NME Awards: Bands 4 Refugees form 'supergroup' featuring Charli XCX, Years & Years and Swim Deep

Exclusive: Band members from Years & Years, Slaves, Circa Waves, Swim Deep, Peace and more will perform onstage together to raise money and awareness for Help Refugees

(Rex)

Bands 4 Refugees are set to perform at the VO5 NME Awards 2017, The Independent can announce.

For one night, a supergroup consisting of Charli XCX, Pixie Geldof, and band members from Years & Years, Slaves, Circa Waves, Swim Deep, Peace and Black Honey will perform a series of famous songs onstage together to raise awareness and funds for the ongoing work of grass roots organisation Help Refugees.

Attendees and fans watching the live stream will be encouraged to donate, by texting REFU to 70700 to give £5. NME will also be donating a proportion of revenue made from the sales of products from NME Merch’s ‘VO5 NME Awards 2017 Winners Collection’.

Bands 4 Refugees, launched in late 2016, is a partnership formed between Wolf Alice and Help Refugees.

NME editor-in-chief Mike Williams said: “It’s important in times like these to fight negativity with positivity.

"Which is why we're incredibly proud to give a platform to Bands 4 Refugees as they raise money for the amazing work being done by the truly inspirational charity Help Refugees. Tune in on the night to watch, donate what you can to the cause and – as their T-shirts say – Choose Love.”

Harry Koisser from Peace, who has coordinated the line up, said: "We got involved with help refugees in 2015. Josie Naughton, founder of Help Refugees has been doing relentless, incredible work & I’m so so so happy that so many people came together to make this happen. I hope that as well as raising funds we can inspire more artists to get involved with the charity this year and turn the heat up in 2017."

Also set to perform on the night are Pet Shop Boys, Bastille, Dua Lipa and Wiley, with Huw Stephens hosting the event.

The NME Awards take place at O2 Brixton on 15 February 2017 - tickets are on sale now.