As for the performance itself, which was watched by over 10 million people in the UK, plus viewers in 125 other countries, Abel was “just trying to be present and focused and take it all in. These opportunities don’t come round very often.”
The accompanying light display, which echoed King Charles's passion for the natural world, resonated strongly with Abel, who is vegan: “I felt a big responsibility to get the message across.”
Sharing the stage with the likes of Katy Perry and Nicole Scherzinger, the north-west Londoner recalled a memorable moment with one of his musical heroes, Lionel Richie. “Just before I went on stage, he shook my hand and said: ‘I’m watching you.’”
Despite not meeting King Charles and Queen Camilla, Abel did chat to Prince William, describing him as “really kind and charming”.
Born Zak David Zilesnick in Hendon, the former pupil of Mathilda Marks-Kennedy primary school started singing and songwriting after being “brought up on a diet of Bill Withers [and] James Brown.”
His latest single, “Dance with You” has just been released and in October, Abel will embark on a UK and European tour.
In the meantime, he is enjoying his growing fame. “Every 20 seconds, I am getting really lovely comments from people all over the world, showing their love and support,” he said.
Tickets for Zak Abel’s tour can be found at: www.zakabel.com
