The Frontline Singers and a Strange Old World

The Frontline Singers and a Strange Old World

As the Frontline Singers sang about the Strange Old World of lockdown on Britain’s Got Talent back in 2022, the population of the UK came out in collective goosebumps.

If we’re honest, many of us also found ourselves wiping away tears, just like judge Amanda Holden. But the most emotional of all must have been James Beeny and Gina Georgio, sitting in the audience, watching like proud, anxious parents as the singers they had brought together to bring comfort and support to Key Workers during the pandemic brought the house down.

They managed to capture perfectly in one song the feelings of, not just the nation, but the world as they sang: “We never know what life will throw our way, but if we stand as one, we’ll get through each day.”

We were so proud of them all,” says Gina.“The first time they had all performed together in person was on the day of the audition so it was very nerve-wracking, but it couldn’t have gone better.

James and Gina, who run a musical theatre company called Toy Soldier Productions, had the idea for The Frontline Singers during the first lockdown, looking for a way to lift the spirits of Key Workers and spread a message of hope, solidarity and support.

Gina’s father, Demi Georghiou, is a Police Community Support Officer and had been working under immense pressure. Gina said he loved performing so when she and James put the idea of the group to him, he jumped at the chance to join.

"He and his colleagues were putting their own safety at risk every day as they carried out their work, like lots of other frontline workers were,” says Gina.

“I could see how much it was affecting him. We wanted to share a positive message to show solidarity with all Key Workers. My dad was our first member.”

An appeal on social media followed and soon they had teachers, police officers, doctors, nurses, supermarket staff and a whole host of other Key Workers joining remote rehearsals.

James says:

“We wanted to include as many Key Workers from different areas as possible. Hearing about the difficulties faced during the pandemic by supermarket workers, for example, encouraged us to bring them into the group.”

Even West End stars who found themselves out of work when theatres closed and took on Key Worker roles to make ends meet joined the group, like Paul Wilkins, who played Marius in Les Mis.

The Britain’s Got Talent appearance moved many to tears

James and Gina penned an original song, Strange Old World, which summed up what Key Workers were going through.

And that message resonated with every single person watching when they performed the song on Britain’s Got Talent in 2022.

Simon Cowell said at the time: “It gives us a chance to say thank you to all of you because it's people like yourselves who protected all of us. We have good times ahead I think."

Gina says Britain’s Got Talent was an amazing experience, not just for the immediate reaction to the singers and the song, but because it gave people who had clapped during lockdown another way to express how grateful they continued to be for the work carried out by Key Workers.

“The programme really gave the Key Workers a wonderful opportunity,” she says. “It was amazing to see the reaction from the audience and the public. It was lovely to hear all of the comments; people were so grateful for everything all the frontline workers had done.

“So many of our members say it lifted the spirits of their colleagues as well. Even though they weren’t on stage, they were all in the Britain’s Got Talent journey together.”

The singers, including Gina’s dad Demi, far right, appeared on Crimewatch

James adds: “During the pandemic, there was a real increase in appreciation for the work that these people did.

“Afterwards, I think it was inevitable that people wanted to go back to their normal lives. But even when those visible expressions of appreciation like the clapping had finished, there was still an appreciation there and the response to Britain’s Got Talent showed that.

“For the group, what was particularly special was having a group of people that they could get together with, who had shared their experiences. They just got each other; they opened up and spoke to each other, so there was an element of therapy in that. Music is also like therapy and the rehearsals were a big part of the process of helping people through this tough time.”

The singers at the Katie Piper Foundation concert

The Frontline Singers are still going strong, spreading their message of solidarity and hope, working rehearsals around shifts and the vital work they are still doing.

They have appeared at a charity concert in aid of the Katie Piper Foundation and even had a guest slot on Crimewatch Live, concluding the latest series.

A highlight for James and Gina, however, was when they attended the Nursing Summit with two nurses from the group and were blown away with the support and response from leading figures in the nursing world.

James says there are plans to expand the group and have frontline singers groups across the UK.

The nation loved the choir on TV

We do have plans for the future; we would love to do more with this and we will look at expanding when the timing is right,” he says.

“We have had so many inquiries from people who want to get involved, and there are so many frontline workers who would benefit from something like this across the UK.”

In the meantime, Gina says the group continue to be like a family, supporting each other through times that are still difficult now.

“It has been such an adventure. I can remember being in the audience when they were on stage, I was so proud of them all. I knew how much the pandemic had affected my Dad so it was lovely to seem him like that.

“We just wrote one song and we had no idea how far it would go and the people we would meet along the way.

“It has been a real honour and a privilege to work with this amazing group of people.”

James Beeny and Gina Georgio

Strange Old World, is still available to listen to and download online. Click here to access the track.

The song is raising money for Frontline19, which offers support to those working on the frontline. Click here to learn more about Frontline19.