Katy Perry and Lionel Richie have been confirmed as performers for King Charles III's Coronation Concert, set to take place on Sunday, May 7 at Windsor Castle. The news comes after a series of high-profile artists declined the invitation due to various reasons.
The BBC announced the concert lineup, which will also feature opera sensation Andrea Bocelli, British pop band Take That, singer-songwriter Freya Ridings, Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel, and classical-soul composer-pianist Alexis Ffrench. The event will be attended by 20,000 members of the public and invited guests and will be broadcast on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2, and BBC Sounds.
Both Perry and Richie have maintained long-standing relationships with King Charles III, serving as ambassadors for his charities. Richie was appointed as the first Global Ambassador and Chairman of the Global Ambassador Group for The Prince's Trust in 2019. Perry, on the other hand, was named an ambassador for The British Asian Trust, founded by King Charles III when he was the Prince of Wales, in 2020. Perry's philanthropic efforts also include her work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and her Firework Foundation, focused on empowering children from underserved communities through the arts.
Richie expressed his excitement to perform at the Coronation Concert, calling it a "once-in-a-lifetime event" and an "honor and a celebration." Perry also shared her enthusiasm, stating that she looks forward to "helping to shine a further light on the British Asian Trust's Children's Protection Fund" and its efforts to combat child trafficking.
The confirmation of Perry and Richie's performances follows the declines from other renowned artists, including Ed Sheeran, Adele, Robbie Williams, Spice Girls, Elton John, Harry Styles, and Kylie Minogue, due to scheduling conflicts or unavailability.
PR publicist Simon Jones, who represents Little Mix, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson, told Page Six that the British Royal Family's recent "PR disasters" may have prompted performers to consider potential backlash from fans if they participated in King Charles III's Coronation Concert.
The BBC revealed that more performers will be announced soon and emphasized that the Coronation Concert will "celebrate a new chapter in the nation's history, with themes of love, respect, and optimism, celebrating the four nations, their communities, and the Commonwealth."
