Calderdale Pride 2023 Acts
Check out the line-up of fantastic acts performing at the Calderdale Pride 2023, starting with your fabulous hosts!
Heather Small
Born and raised on a council estate in Ladbroke Grove, West London. She joined her first group, Hot House, as a singer while she was still a teenager. She was the studio singer voice of the re-recorded version of "Ride on Time" by Black Box.
She had a chance meeting with Manchester DJ, Mike Pickering, formerly of Quando Quango, which led to sales of over 10 million albums worldwide with the group M People. They had considerable success with songs such as "Moving On Up", "One Night In Heaven" and "Search for the Hero".
In 2000, Small released her debut solo album, Proud, and a single of the same name, closely affiliated with the British Olympic team of the time.
When Oprah Winfrey was looking for a song to sum up the work she had been striving to achieve over her twenty-year career, she contacted Small, and "Proud" became the theme song to The Oprah Winfrey Show
In January 2022, Small appeared on the third series of The Masked Singer as "Chandelier".
Angie Brown
Born and raised in Brixton, South London, award-winning singer/songwriter Angie Brown made her name globally when becoming the vocalist in BIZARRE INC. who were pioneers in the breaking House/Rave music scene of the late 80’s & 90’s. Their 1992 hit ‘I’m Gonna Get You’ went into the UK National Charts at No.2. In the U.S the track went to No.1 in the U.S Dance Charts – twice! Overall, it sold over 200,000 copies in the UK, earning it a Silver disc and has sold well over 2million copies worldwide.
She has collaborated on songs for Grace Jones, Beverley Knight, Mark Morrison, The Rolling Stones, The Dirty Strangers, Kate Bush, Chaka Khan, Heaven 17, Neneh Cherry, Lisa Stansfield, Mola Mola, The Stereophonics and Fat Boy Slim.
Angie regularly features at Pride events across the world and we are thrilled to welcome her to Calderdale
Nicki French
A Eurovision LEGEND and performer of over 30 years.
‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’, produced by Mike Stock and Matt Aitken, became the first big hit of 1995 by a new artist, reaching number five in the UK charts. It went to number two on the Billboard Hot 100, the highest placing in the UK by a UK artist since the 1980s, and spent six months in the chart there. It also reached number one in Australia, Japan, Brazil, Israel, Spain, Holland and Canada.
In the past few years, Nicki has been in demand for her acting, as well as her singing skills, and has managed to combine the two with some wonderful theatre roles, playing eight different parts in the UK tour of ‘Annie’; three of the four characters in ‘Menopause the Musical’ (UK & Ireland tours)
The Honey Honeyz
The Honey Honeyz are a vibrant ABBA tribute duo who team ABBA style vocals and harmonies with fun, professional choreography.
Guaranteed to get the party started with 45 minutes of the songs you know and love, this show includes songs such as- Dancing Queen, Mamma MIA, the Winner takes it all, Waterloo, Voulez Vous and many many more!
Be prepared to sing along, dance and join in the nostalgia of the supergroup ABBA!
Todd Wilson
Todd Wilson is a musician and actor from Halifax. A graduate from John Moore's Drama Programme in Liverpool, Todd's acting, guitar & singing skills have seen him perform all over the North and West of Yorkshire ....and beyond including our very own Queerfest in 2022 where he blew us away!
He has also worked with children for half a decade, teaching Drama.
Todd will bring the vocals, you bring the arm waves!
Robbie Barr
Robbie Barr is a Male Vocalist from Halifax and one of the UK’s leading international tributes to Multi-Grammy Award Winner Mr Michael Bublé!
Robbie will be performing his show I'm So Excited - A Tribute to the Legends of Disco and bringing the DISCO vibes to Calderdale Pride!!
Callum Butterworth
Callum has been performing with us at Calderdale Pride since our first event in 2019.
He has since appeared on The Voice on Team Olly and then Team Will.I.Am all before he was 18!
Most recently Callum was seen performing as Ed Sheeran on ITV’s Starstruck where he made the final! Welcome back Callum!
