Hawkstone Farmers Choir announce debut album after Britain's Got Talent win
A group of farmers who won Britain’s Got Talent have announced their debut album following a live performance at the National Television Awards.
Founded by Jeremy Clarkson, The Hawkstone Farmers Choir brought together 34 farmers from across Britain to share a special mental health message.
Following their historic victory as the first choir to win BGT, the group will release their first album ‘This is Home’ on November 6.
This comes after they performed their newly released single ‘One Day Like This’ live on ITV at the National Television Awards, opening the show in front of a packed-out audience at London’s O2.
Katryna Shell from Alnwick balances singing with the choir alongside motherhood, farming and running successful glamping businesses.
She said: “The day before the NTAS, I was in a shed feeding pigs and doing all the normal farm and mum jobs that I do and then I was there walking down a red carpet.
“It was so surreal, it does actually feel like some dream that you're in.”
The choir auditioned for BGT with the aim to champion British agriculture and raise awareness for mental health among the farming community – a message which remains at the heart of everything they do.
“Over and above everything else, the celebrity, the fancy performances, the main thing we absolutely love is performing together and the friendships we've made,” she said.
“If it were to finish tomorrow, we would be so grateful that we met one another.”
‘This is Home’, made up of 12 original songs, was recorded at Real World Studios in Bath, a studio that has previously welcomed artists including Amy Winehouse, Beyoncé and Harry Styles.
Rooted in themes of belonging, resilience and rural life, the album expands on the farmers’ advocacy for mental health.
One song ‘Life with You’ is inspired by Katryna’s own personal story.
“I suppose I am the farmer's wife, as it were, although I'm more than just a wife,” she said.
“You're expected by society to be a stay-at-home mum, to cook meals. I have to run a business then I also have to be a farmer sometimes.
“So it can be quite challenging being that person at home and that’s what ‘Life with You’ is all about.”
The album can be pre-ordered here.