Singer-songwriter Tom Grennan has been announced as the live music act for the Opening Ceremony at the 2023 Ryder Cup, which takes place on Thursday September 28.
Grennan will perform a two-song set to open and close the ceremony, which will start at 1600 CET on the Fan Village Stage at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, in Rome.
Classically trained Opera singer Carly Paoli will also perform the Italian National Anthem as part of the ceremony which will be broadcast to a global television audience.
The Opening Ceremony will be hosted by Italian TV presenter Melissa Satta on the eve of the contest between Europe the United States, with all 24 players also taking to the stage during the hour-long show. The respective Captains, Luke Donald and Zach Johnson will also unveil their pairings for the opening session of the Ryder Cup, the Friday Morning Foursomes, which starts at 07.35am CET the following day.
Grennan rose to fame through his first appearance as the guest vocalist on the Chase and Status track, All Goes Wrong. The English singer’s latest album, ‘What Ifs & Maybes’, includes a hat-trick of songs, ‘Remind Me’, ‘Not Over Yet’ with KSI and ‘Lionheart (Fearless)’ with Joel Corry, which have all been named in The Biggest Songs of 2022 by The Official Big Top 40 Chart.
This follows the success of his breakthrough UK number one and BRIT-certified GOLD album ‘Evering Road’, which included platinum-selling anthems ‘Little Bit Of Love’ and ‘By Your Side’ — both of which scored in the top three most played songs of 2021. He already counts four UK Top 10 singles to his name, while his first album, Lighting Matches, was one of the bestselling debut albums of 2018.
Grennan said: “I am so excited to be performing at the Opening Ceremony of the Ryder Cup. It is such an amazing event so I cannot wait to be part of that atmosphere. Rome, I’m ready if you’re ready.”
Guy Kinnings, Executive Director - Ryder Cup, said: “Tom is one of the brightest young stars in music right now, so we’re thrilled that he’s performing at the Opening Ceremony for our global audience.
“Fans will be able to enjoy world class entertainment, including Carly Paoli performing the Italian National Anthem, as well as the announcement of the first morning’s pairings, which always a much-anticipated moment in the Ryder Cup, signalling the end of the build- up and the start of the contest between Europe and the United States.
“I know Tom is a huge golf fan, so we look forward to introducing him to the truly unique atmosphere of a Ryder Cup.”
Paoli, who has both English and Italian heritage, has four best selling albums to her name: Carly Paoli & Friends, Due Anime (The Italian Collection), Singing My Dreams, Live at Cadogan Hall.
She has previously performed at two spectacular concerts in Rome, at Baths of Caracalla with Jose Carreras and at the Roman Forum alongside other singers including Andrea Bocelli and Elaine Page.
