A SCOTTISH singer has been awarded a British Empire Medal in recognition of her community and charitable work.
Kirsty Baird, who runs the Sing in the City choir, has always believed in the power of music to bring people together.
During lockdown she says this became more important than ever, and so she and her musical director Annette Hanley moved her choir sessions online.
Through virtual rehearsals and performances, Kirsty was able to keep members connected while also raising more than than £100,000 for various charities in her native Edinburgh.
The company has just celebrated its tenth year in business, with Kirsty and Annette also releasing a a charity single, ‘Follow the Rainbows’ which charted at #3 in the Scottish charts and #27 in the UK Download Charts.
Heading into the New Year, Kirsty’s mission is to re-institute a dedicated Scottish singles chart.
A spokesman for Kirsty Baird said: “Kirsty has also taken the lead on trying to reinstate the Scottish Singles Chart and is encouraging everyone to get behind this and sign the petition.
This will ensure the music that the people of Scotland are buying is correctly represented in the UK, musicians maintain the opportunity to be discovered through these channels whilst retaining the recognition prospect.
