Lizzo opens the amfAR Cannes Gala with a high-energy performance as A-list celebrities gather to raise $20 million for AIDS research.
Lizzo opened the amfAR Cannes Gala with a performance that set the tone for an evening dedicated to fighting HIV and AIDS.
The Grammy-winning artist took the stage at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, France, on May 21, 2026, delivering “About Damn Time” to a crowd of A-list celebrities and philanthropists who’d gathered for the annual fundraiser.
It was the perfect way to kick off what would become one of the most glamorous nights of the Cannes Film Festival season.
The gala brought together an impressive roster of entertainment and star power.
According to Variety, attendees included Oscar winner Rami Malek, whose film “The Man I Love” premiered at Cannes just days earlier, as well as Eva Longoria, “Summer House” star Ciara Miller, and supermodel Heidi Klum.
Geena Davis hosted the black-tie event, returning to amfAR after nearly three decades away. The evening featured performances by Robbie Williams and Zara Larsson, who kept the energy high between auction rounds that ran for hours.
The real story, though, was the money. The gala raised roughly $20 million for amfAR’s lifesaving research programs.
amfAR CEO Kyle Clifford, who’s the first openly HIV-positive person to lead the organization, made a personal case for why the work matters.
“This is an organization whose research has kept me alive for 40 years,” he said from the stage. The auction items were insane: Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe prints, a custom Denza car designed with Chopard and a walk-on role in the final season of “Emily in Paris.”
The organization’s been raising money for this cause since 1985, and per Reuters, the gala has historically raised over $300 million toward research efforts.
The night proved that even in tough times, people with resources still show up for causes that matter.
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