Bathroom sets: Jamie Cullum, Rag‘n’Bone Man, Ella Henderson, and Songhoy Blues perform washroom gigs to get people to spend a penny for WaterAid

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A bumper crop of top UK and international artists will keep us entertained in the lead up to Christmas by performing from their privy as part of WaterAid’s Bathroom Sessions to raise money for its Future on Tap appeal.

Singer-songwriters, Rag‘n’Bone Man, Ella Henderson, and Jamie Cullum, and desert blues band Songhoy Blues are supporting the international charity by singing some of their best-known songs and new music as part of the virtual music show, which launches at 6pm on Friday 11 December and runs until Sunday 13 December.  

Other influential acts who will be making a splash with the online gigs include British singer-songwriters Raye, Maisie Peters, Charlotte Jane, and Dodie, Irish singer-songwriter, Gavin James, South African hip-hop artist Frank Casino, Canadian musician JP Saxe, American singer-songwriter Herizen, Malaysian singer-songwriter Yuna, and Nigerian singer-songwriters Johnny Drille, Simi, and Oxlade.       

The Bathroom Sessions are free to watch and will be streamed on WaterAid’s and Clash Magazine’s Facebook channels. Artists will invite people to support WaterAid’s Future on Tap appeal, which aims to raise £3 million to transform lives with clean water in Ethiopia and across the world. The UK government will match public donations before 4 February 2021, up to £2 million, making double the difference in climate-vulnerable communities. 

Globally, 785 million – that’s one in ten people – do not have access to clean water, and erratic and extreme weather brought on by climate change is making it much harder for people in the poorest places to access this basic human right. In Ethiopia, nearly two-thirds of the population live without clean water. With this basic resource, people can stay healthy, protect their livelihoods, and build a better future for themselves, whatever tomorrow may bring.  

Jazz singer-songwriter, Jamie Cullum, who has sold 4 million albums and who has released his first ever Christmas album, “The Pianoman At Christmas”, will perform on Sunday 13 December.

Jamie Cullum said: 

“Bathroom Sessions is a fantastic way to bring people together to help make a difference during these challenging times. It’s appalling that just because of where they live, millions of children have no choice but to drink dirty water, which causes so many to get sick. It’s inhuman and is a situation that shouldn’t be a reality in the modern world. WaterAid’s Future on Tap will help transform thousands of lives with clean water in some of the most vulnerable communities. I’m really honoured to be supporting such an important cause.” 

Malian band Songhoy Blues and new WaterAid ambassadors, whose most recent album “OPTIMISME” is out now, chose to perform their set in Mali’s capital city by a river to highlight the fact that many have no choice but to use open spaces as their bathrooms. Around 673 million people globally defecate in the open because they don’t have a decent toilet. This affect people’s dignity and safety and can lead to water sources becoming polluted with human waste, making communities vulnerable to fatal diarrhoeal diseases. The group will perform on Saturday 12 December.    

Aliou Touré lead singer, Songhoy Blues said: 

“We’ve supported WaterAid for years because clean water and decent toilets should be available for everyone.  It’s an injustice that millions are denied these essential basic human rights.  

“Headlining WaterAid’s Bathroom Sessions is an opportunity we’re extremely proud of, we’ve always believed in the power of music to break down barriers, revealing our common humanity and creating positive change for people all over the world.    

“Despite its challenges, we are passionate about Africa and its immense potential, that’s why raising money for Future on Tap is important to us. Over 60 million people in Ethiopia don’t have access to clean water, and now, climate change is making it harder to get this vital resource for many communities.  Through coming together to support WaterAid’s appeal, we can transform lives in Ethiopia and across the world for the better.”   

BRIT award-winning and triple-platinum selling neo-blues and soul singer Rory Graham, also known as Rag‘n’Bone Man (“Human”, “Disfigured”, “Wolves”) will perform on Sunday 13 December.  

Rag‘n’Bone Man said: 

We are hoping to raise awareness for WaterAid and help bring clean water to those who need it. I hope you enjoy the session and donate generously.”

Bathroom Sessions was first launched earlier this year and featured former Spice Girl Mel C, KT Tunstall, Pixie Lott, and Maverick Sabre.

To stream the Bathroom Sessions between Friday 11 and Sunday 13 December and to watch performances after the sessions have ended, please click here.

Bathroom Sessions dates and times: 

Session 1: Friday 11 December from 6PM GMT 

Session 2: Saturday 12 December from 2PM GMT 

Session 3: Saturday 12 December from 7PM 

Session 4: Sunday 13 December from 7PM  

ENDS 

For more information, please contact: 

Ekene Oboko, Senior Media Officer, [email protected] 
Or call our after-hours press line on +44 (0)7887 521 552
Or email [email protected] 

Notes to Editors: 

WaterAid

WaterAid is working to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation. The international not-for-profit organisation works in 28 countries to change the lives of the poorest and most marginalised people. Since 1981, WaterAid has reached 26.4 million people with clean water and 26.3 million people with decent toilets. For more information, visit www.wateraid.org/uk, follow @WaterAid or @WaterAidPress on Twitter, or find WaterAid UK on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wateraid.

• 785 million people in the world – one in ten – do not have clean water close to home.[1]
• 2 billion people in the world – almost one in four – do not have a decent toilet of their own.[2]
• Around 310,000 children under five die every year from diarrhoeal diseases caused by poor water and sanitation. That's almost 800 children a day, or one child every two minutes.[3]
• Every £1 invested in water and toilets returns an average of £4 in increased productivity.[4]
• Just £15 can provide one person with clean water.[5]

[1] WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) Progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: 2017 update and SDG Baselines

[2] WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) Progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: 2017 update and SDG Baselines

[3] Prüss-Ustün et al. (2014) and The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (2018)

[4] World Health organization (2012) Global costs and benefits of drinking-water supply and sanitation interventions to reach the MDG target and universal coverage

[5] www.wateraid.org