Bruce Springsteen was honored with the 2026 Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award by the Tribeca Festival in New York City Saturday.
After an opening speech by Tribeca founders Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal, U2 frontman Bono introduced Springsteen, noting, “Bruce made poetry from the voices of the people and set that poetry to music. We honor him tonight as a musician and poet and as an activist and a patriot.”
During the pair’s discussion, they touched on the current divisive political climate and Springsteen’s most recent protest tour.
“I don’t even really consider myself an activist,” Bruce said at one point. “I’m a little embarrassed to get this award tonight cause I feel like at best I’m a concerned citizen.”
He added, “What do I do, you know, I sing my songs, I say a few things and wish for the best.” “There’s so many people … who do so much more than I do,” he noted, pointing to Bono as one of them.
In a lighter moment, Bono talked about trying to get Springsteen to let them use his 2008 song “Girls in Their Summer Clothes” for a Gap ad tied to Bono’s (RED) campaign, with Bruce turning him down.
“That was a big mistake,” Springsteen said. “That was just a song that, I love that song. Damn it, I still think back: ‘Bono asked you to put this thing on a commercial on television.’ I should have f***** done it! People would hear it like a hit, you know? So I have to apologize.”
The afternoon ended with Patti Smith, backed by Tony Shanahan, performing “Peaceable Kingdom,” with a snippet of “People Have the Power.” Then Springsteen and Bono joined them for a full rendition of “People Have the Power.”
Springsteen wrapped the event with a solo acoustic performance of his 2012 track “Land of Hope and Dreams.”
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