LadBaby talks working with Suffolk's Ed Sheeran, new single, and making history
The musician and vlogger is back with a new tune, 'Sausage Rolls for Everyone' as he attempts to hold the record for most Christmas number one songs
LadBaby is back this Christmas, and he's hoping to score a fourth Christmas number one, something only The Beatles have done.
His new song, 'Sausage Rolls for Everyone' features Suffolk-favourite Ed Sheeran and Sir Elton John, dressed as the favourite British snack.
As with previous years, all the profits from the song will go to The Trussell Trust, which runs emergency foodbanks for families across the UK.
Mark Hoyle, the man behind LadBaby, says they weren't planning on making music this year until a conversation with the trust changed his mind.
"They were telling us about the impact that the pandemic had on food banks, how there were 14 million people still living in poverty in this country. That was the the reason why we decided to come back again.
"We always said that if we thought we could make a song bigger and make more money for charity, then we absolutely would try."
The song released today is a remix of the festive offering from Ed Sheeran and Sir Elton John, 'Merry Christmas' and with contributions from the two pop legends themselves.
LadBaby shares his experience of working with them: "It was absolutely incredible. They were both absolutely wonderful. We we initially reached out to Ed (Sheeran) on Instagram and asked if he was going to be up for it and he instantly came back and said yes.
"They were both so fun to work with. They came, they got dressed up as sausage rolls and they were willing to sing silly lyrics. So yeah it's been an amazing experience from start to finish."
Those silly lyrics and emphasis on sausage rolls have become somewhat of a trademark to Ladbaby's style. But how did it come about?
"Four years ago we started a Facebook and YouTube channel called LadBaby. That's where all our content originally started and people began to notice that I was always eating sausage rolls.
"So somebody suggested it (making music about it) as a bit of fun and that's what it was in the beginning. We thought we we'd try and make people smile at Christmas, that's what Christmas is all about and if we could raise money for a charity that was close to our heart, that's what we thought we'd do."
With hits like 'Don't Stop Me Eatin', 'I love Sausage Rolls' and 'We Built This City', Mark Hoyle and his wife, LadBabyMum Roxanne Hoyle have built a steady catalogue of great Christmas tunes. So can we expect an album soon?
"Since the first year, I joked about doing an album. So, I mean never say never. I would quite like to make music outside of Christmas.
"Maybe I should do a little a little Halloween song. Or maybe an Easter one
"We enjoy doing it so if there's a way we can make it happen then you never know", he says.
While the songs are essentially cheery, festive tunes, the cause that they support is one that is incredibly sobering.
In the East of England, the Trussell Trust delivered 97,500 emergency food packages to people between April and September this year. Mr Hoyle describes his experience of working with the trusts and visiting food banks as humbling.
"We've spent a lot of time in food banks now over the last few years and meeting some of the the people that work there and some of the families that have to use foodbanks, and I think the one thing that we're trying to do is, not only about raising money, but it's raising the awareness of this charity and the stigma that's attached to it.
"I think there's a lot of families that are quite embarrassed about having to use foodbanks in that they've had to turn to them, and that's one of the things we're trying to change. We don't want people to be embarrassed. We want people to use it if they have to.
"Ultimately food banks shouldn't exist in this country, so we're going to do as much as we can to raise awareness and and trying to help as many people as possible."
Does he have a message for fans who've heard a snippet of the song released and have pre-ordered it already?
"Honestly, if you're excited already, wait until you've heard the song. Honestly. It's so much fun. It's silly, lots of sausage rolls, lots of dressing up and dancing, and it's gonna be wild so everyone, look forward to seeing the video.
"I hope everyone enjoys the song. Please keep downloading it as of Friday. And yeah, let's try and get Christmas number one and make history for this charity."