Elton John: 'it's impossible for young artists to pay for visas, I've requested a meeting with Boris Johnson'

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Elton John hosts a special episode of his Rocket Hour show this weekend with a theme that’s very close to his heart. In tomorrow’s show, which airs on Apple Music 1 from 5pm, Elton plays brand new music from a variety of young British talent including Cleo Sol, Holly Humberstone, Bakar, Blossoms and Berwyn.

In the show, Elton speaks passionately about why he’s campaigning the Government to help young musicians and touring artists who are struggling with restrictive red tape and bureaucracy as a result of the Government's Brexit deal. In the “let’s get people back to touring Europe” show, he explains why this issue is so important for emerging British talent, the wealth of talent in the UK right now, the “heartbreaking” rules that are currently in place for touring artists going to Europe, and why he’s requested a meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to try to get this “sorted out”.

Elton on this week’s show and requesting a meeting with Boris Johnson...
The Rocket Hour has a special theme this week. Every artist that I'm going to play is a young British artist who at the moment is not able to tour because of what happened with the Brexit situation. What has happened is that it's impossible for young artists financially to pay for visas, negotiate their way through all of the red tape that's necessary for going to Europe. It's financially impossible for them to do so. So I'm on the warpath to try and get this sorted out. And I've requested a meeting with Boris Johnson, I've yet to hear back from him.

Elton on why this issue is so close to his heart and his dedication to resolve this...
It's very important because when I was a young man I went to Germany when I was 17. I didn't earn very much, but it just gave me a taste of what travelling abroad was like and different cultures. And it's so imperative for young artists to have that opportunity to do that. It makes them grow as songwriters, as artists, and as human beings. And it's their right to be able to tour wherever they want to do. And so, at the moment they can't, but we're going to try and fix it … This has been my Rocket Hour this week, which has been dedicated to try and get all these acts that we've been playing on the show touring in Europe again because at the moment it's just not possible. So, as I said earlier, I'm going to fight for this, and we're going to continue to try and fight for this because it's a desperate thing that's holding young artists back. So please help me if you can, or lobby people, lobby your MPs, whatever you can do. We have to sort this out.

Elton on the young music talent in the UK right now…
I'm always astonished by the amount of young talent that comes out of Great Britain. And it breaks my heart that these people are being held back by these ridiculous Brexit rules. Britain is a hotbed of talent. And if you listened to this show today, you heard songs by incredible young artists. That's proving my point. And I will constantly try and improve the situation and get it sorted out.

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