With less than a month to go

The D-Day Darlings Founder Katie Ashby’s ‘The Longest Day’ is a poignant soundtrack to mark the last major D-Day anniversary with survivors of the Normandy Campaign.

WATCH VIDEO HERE

The D-Day Darlings, the UK’s premier wartime inspired music group and Britain’s Got Talent Finalists (2018) – have announced their new single and music video ‘The Longest Day’ Written by Katie Ashby (Founder & Lead singer ‘The D-Day Darlings’) and Shelly Mcerlaine (Alisha’s Attic), produced by Nick Southwood (The Overtones), the song features the group’s stunning singing harmonies, released on May 9th, 2024 to commemorate D-Day 80.

Specially written and composed to mark the last major anniversary having veterans from that time still around, Katie said, “I wanted to write a special song that pays a lasting tribute to all those who gave so much on D-Day and to honour the precious few living veterans. I also wanted to inspire the younger generation, through music, to learn more about the experiences of our war heroes, and to open up conversations so we can pass knowledge on through the generations. We must continue to remember the sacrifices made for our freedoms” Katie Ashby- Founder and lead singer ‘The D-Day Darlings’.

Shelly said, “It was such a pleasure to write this song with Katie and Nick
We looked over a lot of footage and read a lot of personal memoirs from our veterans to get the sentiment right as it was really important that the song be from the heart but not in anyway schmaltzy. We wrote it from emotion first and when we all cried listening back in the studio we knew we’d got it right. It was an honour to hear some of the brave and selfless stories from our war heroes and try to put them to music I hope we did them proud” Shelly Mcerlaine (Alisha’s Attic).

Fittingly, The Longest Day video is set against the breathtaking backdrop of The British Normandy Memorial which features a staggering 1,475 giant silhouettes across the wild meadow fields installed by Standing with Giants in honour of the servicemen who fell on D-Day itself. The memorial stands on a hillside in Ver-sur-Mer above Gold Beach in Normandy, a place where history was shaped. On the columns of the Memorial the names of 22,442 servicemen and women from 38 nationalities who lost their lives on D-Day and during the Battle of Normandy are inscribed.

Katie, along with her 2 year old son Grayson, who makes a touching cameo appearance in the music video, made the special trip to Normandy to shoot the emotive video. Katie and son Grayson’s connection with the Standing with Giants project started earlier this year when they travelled to Oxford to roll their sleeves up and help paint some of the giant silhouettes. Katie also performed a moving rendition of the White Cliffs of Dover at Blenheim Palace on April 5th as the silhouettes started their journey from Oxfordshire to Normandy.

A special preview from Katie & The D-Day Darlings of ‘The Longest Day’ was performed at The Union Jack Club (London) on 26 April for Normandy Veterans, at the official press launch event for D-Day 80 organised by The Spirit of Normandy Trust.

Dan Barton Said “Katie has yet again written and created the most powerful and beautifully written song in ‘The Longest Day,’ truly fit for a Blockbuster. The team at Standing with Giants are delighted that The D-Day Darlings chose ‘For Your Tomorrow, The People’s Tribute’ at the British Normandy Memorial as the backdrop for this creatively delivered heartfelt song. The most fitting tribute to all who sacrificed so much for our freedom on 6th June 1944. Absolutely incredible, Katie. Well done!” Dan Barton – Standing With Giants

Henry Rice Said “Such a touching tribute to those that took part in our generations finest day. The words and thoughts are a testament to both those who paid the ultimate price. And, those that followed on to final victory” Henry Rice LEG D’HON – Normandy Veteran

In our previous post, we ended with a promise that we’ll meet again some sunny day. Whilst that day may still be a while away for public meetings, we are bringing you the next best thing to bring cheer to your Easter Sunday – another live performance to be streamed on our Facebook page!

On Sunday 12^th April, lead Darling Katie will be hosting a special broadcast to lift the spirits of anyone who tunes in from 4.00pm, with a song or few from Katie herself and performances from the other members of The D-Day Darlings too.

Following on our live Mother’s Day concert – which you can watch again here – we will again be reading out some of the wonderful emails sent in by our followers who would like to pass on special messages and dedications to loved ones they are currently unable to visit. This time, we will also be making surprise landline phone calls to a select few who don’t have access to the internet to lift their spirits and give them the opportunity for a live Q&A.

As well as all this, Darling Katie will be sharing an exclusive insight into her inspiration behind writing the original songs for the Darlings and our next-generation wartime group, The D-Day Juniors.

This live broadcast seeks to bring smiles to the nation who we know must be finding these times of isolation and lockdown difficult. There are brighter times ahead but until then, we’ll be doing all we can to rally the troops and spread a little cheer through our music which we know will unite us all.

We would like to add that our thoughts turn to those who need extra support during these extraordinary times and, as proud ambassadors of the Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity, we kindly urge our followers to spare a moment to learn more about the ‘Keep Smiling Through’ Appeal and please help where you can to help them continue providing support to families and their very young children with cerebral palsy and other motor learning impairments.

