Rihanna, Elton John, Shakira, and Other Artists Recognized on TIME 100 Philanthropists List
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Rihanna, Elton John, and Shakira, renowned for their musical achievements, are now being recognized by TIME for their significant philanthropic contributions.
On May 14, the publication unveiled its inaugural TIME100 Philanthropy list, featuring these three stars. Rihanna earned a spot in the Trailblazers section for her Clara Lionel Foundation, established in 2012 following her grandmother’s death from cancer complications. The foundation has since directed over $100 million toward charitable initiatives, focusing on climate change, arts, education, and healthcare in the Caribbean, the United States, and East Africa.
Sir Elton John and his husband, David Furnish, were acknowledged for their decades-long advocacy for HIV/AIDS awareness through the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Shakira was also recognized for her contributions to education in Colombia, where her Barefoot Foundation has trained hundreds of thousands of teachers and established several schools. Additionally, Willie Nelson joined the list for cofounding the annual Farm Aid concert and his ongoing support for disaster relief, veterans, and victims of the 9/11 attacks. Chance The Rapper was honored for his work with public schools in Chicago through his nonprofit, SocialWorks.
“Working with editors and correspondents around the world,” TIME explained the selection process, “we winnowed an initial pool down to 100 individuals representing the most compelling stories in philanthropy today, in a field that moves more than $1 trillion globally each year.”
“We hope to inspire others to give and to consider the profound impact that this field has on our future,” added TIME.
The list also includes prominent charitable figures such as Idris and Sabrina Elba, Susan and Michael Dell, filmmaker Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, along with soccer star Lionel Messi. TIME is well-known for its annual roundups celebrating influential figures across various fields. Notably, its 2026 Most Influential list featured artists like JENNIE from BLACKPINK, Luke Combs, and Noah Kahan, with contributions from Gracie Abrams, Ed Sheeran, and Marcus Mumford, alongside Dakota Johnson, whom Taylor Swift recently commended for her authenticity.
