Ready to celebrate 40 years of Pink Singers? You are not going to want to miss this amazing concert! Join the party at Cadogan Hall for iconic queer anthems and badass ballads, featuring the musical mastery of Lizzo, Spice Girls, Mika, Cat Burns and many more.
Running for 1 hour and 30 minutes, the show will be balanced with choral versions of famous film scores and classical tunes, so there’s something for everyone to enjoy. All-singing, all-dancing, all-harmonising – is there anything Pink Singers can’t do? Grab a VIP entry with a glass of fizz to toast the special anniversary in style.
From £10 to £45 for VIP tickets (includes a glass of fizz & programme). Transaction fees apply.
Our latest video project was Rina Sawayama’s beautiful and poignant Chosen Family. Tenor Paul talks us through the day we recorded the video and why the message in the song means so much to him, the choir and the wider LGBT+ community.
Paul, Tenor
I woke to the sounds of a cow mooing, in what felt like 30 degree heat and 100% humidity, with a mildly hazy head and an aching spine from having slept on a roll mat in a tent in the depths of Buckinghamshire. The realisation hit me that it was video recording day. I bolted upright, and in the space of what felt like three and a half minutes, had packed the tent, and enough camping chairs to comfortably seat a large choir, into the boot of the Peugot.
Even though the sun had been up for 4 hours, my boyfriend and I realised that it wasn’t even nine am, and the A40 stretched ahead of us, and the Sunday driver traffic had already started to accumulate, so we made it to London at a reasonable pace. On our approach into the city, the blood drained out of my face, into my boots and panic took over me when I realised I hadn’t gotten those white trousers I flippantly assumed without due consideration, would probably be on sale in most mini mart outlets in rural Buckinghamshire.
“I can’t be the only one in blue jeans” I shrieked at my weary but appropriately sympathetic partner, who’s response of a gentle nod and a furrow of the brow indicated that he actually was listening and did care just enough to not make the situation worse. In a blind panic I started WhatsApping other choir members I rapidly identified as likely to have as close to a 30″ waist and a spare pair of white bottoms AND who hadn’t yet left for the shoot. Frankly, I’d have been more successful in finding a needle in a gaystack, however I persevered and fortunately our ever ready Events Manager Rachel, happened to have a spare pair for just this exact eventuality. I almost vomited with relief. (it may have been last night’s rum at the campfire, but we’ll never know) and so i eventually pulled up to the Voces8 centre in St Pauls, seven minutes late, running with a breathlessness not dissimilar to a mild asthma attack, carrying random bits of camping paraphernalia, trying to sing the tenor harmony line on loop as a final memorisation effort. Like something from a hybrid of at least three Carry On films.
The process of stopping, catching my breath, relaxing the tension in my shoulders and finally taking in the cool air of the old church into my lungs was soothing. As my respiratory rate came back to normal, I thought, Paul, settle down, put your bags down. I looked around the darkness of the old building to see a cluster of ghostly figures all in white, collectively looking nervous, excited, bewildered, and occasionally glancing up with relief that lightning had not yet smited anyone for being an LGBT+ in a holy space.
And a religious experience it was. The acoustics lightly bounced the vocals back off the marble pillars as we began to sing, and I swear the air became clearer. The video director directed us in various groups defined voice part, or random cluster, or if you were born in January, (or something like that) and as i trotted between groups between takes, holding up my unbelted size 38″ waist white jeans (beggars can’t be choosers) I fully began to appreciate the slick well oiled machine that put this project together. The few times we did takes of the ‘money note’, I can’t lie, I wiped a little tear of joy.
Scene from the video
I was having a great time. I was surrounded by some of my best friends in the world, doing the thing I love most. Best friends who didn’t care that I smelled like I had just spent three days in a field without a shower. Best friends who bizarrely resembled a bizarre cult, or extras in SClub7 christmas music video! Now, that’s why they are my chosen family. As a group, we celebrate our unique differences and also celebrate the things that are the same. Both unite us. Sometimes the similarities to my biological family are creepily echoed. Sometimes there’s tension. Sometimes there are moments of beautiful harmony. When we have a party there’s a LOT of singing, and when we’re done we’re glad to go back to our respective domiciles, whilst simultaneously relieved it’s over but secretly aching to be back with them. This wonderful project, after two lockdown virtual videos, felt liberating and exciting. We were finally able to work on projects together, and bounce off each other and give hugs. I had missed those the most and it felt like home.
