As Billy Ocean celebrates his 70th birthday this month, it has been announced that he will release his first album of new material in 10 years, One World. The album will be released on 17th April 2020 with the title single, also called One World available from today, following its premiere on B.B.C. Radio 2. Later this year Billy will head out on The One World tour in the autumn, this will include a night at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on the 21st September. This follows the recent news that he has been appointed to MBE for his services to music at this year’s New Year’s Honours.
The album sees Billy reunite with producer Barry Eastmond who wrote and produced a number of Billy’s biggest hits including When The Going Gets Tough and Love Zone. Recorded over the summer of 2019 in studios in Manchester and New York Billy co-wrote all 12 tracks on the album.
This release follows a spectacular few years for Billy. In 2018 he was awarded the Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement in recognition of his global success and the enduring popularity of his music and, recently his iconic music videos have all been restored from original tapes and released in HD. In 2016, the album, Here You Are: The Best of Billy Ocean, debuted at number 4 on the U.K. albums chart, remaining in the top 10 for 3 weeks. It has since been certified Silver.
Billy Ocean said, “One World is my first original studio album in over 10 years. It’s like a landmark for my 70th birthday! I feel this album reflects my maturity, and the many genres of music I’ve been exposed to – coming from the Caribbean as a little boy influenced by calypso music, to growing up in the East End of London, where music was so wonderfully diverse. I truly feel One World has captured all of my musical influences over the years. The album reflects my thoughts, and the way that I feel at 70 years old, but most of all I hope that it will make people stop and think about life and its meaning.”
For ticket information and further information regarding Billy Ocean at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, go to the venue’s homepage.