Eye singer-songwriter to support Ed Sheeran at massive homecoming gigs
Eye singer-songwriter Bessie Turner who will be performing at Ed Sheeran homecoming gigs at Chantry Park in Ipswich. Picture: Ross Halls - Credit: Archant
A singer-songwriter who hails from Eye has been named as one of three local acts chosen to support Suffolk superstar Ed Sheeran at his homecoming concerts this month.
Ed Sheeran's gigs in Ipswich this month going to be one of the biggest events ever in Ipswich. Picture: Ben Birchall/PA - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
Bessie Turner has been handed the chance to perform in front of tens of thousands at the global star gigs at Ipswich's Chantry Park.
The 26-year-old, has previously headlined the BBC Introducing Stage at the Reading and Leeds festivals and performed at Latitude, said she was "completely overwhelmed" by the news.
"I am so happy to be part of it," she said. "It is quite an amazing thing that is happening - I think it is going to be something that goes down in history."
Eye singer-songwriter Bessie Turner who will be performing at Ed Sheeran homecoming gigs at Chantry Park in Ipswich. Picture: Aikona Records - Credit: AIKONA RECORDS LTD
Ed Sheeran, who lives in the Framlingham area, had asked BBC Introducing in Suffolk, the radio show in the early stages of his career, to nominate a trio of artists to open on August 23, 24 and 25, the first three of four nights he is performing at Chantry Park.
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The show's presenters, Richard Haugh and Angelle Joseph, selected the cream of the crop from local acts, who submitted their music via the BBC Introducing Uploader.
Bessie's music style has been described as eclectic, and draws inspiration from a range of big names, from MIA to Dionne Warwick.
Eye singer-songwriter Bessie Turner who will be performing at Ed Sheeran homecoming gigs at Chantry Park in Ipswich. Picture: Aikona Records - Credit: Aikona Records
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Her debut single, Big Sleep, was released on her own label in April 2017, and streamed more than 10,000 times in 12 hours. She released her first EP, 22:22, in 2018.
The singer-songwriter said she is excited to support Suffolk's biggest superstar - but hasn't yet got her head around performing on such a huge stage.
"I have met Ed a couple of times before," she added. "I have kind of followed his career from when he was doing music as a teenager."
Bessie recently gained national recognition for her efforts to tackle the stigma surrounding mental illness. Last year she posted a picture of herself crying on Instagram, alongside a message encouraging people to reach out to their friends and family about their mental health.
She received an "overwhelming" response, with comments saying the post was "comfort for all who struggle".
The other local performers selected are Piers James, a hip hop artist from Ipswich, and teenage indie-rock band Salvador from Ed's home town of Framlingham.
