Following the 2010 Haiti earthquake , many celebrities , including Burke , wanted to help the suffering people of the country . British Prime Minister Gordon Brown asked Simon Cowell to arrange a charity single for the money to be donated to the country . It was confirmed that Cowell had asked Burke to sing on the charity single due to her big voice and fanbase . It was revealed that the song would be a cover of R.E.M 's " Everybody Hurts " , which Cowell choose the song himself as he thought the song 's title was most relevant . Brown agreed to waive VAT on the single and R.E.M. agreed to waive all royalties . The celebrities would form a Super group and release the song under the name of " Helping Haiti " . Proceeds from the single were split between '' The Sun '' Helping Haiti fund and the Disasters Emergency Committee . The song was premiered on radio stations nationally on 2 February 2010 . The single was released both physically and digitally on 7 February 2010 , with the physical release being brought forward by one day due to demand . The single became the fastest-selling charity record of the 21st century in Britain , 205,000 copies in its first two days in the United Kingdom , and 453,000 in its first week . Burke spoke about the charity single saying : " I hope the single raises lots of money . It 's great that we can come together and do this . It 's a very special song . " Soon after the single was released , Burke announced that she would , in fact , travel to Haiti so she can physically help the Haitian people . Burke visited and helped in the week beginning 8 February 2010 , and posted two video blogs about her visit on YouTube . She later returned six months later to check the progress of the country after being a huge part in the '' Save the Children '' charity campaign . Burke was confirmed to join various female celebrities to join the Peru Inca Trail Hike for Breast Cancer Care , along with Fearne Cotton , Denise Van Outen , and Holly Willoughby . In January 2011 , Burke helped to launch Save the Children UK 's No Child Born To Die campaign . The campaign aims to reduce child mortality over the next five years
2010 Haiti earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
Alexandra Burke