London 2012 Olympics

When the call first came in, it was shrouded in mystery. “We’ve seen a couple of your performances, and we wondered if you’d be interested in auditioning for a major new project that was coming up in a couple of years’ time?”

At that point, we had no idea what was about to hit us, but as more details unfolded, it became clear just how big this “major project” would be. Initially we were asked just to be part of one of the ceremony’s central segments, Eric Idle’s unique rendering of his much-loved ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’. But, once rehearsals were underway, we were then tasked with a second major responsibility, singing the Olympic Anthem, as the Games were officially handed over to Rio.

“Bright Side” meant costumes and lots – we mean LOTS – of rehearsals. From a small studio, to a massive warehouse, to an enormous outdoor double-replica of the Olympic Stadium space that had been set up in Dagenham, we spent days, weeks and months playing our part in the intricate medley of sights and sounds. And the costume? Traditional Welsh women. Perfect for a male voice choir. Movement had to be coordinated and timings exact, but the spectacle was something to behold.

Meanwhile, we were also learning a new addition to our repertoire, the Olympic Hymn. The IOC stipulates that the anthem must be sung at every Games, so the responsibility is huge. After a lot of rehearsing, we were invited to London studios to record the iconic song, to be part of the commemorative recording that would be produced alongside the ceremony.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of rehearsals and strict confidentiality, the evening of 12 August 2012 arrived. Inside the stadium it was incredible to see the space itself for the first time, but an empty stadium was nothing compared to the sound that hit us as we emerged for our first segment. Marks were hit, lines delivered in perfect time, and the human cannonball that was the centrepiece of the segment took off and landed perfectly.

Then it was a change into more sombre attire, to take the spotlight ourselves. Under the guidance of Michael Wyn Jones, we delivered a “wonderful” and “very moving” Olympic Anthem live to a 70,000+ audience in the stadium – and the more than one billion people watching around the world. It was a truly once-in-a-lifetime moment that none of those present on the night will ever forget.

If you’d like to see us in action, this video captures the moment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY6-TEOUwBQ