Simon Cowell’s Grenfell Tower charity single left listeners in tears after it was aired for the first time – with an opening rap by Stormzy.
The recording of Simon And Garfunkel’s ballad Bridge Over Troubled Water features more than 50 artists, including Rita Ora, Robbie Williams, Liam Payne and Jessie J.
Grime star Stormzy opens the track, rapping: “I don’t know where to begin so I’ll start by saying I refuse to forget you/I refuse to be silenced/I refuse to neglect you/That’s for every last soul up in Grenfell/Even though I’ve never even met you.”
Marking a week since the fire, the single was played across BBC radio stations on Wednesday morning, while the video will be aired on ITV before Coronation Street.
Watch the making of the single:
Listening to #BridgeOverTroubledWater… I'm in tears, it's so beautiful!!! Thanks so much to everyone involved! People please donate ???
— Melody (@Melody_116) June 21, 2017
WOW @GMB in tears listening to #bridgeovertroubledwater #ArtistsForGrenfell #ProudToBebritish
— Claire Sandalls (@ClaireSandalls) June 21, 2017
between stormzy's part in the beginning, liam and louis i'm a mess. #BridgeOverTroubledWater
— lo ? seeing h! (@ghostsstanding) June 21, 2017
@HeartEssex #ArtistsForGrenfell #bridgeovertroubledwater so poignant and full of emotion. Beautiful tribute as well as a fundraiser.
— Fred Foster (@YOFreddie) June 21, 2017
Anyone else. literally covered in goosebumps with the #GrenfellTowers charity single? Sounds amazing! #bridgeovertroubledwater
— Amy Elizabeth (@amyatfamous) June 21, 2017
Listeners praised Stormzy’s opening verse.
“That could have been my mum’s house/Or that could have been my nephew,” the grime star rapped.
“That could have been me up there/Waving my white, plain tee up there/With my friends on the ground trying to see up there/I just hope that you’re resting and you’re free up there.”
Can't believe I actually just welled up over a Stormzy rap #ArtistsForGrenfell
— Hannah Cripps (@HanCrippsx) June 21, 2017
I've cried over stormzy's part for a good 45 minutes
— charl (@kiwikalehes) June 21, 2017
omg Stormzy's part at the beginning?? so amazing #BridgeOverTroubledWater
— Shannon (@shannonnicol) June 21, 2017
All proceeds collected by Artists For Grenfell will be distributed via The London Community Foundation.
Other artists who have lent their names, and their voices, to the song include Bastille, Brian May, Ella Eyre, James Blunt, Louis Tomlinson, Nile Rodgers, X Factor winner Matt Terry and recent Britain’s Got Talent winner Tokio Myers.
The music mogul kicked off the recording process days after last week’s fire, which killed at least 79 people.
Stars came together to take part in a weekend of recording at west London’s Sarm Studios, half a mile away from Grenfell Tower.
Thank you to everyone for their help and support in making this happen.
— Simon Cowell (@SimonCowell) June 20, 2017
As well as buying the single, we hope people can support those affected by the Grenfell fire by donating. https://t.co/071cWmDNs1
— Simon Cowell (@SimonCowell) June 20, 2017
The charity single was officially released on Wednesday morning.
