Pupil releases single with Zulu reggae artist

Giggleswick School student, Wil Richmond collaborated with emerging Zulu reggae artist Ras d Bongs on the song 'Somebody Like You'

Posted by Hannah Vickers | June 09, 2017 | International

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• #ras-d-bongs
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• #shrymp-inc

Wil Richmond, who returned from South Africa last summer having recorded a single with emerging Zulu reggae artist Ras d Bongs, is celebrating after the pair’s song ‘Somebody Like You’ was released on itunes, Deezer, Apple Music and Spotify last week.  

They met while Wil was on a National Army Cadet Force trip to KwaZulu Natal in South Africa. Wil, who is a Cadet Sergeant at Giggleswick School’s Combined Cadet Force, has had a long wait for this moment after Ras d Bongs’ computer drive was corrupted, which meant Wil had to re-record parts of his contribution at The Grand’s recording studio in Clitheroe and another in Slaidburn and send them back to Ras in South Africa.

That hasn’t stopped the experience being very positive for Wil however, who has said the process has had a huge impact on his song writing.

Before this, I was reluctant to perform my own stuff and mainly played covers, but now I have the confidence to put my own music out there - Wil Richmond, pupil at Giggleswick School

“It’s made me look more openly at chord structures and helped me develop my own style. Before this, I was reluctant to perform my own stuff and mainly played covers, but now I have the confidence to put my own music out there,” he said.

You can see Wil performing as part of the band Shrymp Inc. at Harrogate Fake Festival in July and the track "Somebody Like You" is available to download and stream now. A percentage of all profits will be donated to welfare projects in rural KwaZulu Natal.