Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscars party raises £8.3m as Neil Patrick Harris hosts and Lola Young performs

The Elton John AIDS Foundation’s annual Academy Awards Viewing Party has raised $10.6 million (£8.3m) to support global HIV prevention, treatment and mental health services.

Held at West Hollywood Park in California on Sunday (15 March), the 34th edition of the event brought together Hollywood’s biggest stars and advocates during the weekend of the Academy Awards.

The benefit was co-hosted by Elton John and David Furnish alongside Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka, continuing a tradition that has made the viewing party one of the most high-profile philanthropic events of Oscars weekend.

Lola Young performed a “raw and unfiltered” set

The evening featured a performance from BRIT and GRAMMY Award-winning British singer Lola Young, who delivered what organisers described as a “raw and unfiltered” set.

Young performed tracks from her third studio album I’m Only F**king Myself, including ‘d£aler’ and ‘SPIDERS’, as well as her breakthrough hit ‘Messy’, with the crowd reportedly singing along.

“Elton, David and the Foundation are all about celebrating who you really are, and that’s exactly what my music is about,” Young said.

“My generation didn’t live through the height of the AIDS epidemic, but that means we have a responsibility to speak up for the millions of people still pushing to live freely, especially LGBTQ+ communities who led the way from the start.”

Young added that it meant “so much” to be part of a night supporting a cause that “really matters”.

“We started this Foundation 34 years ago – to honour the friends we lost and advocate for the people still vulnerable” – Elton John

Reflecting on the charity’s mission, John said the event embodies the reason he founded the organisation more than three decades ago.

“The Academy Awards Viewing Party reflects why we started this Foundation 34 years ago – to honour the friends we lost and advocate for the people still vulnerable,” he said.

“In a moment full of incredible British talent, Lola stood out. She’s bold, brilliant and completely herself.”

Furnish added that the evening captured “extraordinary talent, dear friends and a shared commitment to making a difference”.

Dua Lipa, RuPaul and Donatella Versace were among attendees

The star-studded guest list included Dua Lipa, RuPaul, Laverne Cox, Melissa McCarthy, Kate Beckinsale, Fran Drescher, Donatella Versace and Tina Knowles, among many others.

Also in attendance were Adam Lambert, Yungblud, Orville Peck, Colton Haynes, Keke Palmer and Zoe Saldaña.

The event also introduced a new After Party Benefit Committee, helping extend the fundraising celebrations late into the night.

“The truth is that we can end AIDS” – Anne Aslett, global Chief Executive Officer of the Elton John AIDS Foundation 

Anne Aslett, global Chief Executive Officer of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, said the funds raised will support efforts to expand HIV prevention and treatment while tackling stigma and inequality.

“The truth is that we can end AIDS. The tools exist and we know how to reach people with prevention and treatment,” she said.

“What stands in the way is stigma, inequality and the dangerous decline in global funding.”

Since its founding, the Elton John AIDS Foundation has funded more than 3,200 programmes across 108 countries, supporting communities most affected by HIV and helping expand access to testing, treatment and care.

Despite progress, the foundation warns that someone still dies from AIDS-related causes every minute worldwide, highlighting the continued urgency of the fight against the epidemic.

For more information about its work, visit the Elton John AIDS Foundation website.