Skip to main content

United Kingdom: Experienced team backing Josh

26 May 2010 at 20:47 CEST

The backing vocalists and dancers for Josh were hand picked for the Eurovision Song Contest, this is mainly through their connections with composers Mike Stock, Pete Waterman and Steve Crosby. As you will read below, some of the team have already had experience of working with Eurovision Song Contest stars such as Cliff Richard and Michael Ball.

Kirsten Joy Gill started singing at a very young age, she adds "I was a full time student of the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford. Since then I have worked full time singing and songwriting. Some of the biggest things I have done are being in a gospel choir, we came fourth in the BBC's Last Choir Standing show. We've been singing as a choir for two years. We performed behind Russell Watson at the Proms In The Park event, and have sang for the Queen. We also sang with Michael Ball a few months ago on an ITV show. I'm also in a pop band at the moment and have backed many artists."

Suzanne Carley began her career playing Sandy in the musical Grease, the UK tour. She said "I've played Linda in Blood Brothers in the West End, and on tour. I've travelled all over the world as a singer in places as far flung as Australia and China, and it's great to be in Oslo with Josh as i've never been to this part of the world. We're having a lovely time here."

Joanna Breheny from London also started singing from a young age. She adds "I started session singing at the age of 16, and I was doing backing vocals with Boy George when I was 17 or 18. Since then, I have graduated from the same Academy of Contemporary Music as Kirsten in Guildford, I'm also part of the same gospel choir so we have done a lot this year as Kirsten said, singing for the Queen, singing in huge venues such as 02 Arena and Wembley Stadium in London. I'm also very happy to be here supporting Josh."

Filippo Calvagno was born and grew up in Germany but is of Italian descent. He is one of Josh's dancers and tells "I've been living in London for almost three years now. I am a professional dancer and in the past I have worked with some of the biggest names internationally such as Whitney Houston, Leona Lewis, Lily Allen, Duffy and the Pussycat Dolls"

Ciaran Connolly is the second backing dancer supporting Josh and says "I'm originally from Ireland but I have been living in London for 7 years now and in my working experience as a dancer i've had quite a diverse range of experiences as I have danced with bands such as Take That, Girls Aloud, Cheryl Cole, Pixie Lott, Emma Bunton, Michael Buble, Cliff Richard and The Nolan Sisters."

The United Kingdom enjoyed a major turn in fortunes last year at the Eurovision Song Contest when Jade Ewen took the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Diane Warren penned hit It's My Time to a highly respectable fifth place in Europe's Favourite TV Show. Josh and his team carry the hopes of the nation on their collective shoulders when they will sing in position number 12 in Saturday's Final.