Sting has joined forces with England's Battersea Power Station Community Choir to record a song together. The choir, which has been forced to rehearse virtually during the ongoing pandemic, was joined by the Police legend — a local Battersea neighbor — and the cast of his musical The Last Ship, to record an exclusive rendition of “Hymn” from the show.
Sting spoke about his connection to the area, explaining, “Battersea was the first place I lived when I moved to London in the 1970's, over on Prince Of Wales Drive. So, I've come full circle now that I'm back to Battersea. The Power Station is an iconic building that reminds me of my hometown when I lived next to the shipyard. It looks like a giant ship, with those chimneys going into the river. We all need our community now more than ever. Thank you to the Battersea Power Station Community Choir for the opportunity to connect by singing together.”
Sting, who had been performing in a national U.S. tour of The Last Ship when the pandemic hit, spoke about the inclusive role theatre plays in a community: “It's a big empathy machine. I think that's what storytelling and theatre is. We see each other. We resonate with another human being in a situation that we recognize. That's useful, particularly when we're being so fragmented by political. . . y'know, dogmatism and separation of 'us' and 'them.'”
