The legend himself, @nilerodgers! Come and join Nile on Sunday 19 December with performances from Sir @rodstewart, @ImeldaOfficial, @JessGillamSax and more!

Don’t miss out on what will be an unforgettable evening. Sign up today: https://t.co/e4JusZfgxh pic.twitter.com/nKkl4O99ST

— Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy (@nordoffrobbins) December 9, 2021

All proceeds from the event were donated to Nordoff Robbins to ensure that the continuation of the charities positive influence. The donated funds will enable the charity’s music therapists to continue their important work to utilise music’s power to help those suffering from mental and physical difficulties. A statement from the charity’s website describes their work, “At Nordoff Robbins, we stand for music and believe in the value of music for all people in our society. Our vision is to live in a world where through music therapy, human potential is recognised regardless of profound disability, illness or social exclusion.”

The annual fundraising concert was hosted by music icon Nile Rodgers and included headline acts Sir Rod Stewart, Imelda May and Jess Gillam. Sir Stewart treated ticketholders to a setlist including the hit single “Have I Told You Lately” and the festive classic “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”. The singer then concluded the show with an improvised rendition of the classic “Shake, Rattle And Roll”. Dublin born singer also delighted the audience with a set including her 2021 hit “Don’t Let Me Stand On My Own” as well as a reading of her poem “Home”. May was also joined on stage by Sir Stewart and the duo performed an emotional duet of “Grace”. Gillam also adhered to the festive theme and performed a rendition of “Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence”.  The event’s host also took to Instagram to announce the event, within the post Rodgers also provided link to the charity.

 

 

 

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The event also saw performances from Shakira, Eurythmics Songbook featuring David A. Stewart along with special guest Beverley Knight, Enrique Iglesias and Lindsey Buckingham, The event’s host Nile Rodgers also performed with his band CHIC, all acts performed at St. Luke’s Church and all performances are available to stream. The event’s stream also features accessible sets from previous years’ line up, past acts available to stream include Neil Young and Robbie Williams.

The Christmas concert also included a treat for literature fans, actors gave readings from celebrated texts. Clarke Peters read from The Journey of the Magi by T.S Eliot, the American actor is best known for his work in The Wire. The Darkling Thrush by Thomas Hardy was read by English actress Alice Eve and Rory Bremmer read from King John’s Christmas by A.A. Milne.

The event’s host Nile Rodgers has given the following statement expressing the charities’ importance, “Get together with family and friends and settle down for a musical treat from the comfort of your own sofa for Christmas carols with a difference as The Stars Come Out To Sing At Christmas 2021 – to help raise vital funds for a whole range of people who need it most, including children with autism who rely on music therapy for a sense of connection and those affected by life-limiting illnesses or disability. Nordoff Robbins believes in the value of music for all people in our society – which is why it’s so close to my heart. I understand the power of music and have witnessed how music therapy can connect people who may otherwise feel isolated or disconnected from the world. It’s the universal values that we can all express through music that brings us together in a unique way. I’m honoured to be hosting this special online concert for the second year running, bringing together some of my friends from the music world, including one of my favourites – Sir Rod Stewart – who feel just as passionately as I do about the important work of Nordoff Robbins.”

Click here to stream the concert and discover more about Nordoff Robbins.

Imelda spoke about the meaning of the seductive rock track on her Instagram saying; “That moment you know it can go either way. The sharp notion if you succumb you might just lose control. The split second decision you know might change everything with Just One Kiss. Could you resist?”

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A post shared by Imelda May (@imeldaofficial)

11 Past The Hour is Imelda’s sixth studio album. The album will feature collaborations from Noel Gallagher, Ronnie Wood and Miles Kane and also feminist thinkers and activists Gina Martin and Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu. The album was written with co-producer Time Bran and string arranger Davide Rossi.

Speaking about the album, Imelda said; “I always write with meaning and from my heart as that’s the reason I write, to connect with my own story at each particular moment and I hope therefore I connect with others during theirs, even if just for a while,” she said. “I’d like to think I can put into words and music what we all feel sometimes. We all laugh, sing, love, cry, dance, kiss, care. We all experience lust, anger, joy, worry, sorrow and hope.”

“Sometimes we stay silent and hold it all in and sometimes we dance and throw it all to the wind with abandon, but one thing is for sure is we are in this life together. Each song is a moment in my life. Each life is a moment in time. Every minute counts.”

11 Past The Hour will be out on April 23rd. Just One Kiss is out now on all platforms, the music video is down below.

We’re happy to announce that Good Night SONGS for Rebel Girls, a new album inspired by the book series – Good Night Stories is out now. This beautiful album includes Skye’s acoustic version of ‘The Only Way Is Up’. Stream. Listen. Buy – https://t.co/shnN1VLXhs pic.twitter.com/QzXoWpYvKJ

— Morcheeba (@MorcheebaBand) November 27, 2020

The British artists featuring on the new record include Pontypridd singer-songwriter Amy Wadge, covering Elton John’s seminal Goodbye Yellow Brick Road; Scottish folk-rocker KT Tunstall, who covers The Pretenders’ 1986 single Hymn To Her; Norfolk-born Brit Award winner Beth Orton, who adds her own spin to Antony and The Johnsons’ For Today I Am A Boy; and Morcheeba vocalist Skye Edwards (aka SKYE), who delivers an acoustic version of Yazz’s feelgood classic The Only Way Is Up.

