Olivia Rodrigo’s Charity Video Filmed by Kids in War Zones

Olivia Rodrigo just dropped a music video that hits differently. The pop superstar’s cover of The Magnetic Fields’ “The Book of Love” now has visuals, but she didn’t film them. Children living in active war zones across the globe picked up the cameras instead.

The video arrived Friday alongside the full release of HELP (2), a charity compilation benefiting War Child UK that features Rodrigo alongside Arctic Monkeys, Depeche Mode, Fontaines D.C., Wet Leg, and beabadoobee. The album serves as a sequel to the landmark 1995 Help compilation, which raised £1.25 million for children affected by the Bosnian conflict.

The visual was directed by Billy Boyd Cope with creative direction from Oscar-winning filmmaker Jonathan Glazer (The Zone of Interest). But the real directors? Children in Sudan, Ukraine, Gaza, and Yemen who were given cameras and complete creative freedom.

“What they did with the cameras was up to them; we just encouraged them to play,” Glazer explained in a statement. “What we got back was the purest form of their energy, joy and truth. It gives us a chance to not only witness, but experience their innocence, joy and resilience”.

The resulting footage weaves together moments of unexpected normalcy amid devastation. Kids run through open fields, play games on rubble-covered roads, and find fragments of childhood in landscapes scarred by conflict. Rodrigo’s gentle vocals and subtle strings provide the emotional backbone as these unfiltered glimpses of life in crisis zones unfold on screen.

Rodrigo’s involvement extends beyond just lending her voice. The “driver’s license” singer has been outspoken about humanitarian crises, particularly in Gaza. Last July, she posted on Instagram: “There are no words to describe the heartbreak I feel witnessing the devastation that is being inflicted upon innocent people… it is horrific and completely unacceptable. To give up on them is to give up on our shared humanity”.

The HELP (2) album channels that sentiment into action. Recorded largely over a single week at London’s Abbey Road Studios last November, the project was overseen by producer James Ford. He specifically recalled Rodrigo’s studio session in an interview with Billboard. “I talked Olivia into doing what we were calling a ‘Sinatra-style’ take, which was recording live with a string section,” Ford said. “She was such a pro and was happy to take a gung-ho approach to it, she just walked into the studio and nailed it”.

Rodrigo shared her excitement on Instagram Stories, writing: “HELP (2) is out now and every stream and purchase supports @warchilduk in their efforts to help children living through the unthinkable. So many wonderful artists I admire are on the album and I am honored to have been able to be a part of it”.

The statistics behind HELP (2) are staggering. When the original Help compilation dropped in 1995, approximately 10% of the world’s children lived in conflict zones. Today, that figure has nearly doubled to 19%, affecting 520 million children worldwide. One in five children globally is now at risk of losing their childhood to war.

War Child UK’s Head of Music Rich Clarke emphasized the urgency. “HELP (2) is a powerful example of what can happen when the music industry comes together around a shared purpose,” he said. “It has united a diverse group of artists and creatives in support of War Child’s vital work with children affected by the devastating impacts of war”.

Proceeds from the album fund emergency aid, education, mental health support, and child protection programs in conflict zones including Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

HELP (2) spans 23 tracks, blending original songs, reinterpretations, and collaborative recordings. Highlights include Arctic Monkeys’ “Opening Night”, their first new music in four years, Fontaines D.C. covering Sinéad O’Connor’s “Black Boys on Mopeds,” and a supergroup featuring Damon Albarn, Grian Chatten, and Kae Tempest on “Flags”.

Beyond the video, Glazer also contributed the album’s artwork. His creative vision tied the entire project together, ensuring the children’s perspectives remained central.

Rodrigo’s cover of “The Book of Love” features guitarist Graham Coxon of Blur, adding another layer of British music royalty to an already stacked lineup.

For Rodrigo, the release comes amid growing anticipation for her third studio album, tentatively titled OR3. The 23-year-old has been teasing new music, and producer Dan Nigro recently confirmed they’re “finishing records”. While no release date has been announced, fans are already praising her evolved vocals based on HELP (2) snippets.

But for now, the focus remains on the children holding the cameras. Their footage doesn’t just accompany Rodrigo’s song, it transforms it. What emerges isn’t a celebrity charity video with distant suffering. It’s children showing the world exactly who they are: not just victims, but kids who still know how to play.