Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi and Duran Duran are set to open the 2022 Commonwealth Games tonight (July 28). But there are some other great acts set to perform at the Alexander Stadium in front of around 35,000 spectators.
For example, Birmingham singer Indigo Marshall, 25, has the honour of performing in her home city. "It is crazy, I'm living a real dream," the singer told BBC Radio WM.
Raised in Erdington, the star described performing ahead of the 11 days of sporting competition as a "humbling moment". Along with fellow Birmingham vocalist Gambini, she will reimagine the song Hear My Voice, based on the title track from 2020 film Trial of the Chicago Seven.
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Gambini was born in Brazzaville in the Congo, then moved to the UK aged six, growing up in Highgate, Birmingham. In the past, he has talked about his hopes for the future:
“I get a lot of my inspiration from my life. I’ve used my incarceration experiences and channelled them into my music. I’ve written a song called Crucify which reflects on going to court and being sentenced and how far I have come.”
Indigo Marshall and Gambini will perform under the musical direction of local rapper, artist and educator Joshua ‘RTKal’ Holness. He has used music to spread positive vibes, unite and entertain audiences across the world and has enjoyed chart success working with other artists, winning a UK Music Video Award in 2012.
Holness has performed alongside artists such as Wu-Tang Clan, Tyga and Dead Prez. He has appeared at events including Glastonbury, Bestival and Lovebox.
The opening ceremony, which has been produced by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, has a heavy local influence. Birmingham Conservatoire graduate and mezzo-soprano Samantha Oxborough will perform the National Anthem, supported by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Alpesh Chauhan.
Brum voices will be represented in the form of 15 choirs, 700 singers from across the region, led by Carol Pemberton and a capella group Black Voices. Musicians from around the city who all represent different musical styles will be heard around the world, including two-time Grammy Award-winning percussionist Lekan Babalola, vocalist Ranjana Ghatak, shawm player Jude Rees, bagpiper Chris Crouch and Djembe player Abraham Paddy Tetteh. Dohl drummers from across Brum will be there too.
Her Majesty The Queen will not be in attendance for the Games this evening. The Prince of Wales – accompanied by The Duchess of Cornwall – will instead represent the Royal Family and officially open the Games.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “The UK rightly has an outstanding reputation for hosting major sporting events, and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham will be another fantastic opportunity to showcase the best of Britain on a global stage.”
The Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony is on BBC on July 28 from 7pm.
Read next:
Team Wales unveil bold Commonwealth Games uniforms for athletes
How Cardiff looked when it hosted the Commonwealth Games in 1958
The full list of every Welsh athlete competing at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham
The 13-year-old girl from Cardiff who has moved to China to become a table tennis star
