Alfie Boe Releases new single ‘Face Myself’ in tribute to his Northern roots
- Desh Kapur
- 14 minutes ago
- 4 min read
ALFIE BOE
Releases new single ‘Face Myself’ in tribute to his Northern roots -
(And reveals his untold Madchester past - from The Stone Roses to the Hacienda)
Watch ‘Face Myself’ Below
From New Album Face Myself, out on April 10
‘The Roses sing our indie song, we bang the drum,
home is the place where time won’t change us’
Alfie Boe On Tour From April/May 2026
The latest single by legendary tenor Alfie Boe addresses his roots in northwest England and, perhaps unexpectedly for Britain's favourite tenor, the indie and dance music that he was immersed in during his teenage years.
‘Face Myself’ evokes imagery of Liverpool's shipyards, the illuminations in Blackpool and music of his youth, with references to legendary Manchester club the Hacienda as well as paying tribute to the Stone Roses’ bassist Mani who passed away last year.
It is the second single from Alfie’s new album, also titled Face Myself, which is released on April 10 and is the singer's first record featuring predominantly original material.
Alfie said: “Face Myself is a tribute to the North and to my youth, back in the days when I was into the indie movement and hopped on the train to Manchester every weekend to see bands, when The Stone Roses came on the scene, then Inspiral Carpets and The Charlatans, the Hacienda and the Northern Quarter in Manchester.
“It has the line ‘The Roses sing our indie song, we bang the drum, home is the place where time won’t change us’, remembering the way we celebrated that music.”
Alfie said: “At the time that I was writing that song, we heard about the tragic death of Mani from Stone Roses and Primal Scream. I put in a little tribute, which goes: ‘Dreams are grown in Burnage skies, a golden past that made us cry. The prom is glorified with lights, for good old Mani played it right. Those Cranwell boys, they sang along.’
“I only met Mani once and never really got to know him - I wish I had. The ‘Cranwell boys’ is a reference to Liam and Noel Gallagher, who grew up in Cranwell Drive in Burnage.”
Before Alfie found fame as one of the country’s great stage singers, he also had a scrape with indie fame, in the role of ‘Opera Dude’ with The Clint Boon Experience (Clint being keyboard player for Manchester indie legends Inspiral Carpets), supporting the band Shed Seven. He had also been a teen drummer in a band but had to stay in school instead of going on tour.
‘Face Myself’ is one of the key songs he wanted to write, with the title ringing in his head before the track was written.
“I thought, what is it about me that I have that I have to face?” he said. “For me, it was a number of moments in the past - my childhood, my teenage years, what got me to where I am today, the stories of my personal life. Reflecting on those things fed into other songs on the album as well. It's been a wonderful journey doing that.”
The release follows the poignant first single, ‘Meanwhile Gardens’, and features on the album Face Myself, which was also produced by the acclaimed duo MyRiot (London Grammar, Primal Scream). Also in April, Alfie sets off on a national tour titled ‘Facing Myself’.
Alfie is taking his ‘Facing Myself’ tour around the UK in April and May, and has also announced album signings at HMV stores in Westfield, White City (11th April) and Manchester (12th April).
BIOGRAPHY
Alfie Boe has enjoyed an extraordinary career spanning stage, recording, and television. A hugely successful, multi-platinum selling artist, Alfie has released over a dozen studio albums, four of which have topped the UK charts. His collaborations with Michael Ball — including the record-breaking albums ‘Together, Together Again’, and ‘Back Together’ — have become some of the fastest-selling releases of the decade. Their tours have sold out arenas across the UK, delighting hundreds of thousands of fans.
The Tony Award winner has conquered the world’s greatest opera stages and arenas and led the cast of Les Misérables in his defining role as Jean Valjean. Most recently Alfie starred in the concert tour of Les Misérables in Australia as well as the Arena Spectacular tour across the UK. Having appeared at some of the most respected venues and events worldwide: from Buckingham Palace for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee to the Royal Albert Hall, Alfie was also appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in recognition of his outstanding services to music and charity.
From his early days in Lancashire to the world’s grandest stages, Alfie has become one of the most versatile and admired artists of his generation. Excited to be heading out on his UK tour next year, the new ‘Facing Myself’ dates promise a night of music and memories, celebrating the very best of his incredible journey so far along with new music.
UK TOUR DATES 2026
Tuesday 14 April - Dundee, Caird Hall
Wednesday 15 April - Aberdeen Music Hall
Friday 17 April - Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Saturday 18 April - Edinburgh Usher Hall
Monday 20 April - Manchester Bridgewater Hall
Tuesday 21 April - Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
Tuesday 23 April - Gateshead Sage
Friday 24 April - Hull City Hall
Saturday 25 April - Blackpool Opera House
Monday 27 April - Liverpool Philharmonic
Tuesday 28 April - York Barbican
Wednesday 29 April - Harrogate Royal Hall
Friday 01 May - Sheffield City Hall
Saturday 02 May - Leicester De Montfort Hall
Monday 04 May - Milton Keynes Theatre
Tuesday 05 May - Bath Forum
Tuesday 07 May - Warwick Arts Centre
Friday 08 May - Birmingham Symphony Hall
Saturday 09 May - Ipswich Regent
Monday 11 May - King’s Lynn Corn Exchange
Tuesday 12 May - Skegness Embassy Theatre
Wednesday 13 May - Cambridge Corn Exchange
Friday 15 May - Oxford New Theatre
Saturday 16 May - Torquay Princess Theatre
Sunday 17 May - Truro Hall For Cornwall
Tuesday 19 May - Llandudno Venue Cymru Theatre
Wednesday 20 May - Aylesbury Waterside Theatre
Friday 22 May - Guildford G Live
Saturday 23 May - Southend Cliffs Pavilion
Sunday 24 May - Folkestone Leas Cliff Hall
Tuesday 26 May - London Royal Albert Hall
Wednesday 27 May - Eastbourne Congress Theatre
Friday 29 May - Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre
Saturday 30 May - Swansea Arena
Sunday 31 May - Cardiff New Theatre