Brian May has released a charity single in collaboration with Rock Musical Theatre supergroup Woman called ‘I’m a Woman,’ in support of two women’s cancer charities ‘Target Ovarian Cancer and The Caron Keating Foundation, to mark and raise funds for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The song was released on iTunes on the 23rd of October with a physical release due on the 15th of January 2021. Since its release the track has performed very well on the iTunes charts and is currently at number two, just after ‘Dreams‘ by Fleetwood Mac on the top 40 UK rock tracks.

The track was produced by, and features guitars from, Brian May and vocal performances are given by an all female Rock Musical Theatre supergroup called Woman. Woman consists of Mazz Murray, Kerry Ellis, Gina Murray and Anna-Jane Casey, all of whom have previously performed in the hit West End production We Will Rock You. The song is a loosely interpreted cover of Koko Taylor’s blues classic and, while the lyrics are wildly different, the same raw energy is present in both the vocal and Brian May’s guitar.

Brian May has continued to make headlines this year from his gardening accident during lockdown to Queen and Adam Lambert’s UK number one hit album ‘Live Around The World,’ the fruit of the band’s prolific touring around the world. Despite almost thirty years now having passed since the death of Freddie Mercury, Brian May and Queen are still going strong and securing themselves as some of rock’s greatest heroes.

Fans of the blues will definitely enjoy this new recording from Brian May as the riff and main theme tune is one of the oldest in the genre and dates back as far as most people can remember. As well as the Koko Taylor recording, the tune was also a staple of Muddy Waters who called it ‘Mannish Boy,’ and aside from the gender difference the riff and lyrical content is much the same as Koko Taylor’s ‘I’m a Woman.’ The Koko Taylor’s song, recorded in 1978, is clearly influenced by and may be seen as an answer to Muddy Waters’ tune from the 50s as it begins with the same howl and refrain of ‘Everything gonna be alright,’ which Waters begins with.

Fans of Queen and Brian May in the UK who have been living through lockdown restrictions for the majority of 2020 will likely be dying for the chance to see the guitarist live in concert once again. Fortunately for them, Queen and Adam Lambert have UK tour dates scheduled for the summer of 2021 which fans can look forward to and hope that coronavirus restrictions will be sufficiently lifted by then. Full UK tour dates for Queen and Adam Lambert 2021 are as follows:

1/06/2021 – O2 Arena – London
2/06 – O2 Arena – London
4/06 – O2 Arena – London
5/06 – O2 Arena – London
7/06 – O2 Arena – London
8/06 – O2 Arena – London
10/06 – AO Arena – Manchester
11/06 – AO Arena – Manchester
13/06 – Utilita Arena – Birmingham
14/06 – Utilita Arena – Birmingham
16/06 – O2 Arena – London
17/06 – O2 Arena – London
19/06 – O2 Arena – London
20/06 – O2 Arena – London