Birmingham duo Ekkah raise the roof for ibis Hotel charity gig
On Thursday, disco-pop duo Ekkah returned to Birmingham to headline the first ibis Lates on Tour of the year, a series of gigs providing a stage to showcase young, up and coming music talent, in partnership with the Roundhouse.
The ibis Birmingham New Street Station Hotel lobby was transformed into an exclusive live music venue for the night. Support for Ekkah was provided super-fresh Roundhouse Resident Artists Malunga, Kenan Kian and DJ Nikita.
All money raised from ticket sales will go directly to ibis’ charity partner, Teenage Cancer Trust, which provides specialist care and support for young people in the UK living with cancer.
Karelle Lamouche, SVP of Budget & Economy Brands at AccorHotels UK, says: “ibis Hotels provides everyone with access to great events and experiences across the UK and ibis Lates on Tour is testament to that. Thanks to Ekkah and an incredible crowd, Birmingham has set the bar high for the other cities over the year.”
Comprising of best friends Rebecca Wilson and Rebecca Pennington, Ekkah was formed in 2013 from the ashes of Birmingham angst-rockers The Arcadian Kicks, and have since played at Glastonbury and supported the likes of Jess Glynne, Shura, Chic ft. Nile Rodgers and Kylie Minogue.
Malunga is an energetic and soulful artist from East London, whose upbeat brass melodies mix with powerful female vocals and a strong bass and quick tempo. Malunga’s songs are bursting with personality and love for music, which she will bring in abundance to ibis Lates. Rounding out the bill are London-based singer/songwriter Kenan Kian, and DJ Nikita, who will be spinning the best in alternative soul sounds, hip-hop and electronic beats.
Over the coming months, further gigs will take place at ibis Styles Manchester Portland Hotel, ibis Bristol Centre and Scotland.Each gig will be headlined by an emerging act handpicked from the local music scene and supported by some of the best up and coming acts from the Roundhouse Resident Artist programme, which offers backing and opportunities for emerging music and artistic talent
Head of Corporate Partnerships at Teenage Cancer Trust, Nicola Bott, says: “We’re so excited to have been chosen as ibis’ charity partner. Currently, for every young person with cancer we support there’s another we can’t reach. We want to change this.
“Our amazing partnership with ibis will help raise the money needed for more specialist nurses so we can ensure no young person faces cancer alone. We can’t wait to see ibis Lates raising the roof across the country - just like Birmingham did. A huge thank you to everyone who came along and supported the event.”
Senior Corporate Partnerships Manager at the Roundhouse, Rider Dyce, says: “We’re proud to be partnered with ibis Hotels and look forward to continue working with them on this brilliant project. The hotel environment provides a unique and exciting platform to showcase the extraordinary talents of our Resident Artists."