Ellie Etoile's Burlesque
Ellie Etoile's Burlesque are a Barnsley based burlesque, cabaret and variety troupe. Offering the very best burlesque productions featuring world class dancers, musicians in an incredible self-contained sound and lighting show, the troupe bring loads of fun - and variety to any stage.
Endorsed by Moving Mental Health Forward campaign, they are recognised as a group of individuals who offer a safe and inclusive network that supports good mental health and who create a better place for the discussion about mental wellbeing within the community.
They are fierce advocates of the LGBTQIA+ community and support and fundraise for many local charities. They were honoured to perform on the main stage at last years Calderdale Pride.
They are thrilled once more, to be taking part in this years’ celebration, and can’t wait to see you all again!
The Queens of Halifax
Shirley is a trans Drag Performer from Halifax. As a child, she first got into drag by playing around in makeup and watching videos of queens online, and when she turned 18, she stepped out into the nightlife scene and never looked back. Her performing skills have been seen across the North West and North East. She has made many sisters in the Drag community.
LegzAnaya is proudly born, bred and raised in Halifax. She is a keen giver back to the community and has supported many charities, raising over £1000 for overgate and Breast cancer along with her drag mother Miss Mindy. Legz is a big supporter of everything local! The resident queen at Barcode halifax and The Sun Bradford. She’s Known as one of the nicest queens on the scene and known to have the kindness hearted as she loves, values and supports everyone.
The Queens of Halifax
Robyn Banx is a Halifax princess through and through. Working in Halifax for over 5 years she has painted the town with her sassy, vibrant energy. She has a residence at Halifax very own LGBTQ+ venue The Village where she has been a cornerstone of the gay scene keeping the flag flying proudly and visibly for everyone to see! Sharp tongue and sharper tunes she's the queen to keep you dancing!
Alian-na is originally from Essex but has lived in West Yorkshire for nearly 10 years. She discovered drag over 3 years ago and can be seen regularly performing in Halifax’s very own LGBTQ+ venue Bar Code! She is one fierce Queen!
We cannot wait to see these fierce queens take to the main stage!!
Orange Box Choir
Orange Box Choir are a singing for well-being group that meet every week to rehearse.
The choir is made up of young people, volunteers and support staff from Orange Box, Youth Works, Project Challenge, Next Step Trust, Young Foundations, Calderdale College and Ravenscliffe High School and Sports College.
Young people with varying abilities are in the Choir; some have never sung before and some have additional needs.
The Choir is a huge confidence boost for them and creates a positive experience in an environment in which they feel safe.
Vogue Madonna Tribute
Since 2000, Elly has been paying tribute to the incredible Queen of Pop along with a talented team of musicians and dancers in the show Vogue Madonna.
Bringing us all the biggest hits from Madonna’s phenomenal 40 years of world domination, the voice, the moves and the image are all perfectly recreated with a performance so full of power, nostalgia and fun that it reminds us all why Madonna is the biggest selling female artist of all time.
Elly touches the heart of the 80s with Like A Virgin, Material Girl and Like A Prayer. She entices us to the dance floor with Vogue, gallops on into the noughties with Music, finally launching into more modern chart successes: Hung Up and 4 Minutes. It’s Madonna – how she was and how she is.
Channy
UK Pop Songstress Channy is proving a hit on the festival circuit with her powerful vocals and down to earth ‘girl next door’ personality shining through both on and off stage.
The energetic performer has supported artists such as Jess Glynne, Sigala, Olly Murs, Nathan Sykes, Scouting for Girls, Tulisa and many more.
In December 2018 Channy had made history becoming the worlds first independent artist to headline her hometown arena, Newcastle’s Utilita Arena. Not only did Channy offer young local talent the opportunity to step onto the prestigious stage for a once in a lifetime opportunity, she also gave back to the disadvantaged and underprivileged local community through the concert too.
After headlining many sold out UK Tours and Newcastle’s O2 Academy’s MainStage as an independent artist, Channy has also stepped on some of the UK’s biggest stages such as the O2 Arena London, Newcastle’s Metro Radio Arena, Bents Park and Virgin Money’s Unity Arena to name a few.
Channy's festival season throughout the course of the past few years has seen her grace the stages of over 50 Pride festivals, including Gran Canaria’s Maspaloma’s Winter Pride, Leeds, Liverpool, Blackpool, Cardiff, Dundee, Hastings, Northern and so many more.