Keep smiling and keep following us over the coming weeks for more exciting updates – let’s get through this together!

Sincerely Yours,

The D-Day Darlings x

Due to recent circumstances prompted by COVID-19, it is with great sadness that a number of our upcoming performances will not be going ahead as planned. However, The D-Day Darlings still have plenty lined up for the coming months that we hope will keep the nation smiling through this time of crisis.

Though we may not be able to take to the stage in the traditional sense, we’ll be broadcasting live concerts so you can have the Darlings perform inside your own home. Our first virtual concert was streamed live on Mother’s Day, where we gave an exclusive performance of our new single, Sweetheart, written by lead member Katie Ashby as a tribute to Dame Vera Lynn for her birthday.

During the broadcast, we also read out some special messages, dedicating songs from our album to those who were unable to be with loved ones and we were touched by the requests that came in.

Many of our immediate public events are likely to be rescheduled and we’ll keep you updated on those but, in the meantime, we’ll be bringing our music to you all remotely and in any way we can. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled on our website and Facebook page for future live concert broadcasts.

Of course, these times are unsettling for us all, but we are The D-Day Darlings and we believe that now more than ever, we need to do whatever we can to get through it together. That’s why we’re doing our bit to lift everyone’s spirits in the true Darling way, with light-hearted videos like this wartime-inspired guide to the #SafeHandsChallenge, featuring Darling Katie.

Our young troupe, The D-Day Juniors, will also be rallying the nation’s children, keeping them entertained with a variety of WW2-inspired facts and activities. Through engaging posters and video guides which they’ll be sharing across their social media platforms, the Juniors will be providing tips on wartime-themed arts, crafts, singalongs and games, along with facts about rationing, evacuees, gas masks and much more.

As we look towards an uncertain year ahead, one thing we are sure of is that our next album – a VE Day Celebration Edition of ‘I’ll Remember You’ – is set to be released in May. Featuring an appearance from our Juniors singing their rendition of ‘When You Wish Upon A Star’, the album is now available for pre-order here.

We truly hope that we can help lift your spirits as we all endeavour to keep calm and carry on through the days to come. If you have any special requests or suggestions on what we can do to bring a smile to you or a loved one, please get in touch and let us know.

For now, we’d like to wish you all our love and urge you to all stand together as, together, we will stand strong. As our hero, Dame Vera Lynn, would say – “Keep Smiling Through”… We WILL meet again some sunny day.

Sincerely Yours,

The D-Day Darlings x

Today marks a special occasion for a remarkable lady and the greatest inspiration behind The D-Day Darlings, Dame Vera Lynn, who celebrates her 103^rd birthday. Coinciding with this notable day, the Darlings release the single, ‘Sweetheart’, in honour of Dame Vera as a fitting tribute.

Heavily inspired by the strength Vera Lynn brought to World War II troops with her music, Katie has strived to follow in her idol’s footsteps by bringing the wartime spirit to modern audiences. Having achieved great success with her group, The D-Day Darlings, Katie was thrilled to receive Dame Vera Lynn’s glowing endorsement when meeting her in person last year.

This personal highlight compelled the lead Darling to pen a heartfelt song which would honour the national treasure that boosted the morale of so many during wartime. Through their work with Dame Vera Lynn’s Children Charity, The D-Day Darlings have formed a close relationship with Dame Vera’s daughter, Virginia Lewis-Jones, who suggested this musical tribute would make the most poignant gift for her mother’s birthday.

The dedication to the original Forces’ sweetheart fulfils a lifelong ambition for Katie Ashby, lead singer and founding member of The D-Day Darlings, who co-wrote and produced the song with Tim Woodcock. Illustrating why Dame Vera will forever remain everyone’s sweetheart, the song is elevated in its sentiment by the musical accompaniment provided by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

‘Sweetheart’ has been released by the group’s signed label, Sony Music Entertainment, and can be listened to here. The song also appears on the group’s next album which is available for pre-order here.

The D-Day Darlings will be performing this song as a special tribute at upcoming engagements throughout the year, including the VE Day 75th Anniversary Concert for Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity. Headlining the event at Clair Hall on Sunday 14^th June, the Darlings will be joined by veteran and winner of BGT 2019, Colin Thackery, who recently celebrated his 90^th birthday.

Though the Darlings are looking ahead to brighter times, current developments affecting individuals and communities worldwide stand to dampen the spirits of many. As uncertainty spreads across the world, the wartime group invite others to reflect on the courage and contribution made by Dame Vera Lynn during World War II. In the sweetheart’s own words, “Keep smiling through just like you always do, ‘til the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away.”

The D-Day Darlings would like to wish their hero and greatest inspiration, Dame Vera, a very ‘Happy Birthday’ and thank her for all she has done for our country with this special song. You truly are everyone’s Sweetheart!