The original artist, Rina Sawayarma’s lyrics encourage us to tell each other our stories, and with a diverse choir, the stories are vividly abundant. (and that’s just our beloved Soprano, Sally-Anne). There are many interesting, slightly risque, defiant, often sad, or joyful stories that educate us and inspire us, and that define us as individuals.
Today we made another one.
The moral of this story? For me, it’s to take time to listen. Don’t just wait for someone to stop talking so that you can relay your version of the discussion. The details are important, and it’s how we connect. But we’re so preoccupied with a million other things swimming around our brains, it’s easy to realise it’s been nearly a month since you called your mum or haven’t seen your bestie in weeks. This song relays the comfort and security that connections bring. Have a listen, spend some time thinking about who your chosen family might be, and how you might be able to maintain and strengthen those ties. When those ties are laid out they form the fabric of a community.
If you don’t have a community but do have a longing, then the first step may be easier than you think. Reach out. It’s a journey, and it requires effort, but it’s worth it. It might change your life. It might just be ‘quite nice’ and not half as melodramatic or barf inducingly romanticised as I’m making it out to be. As cheesy and twee as this all sounds, you might even end up making beautiful music together.
If you need someone to reach out to, then try our friends at LGBT Switchboard.
Duong talks through a busy Pride for him and the choir and how this year has been particularly poignant. He talks of how thankful he is to those who have campaigned for our rights over the past 50 years and how the past few days have given him a new perspective on being human as well as LGBTQ+.
Duong, Tenor
Wednesday 30th June
After a full on weekend performing with our friends Voces Gaudii and marching in Warsaw Pride the choir were back 72 hours later at the Science Museum lates. We’ve performed here before, so it was familiar territory and is always a fun gig. It was the first opportunity for many of our members to perform some of our new repertoire and the audience were really enthusiastic throughout our two sets. Some of us also partied into the small hours.
Friday July 1st 2022: Afternoon
Charly picked me up on the way to the Gay Liberation Front march at midday. We carried the Pink Singers’ banner, excited and happy, as we knew there would be brothers and sisters marching with us.
Fifty years is a long time in LGBTQ+ history, but it is even longer in the lifetime of human being. The Pink Singers are so fortunate to have Philip as one of our members and I am so proud of what he has done for the LGBT+ community. Philip was there in 1972. He was part of the Gay Liberation Front and he was involved in the first Pride march in London.
The original marchers reunite for the 2022 GLF march
When the original marchers from 50 years ago stood together under the rainbow flag to start the 2022 Gay Liberation Front march, I could not hold back my tears. Being queer today is not an easy life, but I realised that I have taken so much for granted. And without Philip and all the members of the GLF who stood up for what they believed in and who have relentlessly campaigned over the years, I know that my life could be so much worse.
Duong with Philip and Charlie
Philip, thank you very much for fighting for us, for teaching us not to give up and for telling your story. We love you!
Friday July 1st 2022: Evening
I went from the march to perform with the Pink Singers at the Liberal Judaism Synagogue. I confess that I know very little about religion (not just the Jewish religion, but other religions too). I grew up in a non-religious household and whilst every street has a pagoda, they were more like communal gardens than a holy place. Having said that, I am aware of being respectful of any religious space.
As with any other performance, the choir first warmed up, got organised and then got ready to be on stage. But this time things felt different. I don’t know whether there is a strong connection between the LGBTQ+ and the Jewish communities but what I did see was that music and love connected us all. The synagogue was filled with emotions from warm hearts. Audience members of all ages clapped, danced and sang with us and above all, joined our love. It was very touching that after our performance, many people came to us sharing their feelings about our music. I realised that there should be no barriers between humanity. No one was born with prejudice and no one should be judged by their sexuality, gender or faith. I learnt a beautiful lesson on that night.
Saturday, July 2nd 2022
This year The Pink Singers again sat out the main Pride in London parade while the organisers are working on some equality and diversity issues. But we still celebrated Pride by gathering at a picnic in Embankment gardens. It was a beautiful day with lots of sunshine and it was an opportunity to catch up with people that I haven’t seen in a very long time. We sang (as if we ever don’t) and felt the rainbow atmosphere from London. There were lots of Pinkies hugs and kisses after watching and waving to LGBTQ+ friends in the parade. I could not ask for more.
Sunday July 3rd 2022
To round off a full-on Pride week the choir gathered together to record the audio track of our next video. It will be super special as it is being done with a brand new artistic idea visually. All will be revealed soon…. Can you guess what song it is?
The Pink Singers trip to Warsaw to sing with our friends Voces Gaudii was our first trip abroad in over two and half years. Tenor Will gives us a run-down of all the exciting things that happened over our four-day trip.
