A new recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s critically acclaimed Starlight Express with the cast of the new London production, currently playing at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre.
Andrew Lloyd Webber said: “Starlight Express’ return to London has been an absolute joy for me. I knew immediately that we needed a cast album to capture this brilliant show. I am particularly pleased that ‘Hydrogen’ is one of our first singles – this a totally new track, written for this production as we reimagined the story of Starlight Express for the zeitgeist of 2024.”[1]
The album has 2 editions. The full 21-track recording is available on streaming services, CD and "deluxe" splatter vinyl[2][3]. A 16-track "highlights" edition is available on standard vinyl. It excludes "Freight Is Great", "Momma's Blues", "Wide Smile", "The Final Race" and "Megamix".
A double A-side single, "Hydrogen" / "Crazy" was released on 27 September 2024.
On 9 October 2024, BBC Radio London played an alternate, as-yet-unreleased mix of "Crazy" that more closely reflects the song as performed in the show in Wembley.
The album was scheduled for release on 8 November 2024 but pushed back a week to 15 November. This was because the decision was made to change the CD release from being the "highlights" version, to the full version. This meant that the CDs and artwork had to be remade[4]. To compensate for the delay, the production released another preview track, "Rolling Stock", to streaming services. The song was chosen by fans in a contest against "I Do" and "AC/DC"[5] and released on Thursday 7 November, a day before the original album-launch date.
Credits[]
Songlist[]
Note: the version of "Hydrogen" that appears on the recording is not the version that appears in the show, but an extended version that combines lyrics from the song as performed in Wembley with Hydra's introduction in Freight and some extra lyrics.
Full version (21 tracks)[]
- Overture / Entry of Trains 03:52
- Rolling Stock 02:53
- Crazy 02:10
- I Am Me 03:19
- Whistle At Me 02:38
- Freight Is Great 02:46
- Hydrogen 03:04
- AC/DC 04:01
- Pumping Iron 03:32
- Make Up My Heart 03:22
- Momma’s Blues 02:43
- Starlight Express 03:35
- U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D 02:22
- Wide Smile 01:45
- The Race 01:25
- I Am The Starlight 04:17
- The Final Race 02:55
- One Rock 'N' Roll Too Many 02:43
- I Do 04:18
- Light at the End of the Tunnel 03:27
- Megamix 05:28
On vinyl, side A has tracks 1 to 6, side B has 7 to 12, side C has 13 to 17 and side D has 18 to 21.
"Highlights" vinyl (16 tracks)[]
Side A
1. Overture / Entry of Trains 03:52
2. Rolling Stock 02:53
3. Crazy 02:10
4. I Am Me 03:19
5. Whistle At Me 02:38
6. Hydrogen 03:04
7. AC/DC 04:01
8. Pumping Iron 03:32
Total - 25:29
Side B
9. Make Up My Heart 03:22
10. Starlight Express 03:35
11. U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D 02:22
12. The Race 01:25
13. I Am The Starlight 04:17
14. One Rock 'N' Roll Too Many 02:43
15. I Do 04:18
16. Light at the End of the Tunnel 03:27
Total - 25:29
Singles[]
- "Hydrogen" / "Crazy" – released on 27 September 2024
- "Rolling Stock" – released on 7 November 2024
- "Pumping Iron" - released on 27 November 2024
On 9 July 2024 a single version of "Starlight Express" was released to promote the production. Filmed in the Starlight Auditorium and sung by Sydnie Christmas – a Bochum alumni and Britain's Got Talent's winner, but not a member of the Wembley cast – the recording does not feature on the 2024 cast album.
Cast[]
| Role | Performer | Role | Performer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rusty | Jeevan Braich | Pearl | Kayna Montecillo |
| Greaseball | Al Knott | Dinah | Eve Humphrey |
| Mama | Jade Marvin | Belle the Sleeping Car | Ashlyn Weekes |
| Electra | Tom Pigram | Tassita | Renz Cardenas |
| Hydra | Jaydon Vijn | Slick | Emily Martinez |
| Control | Cristian Buttaci |