Coronation concert line-up: Who will be performing?

With just days to go until King Charles ascends to the throne, many want to know what the Coronation Concert line-up will look like.

King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla will celebrate their ascension to the throne with the Coronation Concert on 7 May, which promises to bring both global music icons and contemporary stars together. While February saw the public eager to know how to get Coronation Concert tickets and the Royal roles at King Charles’ coronation revealed, now attention has turned to the line-up for the event.

The late Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee saw a star-studded array of artists perform at the royal celebration - including Diana Ross, Sam Ryder, Elton John and Craig David - suggesting the upcoming Coronation Concert will be an equally unmissable affair.

Coronation Concert line-up

Take That, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Andrea Bocelli, Sir Bryn Terfel, Freya Ridings and Alexis Ffrench were all confirmed as the first performers for the Coronation Concert. Since then, Paloma Faith, Nicole Scherzinger and Olly Murs have also all been announced.

Appearing alongside them will be singer-songwriters Tiwa Savage and Steve Winwood, Bollywood star Sonam Kapoor, internationally renowned pianist Lang Lang, DJ Pete Tong, singer Vula, and emerging artist JERUB.

A number of famous faces will also be making an appearance in a number of pre-recorded segments revealing little-known facts about King Charles, and these include Tom Cruise, Dame Joan Collins, Sir Tom Jones, Bear Grylls OBE, Oti Mabuse and Disney's Winnie the Pooh.

Alongside the star-studded line-up, Buckingham Palace has said that the Coronation Concert will see an exclusive appearance from The Coronation Choir - made up community choirs and amateur singers from across the UK - as well as The Virtual Choir, made up of singers from across the Commonwealth.

Take That

Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen have performed at many Royal Variety Performances over the years and supported The Prince’s Trust charity. 

The band have said ahead of the concert: "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."

The coronation performance isn't the only exciting thing for fans, as the new Take That movie Greatest Days is also coming out in June.

Lionel Richie

International superstar Lionel Richie was appointed as The Prince’s Trust’s first Global Ambassador and Chairman of the Global Ambassador Group in 2019. 

He said: "To share the stage with the other performers at The Coronation Concert is a once-in-a-lifetime event and it will be an honor and a celebration."

Katy Perry

Perry was appointed an ambassador of The British Asian Trust, a charity founded by The King when Prince of Wales, in 2020. She is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and her own Firework Foundation, which empowers children through the arts. 

Katy Perry has said ahead of the concert: "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."

Andrea Bocelli and Sir Bryn Terfel

Maestro Andrea Bocelli and Sir Bryn Terfel will perform a duet for the concert. 

Bocelli - who sponsors an annual scholarship programme at The Royal College of Music through the Andrea Bocelli Foundation - has said of the Coronation Concert: "I have had the great honour of singing for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on several occasions. It is now another great honour to be asked to perform at the Coronation Concert of King Charles III. My joy and excitement is multiplied as I have the chance to duet with my dear friend and superb baritone, Sir Bryn Terfel, performing an iconic song of love and collective solidarity."

Meanwhile, Sir Bryn Terfel - who was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to Opera in 2003 and received a knighthood for his services to music in 2017 - said of the occasion: "Having sung at numerous events that were connected to the patronages King Charles held as the Prince of Wales, it is an incredible honour to be singing now at the Coronation of His Majesty The King, Charles III. I am also delighted to be performing at the celebratory concert in Windsor, another opportunity for me to sing with my great friend and colleague, the wonderful Italian tenor, Maestro Andrea Bocelli."

Freya Ridings and Alexis Ffrench

Singer songwriter Freya Ridings will perform a duet with classical composer, producer and pianist Alexis Ffrench.

Ffrench is a passionate advocate for music education and he serves as a Governor and Trustee of the Royal Academy of Music. He said of the Coronation Concert: "To have been invited to perform in the Coronation Concert held in celebration of His Majesty King Charles III is an honour of the utmost magnitude. Such moments are unequivocally iconic and exceedingly rare, and I am delighted to share the stage with the wonderfully talented Freya Ridings on this momentous occasion."

Frey Riding added, "I feel truly overwhelmed and in awe of the opportunity to sing at the Coronation of His Majesty Charles III - it feels like a “pinch me” once in a life time moment in history and I’m feeling very honoured to have been asked. Excited to be playing with a wonderful orchestra and alongside the incredible Alexis Ffrench on piano!"

Paloma Faith

Award-winning singer, songwriter, actor and TV personality Paloma Faith has released five critically acclaimed platinum-selling albums and collected dozens of awards, as well as appearing as a judge on The Voice UK and The Voice Kids.

