More footage and music from the project can be found at our New Releases page.
Ten songs about one ocean: Ocean Songs is a music project on a genre-bending journey across our blue planet.
Blending pop, classical, and ambient influences, Ocean Songs is a new set of ten songs created and performed by Colin Riley, Nic Pendlebury, Steve Pretty and Lottie P — alongside guest voices from scientists to community choirs. Highlighting the importance of environmental protection, the four artists and their collaborators explore whales, waves, mythology and climate.
Spoken-word contributions come from Helen Czerski and George Monbiot, with Czerski reading extracts from her award-winning book Blue Machine: How the Ocean Shapes our World (Penguin Books) – a major influence on the project – and Monbiot explaining how whales impact the climate.
Live premieres took place in Summer 2025 at First Light Festival and the National Maritime Museum. The project will have an album release and further performances in 2026 – stay in touch for news.
Community engagement
The project was designed with an option for community musicians to participate in the performance. Parts for soprano and alto voices allow us to involve different groups of local singers at each venue. The choir features in three songs: ‘Sirens’, ‘Every Wave’, and ‘We Are Ocean’.
For performances of Ocean Songs we can include a prior workshop (if required) with local school or community singers who then participate in the public performance. If interested in this aspect of the project, please email sonic.collaborations@gmail.com for a resource pack and further information.
Blue Machine Choir rehearse at the National Maritime Museum, London, 2025
First Light Voices onstage at First Light Festival, Lowestoft, 2025 – image (c) Adam Barnes
Ocean Songs is a joint commission by First Light Festival CIC, Royal Museums Greenwich, Messums and Ocean Rising. For press and performance enquiries contact sonic.collaborations@gmail.com.