'The underrated, magical power of music': Leeds conservatoire students pen song for Beijing Winter Olympics

By Alex Grant
Published 13th Feb 2022, 04:45 BST
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A group of Leeds conservatoire students have written a song that will be featured on CGTN TV as part of the ongoing Beijing Winter Olympics.

The students were approached to pen the song 'One Dream'.

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Lead vocalist and writer Alex Johnston-Seymour, spoke to the YEP to explain where the inspiration behind the lyrics came from.

Alongside his band mates Nick Kossifou and David Haynes, the bulk of the song was finished within a five day period.Alongside his band mates Nick Kossifou and David Haynes, the bulk of the song was finished within a five day period.
Alongside his band mates Nick Kossifou and David Haynes, the bulk of the song was finished within a five day period.

"I was sent two videos from the documentary to help me write it and I am quite a visual writer, I really like having a full cinematic going on in my brain to allow me to connect with the different senses like sight and temperature." he explained.

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"I envisaged skiers and snowboarders because they are so fast paced also ice skaters and I was trying to make it very much about the Olympian."

Alex, alongside lead guitarist and writer of the backing track Nick Kossifou, enjoy writing songs with a political undertone but chose a different route with this year's Winter Olympics being held in Beijing.

"With freedom of speech over here you are allowed to be as political as you want so me and Nick will typically have several layers of politics in our music but we took a more simple approach to this song and made it very unapologetically about the Olympian and their journeys." Alex said.

Alex explained that the approval of his Chinese classmates meant the most as he was determined to do them proud.Alex explained that the approval of his Chinese classmates meant the most as he was determined to do them proud.
Alex explained that the approval of his Chinese classmates meant the most as he was determined to do them proud.

"We wrote about determination and aspirations, being the best, pushing yourself and everything that I know about being an Olympian having watched it on tv."

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