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The King has shared some of his most loved songs as he hailed Beyoncé as “exceptional” and revealed his favourite Kylie Minogue track on his new online radio show.
Charles has showcased 17 of his favourite songs by artists like Michael Bublé, Bob Marley and Diana Ross on Apple Music to mark Commonwealth Day.
The monarch praised the “incomparable” Beyoncé, congratulating her on her first album of the year Grammy as he selected her 2003 hit Crazy in Love as one of his top tracks.
Charles described her as: “…a performer so exceptional that I just could not resist including her music” and said she was featured to showcase an “iconic musical moment from the many events which have supported my Trust’s work for young people over all these years.”
Beyoncé, who will bring her Cowboy Carter tour to London this June, performed Crazy in Love at the Prince’s Trust Fashion Rocks concert in 2003, the year the single was released.
As he introduced the track he told listeners: “Therefore here is one of the Trust’s most faithful supporters, the incomparable Beyonce with the song Crazy in Love. And incidentally, I would like to congratulate her for winning her first Album of the Year Grammy.
As Charles introduced Kylie Minogue’s song Locomotion he described it as “music for dancing” and said “again, it has that infectious energy which makes it, I find, incredibly hard to sit still”.
The Australian icon Kylie Minogue also got the royal seal of approval, as Charles selected her song Locomotion to be on his list.
He introduced the song as “music for dancing” and said “again, it has that infectious energy which makes it, I find, incredibly hard to sit still”.
Another hit recommended by the King for dancing was Diana Ross’s Upside Down, with Charles confessing it was “absolutely impossible” not to dance to the former Motown singer’s track when he was a younger man.
Reggae star Bob Marley’s contribution to society away from music was highlighted by Charles before his song Could You Be Loved was played: “Bob Marley would have been 80 this year.
“I remember when he came to London to perform when I was much younger, and I met him at some event, that marvellous, infectious energy of course he had, but also his deep sincerity and his profound concern for his community.”
The King, who recorded the broadcast at Buckingham Palace, added: “I always recall his words that people have a voice inside them.
“He gave the world that voice in a way that no one who heard could ever forget.”
He also remembered his grandmother the Queen Mother, playing one of her favourites, Al Bowlly singing The Very Thought of You from the 1930s and described how music from that period “never fails to lift my spirits”.
“This was an era of songs made memorable by brilliant lyrics, incredible bands and unstoppable rhythm,” said Charles.
Among those on Charles’s playlist, which mostly featured Commonwealth artists, was Dame Kiri Te Kanawa singing E Te Iwi E (Call to the People), Michael Buble’s Haven’t Met You Yet, Anoushka Shankar, daughter of the celebrated sitar player Ravi Shankar, playing Indian Summer, the carnival classic Hot Hot Hot by Arrow and Jools Holland & Ruby Turner with My Country Man.
The King’s Music Room is on Apple Music 1 or on demand with an Apple Music subscription.
