Royal wedding cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason gets chart boost

Sheku Kanneh-Mason won BBC Musician of the Year in 2016

Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason has been given a chart boost after performing at the royal wedding on Saturday.

His album Inspiration has risen to Number 11 in the chart and is already the best selling classical album of 2018.

It also returned as number one album on the Classical Artists Albums Chart.

The former BBC Young Musician told the Official Charts Company: "It's been a crazy week with my college exams straight after!"

Kanneh-Mason's performance of Sicilienne during the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's wedding captured the attention of viewers across the world.

'Grateful for support'

It now means Kanneh-Mason is the highest-charting cellist in official albums chart history, surpassing Julian Lloyd Webber's 1990 album Lloyd Webber Plays Lloyd Webber, said the Official Charts Company.

Speaking to OfficialCharts.com about his achievements, Sheku said: "The reaction to my performance has been incredible and it feels amazing to have my album in the official charts.

"I'm so happy that people are enjoying my music and really grateful for all the support I've received in the past few days - it's been fantastic."

Fellow royal wedding performers the Kingdom Choir, a gospel group led by Karen Gibson, also have chart success this week with their rendition of Ben E. King's Stand By Me entering the singles chart at number 94.

Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa are number one for a sixth consecutive week with One Kiss

It was also a big week for James Bay, as his second album Electric Light entered the chart in second place, with The Greatest Showman coming out on top.

Last week's number one album, Arctic Monkeys' Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino, fell to number four, whilst Post Malone and George Ezra held their positions at three and five.

There's no change at the top of the official singles chart - Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa's One Kiss is number one for a sixth week, making it Calvin Harris' longest reigning song at the top of the charts.

Elsewhere in the top five, Anne-Marie's 2002 reaches a new peak of number four, and Ella Eyre claims her first UK top five single in three years - Answerphone with Banx & Ranx featuring Yxng Bane climbs two to five.

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