Children who performed with Ariana Grande to record song for charity album

A choir of schoolchildren who performed onstage with Ariana Grande at the One Love Manchester concert have recorded her song for a charity album.
The Parrs Wood High School Harmony Group shot to fame with a Youtube videoThe Parrs Wood High School Harmony Group shot to fame with a Youtube video
The Parrs Wood High School Harmony Group shot to fame with a Youtube video

The Parrs Wood High School Harmony Group shot to fame with a Youtube video showing them singing the American popstar's My Everything following the terrorist attack at Manchester Arena on May 22.

The group, which recorded the song to raise money for victims, went on to join a host of stars on stage at Old Trafford cricket ground for the benefit concert in June.

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The choir will be one of 10 groups to feature on the Choirs with Purpose album, to be released in December, which will split profits between the choirs or their chosen charities.

Choir members Shaunna Burns and Adam Khan, both 17, were at the Manchester Arena when the attack happened.

Shaunna told the Press Association: "The lights came up and we all heard a massive bang and you could feel like a shaking under your feet and then the whole arena went silent for a good three seconds.

"Then everybody started screaming and panicking and running."

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The sixth form students said recording the song seemed like the right thing to do after the atrocity, which killed 22 people.

Shaunna said: "We were fortunate to get out and be safe and be with our families and stuff and there were obviously people that weren't.

"I think we needed to do something.

"I don't think I have accepted what has happened but I think we are trying and we are getting on going about our everyday lives like we normally would and also trying to help people whilst we are on the road to recovery."

Adam said recording the song had been "therapeutic".

He said: "Even though we're thinking about it still, when we're singing the song we are thinking about the positive aspect, that we're trying to raise money for these people."

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Natasha Seth, 12, who sings the solo in the track, said the response to the song had been "overwhelming".

She said: "We're really grateful for all the support because it's gone so big."

The year seven pupil said the experience of singing on stage with her "idol" Grande was "amazing".

She said: "We were all so nervous when we went on stage because we saw the crowd that was there and we were like 'wow, that's massive'.

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"But, as soon as we started singing, the nerves just went away and it felt amazing."

Mark McElwee, headteacher of the Didsbury school, said: "Our children came together to represent the community in Manchester at a difficult time.

"They are determined to raise as much money as possible for the victims of the horrific attack and to show that we are stronger when we come together."

The Choirs with Purpose album will also feature Britain's Got Talent finalists the Missing People Choir and the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir, whose song A Bridge Over You was Christmas number one in 2015.

The album can be pre-ordered at www.choirswithpurpose.com.

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