Get ready to download Darwen’s Begin2Sing!
It’s time to pre-order Begin2Sing, the original song celebrating Darwen’s community ahead of its release on Saturday 15 November.
Begin2Sing, written and recorded by Darwen School of Music co-founder Paul Stuart Davies, is available on all major streaming platforms including Spotify, Amazon and Apple Music.
The song has come about through Paul’s community project Begin2Sing, which has seen him give free vocal tuition to dozens of Darreners with little or no previous singing experience.
Over the last six months, Paul has recorded the voices of around 500 people from Darwen to feature on the original pop-soul anthem.
He recorded the voices of pupils from St Cuthbert’s Primary School and Ashleigh Primary School on the gospel-style choral refrain, along with his students at Darwen School of Music, and of course Begin2Sing workshop participants.
A number of soloists also perform on the single, including mother and son Andrea and Dylan Kirkham, demonstrating not just a community in harmony, but families too! Paul’s 10 year old daughter Charly sings the opening line of the song: ‘I’m finding my voice; drowning out the noise.’
Paul wrote the song as an ode to his adopted hometown.
He said:
“I moved to Darwen at 19, when I first moved out of home. I’ve never wanted to live anywhere else! The sense of community in Darwen is second to none, and the amount of people I have met over the years that have told me that they moved to Darwen and found their peace here really resonated with me. The song is partly about that sense of belonging and the promise of a new start, along with the nod to the singing community we have built. There is even a reference to the peregrine falcon and our iconic tower – somewhere we can always go to reflect and literally see things more clearly.”
Following a mastering session at London’s legendary Abbey Road Studios last month, the single Begin2Sing will be available to pre-order from Saturday 8 November, ahead of its release on 15 November.
Paul added:
“While the song is available on all major streaming platforms, just one download on Apple’s iTunes app is worth the equivalent of 150 streams on other platforms – and it’s these downloads that will best contribute to a chart position for Darwen! If you are an iPhone or iPad user, we urge you to consider a download on iTunes – look for the app with the purple square featuring a white star. Let’s put Darwen on the map with an iTunes Chart position!”
Listen to a snippet of Begin2Sing.
Begin2Sing will be performed live for the first time at the Darwen Christmas lights switch-on event on Saturday 15 November.
Paul will be joined on stage by soloists featured on the single, plus a handful of people who have taken part in the Begin2Sing vocal workshops since August.
Soul veteran and singer/songwriter Gloria Jones will also be in Darwen for the song’s exclusive first performance, as Begin2Sing’s celebrity ambassador.
The Begin2Sing project is funded by Blackburn with Darwen Council, through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Councillor Quesir Mahmood, Executive Member for Growth and Development, added:
“Darreners always turn out in force for the town’s Christmas lights switch-on, bringing the party spirit to kick off the festive season. Having the exclusive first live performance of the Begin2Sing single can only add to the festivities, and I’m sure plenty of proud family and friends will turn out to show their support.
“Congratulations to Paul for achieving his goal of recording a song with 500 Darwen voices. Now let’s all help Begin2Sing top the streaming charts by downloading it.”
Find out more about Begin2Sing or visit www.facebook.com/begin2singdarwen.
Find out more about the line-up for the 2025 Darwen Christmas lights switch-on.
