intro matched the lyrics of the unexpectedly jaunty song, whose chorus repeats the line “All I need is time.” By the end of the performance, she led the crowd in a cathartic sing-along of the memorable refrain.

For her first two songs, Gaga channeled her A Star Is Born character Ally by performing the film’s Billboard Hot 100-topping smash hit “Shallow” (sans duet partner Bradley Cooper) as well as solo standout “Always Remember Us This Way.” The latter spoke to the themes of loss that reverberated throughout the night — loss of lives, loss of homes, loss of cherished mementos — with the lines: “So when I’m all choked up and I can’t find the words/ Every time we say goodbye, baby, it hurts.”

Lady Gaga will reportedly have more new music arriving this weekend, when she unveils a new song from her forthcoming March release Mayhem on Sunday timed with that night’s Grammy Awards, where she’s up for song of the year and best pop duo/group performance alongside Bruno Mars for their duet “Die With a Smile.”

Gaga was one of dozens of performers who performed across the Kia Forum and the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, on Thursday night to raise funds for wildfire relief as well as rebuilding efforts in the effected communities.

Freshly back onstage after postponing three dates for what he termed a “temporary throat infection” via an Instagram post, Sting sounded in full voice during his three-song set at the FireAid benefit concert on Thursday night (Jan. 30).

Playing in his stripped-down Sting 3.0 trio formation with drummer Chris Maas and guitarist Dominic Miller, Sting — like many of the 27 artists on the bill — chose songs specifically designed to resonate with victims of the horrific fires that spread through Los Angeles County throughout January, destroying more than 22,000 homes.

He also let his music do the talking and chose not to address the audience, unlike many of the other performers. Sting opened with The Police’s early hit, 1979’s “Message in a Bottle,” and sustained a long note toward the end, leaving no doubt that he was restored to full health. He then segued into “Driven to Tears,” from The Police’s 1980 album’s Zenyatta Mondatta. Though initially written about political issues, the song’s themes of loss fit in perfectly with the evening.

Sting then traded his bass for a guitar for his closing song, a lovely rendition of “Fragile,” from his second solo album, 1987’s Nothing Like the Sun. Between his gorgeous, delicate playing and his emotional delivery, the song felt like a reminder of both our fragility and strength.

Sting was one of more than two dozen performers, including Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stevie Nicks, Olivia Rodrigo, Rod Stewart, Lady Gaga, P!nk, Billie Eilish, John Mayer and No Doubt, who took over Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome and Kia Forum for the more than five-hour benefit, which is raising money for victims of the fires and for future fire prevention.

The Weeknd doesn’t just perform—he curates experiences.

Hours before the release of Hurry Up Tomorrow, the Canadian artist made a striking appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, delivering a cinematic rendition of “Open Hearts” that blurred the line between live television and a full-scale production.

The performance opened in stark black and white, with Tesfaye cloaked in a shadowy robe, his glowing eyes creating an almost otherworldly presence. The stripped-back visuals felt deliberately unsettling, as if pulled from the surreal worlds of David Lynch, setting the tone for what was to come.

As the song progressed, the atmosphere began to shift. The stage dissolved into an animated, stop-motion dreamscape, with jagged transitions and uncanny imagery. The performance balanced minimalism and surrealism, offering a glimpse into the darker, more introspective aesthetic underpinning Hurry Up Tomorrow.

The surreal aesthetic has only heightened speculation that the upcoming Hurry Up Tomorrow film—arriving in theaters May 16—will explore similarly haunting and imaginative territory.

With Hurry Up Tomorrow now out via XO/Republic Records, the performance stands as a gateway into The Weeknd’s latest (and potentially final) chapter under his longtime moniker.

The album, which serves as the closing installment in his trilogy following After Hours (2020) and Dawn FM (2022), carries a deeply introspective tone. While it boasts high-profile collaborations like Playboi Carti (“Timeless”) (which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100) and Anitta (“São Paulo”), the most talked-about moment is Lana Del Rey’s uncredited feature on “The Abyss.”

Meanwhile, “Dancing in the Flames,” which was previously teased, was left off the final tracklist entirely, leaving fans speculating about its fate.

Originally scheduled for release on Jan. 24, the album was delayed as The Weeknd pledged $1 million to LA wildfire relief efforts, canceling a planned Rose Bowl album release concert in the process. Proceeds from the track “Take Me Back to LA” will also be donated to the LA Regional Food Bank, providing further aid to those affected.

As The Weeknd pivots toward his feature film debut in Hurry Up Tomorrow, directed by Trey Edward Shults and starring Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan, performances like his Jimmy Kimmel Live! appearance suggest that his storytelling is only becoming more ambitious.

Whether or not this truly marks the end of The Weeknd, his ability to merge music and visual spectacle continues to evolve, making Hurry Up Tomorrow a fitting conclusion to this phase of his career.

In tandem with his live performance, The Weeknd has launched a series of events to further immerse fans in the world of Hurry Up Tomorrow.

In partnership with Spotify, the Hurry Up Tomorrow Pop-Up Experience will take place in New York City from Friday, Jan. 31, through Sunday, Feb. 2. This interactive art installation will transport fans into Tesfaye’s creative world, offering a glimpse into the final act of his acclaimed trilogy.

Meanwhile, specialty retailer Hot Topic is showcasing an expansive Hurry Up Tomorrow merchandise collection, including tees, hoodies, posters, and the highly anticipated The Weeknd x Frank Miller Hurry Up Tomorrow apparel capsule – available only in Las Vegas at the “takeover”.

From Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, the Downtown Summerlin Hot Topic store in Las Vegas will host a Hurry Up Tomorrow “takeover,” transforming the space into an exclusive retail experience.

Watch his performance on Jimmy Kimmel below.

Red Hot Chili Peppers were the last to take the stage at the Kia Forum at the FireAid benefit show for Los Angeles wildfire relief on Thursday night (Jan. 30), and the L.A. natives made sure to end the show on a high note.

Introduced by Stevie Nicks, RHCP fittingly opened their hit-filled set with 2006’s “Dani California,” before delving into another Golden State-themed track, 1999’s “Californication,” complete with a bass line from a near-naked Flea.

The Chili Peppers wrapped their four-song set with 1992’s “Under the Bridge” as well as a more recent song, 2022’s “Black Summer” off 12th studio album Unlimited Love. “Black Summer” marked the band’s 14th No. 1 track on Billboard‘s Alternative Airplay chart. They’ve since notched a 15th chart-topper with “Tippa My Tongue.”

The rest of the Kia Forum performers included Nicks, Anderson. Paak, Alanis Morissette, Dave Matthews and John Mayer, Dawes, Graham Nash, Green Day (with an Eilish duet), John Fogerty, Joni Mitchell, No Doubt, P!nk, Stephen Stills and The Black Crowes. Just across the street at the Intuit Dome, the FireAid show featured performances by Billie Eilish, Earth, Wind & Fire, Gracie Abrams, Jelly Roll, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Lil Baby, Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder, Sting and Tate McRae.

The show continued on at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., which featured performances from Rod Stewart, Gracie Abrams, Jelly Roll, Katy Perry, Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga and more.

Those wanting to donate to Los Angeles wildfire relief funds are encouraged to visit fireaidla.org. For every donation pledge made during the concert, Connie and Steve Ballmer — owner of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers and the Intuit Dome — will match it.