Remembering their late bandmate Sarah Harding, Girls Aloud will record a new version of their popular charity single, I’ll Stand By You, for BBC Children In Need.
Using snippets found from the original recording sessions when the group gathered archive material for their reunion tour earlier this year, the late singer will deliver lead vocals throughout the new Sarah’s Version.
Sarah Harding, who passed away in September 2021 at the age of 39 after receiving a cancer diagnosis, was honoured by the tour.
The girl group, which is made up of Nadine Coyle, Cheryl, Nicola Roberts, and Kimberley Walsh, praised the new song as an “emotional moment” for everyone and included it on the tour tracklist.
On November 15, 20 years after they first covered the song for BBC Children In Need, a newly produced studio version will be made available as a new charity single assist the charity.
On Wednesday, Nadine introduced the song in a pre-recorded message on Zoe Ball’s breakfast program on BBC Radio 2.
The singer from Derry said: “It really is a special celebration of Sarah and also Girls Aloud involvement with Children In Need over the years.”
During the BBC Children in Need Appeal Show on November 15, a revised version of the original film including previously unreleased archive footage will also be made available.
The girl group’s rendition of “I’ll Stand By You” peaked at number one in the UK singles chart when it was first released in 2004 as a charity record for BBC Children in Need.
Written by Chrissie Hynde, Billy Steinberg, and Tom Kelly, the song was first released as a single for The Pretenders.
“How wonderful to hear I’ll Stand By You with the lovely vocals of Sarah Harding leading the way for BBC Children in Need,” Chrissie Hynde said in reference to the new rendition.
After winning Popstars: The Rivals in 2002, the vocalists founded Girls Aloud, which went on to win a Brit award for the song “The Promise” and four UK number one singles.
When Sarah Harding was given a cancer diagnosis, a second reunion was scheduled for their 20th anniversary, but they reconnected with new music for their 10th anniversary in 2012.
Girls Aloud has raised almost £1 million (€1.19 million) for breast cancer charities through a variety of efforts since Harding’s passing.
The girl group got back together earlier this year to tour the UK and Ireland, playing popular songs from their past, such as The Promise, Love Machine, and Sound Of The Underground.