Melua performs record deepest underwater gig

Singer Katie Melua entered the record books today by performing the world’s deepest underwater concert.

Melua and her five-piece band played two gigs for workers on a gas rig 303 metres below sea level.

The concert took place at the bottom of one of the four shafts of the Statoil Troll A Platform rig in the North Sea.

“This was definitely the most surreal gig I have ever done,” Melua said afterwards.

The 22-year-old underwent stringent medical tests and survival training in Bergen, Norway, before flying by helicopter to the rig.

“The planning behind the concert has been like a military operation,” she said. “The band, crew and I were put through rigorous training to ensure our safety, including escaping from a submerging cockpit and plunging into the sea in an inflatable life raft.

“It took nine minutes to go from the main part of the gas platform down to the bottom of the shaft in a lift. Every camera had a fire safety officer next to it to monitor the gas level in case the battery sparked an explosion.

“The people on the platform were great, the band – as usual – was fantastic and everyone is exhilarated.

“Giving a concert to the workers there was something really extraordinary and an occasion that I will remember all my life.”

The concert was held to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Statoil and was filmed for broadcast on Norwegian TV.

The Troll platform is 472 metres high, of which 369 metres lie below the sea’s surface.

Melua performed hits including Closest Thing To Crazy and Nine Million Bicycles.

Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records, confirmed the star had set a new record.

Melua flew straight back to the UK after the gig.

“It’s pretty mad to think this afternoon I was playing a concert at the bottom of the sea and then this evening I will be sitting at home in London with a cup of tea,” she said.

The Georgian-born singer is the biggest-selling female artist in Britain.

Her debut album Call Off The Search and follow-up Piece By Piece both topped the charts.

She has sold more than six million albums worldwide.

Her next concert will be at Wembley Arena on December 3.