Angela Davis, Annie Lennox and Sharon Van Etten to headline Royal Albert Hall’s programme in support of International Women’s Day

Legendary activist Angela Davis, acclaimed singer-songwriters Annie Lennox and Sharon Van Etten, and world-renowned composer Anoushka Shankar will headline the Royal Albert Hall in the week around International Women’s Day, alongside world championship women’s boxing, and Barbie The Movie: In Concert with an all-female orchestra.

Matthew Todd, Director of Programming at the Royal Albert Hall, said: “We’re proud to have such an exciting and varied line-up around this year’s International Women’s Day, showcasing world-renowned activists, world-class athletes and once-in-a-generation artists, and culminating with Women of the World’s stellar 15th anniversary celebration on International Women’s Day itself”.

The week of events kicks off on Wednesday 5 March with Barbie, which will see the film screened in full, as its soundtrack is performed live on stage. The Barbie Land Sinfonietta will be conducted by Macy Schmidt, a Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree who orchestrated the score for the event and recently became the first woman-of-colour orchestrator in Broadway history.

Music icon Annie Lennox performs her first headline show in the UK since 2019 the following night, with a fundraising concert to support the global feminist organisation that she founded, The Circle. The event is hosted by Clara Amfo, and includes special appearances by artists Celeste, Ríoghnach Connolly and Nadine Shah, and photographer and activist, Misan Harriman.

On 7 March, the Hall will host its first all-women’s world championship boxing event. Unstoppable will be headlined by an all-British world title unification bout between Liverpool’s new WBC and IBF World Champion, Natasha Jonas and Cardiff’s Lauren Price MBE. Other fighters will include 2024 Paris Olympic Bronze Medallist Cindy Ngamba, and Caroline Dubois defending her WBC World Lightweight Title against WBC #1 contender Bo Mi Re Shin.

On International Women’s Day itself, Women of the World will celebrate a landmark anniversary with WOW at 15, presented by founder Jude Kelly. The evening will comprise conversation, stories and music, with headline interviewee Angela Davis making her first UK appearance since 2018. The writer, scholar and activist is widely cited as one of the world’s great thinkers, and a living witness to the historic struggles of our era. Other speakers include Annie Lennox, Sandi Toksvig, musician Jordan Stephens, actor and disability activist Liz Carr, and Master of the King’s Music, Errollyn Wallen CBE. The evening will also feature a varied programme of music, including the world premiere of a newly commissioned fanfare for the Hall’s organ, written by award-winning composer Isobel Waller-Bridge and performed by Anna Lapwood, a performance from 11 times GRAMMY-nominated composer, activist and sitarist, Anouskha Shankar, and organist Rachel Mahon playing Errollyn Wallen’s new choral commission alongside a choir made up of 150 women, girls and non-binary people aged between eight and 80 years.

Two nights later, Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory come to the Hall, with the American singer-songwriter showcasing her sharp and expansive new sound. They are supported by special guest Nabihah Iqbal.

Away from the auditorium, the venue’s 200-capacity Elgar Room will host London’s premier 10-piece, all-girl brass extravaganza She’s Got Brass (Thu 6 Mar) as part of the popular Late Night Jazz series. The group proudly reflects the vibrant essence of London, with members representing LGBTQ+, Afro-Caribbean, and Latina heritages, while Habibti Nation, presented by AWAN (Arab Women Artists Now), will showcase Arab female DJs MUSYS and LUMA on Saturday 8 March. The DJs will play a range of percussive club sounds and party classics from the Arabic-speaking world back-to-back. The Hall’s Beyond the Main Stage programme is running its Women Make Jazz strand across 2025. The first of a series of panel talks and networking events in partnership with Women in Jazz is on Monday 24 February. Then pianist Emily Tran and jazz trumpeter Shanise Hall will collaborate with Blue Lab Beats at a special show on Thursday 20 March.

Tickets for all events are on sale now from www.royalalberthall.com.

What is on and when

In the auditorium:

Barbie The Film: In Concert – Wednesday 5 March 2025. Tickets from £25.

Annie Lennox – Thursday 6 March 2025. Tickets from £60.

Boxxer: Unstoppable – Friday 7 March 2025. Tickets from £30.

WOW at 15 – Saturday 8 March 2025. Tickets from £20.

Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory – Monday 10 March 2025. Tickets from £20.

Beyond the main stage:

Women Make Jazz networking event – Monday 24 February 2025. Tickets £4.99.

She’s Got Brass – Thursday 6 March 2025. Tickets £15.

Habibti Nation – Saturday 8 March 2025. Tickets £10.

Blue Lab Beats curate: Emily Tran and Shanise Hall – Thursday 20 March 2025. Tickets £15.