Take That and Katy Perry among stars to perform at concert for King’s coronation
By Lily Ford, Multimedia Producer
Take That, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie are among the musical stars who will perform at the King's coronation concert, it has been revealed.
The event will take place on May 7 in the grounds of Windsor Castle in front of a crowd of 20,000 members of the public and invited guests after the official crowning of Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort.
The concert will have a star-studded line-up, including Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli, Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel, and classical-soul composer Alexis Ffrench, with more acts to be announced soon.
The BBC has said Take That’s performance will feature three of the original members, Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen.
Robbie Williams and Jason Orange have also secured invites, being offered the opportunity to join their former bandmates for a one-off reunion.
In previous years Williams has joined the remaining trio, including for a virtual charity show during the pandemic.
The group have performed at many Royal Variety Performances over the years, with Barlow also curating the concert outside Buckingham Palace for the late Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012.
Barlow, Donald and Owen said: “This will be our first live show since the Odyssey Tour, four years ago in 2019, and what a stage to come back on.
“A huge live band and orchestra, a choir, military drummers, the backdrop of Windsor Castle and the celebration of a new King. We can’t wait."
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Katy Perry, who is regarded as one of the biggest pop stars in the world, having produced a string of number one albums, said she is “excited” to perform at the concert.
She said: “I am excited to be performing at the Coronation Concert, and helping to shine a further light on the British Asian Trust’s Children’s Protection Fund, whose work includes on-ground initiatives to fundraising, with the aim to find solutions to child trafficking."
Meanwhile, Grammy-winner Lionel Richie said he is "honoured" to perform for the King.
“To share the stage with the other performers at the Coronation Concert is a once-in-a-lifetime event and it will be an honour and a celebration," he said.
During the concert, Bocelli and Sir Bryn will perform a duet of an “iconic song of love and collective solidarity”.
North London singer-songwriter Freya Ridings will also perform a duet with classical composer, producer and pianist Ffrench.
The show will feature a performance from the Coronation Choir, created with community choirs and amateur singers from across the UK.
They will appear alongside the Virtual Choir, which is made up of singers from across the Commonwealth for a special performance on the night.
The centrepiece of the concert will be the Lighting Up The Nation, where locations across the UK will light up using projections, lasers, drone displays and illuminations.
The concert will be broadcast live from the grounds of Windsor Castle on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.
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