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The Brit School Celebrates 20 Years Of Success

22/09/2011

More than 65 million albums have been sold globally by former BRIT School students including Adele, Leona Lewis, Katie Melua and The Feeling, new Official Charts Company figures reveal.

Two decades of incredible BRIT School success was today toasted by Sir George Martin CBE, Culture Minister Ed Vaizey MP and Lord Kenneth Baker of Dorking at a major event to celebrate the official 20th Anniversary of the school in Croydon, South London.

A staggering 65 million albums have been sold worldwide by former BRIT School music students, new Official Chart Company and Music Week research revealed today – including top sellers from Adele, Leona Lewis, Katie Melua, Jessie J, The Kooks, Katie B and the late Amy Winehouse.

In just the UK alone, BRIT School alumni have accounted for sales of more than 21 million albums and 19.8 million singles. The first Top 10 hit achieved by students was the self-titled Eurovision Song contest entry Love City Groove, which reached No.7 in April 1995.

 

Reflecting on her time at The BRIT School, Leona Lewis recalled: "My time there was invaluable. Being in a creative environment all day, everyday fuelled my passion to have a creative career. The school helped me learn my craft as a songwriter and musician, not just from the lessons but from my fellow class mates who inspired me too. Happy 20th birthday BRIT School!"

Since opening its doors in 1991, the School has more than tripled its intake from 300 to 1,000 full-time students who study the national curriculum whilst specialising in a chosen artistic field. In 2010/2011, the School continued its recent examination successes - maintaining its position amongst the top 1% of State schools in the UK. There are now more than 7,000 alumni of the school employed and contributing to the creative industries.

 

BRIT SCHOOL ALUMNI – UK TOP 10 BEST-SELLING ALBUMS

1.Amy Winehouse-Back To Black

2.Adele-21

3.Leona Lewis-Spirit

4.Katie Melua-Call Off The Search

5.Adele-19

6.The Kooks-Inside In/ Inside Out

7.Katie Melua-Piece By Piece

8.Amy Winehouse-Frank

9.The Feeling-Twelve Stops & Home

10.Leona Lewis-Echo

 

BRIT SCHOOL ALUMNI – UK TOP 10 BEST-SELLING SINGLES

1.Adele-Someone Like You

2.Leona Lewis-Bleeding Love

3.Jessie J Ft. BOB-Price Tag

4.Leona Lewis-A Moment Like This

5.Adele-Rolling In The Deep

6.Leona Lewis-Run

7.Adele-Make You Feel My Love

8.Mark Ronson Ft. Amy Winehouse-Valerie

9.Jessie J-Do It Like A Dude

10.Another Level-Freak Me

 

The School’s former music students include: Adele, Jessie J, Leona Lewis, Kate Nash, Katie Melua, Katy B, Rizzle Kicks, Marsha Ambrosius, Jamie Woon, The Kooks, The Feeling, Noisettes, Imogen Heap, Adelaide McKenzie, Joel Pott of Athlete, Polly Scattergood, Tawiah, Charlene Soraia, Bashy MC, Dockers MC, Jack McManus, Troy Hudson (Ruff Diamondz), Cherry Blackstone and Andre Carol.

Ex-Theatre students have appeared in: The In-Betweeners (The Movie) (Blake Harrison, Theo Barklem Biggs, Cush Jumbo, Emily Head), Appropriate Adult (ITV) (Selin Hizli), Truth and Reconciliation at the Royal Court (Ivanno Jeremiah), and As You Like It at the Manchester Royal Exchange (Cush Jumbo).

Ex-Musical Theatre students have appeared in: Sister Act, the tour (Grace Gardner), Sound of Music, the tour (Carly Thoms), Chichester Festival’s She Loves Me (Louis Maskell and Josh Lay), Flashdance and We Will Rock You (Hannah Levane), Sweeney Todd and Lord of the Flies (James McConville).

Those building up a successful dance career include: Nathan Goodman (Richard Alston Dance Company); Femi Oyewole performing on Broadway in Blue Man Group, Scott Jennings who has toured internationally in Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake and choreographed a piece of Resolution, Jay Revell who is a choreographer and dancer for Alexandra Burke, Tosh Wanogho-Maud who is with Sony Records and in Five Guys Named Mo, Renne Harriott who was in Thriller, Brooke Milliner Dance Captain and a choreographer for Plague, and Keely Dann who is a dancer on Rihanna's Loud Tour 2011.

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