Will, Tenor
Two years ago, I was attending a Pink Singers rehearsal over zoom alone in my flat. It had already been a tough 3 months, having to move out of London and move back in with my mum. I was away from friends, alone with my own thoughts and separated from a community who I had only just joined, still riding high from my first pinkies concert at Cadogen Hall.
Thankfully, each Sunday rehearsal added a little joy to my isolation and kept my going week-to-week. The team running the rehearsals also would share videos from the pinkies past, and in this particular rehearsal we were watching the video of the Pink Singers marching with Rainbow Voices Mumbai. It was obvious how meaningful this trip was to those who went, and looking at all my chosen family smiling, laughing and swapping anecdotes about trips past filled me with hope for the future.
Well, after over two years, the Pink Singers travelled to Warsaw to sing with Voces Gaudii. We have been in communication with the choir over the last few years and have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to speak with them and learn about their choir online. As an LGBTQ+ community, it is so important to understand the history and community of our global family. Whilst our stories may differ based on the culture, history or regime, we all share in a perseverance for progress, safety and equality. What I did not expect was to have so many personal stories in common with members of the choir, not to mention the amount we all giggled together!
On the parade
On Thursday, we had our first meeting with Voces Gaudii in Ramona Bar. It was so lovely to meet the members of the choir and the energy was electric. Our hosts had prepared traditional polish snacks and, as was the case for most of the trip, I am pretty sure I spent the evening with food close by. In true pinkies fashion, it did not take long before we were all singing in both Polish and English, and it was amazing how quickly the two choirs blended their voices.
Friday was concert day. After a lovely morning with the pinkies exploring the old town of Warsaw, we travelled to Kino Elektronik ready to perform. I am sure that it was a concert that none of us will ever forget and Voces Gaudii blew us all away. The weaving of beautiful traditional Polish anthems, to the power house performances of Muse’s “Uprising” and the particularly camp rendition of the Spice Girls “Wannabe” were particular highlights. However, performing “Born This Way” with Voces Gaudii blew the roof of the building! We spent the rest of the night in a local LGBTQ+ karaoke bar, dancing and singing the night away in metaphorical (and literal) perfect harmony!
Will with Keri and Rachel
On Saturday we marched in the Equality March. Although no official figures have yet been released, we were informed that it was the largest LGBTQ+ event in Warsaw to date. This was my first pride-like event that I have marched in, and it was particularly momentous to see the happiness emanating from the community. After the march we went to Lunapark, a wonderful and wacky hybrid between a pop-up festival, a drag circus and a community meeting place. As someone who loves drag, it was incredibly special seeing performances informed by Polish culture, both historically, politically and with their own queer reference points. I have to thank the members of Voces Gaudii attending the event, who would whisper in my ear the context for every act so I could better understand what was happening!
Finally, on Sunday we were taken on amazing walking tour of Warsaw run by the fantastic Maciek, which explored the LGBTQ+ history of Poland. It was great to hear about amazing people from history such as the lesbian poet Maria Konopnicka, or about the uprising against queer oppression outside a squat in 2020.
Looking back on the trip now, I completely understand why singing around the world holds a special place in so many pinkies’ hearts. Finding my community in the UK has been incredibly moving, but finding community abroad with people who I have laughed, cried, danced and sang with is not only powerful in its social activism, but it is one of the first times in the last two years where I felt totally myself, supported by a community of incredibly kind and loving people. Thank you so much to Voces Gaudii for making us feel so incredibly welcome, and I am excited for a summer of more gigs with my chosen family.
On the eve of London Pride and on the exact day 50 years on since the GLF first marched in London, our Chair Paul explains why the choir wont be marching and how we are celebrating pride in other ways this year.
Last year you might remember the Pink Singers decided to not take part in the Pride In London parade or associated events whilst the organisers worked on some equality and diversity issues. We have met with them again at an open community meeting and whilst some progress is being made with regard to new volunteer policies and training, we’d like to see evidence and public communication of some more concrete change.
So what does that mean for this year?
We’ve decided we will again sit out the main Pride in London parade this year. Instead, we will celebrate pride by joining other LGBT+ community pride events in London throughout the summer, including the GLF 50th anniversary march on 1 July, UK Black Pride, London Trans+ Pride and UK Bi Pride. We hope to see you there!
We want Pride in London to succeed and we have already taken part in the Science museum lates pride event this week, which we enjoyed immensely and was a great success. We look forward to participating in London’s pride parade in future and working with its organisers to develop the working relationship and align our organisation’s shared vision of inclusion and equality.
