BBC Studios Kids & Family has announced the release of “Phoenix Rise – The Album” featuring original music from the critically acclaimed coming of age drama series as it returns for a second series to BBC Three and BBC iPlayer September 25th.
This original soundtrack, out today September 29th, features music from the first series as well as sounds from the much anticipated second season.
Phoenix Rise follows a group of young outsiders who have been excluded from school as they return to mainstream education, form unlikely friendships and learn to navigate school life.
The drama centres around friendship, first love and family, alongside the complex realities of school life, mental health struggles and never-ending outside pressures – from money problems to dealing with an uncertain future. All through the lens of the resilient, misfit heroes who tackle life with laughter, courage and a lot of attitude.
“Music plays a vital role in this coming-of-age show, often mirroring the inner thoughts of characters on screen. In a uniquely collaborative process, we provided scripts and early cuts of the show to the local artists to allow them to create this completely original soundtrack, ” says Tali Walters, Production Creative Director, Kids & Family Live Action.
Creators and Executive Producers Perrie Balthazar and Matt Evans say: “Coventry has a rich musical heritage that celebrates the city’s cultural mix. We really wanted to encapsulate those sounds and that energy in the Phoenix Rise soundtrack. We were so excited to get the opportunity to work with new and emerging talent from across the Midlands to produce a soundtrack that captures the vibrancy and diversity of the show.”
The soundtrack reflects the incredible musical heritage of Coventry, stemming from its rich history of immigration. It features a mixture of up and coming artists and contributors, including Danniella Dee (“Woman”), who has a strong musical background. Her father is Trevor, known as ET Rockers from The Specials. She recently played at the Radio 1 Big Weekend in Coventry last year (BBC Introducing stage) and also sang in the Coventry Cathedral choir.
Junior NRB (“Star of The Show”), another contributor has already accumulated over 29’000 monthly Spotify listeners and his biggest hit ‘Canada Goose’ has over 10 million views.
Music Producer, Faron Forbes, says: “Myself and the artists are all from Coventry and we produced the tracks from start to finish, which made the process that little more special, being able to enjoy it with the people I started this musical journey with was a wicked experience, it feels like we’ve all won.
“I believe there’s a lot of really talented artists in and around Coventry who need a lot more attention, the rap scene in Coventry is super diverse as well so there’s definitely an artist for everybody. The Phoenix Rise project has definitely been my proudest moment as a musician.”
The album will be available to stream and download on all major music platforms.
**LISTEN HERE: https://phoenixrise.lnk.to/thealbum
