We’ve been overwhelmed by the support from all the incredible artists & celebrities who will be helping to raise vital funds for our music therapy on Tue 15 Dec for our Christmas concert #SingForNordoffRobbins https://t.co/yt5APxGrNs @HipgnosisSongs @LSEplc @openexc @YourSSE pic.twitter.com/Rqmq6Po9M0

— Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy (@NordoffRobbins1) December 10, 2020

The list of performers for the virtual concert includes Cliff Richard; Rod Stewart; Robbie Williams; Manic Street Preachers frontman James Dean Bradfield; Simple Minds; Neil Young; Tony Bennett; Kaiser Chiefs; Rebecca Ferguson; Freya Ridings; Jack Savoretti and soul songstress Mica Paris. There will also be appearances from Led Zeppelin troubadour Robert Plant, The Who’s Roger Daltrey and Coloradan pop-rockers OneRepublic.

The musical sets will be interspersed with traditional and topical Christmas readings from British stars of stage and screen. Speakers will include Bill Nighy; Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and Rebecca star Lily James; actor, playwright and singer Kwame Kwei-Armah; Olivier Award winner Noma Dumezweni; and Freddie Fox.

Nordoff Robbins – founded in 1959 by Handsworth-born special education teacher Clive Robbins and American composer and pianist Paul Nordoff – helps provide therapy to music to those affected by life-limiting illness, isolation or disability. The charity works with  over 270 organisations across the UK; including schools, care homes, hospitals, mental health units, hospices, and neuro-rehab centres.

Previewing the gig this week, the charity’s Instagram page states: “Nordoff Robbins has been severely impacted by #COVID-19. Most of our fundraising activities have been cancelled, meaning we are expecting to lose over 50% of our income in 2020, putting music therapy at risk of stopping for the people who need it most. Our #SingForNordoffRobbins online Christmas concert will help raise vital funds for our music therapy.”

Host Nile Rodgers, the guitar behemoth behind the iconic sound of Chic and Sister Sledge, t0ld Music Week that he had a personal connection with the charity. He said “Nordoff Robbins music therapy is a charity close to my heart as I’ve witnessed the power of music first hand. I’ve seen how music connects with people all over the world in a way that nothing else can so when I heard that Nordoff Robbins were taking their annual carol service online, I jumped at the chance to host the event and to bring along some of my closest musical friends to help spread some Christmas cheer.”

The veteran hit-maker added “I know how hard this year has been for everyone, in particular charities. Because of the pandemic, Nordoff Robbins are expecting to lose much of their fundraising income. This means they are able to help less people, including children with autism who rely on music therapy for a sense of connection or those affected by life-limiting illnesses or disability – even though their services are needed now more than ever.“

Director of music at BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra, David Price, recognised the extreme decline in UK chart entries; ten years previous to the launch of the playlist, the number of entries was as high as 230 but has since dropped to 86. He decided that Radio 1 was going to do all that it could to help British artists further their career and reach further success in the charts – it gives these rising British sensations the final break that they need.

Mahalia had a successful year in 2018, after the release of her breakthrough single ‘Sober’ in July 2017. She was nominated for Critics Choice Awards at the Brits, and was included in the BBC Sound of 2019, on top of this, she was named YouTube’s ‘One to Watch’. With Mahalia having a place on Radio 1’s Brit List, her next three songs are guaranteed a place on the stations playlist.

Her latest track ‘Do Not Disturb’ was released in March this year and has already reached over four million streams on Spotify, following in the footsteps of previous singles with a high of seventeen million streams. It almost sounds as though Mahalia has reached this point of success in the space of two years, but this is far from the truth; she has been signed to her record label ‘Atlantic Records’ since she was 13, and has toured the US with the ‘Boo’d Up’ soul sensation Ella Mae. Mahalia has thanked BBC Radio 1 stating she “feels overwhelmed to feel this kind of support” and that being added to the Brit List is “the best news she could have had this year”.

Freya Ridings rose to success in 2018 after her breakthrough track ‘Lost Without You’ featured on the popular show ‘Love Island’. The song attracted a significant amount of recognition and quickly  became Scott Mill’s ‘Tune of the Week’ on his Radio 1 show – the Brit List is therefore not the first time Ridings has received support from Radio 1’s DJ’s.

Her latest track ‘You Mean the World To Me’ was released in March, with the video featuring Game of Thrones star ‘Maisie Williams’ and co-directed by William’s co-star ‘Lena Headley’ and of course has received widespread positive acclaim. Ridings expressed her gratitude via Facebook and Instagram yesterday describing the feature as “an absolute honour that I can’t get over”. 

Previous artists that have been featured on the Brit List include Stormzy, Pale Waves, Lewis Capaldi, Anne Marie and many more – names that are now recognised worldwide. We hope to see both Freya and Mahalia reach the same levels of success.