Kaiser Chiefs headline carol service raising more than £100,000 for charity

The Kaiser Chiefs performed a stripped-back set of their biggest hits as they headlined an annual Christmas carol service for a leading music therapy charity.

Frontman Ricky Wilson danced down the aisles at the 200-year-old St Luke’s Church in London’s Chelsea on Tuesday evening, singing hits including Ruby and I Predict A Riot, Coming Home and Love’s Not A Competition (But I’m Winning).

The carol service, which raised more than £100,000 for the charity Nordoff and Robbins, also saw guest performances from co-hosts Beverley Knight and Joe Stilgoe, alongside singer and cellist Ayanna Witter-Johnson.

Wilson from the Kaiser Chiefs, who will release their eighth studio album in March 2024 alongside a UK tour, said: “I love the idea of being able to unlock people’s worlds with the work that Nordoff and Robbins does.”

The charity provides music therapy to help people in the UK affected by physical and mental illness, disability or feelings of isolation.

During the show, Knight sang O Holy Night and O Come, All Ye Faithful alongside Stilgoe – who accompanied her on the piano.

Knight said: “Nordoff and Robbins work is about accessing people’s hearts and their minds. That’s how special music is.”

Witter-Johnson, who was awarded the classical prize at the charity’s award show earlier this year, performed Roxanne on her cello and Wonderful Christmastime on the piano.

Silent Night was performed by the Nordoff and Robbins Community Choir, and Carol Of The Bells by Latymer Prep School Choir.

The musical performances were interspersed with festive readings from Ronni Ancona, while voice coaches Carrie and David Grant led the audience in song and talked about their own experiences of Nordoff and Robbins music therapy.

David said: “Music is healing, music is a moral right, music is still the most powerful form of magic. As Maya Angelou says ‘Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back on loneliness’.

“The Nordoff and Robbins choir provides the space between the notes for anyone, regardless of ability, regardless of experience so they can experience the joy of singing together with other people.”

While Sandra Schembri, chief executive of the charity, described the night as a “sparkling success” with the money raised enabling music therapists to continue their vital work “helping some of society’s most vulnerable people through the power of music”.

The Kaiser Chiefs began their relationship with the charity in 2006, when they were awarded the best British act prize at Nordoff and Robbins’ Silver Clef Awards.

In 2016, they played another fundraising gig and took part in a virtual Christmas concert in 2020.