EXCLUSIVEFrom a heartfelt carol tribute to the late Queen to a duet at the King's Coronation Concert: Inside the Royal Family's enduring bond with classical soul musician - as he releases single to inspire Team GB at the Olympics
- Alexis Ffrench played at Westminster Abbey carol service after Queen's death
- He was then chosen to perform at the King's Coronation Concert last May
Alexis Ffrench is the classical soul composer who captivated the heart of the nation during the King's Coronation weekend.
And now he is back with a new single to inspire Team GB at the 2024 Olympics.
The 54-year-old hopes his morale-boosting anthem, Soar, will become the team's official song for motivation.
As the country gears up for the Games, Alexis reflected on his enduring bond with the Palace and the high stakes of being entrusted with some of the Royal Family's most impactful moments.
Just two months after the death of Queen Elizabeth, he was chosen to perform on a piano emblazoned with images of the late monarch at Kate Middleton's annual Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey.
Speaking to MailOnline, he described the performance as 'incredibly moving', to the point where he struggled to 'hold it together'.
And then at the Coronation Concert in the grounds of Windsor Castle last year, Alexis had his crowning moment when he performed a duet with singer-songwriter Zak Abel.
Alexis first met the King when he was 14, when Charles unexpectedly dropped in to his art class at the Purcell School of Music, where he had a scholarship.
Alexis Ffrench is the classical soul composer who captivated the heart of the nation during the King's Coronation weekend. Above: Alexis performs at the Coronation Concert in the grounds of Windsor Castle
Just two months after the death of Queen Elizabeth, he was chosen to perform on a piano emblazoned with images of the late monarch at Kate Middleton's annual Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey
The then Prince of Wales chatted with each of the students about their pieces of art and learned more about their musical talents.
Little did Alexis know that this small conversation with the Royal would be the first step in a musical journey with him and his family.
Speaking of his first experience with the King, Alexis said: 'It was a very small class. It was only about 10 of us or so in the class because it was a very small school, and he took the time to speak to us all individually.
'I spoke to him about the picture that I was drawing, and he was so patient, so generous and got a real sense of the fact that he had time for us all and also just a real sort of gentle and sort of pastoral feeling as well for dealing with young people.
'It felt like he really enjoyed the opportunity as well to talk to us and find out more about what we were drawing and also about our music as well, which is the main reason why we were at that specialist music school.
'So for me, I think years on performing at the Coronation Concert felt like a sort of full circle moment in many ways.'
And after a very successful start to his career at the established institute, he became one the fastest-growing classical artists in the world.
Not only does Alexis rank among the top 10 most streamed classical artists globally, he headlined London's iconic Royal Albert Hall, has collaborated with top fashion houses Miyake and Hugo Boss, played Latitude Festival, worked with Paloma Faith and composed several major film scores.
Now he is back with a new single to inspire Team GB at the 2024 Olympics. The 54-year-old hopes his morale-boosting anthem, Soar, will become the team's official song for motivation
And as well as performing at her carol concert, Alexis has also joined the Princess of Wales in the Royal Box at Wimbledon, where they discussed some 'big issues'.
Speaking of his experience with Kate, he said: 'She has this effortless grace that she exudes every time she she talks to people, she makes you feel like you're the only person in the room.'
Because it came so soon after the Queen's passing, the Together at Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey in 2022 was particularly poignant.
Alexis performed a silent tribute improvised around her favourite carol, In The Bleak Midwinter.
The performance was so touching for the composer that he had a difficult time 'holding it together' during his set, he said.
Reflecting on the touching evening, Alexis said: 'I performed a tribute to the late Queen, performing her favourite carol... with images of her life beamed onto the piano.
'It was a silent performance. I basically sort of improvised a piece based around her favourite Carol.
'And that was incredibly moving, just to see her life and the passages of time, all those momentous occasions that punctuated her life, which is, of course, a life of service and sacrifice.
'And that was so moving. I really had to hold it together, sort of, to deliver in that moment because it was again such an honour.
'It felt like such a moment, an emotional moment.'
Following his touching performance, King Charles then gave him the important role of performing for the Coronation Concert.
Zak Abel was chosen as his duet partner after Freya Ridings pulled out last minute due to illness.
The concert, where the pair performed Simple Minds' hit Don't You Forget About Me, felt 'strangely intimate', Alexis said.
'I've got to say, walking out onto the stage, I tend to go into this kind of hyper-focused mode every time I perform because it's always in the moment of the moment and I needed to garner all one's sort of emotional strength and resolve to give the best possible experience to the people who are watching and listening', he added.
'And so I went into this hyper-focus mode, but I was also cognizant of the fact that my family were in the audience, my son, my daughter, my wife, and you just wanted to contribute to the night, to the magic of the evening.
'And we were all just parts and pieces of a cog just fitting in neatly. And it was just the most incredible teamwork.'
Alexis also revealed that the celebrities in attendance, including Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Emma Thompson, were so joyful that they almost became 'giddy'.
Lionel was like a 'young man bounding around' with endless bursts of energy, he said.
Following his 'full circle moment' with Charles, Alexis was supposed to meet the King after his performance.
Unfortunately, he was late to the after-party at Windsor Castle and so missed out on his catch-up.
Reflecting on Charles and Kate's cancer diagnoses this year, Alexis said: 'The Princess of Wales and the King have shown enormous bravery, I think, in the face of adversity, particularly with the news of their own health concerns over the last year.
'And of course, I, along with millions of others, wish them well.'
Alexis aims to continue his patriotic influence during the Olympics with the release of his latest track, Soar, on Friday.
This motivational and uplifting single, inspired by national optimism, is crafted to bolster Team GB's ambitions at this year's Olympic Games.
In addition to Soar, Alexis is preparing to launch his Classical Soul Vol.1 collection on September 20, via Sony Classical.
Alexis (pictured at Windsor Castle on the day of the Coronation Concert) has played a vital role in the royals' most defining moments
Alexis's new single, Soar, was composed to bolster Team GB's ambitions at this year's Olympic Games. In addition to Soar, Alexis is preparing to launch Classical Soul Vol.1 on September 20 via Sony Classical
Early 2025 will see him embark on a multi-city tour across the UK and Ireland, followed by performances in Poland, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and France.
With half a billion streams to his name and chart-topping albums like Evolution and Dreamland, Ffrench has established himself as a leading figure in classical music.
His latest album, Truth, stands out as his most powerful, political, and optimistic work yet.
Alexis is also a passionate advocate for music education.
In 2011 he was appointed as the first Artistic Director of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.
He also serves as a trustee and member of the governing body of the Royal Academy of Music in London.
