Afternoon Tea with Legends, The Three Degrees at The Biltmore LXR, Mayfair September 2022

"The Three Degrees well known for their soulful voices, beautiful gowns, and fabulous stage shows. They are known all around the world for songs like “When will I see you again”, “Dirty Ol’ Man”, “Take Good Care Of Yourself”. They have been continuously touring for more than 40 years and still touring to this day." Excerpt from https://thethreedegrees.com website.

Videoed Testimonial from The Three Degrees of Their Afternoon Tea Experience

Image 1: At the back Esther Austin, with Francis Holder, Personal Butler, Valerie Holiday, Tabitha King, Freddie Poole and Mr Vella, General Manager

Music is a wonderful friend, tool, gift, and messenger. Music touches and speaks to our every mood, it has the magic to surpass bias, anger, hate, disharmony and prejudice (If the vibrations of the music are right to allow that love and flow). It is the one connector, other than food that can bring people together to heal, transmute and transcend barriers. So to me, the music of The Three Degrees is one of those treasures and gifts that we have been blessed with.

People have grown up watching and listening to The Three Degrees, who are the longest-running female vocal group in history. Helen Scott was the longest-serving member of female vocal group The Three Degrees, and Valerie Holiday as the longest performing member, with Freddie Poole, who has sung backing vocals for some of the world's leading singers and who is known for singing with The Former Supremes and the Three Degrees, who had 10 UK Top 40 hits in the 70s. Chart-toppers included When Will I See You Again?, Take Good Care Of Yourself and Woman In Love.

They effortlessly bought class, style and sassy dance moves to the world, inspiring women all over the world that they too could aspire to be whatever they wanted to be. That they could discover that special something inside themselves, to own it and then to use it. Of course, men love them as well. Who doesn't? With hits such as 'When Will I see you Again' , 'Dirty Ol man', 'Woman in Love', 'Take Good Care of Yourself' and their on stage presence. They became a symbol of 'Girl Power' but also of sassy elegance and sophistication. To be on stage, doing what they love, with those voices, to follow that dream of performing along with all those other attributes has made them into singing icons.

I've had the pleasure of interviewing The Three Degrees, Valerie Holiday, Freddie Poole and Helen Scott on many occasions, and the interviews have always been fun, full of joviality, laughter and interesting industry insights, in terms of their illustrious career in the music industry. In these interviews, we got an insider's view into their lives on some level, but most of we spoke about their love of their craft, of their profession. We spoke about the people they've met all over the world, their audiences, their experiences and their travels. So it was a real delight to invite them to a Private Afternoon Tea on Tuesday 27th September. Tabitha King, acclaimed vocalist had replaced Helen Scott during this trip, due to illness. The idea of these Afternoon tea events is for celebs, legends and pioneers to experience Afternoon Tea whilst also being able to relax and chill out, because we know touring and performing can be pretty grueling.

The occasion was had at The Biltmore LXR, Mayfair, Located in the prestigious Grosvenor Square, The Biltmore Mayfair offers opulent accommodations and a prime location for exploring the capital, where we indulged in Afternoon Tea. A sea of tasty Sandwiches, scones with jam and clotted cream, and a delicious selection of cakes, along with the choice to select from out of 14 teas, was had. Anna Maria, the waitress who served us was gentle and attentive, little things like this added to the uniqueness of the experience.

The afternoon was a dream come true. The Three Degrees were down-to-earth, full of laughter with brief anecdotes of their journey i.e their performances and just general chit-chat about life. These women are seasoned artists at the top of their game and yet in their humility, were able to be themselves. Valerie Holiday was a bundle of fun, full of gigglyness (I love that new word don't you) and laughter. Her inner-child is so endearing and also there was a wisdom, honed from life's copious experiences and yet she oozes a sassy, elegance that is soul-born. Tabitha King, shrewdly observant for a while, like an eagle-eyed mother, her second time performing in the UK, relaxed into the Afternoon, after we had gotten to know each other a little more.