Sting’s singalong with local choir
STING surprised a choir by joining them for rehearsals of a musical inspired by his life.
The 17-time Grammy winner, 68, video-called members of The Battersea Power Station Community Choir and recorded a song with them.
Sting, whose real name is Gordon Sumner, moved to the south London borough recently and he told the amateur singers: “Battersea was the first place I lived when I moved to London in the 1970s, so I’ve come full circle now that I’m back.
“We all need our community now more than ever. Thank you for the opportunity to connect by singing together.”
The Fields of Gold singer took part in rehearsals for Hymn, a song from his musical The Last Ship. It was inspired by his 1991 album The Soul Cages and his own childhood experiences.
It tells the story of the demise of the shipbuilding industry in Tyne and Wear, with the closure of the Swan Hunter shipyard.
The choir usually meets every Thursday at a local community centre in Battersea but switched to singing together online because of the pandemic.
Choir director Sam Evans said: “It was a huge honour to have the opportunity to sing alongside Sting.
“As we are a community choir not everyone is a confident singer, but all our members have embraced the challenge and risen to it.” ● See the video at bpwrstn.com/sting