Michael Ball and Alfie Boe launch sixth album Together At Home ahead of UK tour
Theatre superstars Ball and Boe are back, and the chart-topping duo are launching their brand new album andtour - stopping at Nottingham on the way.
Together At Home, Michael Ball and Alfie Boe’s brand new sixth studio album, arrives on November 8, marking their 10th year making music together.
The chart-topping, arena-filling, multi-million-selling duo have included covers of many songs on the album that are special to them, including Heather Small’s 2000 solo single Proud, which resonates with Ball as he felt such pride watching his granddaughter score a try in the rugby sevens with Team GB at the Paris Olympics.
“We’re proud of where we're from. Proud of this country, of being British and welcoming people home. And welcoming people into our home is something that I think is important,” Boe said.
When it came to selecting songs for the new album, for each of them, certain songs were immediate no-brainers…
“For me the first one was probably ‘Homeward Bound’ by Paul Simon,” said Ball. “It's obviously written by an American, and from an American perspective, but it was written in the UK, at Widnes train station. It's about people who are on the road, far from home.
“You get tired, you get jaded, you get homesick. Paul Simon articulately and musically describes that feeling.”
Home, in a geographical sense, is represented in other songs. Lifelong Liverpool FC fan Boe was keen for the inclusion of ‘Ferry Cross The Mersey’, another anthem by Kop favourite Gerry Marsden, while Ball also chose Gerry Rafferty’s ‘Baker Street’.
Take That’s ‘Rule the World’ also appears on the album, as well as The Hollies’ track ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’.
After decorated careers in theatre and opera, Michael and Alfie were suddenly chart superstars. As a duo, they have now sold over 1.5 million albums in the UK, received two Classic Brit Awards, sold-out three headline arena tours and presented three ITV Specials.
The duo will now take to the road in a 12-date marathon across the UK in March and April next year, and will be coming to Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena on Tuesday April 1.
