The cellist who performed at Prince Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle has admitted it was the first wedding he’d ever been to.
Sheku Kanneh-Mason, 19, who was named the BBC’s Young Musician of the Year in 2016, said the biggest wedding of the year was what he’d ‘imagine a wedding to be’.
Speaking to Evening Standard Magazine, Sheku, from Nottingham, recalled the secret meetings he’d had with the now Duke and Duchess of Sussex ahead of the big day, revealing that they ‘really cared’ about the music played.
Meghan had been listening to his debut album Inspiration and made some suggestions about what he could play in St George’s Chapel in Windsor.
Sheku Kanneh-Mason, 19, stole the show at the royal wedding earlier this month, which he admits was the first wedding he’d ever been to
Sheku became a viral sensation when he played three tunes for wedding guests – Maria Theresia von Paradis’s Sicilienne, Gabriel Faure’s Apres un reve and Franz Schubert’s Ave Maria.
Twitter users said they had fallen for the music student, and he earned the moniker ‘cello bae’.
Sheku said: ‘I’d never actually been to a wedding before. It was pretty cool. Kind of like I’d imagine a wedding to be. I actually really enjoyed it.’
In the run up to the wedding he met Meghan and Harry in St George’s Chapel to discuss the music they wanted for the big day.
He was personally selected by the royal couple, who had listened to his debut album Inspiration
In the run up to the wedding he met Meghan and Harry in St George’s Chapel to discuss the music they wanted for the big day
He revealed that Meghan had her own ideas about songs and they both very passionate about what would be played.
Sheku continued: ‘They were really friendly. It was great to talk to them and see how much they cared about what I played.’
He previously revealed that he didn’t feel nervous ahead of his performance, despite performing in front of millions around the globe.
Speaking on ITV’s Lorraine, he said: ‘Being there was amazing, I don’t tend to get nervous before big performance.
Sheku learning to play the cello aged six, he won the BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2016 at 17 years old
Sheku’s entire family are very talented, and he played alongside them at a charity concert the first time he met Prince Harry
‘This is a performance unlike anything I have done before. The atmosphere was amazing.’
Aged 15, he reached the 2015 semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent in a classical music ensemble with four of his siblings.
In May 2016 he became the first black winner in the history of the BBC’s Young Musician contest.
The talented cellist played three tunes for wedding guests Maria Theresia von Paradis’s Sicilienne, Gabriel Faure’s Apres un reve and Franz Schubert’s Ave Maria
Sheku’s new album Inspiration has also reached the top 20 in the album charts, and he will feature on an album being released for the royal wedding.
The teen explained how he first met Prince Harry at a performance for the Halo Charity Trust, where he was playing alongside his family – who all play instruments.
‘It was a charity based in Antigua where my family are from, that’s where we were taking part and Prince Harry was supporting that, he was there.’
Sheku’s cello is over 400 years and he keeps it close by to him whenever he’s travelling.