‘An absolute honour’ - Jarrow teenager performed for thousands of people in Newcastle
An 18-year-old Jarrow singer-songwriter has described performing at the Sunday for Sammy concert.
Savannah Lily, from Jarrow, has spoken about the “absolute honour” that it was to perform at this year’s Sunday for Sammy concerts at the Utilita Arena, in Newcastle.
The 18-year-old played in front of more than 5,500 twice in one night as she became part of the charity’s landmark 25th anniversary show and its first in six years.
The talented young artist shared the same bill as global stars such as Sting, Matty Healy and Lewis Capaldi.
Savannah, who is a student at Gateshead College, credited her tutors for encouraging her to apply for the Sunday for Sammy grant that ultimately led to her arena appearance and revealed how it felt to be included in the line-up after she received an email from producer Ray Laidlaw.
She said: “My tutor gave me the application, and I filled in the form, got offered an audition and turned up to a panel that was literally royalty in the industry.
“He just said, ‘Pencil in February 15th – don’t tell anyone.’ I was like, ‘No way!’
“It’s the first show they’ve done in six years, and to be part of the 25th celebration was just incredible.”
For her Sunday for Sammy performance, Savannah delivered a stunning rendition of ‘I Can't Make You Love Me’ by Bonnie Raitt - a song that she has performed for several years.
Savannah added: “It’s such a beautiful, vulnerable ballad that everyone knows.
“I sang it at my audition. When Ray emailed to say he wanted me to sing that song at the show, it was an absolute pleasure.
“I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”
Savannah first rose to national attention after she appeared on The Voice Kids UK at just 14 - later becoming a finalist in 2021.
Following the show, she released a rendition of Elton John’s ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ as her debut single, which she performed during her blind audition for The Voice.
The Jarrow teenager has since released original songs including ‘Twisted’ in 2022 and most recently ‘No More’ as she continues to develop her distinctive country-tinged pop sound.
Backstage at Sunday for Sammy, Savannah had the chance to meet some of music’s biggest names where she introduced herself to Matty Healy, who had reviously visited Gateshead College on the one day she happened to be absent.
Savannah shared: “I told him I was the one who’d been off sick when he came in!
“He asked what I was performing and when I said, ‘I Can’t Make You Love Me’, he said that’s one of his top five favourite songs and that he’d be in the audience.
“No pressure!”
She also shared a surreal breakfast-queue moment with Lewis Capaldi: “I just passed him and thought, ‘What is going on?’ He was lovely.”
You can keep up to date with Savannah’s music at: https://www.instagram.com/savannah.lily.music.
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