Heathrow has partnered with music community Sofar Sounds to curate a line-up of talent to play on the Terminal 5 stage throughout the summer of 2024.
Budding artists
Sofar Sounds worked with Heathrow to curate a diverse roster of emerging artists spanning pop, jazz, folk, r ‘n’ b, soul and rock. The opening night included live performances by acoustic rock band China Bears, folk singer-songwriter The Halfway Kid, and r ‘n’ b artist Olivia Nelson who this year was named Glastonbury’s Emerging Talent Runner Up.
There are still two more shows to come – music execs flying in, people jetting off on summer holidays and those collecting loved ones will have the chance to catch the remaining performances on two dates in July. The first will take place on July 12, which is set to break the airport’s passenger numbers record; and the second will take place on July 24.
Sofar Sounds has been seeking out the future’s biggest stars since it launched in 2009, and has since hosted gigs with artists including Ed Sheeran, Hozier and Wolf Alice.
Heathrow traffic
The initiative is intended to give some of the UK’s most promising artists access to an audience bigger than Glastonbury Festival. With 30 million set to travel through in its busiest summer yet – a 1,400% increase on the 2 million in 2020 – the airport will have more passengers than Vienna, Zurich, Copenhagen and Lisbon see annually.
Karoline Komolafe, UK regional director of Sofar Sounds, commented, “The Heathrow Introducing stage isn’t just about providing entertainment, it’s about propelling careers to new heights. It’s a game-changer for those aiming to break into the industry, especially with the festival season at its peak, offering exposure to execs traveling through the hub – you can only get this at Heathrow.
“We’ve loved picking out who we think are the most promising and genuinely exciting acts that are starting out right now, and I think Heathrow passengers are going to have a brilliant time at the gigs.”
Tonia Fielding, director of services at Heathrow, added, “Heathrow has long been hailed as the UK’s gateway to the world. We’re proud that we’re providing people from around the globe the chance to experience the best of Britain’s emerging musical talent and a taste of UK culture from the moment they reach the airport while helping British talent supercharge their careers at the same time.
“We’re gearing up for the busiest summer on record, meaning we can give artists on the Heathrow Introducing stage massive audiences to play to. As we strive to be an extraordinary airport, delivering the best travel experience in the UK, initiatives like this support our commitment to culture, innovation and excellence.”
For more of the top insights into the Heathrow Airport, read Passenger Terminal Today’s exclusive interview with Wesley Lang, senior research and insight manager at Heathrow Airport, here.