Apple Music Is Hosting the Ultimate Royal DJ
Credit: Apple
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Apple has welcomed some serious A-listers to Apple Music over the years, but perhaps none more prominent than an actual King.
In a surprising press release, Apple has announced that His Majesty King Charles III will be playing DJ on Apple Music 1 on Commonwealth Day — Monday, March 10 — starting at 6 a.m. UK time.
The program is dubbed The King’s Music Room and will be recorded at Buckingham Palace in His Majesty’s office. The goal is to celebrate music from throughout the Commonwealth, however, HM King Charles III will also provide his own commentary in describing his relationship with that music, from 1930s crooners to Afrobeats stars, disco divas, and reggae icons.
Throughout my life, music has meant a great deal to me. I know that is also the case for so many others. It has that remarkable ability to bring happy memories flooding back from the deepest recesses of our memory, to comfort us in times of sadness, and to take us to distant places. But perhaps, above all, it can lift our spirits to such a degree, and all the more so when it brings us together in celebration. In other words, it brings us joy.
His Majesty King Charles III
After all, while the sun now sets on the British Empire, that can’t be said for the Commonwealth of Nations that once formed that empire. These 56 countries span almost every time zone, which means that the sun almost certainly never sets on the Commonwealth.
More importantly, the 56 nations, 15 of which still recognize His Majesty as their head of state, reflect an incredibly diverse collection of musical genres and tastes. These range from larger Commonwealth Realms like Australia, Canada, and New Zealand to smaller ones like Jamaica, Bahamas, Belize, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands, plus other members of the Commonwealth like Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Togo, and Uganada.
With a list like that, it’s not surprising that the King’s playlist includes legends such as Jamaica’s Bob Marley and Grace Jones, Australia’s Kylie Minogue, and Nigerian-American singer-songwriter Davido.
A musical journey that reflects His Majesty’s personal taste, the show is shaped by his extraordinary experiences from around the world. In the broadcast, which His Majesty recorded to mark this year’s Commonwealth Day, King Charles III also shares anecdotes about his encounters with some of the artists featured and reveals why the songs help form the soundtrack to his life.
Apple
His Majesty is said to have some delightfully eclectic musical tastes and will undoubtedly share some interesting stories and give us a few surprises. He has no shortage of hit artists to choose from among the Commonwealth of Nations. The UK alone has produced such greats as Elton John, Adele, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, and One Direction, to name just a few, while Australia gave birth to Kylie Minogue, INXS, Sia, and Men at Work, New Zealand was home to Lorde, and Canada has given the world multiple-time Grammy award winners like Celine Dion, Shania Twain, Drake, Justin Bieber, and The Weeknd.
You can see His Majesty’s wide-ranging enthusiasm for music in this playlist to mark Commonwealth Day. The Commonwealth has produced more than its fair share of wonderful songs, singers, and musicians, and this fun and eclectic collection is a great reminder of this treasure trove of creativity.
Errollyn Wallen, CBE, Master of The King’s Music Room
The King’s Music Room will be broadcast on Apple Music 1 on Monday, March 10 at 6 a.m. GMT (1 a.m. ET or 10 p.m. PT on March 9). Anyone can listen, with no Apple Music subscription required, although Apple Music members can also enjoy it on demand at any time.
That will be handy for those of us on this side of the pond who don’t feel like staying up in the wee hours of the morning. However, Apple also plans to provide additional free radio broadcasts on both Apple Music 1 and Apple Music hits throughout Monday, March 10, and Tuesday, March 11. Those won’t be repeats of The King’s Music Room but will undoubtedly highlight portions of it.
