Shaggy stuns Notting Hill Carnival revellers as he performs epic set

28 August 2023 , 13:41

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Shaggy stuns Notting Hill Carnival revellers as he performs epic set

Shaggy stunned festival-goers in Notting Hill on Sunday when he rocked up at the carnival 30 years after his first number one single.

The Jamaican singer, 54, also known as Orville Richard Burrell, shot to fame in the UK with his debut song Oh Carolina in 1993. He went onto release a number of floor-fillers, including the iconic Boombastic, which he performed again in West London at the weekend in a gig that went down a storm.

Treating fans to the likes of It Wasn't Me and Angel, Shaggy also performed new material from his EP In The Mood. Taking to the Saxon, Rampage and Horniman stages, the reggae rapper said: "It’s been a great day. Notting Hill Carnival massive! It’s nice to come back to the roots. We went to Rampage and Horniman, which had thousands of people out there; great energy. The legendary Saxon sound system was a highlight for me because I grew up on that sound system, so it was good to touch that, the crowd was amazing. Big up Musclehead. Great vibes! We were In The Mood and it’s been a lovely lovely day.”

Shaggy stunned festival-goers in Notting Hill on Sunday when he rocked up at the carnival (ANDREW TIMMS/pr)

As the only diamond-selling reggae artist in music history, Shaggy has sold more than 40 million albums worldwide. He also boasts four UK number one singles and eight on the Billboard Hot 100. His 2021 viral sensation Go Down Deh with Spice and Sean Paul picked more than over 20 billion streams, meaning the double Grammy winner has had a huge hit for four consecutive decades.

Speaking ahead of the carnival, the star said: "I'm in the mood big time for this year's Notting Hill Carnival. It's one of the biggest carnivals in the world and represents Caribbean culture from foundation to future..... Thirty years after the release of Oh Carolina, I wanted to get back to my roots and celebrate in the streets where everything took off. My latest EP In The Mood is all about the party and community of our culture - people coming together to celebrate life. It's dancehall, soca, reggae and dance music all wrapped up in one musical explosion.”

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Millions of people took to the streets of West London for the ever colourful Notting Hill Carnival, which featured a nod to the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush. Dancers were seen sporting an array of creative costumes and fabulous feathers to mark Family Day of the popular festival, now in its 56th year.

Smile star Lily Allen delighted her fanbase after paying a lowkey visit with her close friends to the festivities on Sunday. The mum-of-two was one of 2 million people to attend the the week-long street party in the affluent West London district, which takes place annually to celebrate the British Caribbean community in the UK.

Victoria Johns