The D-Day Darlings, the renowned wartime inspired music group and 2018 Britain’s Got Talent finalists, have made an exciting announcement on Monday 22 April, 2024. The group revealed that their new single, titled ‘The Longest Day’, will be available to the public on May 9th, 2024 in commemoration of D-Day 80.
Written by Katie Ashby, founder and lead singer of The D-Day Darlings, and Shelly Mcerlaine of Alisha’s Attic, and produced by Nick Southwood of The Overtones, ‘The Longest Day’ features the group’s signature stunning harmonies. The song is a special tribute to the veterans of D-Day and serves to honor their sacrifices and inspire younger generations to learn about the experiences of war heroes.
In a statement, Katie Ashby described the inspiration behind the song, saying, “I wanted to write a special song that pays a lasting tribute to all those who gave so much on D-Day and to honor the precious few living veterans. I also wanted to inspire the younger generation, through music, to learn more about the experiences of our war heroes, and to open up conversations so we can pass knowledge on through the generations. We must continue to remember the sacrifices made for our freedoms.”
Shelly Mcerlaine also shared her experience working on the song, saying, “It was such a pleasure to write this song with Katie and Nick. We looked over a lot of footage and read a lot of personal memoirs from our veterans to get the sentiment right as it was really important that the song be from the heart but not in any way schmaltzy. We wrote it from emotion first and when we all cried listening back in the studio we knew we’d got it right. It was an honor to hear some of the brave and selfless stories from our war heroes and try to put them to music. I hope we did them proud.”
The D-Day Darlings will also be embarking on a 19-date UK theatre tour starting in April 2024. The group will be joined by young performers from The D-Day Darlings Voices Choir, a group of 6-18-year-olds, and The D-Day Darlings Voices Choir, a vibrant community from the Midlands founded by lead singer Katie Ashby. The tour will also feature performances by local schools at selected venues.
In addition to their tour, The D-Day Darlings will also be participating in major events surrounding the D-Day 80th anniversary in the UK and Normandy. They will perform an exclusive show for the veterans before they depart to France on 4th June and have been confirmed to perform a selection of songs with The BBC Concert Orchestra and the BBC Big Band in a special broadcast on BBC Radio 2 hosted by Vernon Kay in June 2024.
The D-Day Darlings’ theatre tour dates are as follows:
April 2024
28 – Burnley, Mechanics Theatre – 2:30pm
May 2024
21 – Leeds, City Varieties – 2:30pm
23 – Hoddesdon, The Spotlight – 1pm
25 – Sutton Coldfield, Town Hall – 7:30pm
26 – Cannock, Prince of Wales Theatre – 6pm
30 – Tenbury, Regal Theatre – 7:30pm
31 – Chipping Campden, Cidermill Theatre – 7:30pm
June 2024
1 – Verwood, Verwood Hub – 2pm
7 – Redditch, Palace Theatre – 6:30pm
9 – Tamworth, Assembly Rooms (The D-Day Juniors & The Voices Choir) – 2:30pm & 7:30pm
13 – Weymouth, Pavilion Theatre (Local School Performance) – 2pm
15 – Swansea, Grand Theatre (Local School Performance) – 2:30pm
21 – Halesowen, Town Hall (The D-Day Juniors & The Voices Choir) – 7:30pm
23 – Derby, Melbourne Assembly Rooms – 4pm
30 – Coalville, Century Theatre (The D-Day Juniors & The Voices Choir) – 2:30pm & 7:30pm
July 2024
24 – Stafford, Gatehouse Theatre (Local School Performance) – 7:30pm
September 2024
22 – Clacton-On-Sea, Princes Theatre (Local School Performance) – 2pm
October 2024
13 – Princess Alexander Auditorium, Stockton-on-Tees (Local School Performance) – 2:30pm
Tickets are now available for purchase from the venues directly or from The D-Day Darlings Tour Page. Prices range from £19 to £28.
In addition to their tour, The D-Day Darlings have also collaborated with Withers Gin
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.