Calum Scott arrives this week for his much-anticipated ‘Bridges’ SA Tour which reaches Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens in Cape Town on Wednesday 23 November; the Durban Botanical Gardens, uMphafa Field, in Durban on Friday 25 November; and Marks Park, Emmarentia in Johannesburg on Saturday 26 November.
Calum Scott will be joined by New Zealand singer-songwriter Mitch James at all three shows.Mitch is best known for his songs “Bright Blue Skies”, “Sunday Morning”, “No Fixed Abode”, “Move On” and “21” which have featured in the Official New Zealand Music Charts. His self-titled first album debuted at No. 2 on the New Zealand chart, No. 1 on the NZ Artist Album Chart and has since been certified Platinum by Recorded Music NZ.
Local pop-sensation, Lee Cole will join the line-up for the Durban and Johannesburg shows. Lee Cole brings an electrifying, authentic and engaging performance highlighted by his powerful vocals to the stage. His latest single “With or Without You” is currently one of the most played local songs on SA radio and is leaping to the top of the charts across stations. Talented local singer/songwriter Martin Gill also joins the line-up for Johannesburg.
Tickets for Calum Scott’s ‘Bridges’ South African Tour are on sale from breakoutevents.co.za
Calum Scott released his sophomore album Bridges in June of this year, which sees the multi-platinum-selling singer/songwriter’s most fearlessly candid and captivating work yet. The Bridgesalbum saw Calum working with A-list producers like eight-time GRAMMY Award®-winner Greg Kurstin (Paul McCartney, Elton John, Adele) and pushing his songwriting into bold new directions.
“From touring all over the world and seeing how people have been affected by my music, I realized how important it is for me to keep writing from a very honest place,” says Calum. “I’ve learned that I can take the painful things I’ve been through, then create something beautiful that helps people to process their feelings, to take action, to become more compassionate and understanding of others, or just to escape from the world for a while. For me this new album is about sharing things I’ve never shared before and taking leaps that sometimes feel terrifying, with the hope that it will bring some inspiration or reassurance to anyone who needs it.”
While Bridges sometimes journeys into emotionally heavy terrain — shedding light on such complex issues as mental health, self-worth, and loss — “Heaven” emerges as a moment of pure bliss as Calum speaks to the sublime power of surrendering to love. Along with “Heaven,” Bridges includes the previously released singles “Biblical” (a heart-on-sleeve ballad Calum later followed with an American Sign Language version made in collaboration with the Tony Award®-winning Deaf West Theatre), “Rise” (a wildly soaring track whose video features a mesmerizing performance from British actor Georgia Hirst), and “If You Ever Change Your Mind” (a bittersweet but empowered piece produced by Kurstin). In addition, the album features Calum’s deeply empathetic cover of Scottish artist Greg Holden’s 2015 track “Boys in the Street” — a devastating but life-affirming account of a father’s struggle to accept his openly gay son. Accompanied by a stark and stunning black-and-white video, Calum’s impassioned take on “Boys in the Street” premiered earlier this month.
For Calum, one of the most thrilling aspects of Bridges’ release is the opportunity to perform its songs live, including his eagerly awaited South African tour. “Looking out and seeing everyone connecting with these songs I’ve written in the most tragic or beautiful moments is the closest thing to magic that I’ll ever get,” Calum says. “It never stops inspiring me to be as real and sincere in my music as I possibly can.”
Calum Scott “Bridges” South African tour tickets on sale from breakoutevents.co.za
