‘The kids were totally pumped’ local choir joins Lorde on stage at MMVAs

Donning Adidas track suits and sneakers, thirty-nine current and former members of Bishop Ryan’s BR Xpression backed up pop singer Lorde at Sunday night’s iHeartRadio MMVAs.

“They were elated. It was surreal,” said BR Xpression Director and Bishop Ryan Arts Head Dave Tabone. “The kids were totally pumped.”

The Hamilton vocal ensemble was chosen from a pool of competitors to perform with the Grammy award-winning artist in Toronto.

The opportunity came after a parent discovered that Universal Music Group was looking for a group to join the 20-year-old superstar on stage.

Tabone enlisted the help of some students and put together a montage of pictures and videos of the ensemble performing.

After they were chosen, Tabone said it was a hard task to whittle down the 200-member group to just 40 students who would close out the show with the singer.

Tabone said the students knew they would be performing Lorde’s “Perfect Places” but only found out that they would be standing on the stage front and centre during Saturday’s dress rehearsals.

“She was really cool. She is really hands on. We didn’t know we’d be shoulder-to-shoulder,” said Tabone. “She was so happy with them.”