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| Shawn Mendes, center left, and Khalid, center right, appear backstage with Marjory Stoneman Douglas Student Choir during the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday in Las Vegas. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo |
By Ray Downs, UPI
The show choir from Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School, where 17 people were killed in a mass shooting in February, joined Shawn Mendes and Khalid on the Billboard Music Awards stage for a performance.
The choir members teamed-up with the pop stars to perform Youth, a single from Mendes' self-titled debut album that happens to come out later this week.
The choir members and Mendes also wore sweatshirts with the word, "Youth" in front.
The lyrics in Youth do not appear to directly address gun violence, but the optimism that young people sometimes have: "You can't take my youth away/This soul of mine will never break/As long as I wake up today/You can't take my youth away/You can't take my youth away/This soul of mine will never break/As long as I wake up today/You can't take my youth away/You can't take my youth away."
Khalid, who appears on the original recording, wore a sweatshirt that said, "Protect our children" with the word "guns" crossed out.
Speechless. What a moving performance by @thegreatkhalid, @ShawnMendes and the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Show Choir. ❤️ #BBMAs pic.twitter.com/nKAGXFQtk3— Billboard Music Awards (@BBMAs) May 21, 2018
