Celebrity
Two 'Downton Abbey' Stars Have Just Announced A Music Collab
What would the Earl of Grantham make of this?
As promotion for Downton Abbey: A New Era, continues to gather steam, two of the hit period drama’s actors have announced an exciting project of their own: a new EP. Michael Fox and Michelle Dockery, who play Lady Mary Crawley and Andrew Parker, respectively, have revealed they will be releasing an an album entitled The Watching Silence. The duo, who will perform under the name “Michael and Michelle,” confirmed on Feb. 16 that they had signed a record deal with Decca Records, to release their “Nashville Americana” style folk songs.
The co-stars began exploring their shared musical interests six years ago, on the set of ITV’s Downton Abbey. Per The Guardian, Dockery said: “There was something about that time after the series had ended... looking at something with fresh eyes and feeling nervous about what’s ahead. Then suddenly, we were just writing music.”
As for how the two will juggle their acting careers with their music plans, Fox said: “I will always love acting, but there is something about us, some part of our characters that we haven’t fully realised, and that’s happening now.”
With that said, here’s what we know so far about this new musical duo.
Is There A Release Date For Michael & Michelle’s New Album?
Consisting of four songs, The Watching Silence will be available to listen to on May. 13, via music streaming platforms. Until then, you can listen to Michael and Michelle’s single Calming Storm on Spotify and Apple Music. The duo is also gearing up for their first live shows, with a performance scheduled at small music venue Omeara London on Jun. 6. The tickets will be released on Feb. 25 and will cost £15.
What Will Michael & Michelle’s New Album Sound Like?
As mentioned, the duo’s single Calming Storm is the perfect teaser of what’s to come, however, samples of the new tunes have yet to reach public ears. Ahead of the EP’s release, label bosses at Decca Records have teased Michael and Michelle’s The Watching Silence as “classic and utterly timeless” and describe the actors’ musical chemistry as a “perfect match.”
The Watching Silence is also described as “more Nashville Americana than UK folk in melody and structure,” with the label explaining that the songs are “are modern and immediate, free of pastiche.”
Both Fox and Dockery are said to sing and play the guitar on the EP, which also boasts The Mumford and Sons’ Chris Maas on percussion, with Willy Mason’s Tommy Heap on piano and drums. In keeping with the promised folk sound, the EP has been produced by Catfish And The Bottlemen’s Ian Grimble.
