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Kasabian’s Lead Singer Serge Pizzorno Honoured With Doctorate By University Of Leicester

Marie Choquet — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 07:40:29 +0000

Kasabian’s lead singer Serge Pizzorno was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Music by the University of Leicester on July 16, at a summer ceremony held at De Montfort Hall. The singer, songwriter and record producer has been a driving force behind the band’s incredible success, which includes seven UK number one albums, placing them as an iconic elite group alongside other bands such as Blur, Muse and The Prodigy.

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A post shared by Sergio Pizzorno (@the_s.l.p)

Pizzorno also delivered a speech to the graduating class, saying: “I’d like to give a huge thank you to the university for this incredible honour, and all of you graduating today, nice one, let’s have a round of applause for you all. I encourage you to embrace the scary stuff, because that’s where the magic lives. Play with ideas, play with failure, play like it matters and sometimes play like it doesn’t. When you find something you love, pursue it with everything you’ve got.”

The city of Leicester is quite special to the band as that is where the members met, south of the city, at schools in Countesthorpe. The band’s 27-year tenure has seen countless highlights, including a headline slot at Glastonbury in 2014 and memorable performances at Victoria Park, near the University Campus but also, notably celebrating Leicester City FC’s Premier League title in 2016 with a show.

On top of being a key member to Kasabian, Pizzorno has had a massive creative input in the music industry, composing for films like London Boulevard in 2010, collaborating with famous comedian Noel Fielding on Noel Fielding’s Luxury Comedy as part of the project Loose Tapestries, and releasing a solo album called ‘THE S.L.P’ in 2019.

University President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nishan Canagarajah praised the singer’s impact: “This homegrown talent has not only delivered his iconic brand of music to vast audiences worldwide but here too in Victoria Park – helping Leicester celebrate huge moments of joy through our local football team and adding to the fantastic vibrancy of our multi-cultural city. Sergio has undoubtedly helped put the city of Leicester on the map and this accolade today is our way of acknowledging this and our sense of pride in his achievements.”

The singer told the BBC it was “mad” that after nearly 20 years they were still able to go out and perform in front of thousands of people all over the world. “Usually you’re on your way out 20 years in, everyone’s kind of going ‘oh thanks, move along’, but it’s kind of getting bigger and better than ever,” he said. Asked if he had any advice for those graduating today, he said: “Just try and enjoy life because it goes like that. “So don’t sweat the big stuff, the small stuff – just enjoy it.”

Stormzy To Receive Honorary Doctorate From Cambridge University

Marie Choquet — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 09:56:26 +0000

London rapper Stormzy has been announced as one of the eight distinguished individuals to be awarded an honorary doctorate from the university of Cambridge in 2025. The eight nominees will all be formally admitted at a special Congregation in the Senate-House on June 25 as the event is presided over the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Deborah Prentice. Students, alumni, specially invited guests and staff will be attending.

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Stormzy will receive a Doctorate in Law from the University in June in recognition of his work towards education, music, sport and literature. This will be the second honorary doctorate the rapper receives, following his first from Exeter University back in 2022.

Back in 2018, the UK artist launched the Stormzy Scholarship at Cambridge which was set to fun two black British students every year by covering their tuition fees and maintenance costs. The rise of black students in Cambridge has since seen a rise of 50%. Indeed, in 2021, the programme saw itself being expanded after bank HSBC UK agreed to support an additional ten students per year. Today, there are 55 students that have benefited from the scholarship. This project led to a rise in applications across the UK, often referred to as the ‘Stormzy Effect’.

To be eligible for a Stormzy Scholarship, applicants must:

Have one of the following categories of ethnicity:
- Black African
- Black Caribbean
- Black Other
- Mixed – White and Black Caribbean
- Mixed – White and Black African
- Other mixed background (to include Black African, Black Caribbean or Black Other)
Have a confirmed place for entry to the University of Cambridge for a first undergraduate degree, and due to commence study in October 2024. (You can check the status of your offer on UCAS Hub.)
Be a UK student and have been assessed for fee status as ‘home’. You were advised of your fee status in the offer letter issued to you earlier this year. If you are in doubt, please contact the Cambridge College that has offered you a place.
Have applied to Student Finance (England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland) for a tuition fee loan and maintenance loan, and have received confirmation that you have been assessed and will receive financial support. An income assessment must have been conducted and consent given to share the information with the University. Please note that if you are awarded a Stormzy Scholarship you will be able to reduce the amount of loan you take out to zero, but you will still need an income assessment from Student Finance to be able to receive the Cambridge Bursary.

Other honorands on the day include the likes Sir Simon Russell Beale, Professor Angela Davis, Lady Arden of Heswall, Dame Katherine Grainger, Sir Oliver Hart, Maria Leptin and Sir John Rutter.