‘Inspiration’: Sheku Kanneh-Mason’s Chart-Breaking Album

Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, one of the brightest young stars in classical music, released his debut album Inspiration on January 26, 2018. Sheku made chart history with Inspiration when he became the youngest cellist ever to break into the Top 20 UK Official Album Chart – the album peaked at No. 11 following his performance at the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May 2018, which was watched around the world by 2 billion people.

Listen to Sheku Kanneh-Mason’s Inspiration on Apple Music and Spotify.

Sheku Kanneh-Mason recorded his debut album Inspiration with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) and Music Director Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla in Birmingham and his hometown of Nottingham. Inspiration is a deeply personal collection of pieces that inspired him in his career. Sheku’s inspirations include his school music teacher, who first encouraged him to play “Evening of Roses,” the great cellists – Mstislav Rostropovich, Pablo Casals, and Jacqueline du Pré – who inspired him to play “Tears for Jacqueline” and “Song of the Birds,” and his passion for Bob Marley. Sheku’s friends and fellow musicians are also a source of inspiration for the album, including BBC Young Musician winner Guy Johnston, who joined him for “Sardana.”

Bob Marley’s ‘No Woman No Cry’ went viral worldwide

Inspiration features Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No.1 – the piece which propelled Sheku to fame as the first black winner of BBC Young Musician in the competition’s 38-year history in 2016. Sheku’s own arrangement of Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry” went viral worldwide, achieving one million streams in its first month on Spotify alone.

Inspiration also includes a brand new arrangement of “The Swan” from The Carnival Of The Animals by Saint-Saëns, one of the world’s best-loved cello melodies, which Sheku recorded with the aim of inspiring other young people to take up the cello and explore classical music.

Sheku Kanneh-Mason made chart history with Inspiration

Sheku Kanneh-Mason made chart history with Inspiration when he became the youngest cellist ever, at 18 years old, to break into the Top 20 UK Official Album Chart. The album entered at No. 18 and peaked at No. 11 following his performance at the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May 2018, which was watched across the world by 2 billion people. At the time, Sheku said, “As a classical cellist, I can’t quite believe I’ve made the Top 20 in the pop charts with my first-ever album! It has been an amazing experience and I’m very grateful to everyone who’s supported me. I hope the pieces on this album inspire others the way they’ve inspired me.”

“It’s so amazing to be given this BRIT Certified Award”

He became the first artist to receive the brand new BRIT Certified Breakthrough Award, after selling 30,000 copies of Inspiration in the UK . The Breakthrough Award is an extension of the famous Platinum, Gold and Silver Awards – certified by The BRIT Awards and record labels body the BPI and issued to recording artists upon achieving notable sales landmarks. Inspiration also surpassed 100,000 album sales worldwide – a major milestone for any artist and an astonishing feat for a classical debut.

Sheku Kanneh-Mason was inspired to learn the cello after hearing Jacqueline du Pré’s recording of Elgar’s Cello Concerto when he was a child. He received a ringing endorsement from Piers and Hilary du Pré, Jacqueline’s brother and sister, who noted, “Jackie would often say, ‘So many cellists can play technically well, but can they make music?’ Sheku makes music. He’s the first cellist since Jackie who has that natural and vibrant abandonment when playing. A sheer delight. Jackie would have loved to meet him.”

Sheku Kanneh-Mason’s debut album Inspiration can be bought here.