Fontaines D.C. win $2,000 on viral TikTok music quiz, donate it all to Palestine relief
Fontaines D.C. have won over $2,000 (£1,565) on a viral music quiz on TikTok – and donated the sum to a Palestine relief charity.
The Dublin band recently participated in Track Star – a Public Opinion series in which players have to listen to a song and correctly guess the artist on the streets of New York City. As the quiz goes on, the guests are awarded an increasing amount of money.
- READ MORE: Fontaines D.C.’s daring comeback single ‘Starburster’ is their most experimental work yet
Frontman Grian Chatten and guitarist Carlos O’Connell managed to identify a variety of tunes by the likes of The Strokes, Thin Lizzy, The Libertines and The Ramones – winning a total of $2,560 (£2,003) for doing so.
“We could take it and like, have an amazing night,” said O’Connell, before Chatten suggested: “I think we should give it to charity, man.” The host responded: “If you guys give it to charity, I’ll give you like 100 bucks and you can get some beers.”
Chatten then confirmed that they would be donating the cash prize to Doctors Without Borders “for Palestine” amid the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict. The charity provides “medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare”.
The video ended with a screenshot of a letter from the organisation, which read: “Dear Track Star, Thank you for your generous one-time gift to Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
“Your support ensures we’re able to provide emergency medical care to people in more than 70 countries around the world.”
@trackstarshow @Fontaines D.C. are we cousins?
It added: “At the core of our work is a commitment to independence and impartiality. This means that support from people like you, Track Star, is what makes it possible for us to be prepared to respond to the world’s most urgent emergencies where others can’t or won’t go.”
You can watch Fontaines D.C. take part in Track Star above.
Last December, it was announced that the band had teamed up with Massive Attack and Young Fathers for a limited edition 12″ charity single to support Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
In a joint statement at the time, the artists called for an immediate ceasefire “in solidarity with the Palestinian people living under a brutal military operation”.
Fontaines D.C. added: “Since October, Doctors Without Borders have been on the ground in Gaza, where every human is an IDF target, risking their lives to give vital care to the thousands injured by Israel’s indiscriminate attacks on the starving and defenceless.
“We feel utterly helpless in what we can do at this point however we do hope our small contribution to this record can raise some desperately needed funds for Doctors Without Borders in Gaza. Ceasefire Now. Free Palestine.”
Meanwhile, Fontaines D.C. are gearing up to release their fourth album ‘Romance’ on August 23 (pre-order/pre-save here). They’ve already previewed the project with lead single ‘Starburster’, and debuted some new cuts at an intimate gig in New York.
The band have announced a North American headline tour for this autumn, having previously confirmed shows in the UK, Ireland and Europe.
In addition to their own ‘Romance’ dates, Fontaines D.C. are scheduled to make appearances at Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds, Pukkelpop and Sziget among other festivals across the season. Find any remaining tickets here (UK and Ireland).
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Tom Skinner
NME
