‘I told Amy, ‘baby, you did it.’ She said, ‘No, we did it’

By Sarah Tetteh

As she ran into his arms after winning her first Grammy Award, everyone was wondering about the tall, handsome, dependable singer who was often by Amy Winehouse’s side through the incredible highs, and who would be there for her in the lows.
Step forward Zalon.
The enigmatic singer, with the catchy dance moves that would often set Amy’s performances alight, was an integral part of her rise to fame – and when they met, changed the course of his life forever.

Now the Londoner has opened up about his life since touring with Amy, and how he has launched the incredible Soul Royalty Festival with Devonshire Square for homeless charities.
Zalon, has teamed up with Patrizia Sechi from Devonshire Square to put on the free festival that aims to give back to people in need through donations, that Amy would be so proud of him for creating.
For their last show the audience donated 3,533 items for the homeless. Food donations were sent to Whitechapel mission this month, while clothes, sanitary products, were sent to The Connection Charity at St Martin in December.
Here, Zalon talks exclusively to South London Press about his incredible journey.
It was 2008, and Amy was left speechless after winning five gongs at the world’s biggest music awards show. Zalon recounts the legendary night that made her one of the world’s most celebrated stars thanks to her iconic Back to Black album.
“When Amy won the Grammy, she ran into my arms. I whispered to her ‘Baby, you did it.’ She said, ‘No, we did it.’ That’s the kind of person that she was. In her greatest moment when she won her Grammy, she said ‘we did it’, this is us.’ She shared the moment with us all. That just goes to show her heart.
“I don’t think there will be another Amy, she is unique all by herself. She was so authentic, and people connected with that truth. The thing about authenticity, sometimes it is not nice, but it’s real. In a world where we are constantly trying to find the real, because so much is fake, people connected with Amy because of that roar, honest, truth.”
Zalon has seen a resurgence in Amy fans since the release of the Back to Black movie last year. He said: “In the Back to Black movie they have someone playing me, it’s crazy.
“I’m definitely part of musical history. It’s a beautiful thing. There’s a whole generation of new, young Amy fans who have discovered Amy over the last couple of years due to the films. They are as passionate as people 20 years ago, when we were performing.
“They are living through the content that we created, and they contact me all the time telling me how integral her music is to their lives, the legacy. It is just beautiful.
“Even down to the dance we used to do for Rehab and the others. We created that on the spot. One would lead and I would follow. So Ade would lead, and I would follow. It was all freestyle. So he would change it up, and it was really fun. Amy loved it.
“She really wanted to push us to the front. She really believed in us. She really believed in me. She gave me solos in her set, she signed me to her label, she gave me 15 minutes in the middle of her concert. I was the next one up… but she passed away before we could release.”
Reflecting on what Amy would think of his success today, after their extraordinary journey together, Zalon smiled: “She’d be super proud of me. She was actually a fan of mine, when I met her. I was singing at Ten Rooms (Cafe Royal, West End) and she used to come down to hear me sing. I didn’t know who she was, and she jumped on stage in the middle of my set and was like ‘ Oh my God, you’re amazing.’ I thought to myself, thanks, but I’m singing. At the point she had released Frank, but I wasn’t sure who she was.
“Then the host said ‘Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Amy Winehouse.’ She started to sing, and I was like ‘Oh my God, you’re amazing.’ So we became really close. Her passion was for me to be heard and seen, so she was always trying to help in any way she could.
“How did I end up working with Amy? In those days, when the industry sees you as a backing singer, you are just that. I was working on myself and my solo career. So when the MD called me and said, ‘Zalon, Amy wants you to go on tour with her.’ and I was like ‘no, I’m not doing that.’ Then Amy calls me up herself, and goes ‘Baby, will you come on the road with me?’ And I was like: ‘Ahh, alright, go-on then.” That was our relationship. It was supposed to be for six months, but ended up being for six years.”
It was what happened next and another heart-breaking tragedy in his life that led him to strive for something more. Zalon said: “I was at the point where I had everything I had wanted since I was a kid. I had the world’s biggest international artist pushing me forward. Then she passed away before I could release it. I was devastated because I lost a friend, but I also lost someone who was in my corner as a young black kid growing up in Harlesden. Two years later, my sister passed away of cancer, leaving behind three children. The youngest was two-years-old.
“So I became a co-guardian to her children, so I raised her children. It was a really difficult thing. Not having the Amy gig there, I had less money but more responsibility. I needed to set an example for the kids.
“So it has now been 11 years since I have been touring round the world, selling out concerts and festivals all independently.
“I created my festival, The Soul Royalty Festival, partnered with Devonshire Square, which will be in it’s 10th year, supporting homelessness. It also helps unknown artists to have a platform internationally.
“The next event is the The Journey of Reggae. Date to be announced.
“Devonshire Square have been so amazing, Patrizia Sechi has been so supportive.
“We did a reggae concert and it was incredible. It was called the Journey of Reggae, going through the different eras of reggae.
“I’m so proud as we had gift donations on entry, and now we have mountains of stuff for the homeless.
“I learned that sometimes people become homeless through a divorce, or if they are in-between jobs, you can get into a cycle where you are on the street, and it’s just hard to come out of.
“These collections are helping so many people, and I’m so glad we are helping to change lives.”

Fact box
Festival Name: Soul Royalty Festival
Hosted by: Devonshire Square
Created by: Zalon and Patrizia Sechi
For the art for love festival – Event: Journey Of Reggae
Event Concept: Taking the audience on a journey from Ska to rock steady to lover’s rock to dancehall. Celebrating Jamaica and the Reggae culture.
Charity: Gig entry free with gift donation for the homeless.
Next event: The Journey of Reggae, celebrating 10 year anniversary of The Soul Royalty Festival.
We’ll be doing the festival in the summer for the first time, In August 2025. Date to be announced soon.
Details to get involved in the festival https://forms.gle/5KoUkwXLcxRGnhjs5
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