Julian Lennon once vowed never to perform his late father John Lennon’s song “Imagine,” but the war in Ukraine led him to make an exception to that promise.

The 59-year-old singer sang a stunning rendition of the song as part of Global Citizen’s social media rally, Stand Up For Ukraine, which is working to raise money for the embattled country amid Russia’s brutal war. Nuno Bettencourt accompanied Lennon on guitar as they performed in a dark room illuminated by dozens of candles. In the video’s description, Lennon penned a message where he explained why he decided to perform a song he had never planned to sing publicly.

“The War on Ukraine is an unimaginable tragedy. As a human and an artist, I felt compelled to respond in the most significant way I could,” Lennon wrote. “So today, for the first time ever, I publicly performed my Dad’s song, IMAGINE. Why now, after all these years? — I had always said that the only time I would ever consider singing ‘IMAGINE’ would be if it was the ‘End of the World’…But also because his lyrics reflect our collective desire for peace worldwide.”

Lennon continued, “Because, within this song, we’re transported to a space, where love and togetherness become our reality, if but for a moment in time. The song reflects the light at the end of the tunnel that we are all hoping for.”

“As a result of the ongoing murderous violence, millions of innocent families have been forced to leave the comfort of their homes, to seek asylum elsewhere,” Lennon concluded his message. “I’m calling on world leaders and everyone who believes in the sentiment of IMAGINE to stand up for refugees everywhere! Please advocate and donate from the heart. #StandUpForUkraine.”

Lennon is the son of John Lennon and his first wife, Cynthia Lennon. The couple wed in August 1962 but split six years later, in November 1968, when their son was only five years old. The former Beatle married Yoko Ono in 1969, and the couple had a son, Sean Ono Lennon, in 1975.

Ono Lennon has performed multiple of his late father’s songs in the past. Most recently, he shared a cover of his 1970 song “Isolation” on his YouTube channel to honor what would have been his father’s 80th birthday in 2020. At the end of 2018, he also joined Miley Cyrus and Mark Ronson on “Saturday Night Live” to perform his parents’ song “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).”

In 2017, Lennon released a children’s book called “Touch the Earth,” which became a way he could connect with his past after a tumultuous childhood and relationship with his father, who was killed in 1980. As tragic as it is, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has brought the world together in unexpected ways. It’s made people more compassionate for their fellow man, making people want to do anything they can to help. While the dynamics of this invasion change daily, it’s comforting to see that the world isn’t as evil as we thought it was.