Tiwa Savage

Tiwa Savage is a Nigeria-born singer-songwriter whose blend of Afrobeats, R&B, pop and hip-hop earned her an MTV Europe Music Award for Best African Act, making her the first woman to win in the category.

Speaking ahead of the coronation concert, she said: "It’s truly an honour to be representing Africa and the Commonwealth at such an historic event. I look forward to joining the celebrations and bringing Afrobeats to Windsor Castle for the first time!"

Steve Winwood

Singer-songwriter Steve Winwood has sold over 50 million records in the course of his five-decade career as a rock 'n' roll star. At the coronation concert, he will sing alongside the Commonwealth virtual choir.

Winwood has said: "I was alive and just about remember the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and I, together with millions and millions of other people all around the globe, am a lifelong monarchist. So to be included in the Coronation celebrations of Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla is for me a lifetime achievement for which I’m extremely humbled and honoured."

Sonam Kapoor

Award-winning Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor will introduce the performance from the Commonwealth virtual choir with an an uplifting spoken word piece.

She has said ahead of the event: "I am honoured to join the Commonwealth virtual choir, celebrating His Majesty's love for music and art. It's a momentous occasion that signifies a commitment to a positive, inclusive, and optimistic future for the United Kingdom, with the choir's music paying tribute to the royal legacy and promoting unity, peace, and joy."

Lang Lang

Lang Lang has sold millions of albums around the world and has been named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by TIME magazine. He is also committed to charitable causes, including the Lang Lang Music Foundation.

He has said of the coronation concert: "I have had the honour of playing for King Charles and was humbled to receive my honorary doctorate at the Royal College of Music from him. I have come to know him as a big supporter of classical music. I look forward to performing a track from Mulan for this unique musical celebration with great joy."

Nicole Scherzinger

Pop star Nicole Scherzinger - who is best known as lead singer and founding member of girl group The Pussycat Dolls and a judge on hit TV shows including The X Factor - will perform alongside Lang Lang.

She has said: "I am incredibly honoured to be a part of such a historic event. The UK has been my home away from home for many years now, so this means so much to me to be lending my voice through the gift of song. The piece I will be singing is such a powerful, moving song. And to be sharing the stage with Lang Lang will be a dream come true; a once-in-a-lifetime performance."

Olly Murs

Olly Murs is a singer and TV presenter. He has had four number one singles and five number one albums. He was a coach on five consecutive series of The Voice and the host of ITV’s Starstruck, in which he helped members of the public make their musical dreams come true.

Murs said, "It’s such an honour to be asked to perform for King Charles’ Coronation concert at such an iconic castle. An event that will go down in history, and one I’ll be proud to tell my kids about one day."

Pete Tong, featuring Vula and JERUB

Pete Tong Ibiza Classics, featuring vocals from Vula and JERUB, will kick off the evening’s celebrations. The Ibiza Classics project was initially conceived as a one-off for the Proms classical music festival in 2015, reimagining some of the most loved dance music anthems for an orchestra to celebrate 20 years of Radio One in Ibiza.

Tong said, "Such an honour to play at the Coronation Concert alongside my fellow performers . It’s a moment in history, it’s going to be a very special celebration. We are bringing Ibiza Classics."

Meanwhile, Vula said, "It is always a pleasure to be on stage with the legendary Pete Tong. I am looking forward to being involved with the opening of such a historical event."

Who has declined to perform at the Coronation Concert?

Though organisers have remained tight-lipped about who will be part of the Coronation concert line-up, many whisperings have emerged as to who has turned down the offer. Artists including Elton John, Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran and Kylie Minogue are all rumoured to have turned down the opportunity because of prior commitments. 

Elton John is unable to perform at the Coronation Concert due to his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, and similarly Harry Styles' Love On Tour clashes with the coronation.

It has also been reported that Ed Sheeran had turned down the opportunity to perform at the event, as he is due to perform in Texas the day before. However, a representative for the musician told Metro that he had not been approached about performing.

Kylie Minogue was also hotly tipped to attend the Coronation Concert, but a spokesperson for the Australian singer told the Mirror: "Kylie unfortunately won’t be able to perform at The Coronation as she will be out of the country at that time."

What time is the Coronation Concert?

The Coronation Concert will begin at 8pm on Sunday 7 May. According to the government website, members of the public can access the St James’s Park screening site from 4pm, however the screens may not be broadcasting until the concert begins.

Access to the screening site is free, and the screen will be located near the Marlborough Gate, with food and drink available too.

In addition, the concert will be broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds, and supported across the BBC network.

Related features: 

• What time is the coronation of King Charles III?
• How to watch King Charles' coronation on TV
• Are trains running on coronation day?
• Where will King Charles III's coronation take place?
• Are Prince Harry and Meghan going to the coronation?
• Are schools closed for the coronation of King Charles III?

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