George Windsor
George will be supporting the one and only Heather Small
George’s music career began in the pubs and clubs of the midlands and on the streets of Birmingham as a busker before his success on X-Factor. This led to recording sessions in NYC with Lady Gaga’s producer. That success brought him back to the UK where he began writing with songwriter Benji Maycock and a publishing deal. Their song “Name On It” scored a big sync as the trailer for a top NYC film festival. Now signed to Inside Baseball Music Publishing/Sony Music Publishing. George had released more two singles in between headlining live shows in the Midlands. He’s worked with Larry Peace, former personal DJ for Prince, Sheffield DJ Jake Vertigo and EDM star Bespoke.
Suzanna Dee
Suzanna Dee is a Leeds lass, who has been working in the music business for over 25 years.
Heard of Spice Girls? She was the one that put the extra Spice on their last album ‘Forever’ as a vocal arranger and backing vocalist. She has also worked as a session singer with Jane McDonald, S Club 7, Billie Piper, Martine McCutcheon and Tony Hadley to name a few.
Suzanna smashed onto the ‘Official Top 40’ in the Noughties, with her dance cover of the Maria McKee 1990 Number One hit 'Show Me Heaven' and has also featured on many Ministry of Sound albums, giving her 2 Gold & 1 Silver discs.
Still releasing dance and energy records, Suzanna's voice has been heard at many a Pride and many an arena around the world, including Hyde Park, the Royal Albert Hall and the MGM grand in Las Vegas.
No stranger to TV - Suzanna has appeared on shows such as Lorraine and Loose Women and was recently one of the '100 Judges' for BBC1s Talent show 'All Together Now'. A huge supporter and Ally of the 'LBGTQIA+ Community', Suzanna is one of this years UK Pride Ambassadors and can't wait to take to the stage at Calderdale Pride.
Pete Monsoon
Yorkshire 'Pete Monsoon' followed his dream of becoming a DJ from the age of 10...a dream that would see him go onto perform around the world. Playing 7inch singles in his bedroom on a basic record deck with a built in speaker, it was when his neighbour gave him their record deck of the same make, he first started playing records over two decks.
After a couple of years of obsessing over DJ’ing, Breakdancing, Rapping & Graffiti (aged just 14), Pete upgraded his equipment to a system with turntables that cost £50 - which he paid for weekly, with his £5 pocket money. Soon after, Pete was trying to copy the scratching sounds and techniques he had heard, from records such as Herby Hancock’s ‘Rocket’, Arthur Bakers ‘Breakers Revenge’, and his home town legend ‘3 Jaze’ - who’s Mixtapes were a true inspiration to a young Pete.
Pete's first big break came when he was 17, in June 1990, when his friend set up his own Rave night in Huddersfield called Forbidden Zone @ Venn Street. He was added to the flyer under his Graffiti / Tag name at the time ‘Creator’ and played alongside DJ’s Paul Oakenfold, Paul Trouble Anderson, Chad Jackson and T.O.N.Y (from the Hacienda).
From this successful night, Pete went onto DJ all over the UK and around the world, as well as doing shows on local, pirate, legal and online radio stations.
An open-minded music lover and a versatile DJ, Pete has played a vast selection of musical styles in his career, from Trance, Techno, Funk, Hip Hop; to UK, Italian, Funky, Piano and Electro House.
Pete has been producing and remixing records since 1991, with labels such as Fulcrum, Hamster and FFRR records.
A lover of creating bootleg mash-ups with an Old Skool feel, Pete has gone on to remix releases for Ministry of Sound, Clubland, Data and All Around the World records to name a few.
Lady Gaskell
Lady Gaskell is a multi instrumentalist and singer/songwriter, specialising in female artists and is heavily influenced by the likes of Lady Gaga, Amy Winehouse, Gwen Stefani and Lana Del Rey.
Lady Gaskell wowed both judges and the audience and was crowed the winner of the 3rd 'Calderdale Pride's Got Talent' event, which was held at the Square Chapel on the 11th of June and she can't WAIT to perform on the main stage of Calderdale Pride on August 19th.
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