Queen Elizabeth II was sung by the choristers From the Westminster Abbey Choir.
King Charles III's music festival comes from Lionel Richie, katy perry and a troupe of British pop stars including Take That and Olly Murs.
The first official coronation concert held on the grounds of Windsor Castle a day after King Charles and Queen Camilla earned their respectS couldn't shake off massive British star power like Elton John or Adele. But a nod to “Downton Abbey” star Hugh Bonneville and King Charles as host passion for classical music With Andrea Bocelli, Chinese pianist Lang Lang and Welsh baritone Sir Brian Terfel included in the itinerary, Sunday's ceremony enthralled the royals as well as 20,000 fans who secured tickets for the opening public event at the palace .
We'll be taking a look at the best moments from the concert here.
katy perry
A lighted outline of a lion's head above the stage as Katy Perry, dressed in a gold gown fit for Cinderella, descended the stairs singing an orchestra-backed rendition of “Roar”. The song sounded grand and a fitting sentiment for the newly crowned king.
Perry added vocal flourishes and dramatic arm movements to her performance, clearly relishing the opportunity to participate, and even gave a Celine Dion-esque chest bump as “Roar”.
Always charming, Perry told the crowd that she had brought her mother to a weekend of royal events and stayed at Windsor Castle before dedicating “Fireworks” to King Charles. Her vocals were lovely, emphasized even more by its inspiring lyrics. Perry works with the King's British Asian Trust in their fight against child-trafficking. In her performance, she thanked him for “being a firework for so many people”.
Perry worked the stage as she would at any concert, pointing to the crowd, heartbroken and waving her glow-stick. Uncharacteristic shots of pyro line the stage (the song is referred to as “fireworks”) as Perry smiled and took a final whiff, secure in the knowledge that she nabbed the gig of a lifetime.
Lionel Richie
As for the marquee name on the bill, it was no surprise Lionel Richie was the first act to perform two songs. He quietly sat down at the grand piano of a black child in white tailcoats, began to open The Commodore's classic, “Easy.”
“Sounds good, huh?” he asked rhetorically as he danced and sang along with the crowd.
The consummate showman Richie encouraged his guitarist as he ripped off one of the most recognizable solos in music before popping up from the piano to finish the song next to his spirited sax player. But there was no way Richie was leaving England without introducing obvious party songs for a night designed to celebrate.
“All Night Long (All Night)” It served its purpose prompting everyone including the royal family to stand up, dance and “celebrate forever”.
Andrea Bocelli and Sir Brian Terfel
Given its ubiquity in pop culture, it's hard to remember that “You'll Never Walk Alone” was written by Rodgers and Hammerstein for their musical “Carousel.”
but the italian tenor Andrea Bocelli And bass-baritone Welsh opera singer Sir Brian Terfel performed a powerful version of the uplifting song. Backed by an orchestra, their voices soared as the pair shared stratospheric vocals. Her performance also included Pyro on stage for the first time during the concert – but her vocals proved too fiery.
steve winwood
Although Steve Winwood has earned plenty of recognition in his more than 50-year career—times in Traffic and Blind Faith among them—his 1986 worldwide smash, “Higher Love” will always be his signature song.
Looking professorial in his black suit and round glasses, Winwood took center stage as he was backed by a live choir, and on video screens the virtual Commonwealth Choir wrapped around the top of the stage. The song soared high, with voices heard from across the globe including Pakistan, Ghana, Australia, sri lanka and Rwanda. A cutaway for Princess Charlotte and Prince George shows the youngsters waving their British flags and half-witted the lyrics, proving that “Higher Love” continues to resonate.
Lang Lang and Nicole Scherzinger
In an interesting pairing, the Chinese pianist lang lang lined Nicole Scherzinger Best known for his tenure in pussycat doll – in a performance of the power ballad “Reflection” from Disney's “Mulan.”
While her song choice was questionable, Scherzinger became powerfully emotional while singing, her hands matching Lang Lang's flair on the piano keyboard. Scherzinger, in a waist-enhancing blue gown, exuded every ounce of drama from the song, prompting Lang Lang to step forward and take a bow with her at the end of the catwalk.
Olly Murs
Set on a circular stage built in front of the palace—”the back garden of the royal family for over 1,000 years,” joked host Bonneville—the concert's first headlining artist, Olly Murs, quickly led the crowd out. Jumping on stage in a white suit jacket adorned with a giant flower, the British singer/TV personality weaved around a pack of dancers as she belted out her catchy doo-wop-pop hit, “Dance With Me Tonight.” .
Paloma Faith
British singer-actress Paloma Faith debuted her 2018 dance-music collaboration with DJ Sigala with the energetic “Lullaby”. As Faith and her three backup singers pumped their fists while lasers shot around them on stage, the camera panned across the UK with shots of revelers in Sheffield, Blackpool and Cambridge between stops and parties across the UK. Cut to see. Faith also made a bold fashion statement in her bright red dress and black arm-length gloves, looking glamorous as she grooved to her beats.
festivities fit for a king
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The Coronation Concert: Best moments from Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and more