If you have never heard the name Katie Melua—-I have a feeling it’s just a matter of time before that changes. The Georgian-Irish singer is already a well-known European artist, but now she is gaining worldwide recognition not for what she sings, but rather where she sings. According to news reports, Melua just set a world deep-water record by performing a concert 994 feet under the North Sea in the leg of an oil platform.
An editor of the Guinness Book of Records confirmed the record for “the world’s deepest underwater concert performed in front of an audience.” Guinness officials said Melua and her band performed two, hour-long concerts Monday at the bottom of a hollow concrete leg that helps support the Troll A offshore platform. The 1,548-foot tall Troll A platform was towed to the offshore field in 1995, making it the largest structure ever moved in the history of mankind. The platform’s underwater structure is taller than the Eiffel tower and is supported by four vast concrete legs on the ocean floor.
“This was definitely the most surreal gig I’ve ever done,” said the 22-year-old singer whose albums have sold more than five million copies worldwide.
And lest you think this was done on a whim, think again. The event was meticulously planned and well executed. According to her publicist, Melua trained extensively for the concert, “including escaping through the window of a submerged helicopter.” On the day of the concerts, Melua flew to the platform by helicopter. Once she was situated she began to play for offshore oil crews. Now, if you are anything like me, you are probably wondering what possessed this young singer to risk comfort (to say the least) in order to serenade a bunch of oil workers. According to her website, Melua played the concerts to help celebrate the 10th anniversary of natural gas production at the Troll A platform, about 55 miles off the coast of the western Norwegian city of Bergen. I wonder if the fish enjoyed the concert?