Stopsley teenager performs on Radio 1's Big Weekend after appeal to musicians

A student had a morning he will never forget after performing on stage with a band at Radio 1's Big Weekend.

Trumpeter Joshua Bowman, 18, from Stopsley, Luton, responded to a last-minute call for musicians to perform with JW Paris on the BBC Introductory Stage on Sunday.

After an hour of rehearsal, the Bedfordshire pupil took to the stage for the band's song Favorite Thing and said it was “surreal” to see people he knew in the crowd.

JW Paris guitarist and singer Danny Collins, 34, said he wanted to perform with a young local musician to “pay it forward”.

Joshua, a member of the Luton Youth Orchestra, has been playing guitar, piano, saxophone and trumpet since the age of five.

Speaking to BBC News after the performance, he said performing on stage was “crazy” and something he would always remember one day.

“I didn't have any butterflies or shaky knees, but there was a little bit of adrenaline, and that's probably going to kick in soon,” he added.

“I watched their performance from the side of the stage and counted the songs until I went on, which built anticipation.

“I saw someone I recognized in the crowd and it was surreal. It was a brilliant experience.

Collins, who has been playing with JW Paris for eight years, said it was a “full circle moment” as he played football at Stockwood Park and now he was performing on stage.

“BBC Introducing has supported us so much over the years and we wanted to pay it forward, so we asked someone from the Luton Youth Orchestra to play with us,” he said.

Speaking about the performance, he added that it was “absolutely packed” in the crowd and “the sun was shining”.

“Josh was much more professional than us on stage,” he said.

“It gives us hope for the future (of music).”