International pop icon Rick Astley brought a wave of festive joy to St Luke’s and Christ Church in Chelsea, London, on Tuesday 9 December, headlining the annual Nordoff and Robbins Carol Service, presented by OVO. The star-studded evening of music and reflection raised a phenomenal over £50,000 for Nordoff and Robbins, the UK’s largest music therapy charity.
The intimate service featured exceptional guest performances from renowned artists, beginning with up-and-coming talent Chloe Stroll, who opened the show with her elegant single, Home. Accomplished singer-songwriter Katie Melua then enchanted the audience with her hits The Closest Thing to Crazy and Perfect World, before being joined by local children from Latymer Prep School for a beautiful rendition of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Iconic singer Matt Goss delivered a heartfelt set, blending nostalgia with classics, including I’ll Be Home for Christmas and a powerful take on Carole King’s You’ve Got a Friend.
The night culminated in a charismatic headline set from Rick Astley, who performed festive favourites like Winter Wonderland and Santa Claus is Coming to Town in his warm, soulful style. He closed the evening with a rousing sing-along to his timeless hit, Never Gonna Give You Up.
Guest readers, including multi-award-winning songwriter Cathy Dennis and actor James Cosmo, shared moving festive passages. Nordoff and Robbins CEO, Sandra Schembri, thanked the artists and partners, emphasising the impact: “Every note sung and every chord played at the Carol Service directly helps our music therapists to reach more children and adults who rely on music to connect, communicate and express themselves.”
The annual Carol Service has raised millions since 1997, funding music therapy that transforms lives through the universal language of music.
