Amazon Prime Instant Video Releases Abbey Road Carols By Kindlelight Concert Today in the US and UK

(NASDAQ:AMZN)—‘Tis the season for festive cheer, and Amazon Prime Instant Video has it all wrapped up for customers with one big bow. Today Prime Instant Video gives Prime members exclusive access to a celebrity filled holiday concert hosted by Steve Jones (X Factor) and featuring performances by stars from music, movies and TV, including Annie Lennox, Imelda May and Alfie Boe.

On Thursday, December 4, at London’s famous Abbey Road Studios, Amazon hosted Carols by Kindlelight, the first holiday concert of its kind, where the audience e-read carols from Amazon’s most popular e-reader, the Kindle Paperwhite. Abbey Road Studios is one of the world’s most famous recording studios, since opening in 1931 artists including the Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Sir Edward Elgar have made some of their most famous recordings there.

To spread the festive cheer Carols by Kindlelight was filmed live and is now available exclusively for Amazon’s millions of Prime members in the UK and US through Prime Instant Video starting today.

The concert features performances from Grammy, Academy and Brit Award-winning and Multi-Platinum singer-songwriter Annie Lennox; Tony Award winner Alfie Boe; queen of Rockabilly Imelda May; million-selling sporting soprano Laura Wright; 6 x Platinum-selling New Zealand opera trio Sol3 Mio; and the No.1 selling classical vocal ensemble VOCES8.

Laura Wright opens the show with “Hallelujah,” followed by Annie Lennox taking to the stage to lead the choir in “See Amid The Winter’s Snow” and “God Bless The Child.” Other popular Christmas hits included “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” “Step Into Christmas” and “Let It Go” from the smash-hit movie Frozen. The concert closes with a rousing rendition of “Baby Please Come Home” by Imelda May.

Carols By Kindlelight also featured Christmas readings written by students from East London Arts & Music (ELAM), a new industry academy for 16- to 19-year-olds, and a reading by MyAnna Buring from Amazon’s Ripper Street TV show.

“It’s time to get into the holiday spirit, and what better way to start off the season than with the unique concert experience of Carols by Kindlelight at the iconic Abbey Road Studios,” said Michael Paull, Vice President of Digital Video. “We are excited to make this holiday experience available to all Prime members on Amazon Prime Instant Video to enjoy starting today.”

“I had a fantastic time taking part in the Carols by Kindlelight concert at Abbey Road studios,” said Annie Lennox. “It's always such a special experience to perform there as the building is so resonant with British recording history, so I'm sure that the magic of the evening will be transported beautifully to a global audience.”

“Carols are both beautiful and powerful, and performed this way at Abbey Road will make them even more special," said Alfie Boe. “I had a great time with fans at the event.”

“When I heard about such a cool concept I immediately said yes,” said Laura Wright. “This is a great way to make classical Christmas songs accessible to people around the world. It was beautiful to look out from the stage and see the sea of faces illuminated as they e-read the carols.”

Customers selected to attend the event received a Kindle Paperwhite to e-read carols during the concert and then take home after the event. Using the Paperwhite display, the 200 audience members illuminated Abbey Road Studios in a way never seen before. Kindle Paperwhites used by the artists have been donated to East London Arts & Music (ELAM).

To find out more about the event and featured artists, visit www.amazon.com/carolsbykindlelight.

Images for media use from the event available here.

See the show trailer (available to embed) here.

About Amazon

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