Speaking about her involvement on the album, Edwards told The Shortlisted: “I’m a mother of four – two are daughters – and I love the positive inspirational message of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, so I was of course very excited to be part of the ‘Good Night Songs for Rebel Girls’. When it came to choosing which song to cover, I thought about the first record I bought on vinyl in the 80s, ‘The Only Way Is Up’, by Yazz. It has been my 12-year-old son’s primary school music teacher that suggested recording it acoustically. He’s starting a blog for his pupils called Mr Scullin’s Music Room and was interviewing my husband and I about Morcheeba and life as a musician. We got talking about Rebel Girls and that’s how it came about. He ended up playing the guitar on the track!”

Elsewhere there are appearances on the album from British-Indian sitar maestro Anoushka Shankar; Sussex singer-songwriter Marie White, the winner of the Glastonbury’s Emerging Talent competition in 2019; and Cumbrian saxophonist Jess Gilliam, who presents a reimagining of the Carole King masterpiece You’ve Got A Friend.

The LP has a distinctly international flavour, with further contributions from Ireland’s Imelda May; Norway’s Aurora; Italian singer and model Elodie; Belgian instrumentalist Lubiana; South Korean singer Somin; and Lyon multi-instrumentalist Pomme. The record also features tracks from two bona fide American legends, with intriguing cameos from punk rock godmother Joan Jett (performing her own track Fresh Start) and soul-pop songstress Anastacia, who brings her own brand of gusto to Kelly Clarkson’s 2012 mega-hit Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You).

The full track listing for Goodnight Songs For Rebel Girls is as follows:

1 Beloved – Imelda May
2 Girl on Fire – Lubiana
3 The Only Way is Up – SKYE
4 Thank You – Aurora
5 Stronger – Anastacia
6 Fresh Start – Joan Jett
7 Brass in Pocket – Ani DiFranco
8 Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood – Tank and the Bangas
9 Hymn to Her – KT Tunstall
10 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Amy Wadge
11 Issues – Marie White
12 For Today I am a Boy – Beth Orton
13 You’ve Got a Friend – Jess Gillam
14 Joga – Anoushka Shankar
15 Beautiful – Somin
16 Va Tu Sei Libero (You Don’t Own Me) – Elodie
17 The Park – Pomme

The series is being done by Irish music magazine Hot Press and all of the covers are on their YouTube channel. Speaking about the event, Hot Press editor Niall Stokes said; “The result is a feast of extraordinary music, brilliantly delivered by artists from all over the island of Ireland. This is a hugely deserved tribute to a brilliant, internationally acclaimed artist from East Belfast. But Rave On, Van Morrison has also turned into a powerful confirmation of the outstanding talent that exists in this extraordinary place on the eastern edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Long may it continue.”

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To mark Van Morrison’s 75th birthday on August 31, Ireland’s @hotpressmagazine has curated musical tributes by 75 exceptional artists, to be broadcast to the world via YouTube, in August and September. Follow the link in the bio to watch the series so far.

A post shared by Van Morrison (@vanmorrisonofficial) on Aug 10, 2020 at 7:18am PDT

The impressive line-up includes Hozier, Imelda May, Una Healy, Glen Hansard and Mary Coughlan to name a few. There was even a contribution from President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins. The poet and one-time culture minister took on a spoken word version of Rave On John Donne and changed the words to honour the late American politician and civil-rights leader John Lewis. President Higgins was also joined by Bill Whelan, composer of the Irish dancing show Riverdance.

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Taking the #RaveOnVanMorrison Birthday Celebrations to the next level for the man himself’s big day! We are delighted to be announcing back to back performances on our YouTube tonight from 7pm GMT+1 It’s our absolute honor to have President Michael D. Higgins starting tonight’s proceedings of the impressive line up of showcases we have for you this evening. #VanTheMan @presidentirl

A post shared by Hot Press (@hotpressmagazine) on Aug 31, 2020 at 2:42am PDT

Van Morrison is a Northern-Irish, who shot to fame in the 60’s when he was a part of Northern Irish R&B and rock band, Them. His solo career lead to great hits such as Brown Eyed Girl, Moondance and Jackie Wilson Said (I’m in Heaven When You Smile).  He has received two Grammy Awards, the 1994 Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music, the 2017 Americana Music Lifetime Achievement Award for Song Writing and has been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

The Rave On, Van Morrison event will run until Sunday September 15th. You can watch all of the covers on the Hot Press YouTube channel, here.