Imagine Dragons headlining second annual LoveLoud concert this Saturday

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Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds addresses an audience at the 2017 LOVELOUD Festival in Orem. This year’s festival will be held in Salt Lake City and will feature Imagine Dragons, Zedd, and Apple CEO Tim Cook. (The LOVELOUD Foundation)

The second annual LOVELOUD Festival will be held at Rice Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday, July 28.

Imagine Dragons, ZEDD, Grace Vanderwaal, and Mike Shinoda all headline the concert, which is being held in support of LGBTQ teens in Utah. Proceeds from the concert will go directly to LGBTQ charities including Encircle, the Tegan and Sara Foundation, and national helpline Trevor Project.

Dan Reynolds, the lead singer of Imagine Dragons, created the LoveLoud Foundation in 2017 because he was concerned about the suicide rate for LGBTQ youth in Utah. This year, Apple CEO Tim Cook will be present at the event.

Having Cook at the event “sends a clear message to LGBTQ youth that they have unlimited potential to achieve their dreams,” Reynolds said.  “Tim is an unwavering advocate for human rights and equality, and we’re thrilled he’ll be joining our powerful line-up of speakers and performers.”

According to the LoveLoud website, “LGBTQ+ youth in unaccepting homes and communities are eight times more likely to commit suicide.”

In a video shared on the LoveLoud website, several LGBTQ individuals share their struggles and encourage others to “love loud.” One Utah teen said in the video that “Utah is beautiful but it is isolated.”

“Every night I would pray that I would wake up and I would be normal,” another teen said.

The foundation’s website says its purpose is to “Ignite the vital conversation about what it means to unconditionally love, understand, accept and support our LGBTQ+ friends and family.”

The LoveLoud festival invites people of all ages to attend. Tickets can be purchased in advance here. Doors open at 2:00 p.m. and the concert begins at 3:30 p.m.

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