Local singer/songwriter St Lundi, who hails from Hayling Island, is having a very busy end to 2023. With the release of a charity Christmas single in aid of Portsmouth Foodbank ahead of a huge hometown headline show at the Wedgewood Rooms on 15th December.

‘Alone Over Christmas’ is a touching new single by St. Lundi, set for release on November 24th. This piano-driven ballad, co-written with Johnny Hockings, known for his work with Mimi Webb and Lauren Aquilina, is imbued with the kind of storytelling and production that could set the heart-warming scenes of a John Lewis Christmas advert. Download and donate via this link St Lundi Charity Single

St. Lundi has pledged to donate all profits from the song to the Portsmouth Foodbank, part of the Trussell Trust network, which has provided vital support to his hometown community. The urgency of this gesture is shown by the Trust’s distribution of nearly three million emergency food parcels between April 2022 and March 2023. This is the highest in its history, with parcels distributed to over 22,000 people in Portsmouth alone, which equates to more than 10% of the cities population.

The recording features community choirs from The Vox and Hayling Youngstars, and was recorded at the Quay West Studios in Portsmouth. A site of significance for St. Lundi, as it’s the first studio that he recorded music in.

St Lundi will follow the single up with a headline hometown show, taking place at The Wedgewood Room, Southsea, on December 15th.

Taking on the the bigger main room, as opposed to the smaller Edge Of The Wedge, which the singer/songwriter did consider for this show. Sighting that it would be ‘more comfortable’ for him with less capacity and a smaller stage set up. But to his credit, St Lundi wanted to make this a big hometown show with more risk, but equally bigger rewards.

Having previously supported Kodaline on their European tour in 2022 and with both of his 2023 releases, ‘Fall’ and ‘Ready To Be Loved’, being added to the BBC Radio 2’s playlist. All of this backed up by a first hometown festival performance in front of thousands at Portsmouth’s Victorious Festival, he feels more than ready to take on the challenge of a big hometown show.

“I have performed in a few arena sized venues, and that has given me the bug. I want to push myself  and I have plans to perform at some of Portsmouth’s more iconic venues. I have always wanted to come back to my hometown and play at the Wedge, having gone to many gigs there as a youngster. I have some big plans for 2024, I want to increase my presence & profile in Portsmouth, this is just the start of things to come”.

With his hometown headline show, a big project planned for 2024 and a charity single ‘Alone Over Christmas’ released before this, there are exciting times ahead for what could be Portsmouth’s first internationally acclaimed artist for decades.

For tickets to his hometown show follow this link St Lundi Wedgewood Rooms Tickets

Website: https://www.stlundi.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stlundi/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/st.lundi/

Word & Photo: Mark Butler