So, Alfie Boe has invited me on tour after seeing me busking!!

Good Evening You Beauties! I don't think I've ever been so happy and excited to share my news! It's crazy how and when amazing things seem to come about just at the right time, and for me this is BIG, REALLY BIG! Here's what happened...

...I'm busking at Paddington Network Rail Station in October. It must be about 4:15pm and I'm singing my second song of the afternoon, "Just Like You" by Keb Mo. About a third of the way through the song I see a man who looks very like platinum-selling singer, Alfie Boe come and stand over to the right having a listen. "Hold on, it actually is Alfie Boe, Holy S**t!". I've been a fan since seeing Alfie in Les Misérables a few years ago. So, I'm singing away, absolutely going for it (I don't want to disappoint Alfie Boe), he smiles at me, gets some change out of his bag, comes over and puts it in my guitar case then retreats. I'm still mid song and trying not to stare at him, while also trying to convey that I know who he is. He looks at the sign in my guitar case, does something on his phone and then heads off to catch his train. I finish playing the song and really hope that I nailed it! 

For no particular reason, I didn't make as much as usual during that busking session. But I did get back and check my social media to find that Alfie had sent me a message on Instagram complementing my voice! I messaged him back, we got chatting and he said he might be able to help me out, how about a phone call? Fast forward 3 months and he has INVITED ME TO SUPPORT HIM ON HIS 21 DATE UK TOUR, March 17th to April 17th, ending at The Royal Albert Hall! And not only that, I'LL BE SINGING A DUET WITH HIM as well!!!! This is such a gift and I'm so ridiculously grateful. I remember when I started out back in 2014, someone asked me in an interview where I wanted to be in five years time. I told them that I'd really love to play the Royal Albert Hall, and somehow it looks like that ambition is actually going to be fulfilled this year. Alfie Boe - what a nice guy/complete legend!

So this is where I need your help. You've been so supportive during my career so far and have crowdfunded albums, videos, limited edition CDs and singles, you've voted for me in competitions and come to my gigs - I don't know where I'd be without you. Thank you so much for your continued support! Now I need your help again. You see, it's such an awesome opportunity, one that doesn't come along very often, and I really want to make it count. The venues we'll be playing are huge and I want to give everything I have and put on the best show possible. Therefore I'd love to take my fantastic band members/musical family - Matt Park (guitars), Jasmine Scott Neale (cello, backing vocals), James Heathcote (sound engineer) on the road with me. But making this happen is going to be expensive. We'll need to buy/rent a van, cover petrol, accommodation, food and their fees! So to help fund all of this...

...I have set up a crowdfunding page on my website CLICK HERE, with a whole bunch of Hattie Briggs merch, items, one-off experiences, personalised recordings and the like on sale for you to browse. I'm going all out on this and I've even got my Blueridge guitar that I wrote and recorded both of my albums on and that has accompanied me through most of my musical life, up for auction! I hope you find something that you like, BUT if there's something you think of that isn't on there, that you reckon I might be able to sort for you, then LET ME KNOW and I'll see what I can do! Whatever you go for, even if you already own all of my CDs and end up buying them again and giving them to a friend, THANK YOU! Click here to be redirected to my crowdfunding page.

I really hope you can still get tickets to the tour as I'd love to share this with you. Let me know if you are coming! Fingers crossed this tour will enable me to do some great headline shows later in the year too - watch this space!

So much love!
H xxxx