Beverley Knight Leads ‘March Women March’ as Sylvia Musical Releases First Single

06-03-26

The music of Sylvia has taken its first step beyond the stage. The show’s powerful anthem ‘March Women March’ has been released as the first single from the Olivier Award-winning musical ahead of International Women’s Day.

Released by ZooNation Records, the track places Beverley Knight’s commanding voice front and centre. Knight reprises her Olivier Award-winning performance as Emmeline Pankhurst on the recording, delivering the rallying cry with the same strength and conviction that electrified audiences when the show premiered.

Written with music by Josh Cohen and DJ Walde and lyrics by Kate Prince, ‘March Women March’ captures the spirit of the stage production while embracing the depth and detail that studio recording allows. The track was produced by the acclaimed Martin Terefe and blends hip hop, funk and soul influences into a striking anthem that reflects the revolutionary heartbeat of the musical itself.

The single also marks an important step for ZooNation Records, the label founded to preserve and expand the musical world created by ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company. The aim is simple but powerful. To ensure the music created for the stage continues to live beyond the theatre, reaching audiences globally through recorded releases.

Sylvia tells the remarkable story of Sylvia Pankhurst, the rebellious daughter of Emmeline Pankhurst who carved her own path within the suffrage movement. While her mother and sister fought for votes for women, Sylvia focused her activism on working women, the impoverished and the unheard. The musical explores her struggle to balance loyalty to family with her own radical vision for change.

The production first captured attention with its sold out world premiere at The Old Vic in 2023. Audiences responded enthusiastically to its fusion of hip hop choreography, powerful storytelling and a contemporary score that reflects the urgency of the suffrage movement’s fight.

The upcoming tour will bring the production to new audiences across the UK. Beverley Knight will once again take on the role of Emmeline Pankhurst, joined by Sharon Rose as Sylvia when the show opens at Curve Theatre in Leicester from 24 September to 3 October 2026.

Following Leicester, the production will travel to Birmingham Hippodrome, Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Salford Lowry, Norwich Theatre and the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury before reaching the Royal Albert Hall for a special three night run in November 2026.

The Royal Albert Hall carries particular historical significance for the story. Between 1908 and 1913 the venue hosted numerous suffrage meetings attended by thousands of women, earning the nickname “Temple of Liberty” among campaigners. Returning the story to the Hall more than a century later creates a powerful sense of theatrical and political history coming full circle.

With its bold music, high energy choreography and fearless storytelling, Sylvia continues to bring the fight for equality to the stage in a way that feels both urgent and celebratory.

And now, with ‘March Women March’ released into the world, that rallying cry can be heard far beyond the theatre.

Get tickets from the official site HERE