Billy Ocean to Headline Be Inspired Festival at Redlees Park

When the going gets tough the tough go to Isleworth

Grammy award-winning artist Billy Ocean will be making waves at Hounslow Council’s Be Inspired Festival at Redlees Park on Sunday 13 September.

R’n’B star Billy has sold over 30 million records in his lifetime and has collected a pile of gold and platinum records across the world, enjoying success as both an artist and a songwriter.

He had smash hits in the UK and the US with Caribbean Queen, When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going, Get Outta My Dreams; and Get Into My Car. And, the hardworking artist has continued to tour and enjoy success with film appearances, albums and awards – including the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2010 MOBO Awards.

Leader of Hounslow Council, Councillor Steve Curran, commented: "I’m very excited to announce that Billy Ocean will headline the Be Inspired Festival in September. We promised top flight entertainment, so it’s a real coup to secure Billy, who is undoubtedly one of the UK’s most popular performers and a personal favourite of mine. I know that he will really wow Hounslow.”

Billy Ocean expressed his delight at the fixture. "I am really looking forward to having a party at the Be Inspired Festival," he said. "Bring your dancing shoes, as we will be dancing and singing to all my hits."

Joining headline act, Grammy-award winning R'n'B legend Billy Ocean, will be 2009 The X Factor finalist Jamie “Afro” Archer and classical and jazz music prodigy Tyler Rix, who first shot to the top of the charts with his debut album in 2009, aged just 16.

Also taking to the stage will be the world-renowned Pakistani Elvis, Sal Bashir and The Dhol Foundation, who are on a mission to promote music inspired by the traditional sounds of the Indian Subcontinent. The band has previously graced stages at the London Olympic Closing ceremony, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee ceremony and the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix.

The Be Inspired Festival will also include appearances by east London’s Revelation Avenue, who followed up their third placing in the BBC’s 2008 competition Last Choir Standing with a place in the finals of this year’s Britain’s Got Talent.

Completing the bill at the free festival is Billy Lee, whose barnstorming Tom Jones tribute act has been making waves across the country.

The Be Inspired Festival, which takes place at Redlees Park, will be a family fun-day with plenty of exciting attractions including mouth-watering street food from around the world with 18 caterers and restaurateurs due to set out their stalls on the day.

In addition to the main stage headline-grabbers will be a host of local up-and-coming artists, sports taster sessions and tents providing arts and crafts sessions and the chance to see rugby’s most coveted silverware the Webb Ellis Cup, which is currently on a 100-day whistle-stop tour of the UK.

August 31, 2015