Live 8 was a string of benefit concerts that took place on 2 July 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa. Run in support of the aims of the UK's Make Poverty History campaign and the Global Call for Action Against Poverty, ten simultaneous concerts were held on 2 July and one on 6 July. More than 1,000 musicians performed at the concerts, which were broadcast on 182 television networks and 2,000 radio networks. Mariah performed live at the Hyde Park in London, UK, and sang “Hero,” “Make It Happen,” “We Belong Together” and during the finale, joining the other artists singing “Hey Jude.”
“I wasn't gonna go out onstage at the end, because I hate these finales 'cause they're always so awkward,” Mariah told Richard & Judy. “But then I though, ‘This is historic, let me go out there’ and I was with the [African Children Choir] and I was really trying to just have them sing 'cause I hate when people try to steal the show and sing during the finale. And then Sir McCartney came up behind me and was like, ‘Let me hear you sing it to me.’ He sang that in my ear and I was like, ‘I guess I gotta sing something!’ It was such an honor, it was so amazing and it's something that I'll keep forever.” An official Live 8 DVD set was released on November 8, 2005, including Mariah's performances of “Hero,” “Make It Happen,” and “Hey Jude.”' It was released digitally as audio-only for the first time in 2019.
